April 2021 Reading Wrap-Up

REMEMBER IT’S ALL A GAME. WHAT HAPPENS BEYOND THIS GATE MAY FRIGHTEN OR EXCITE YOU, BUT DON’T LET ANY OF IT TRICK YOU.

Once a year the infamous Master Legend hosts Caraval – open only to those who have been invited. This year the week-long game is on Legend’s glittering Isla de los Suenos, where the winding streets are an elaborate snow-covered maze and the people are never who they seem.

At midnight on the first day, the show begins and the visitors become players. Each of them is vying for the coveted prize: a single wish. All they must do is unravel the mystery of Caraval. But in a game where danger hides behind every charming smile, winning isn’t without loss, and their wish might be their last…

“A second in Caraval seemed richer than an ordinary second, like that moment on the cusp of sunset, when all the colors of the sky coalesce into magic.”

Where do I even begin when writing a review of a reread of one of my favorite books of all time? It’s tough to start with anything other than: this book is amazing and I love it with all my heart and it’s written the way I’ve always daydreamed and wow you should read it too! But I suppose that wouldn’t really be an adequate review, so let me put slightly more effort into this (although, the previous sentiments still apply).

The first time I read this book, it was a new release that I picked up at the library 100% because of the cool cover. I remember feeling totally whisked away into the magic and terror of Caraval and I finished the book incredibly quickly because I was on the edge of my seat from the first page until the very end.

The second time, my reading experience wasn’t too different. I finished my reread in 3 days, despite originally telling myself to take my time and really indulge in the story. It’s just so easy to get wrapped up in how thrilling it all is. The events that transpire in the book have you rethinking everything you thought you knew. Is it really a game? Is anything that’s happening real? Is that person who they say they are? It’s like a fantastical mystery, and you’re the detective.

In the first book, I’ll admit that I don’t feel a super strong connection with any of the characters. Scarlett is our protagonist and she’s a bit of an overly cautious goody-two-shoes. There’s Julian, who’s a bit untrustworthy and concealed (though frustratingly attractive at the same time). In addition, there’s a wild cast of secondary characters that play really important roles in how the story turns out.

I remember feeling a level of eerieness throughout reading the first time around – and that crept back in again for my reread. Maybe that’s just how it is when you’re not sure what’s real, but it certainly kept me flipping the pages for more. In my opinion, there’s nothing truly terrifying, though I will share the content warnings below.

Overall, I’m just so glad I’m getting to revisit this magical world. Stephanie Garber created something truly magnificent when she wrote these books. It really does feel like a wild dream come to life!

Ailesse and her friends change the afterlife in the gripping conclusion to the fantasy duology that began with Bone Crier’s Moon from New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie–perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Roshani Chokshi.

Love is a matter of life and death.

Bone Criers have been ferrying the dead into the afterlife for centuries, a dangerous duty only possible with the powers they gain from sacrificing their amour s, the men destined to love them and die. But Bone Criers Ailesse and Sabine–along with Ailesse’s love, Bastien–are working to chart their own course and rewrite the rules of the afterlife. If they don’t break the soul bond between Ailesse and her amour , she could die–just as Bastien’s father did.

Sabine struggles to maintain her authority as matrone of her famille–the role always destined for her sister–even as she fights to control the violent jackal power within her.

Bastien is faced with a new dilemma as the spirits of the Underworld threaten the souls of his friends–and his father.

Ailesse attempts to resist her mother’s siren song as she’s drawn into her own version of the Underworld. How will she save her friends once she’s cut off from their world?

This pulse-pounding follow-up to Bone Crier’s Moon is a story of love, sisterhood, and determination as three friends find the courage and power to shatter the boundary between the living and the dead.

I often feel as though when I give an audiobook less than 4 stars, it’s due to the audiobook itself and not necessarily the story. So, I’m prefacing this by saying that I think I would’ve enjoyed this duology far more had I read the physical copies rather than listening to the audiobooks. It was very challenging to keep track of the many characters, what they could do, and who they were romantically interested in or related to. I also truly did not care for Bastien’s narration style. It made me want to skip his chapters entirely, so again, I believe so much of my distaste had to do with the audio.

The first half of the book was much slower than I expected, with a lot of details regarding the romantic interests and parents involved in everything. I found myself getting lost pretty frequently throughout this part – almost as if it were the “politics” in the book, which wasn’t actually the case. Normally, I don’t have too much trouble keeping track of these details, but there’s like a love… hexagon? And so many enemies? And I just wasn’t doing a great job putting all the pieces together as I went.

I really appreciated the way the whole story wrapped up. While the pace definitely picked up and there was tons of amazing action, the actual ending to the plot didn’t feel rushed, which I was grateful for. At this point, I was able to easily understand everything that was going on, who was with who, and what the next plan of action was! The last few chapters and the epilogue were really satisfying!

One thing I will say about the Bone Grace duology is that they’re certainly not lacking in badass female characters. I felt empowered just reading these books! My hope is that one day I can go back and read these again in a physical format so I can truly understand the plot better and learn to love Bastien haha!

Set in a rich, high-fantasy world inspired by ancient Rome, Sabaa Tahir’s AN EMBER IN THE ASHES told the story of Laia, a slave fighting for her family, and Elias, a young soldier fighting for his freedom.

Now, in A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT, Elias and Laia are running for their lives.

After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf–the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison–to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene–Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own–one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both.

This was one of those books where I knew it was good, but it didn’t hold my attention very well. I noticed that my eyes kept drifting up to the page number to see how much progress I had made. I’ll admit, An Ember in the Ashes was really slow-paced as well, but this one somehow felt slower?

I felt a bit like I was walking in circles, since the plot progressed but also kind of moved nowhere. There were some typical themes: betrayal, murder of loved ones, torture, very uncomfortable romance, and then what felt like a bit of a rushed ending.

I’ll admit, as badass as Helene was in the first book, I expected SO much more from her in this one. I think the best parts were Tas and the rebels in Kauf, as well as the skill that Laia picked up along the way. Elias fell really flat for me, overall.

My hope is that the next book in the series picks up the pace and brings some dynamic aspects that create a desire to keep reading for hours on end!

Face your demons…or feed them. The dashing young king, Nikolai Lantsov, has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war–and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, Nikolai must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha general, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried–and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

Well, my oh my, that ending is the book world’s best-kept secret, that’s for sure. I needed a moment – no, an hour – to regain my composure after finishing this up.

I will say that I wish I had read the physical copy of the book and I should say that’s the case for the entire Grishaverse (the only one I’ve read in a paper format was Six of Crows) because there were definitely elements that I missed or sadly, tuned out, as I read.

Nikolai is still, without a doubt, my favorite character in this world. I just can’t find anything to dislike about him! This particular book also made me appreciate and respect Zoya more than ever before. I felt super emotional as I read Nina’s POV. How Bardugo manages to excel in BOTH world-building and character development is beyond me, because so often (especially in fantasy), authors tend to only focus on one of these. However, I’m constantly in awe of the way I can fully immerse myself in the world and relate to the characters throughout these books.

I am beyond ready to pick up Rule of Wolves now, because I need to know what happens next!

Two exes reach a new level of awkward when forced to take a road trip together in this endearing and humorous novel by the author of the international bestseller The Flatshare.

What if the end of the road is just the beginning?

Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Wealthy Oxford student Dylan was staying at his friend Cherry’s enormous French villa; wild child Addie was spending her summer as the on-site caretaker. Two years ago, their relationship officially ended. They haven’t spoken since.

Today, Dylan’s and Addie’s lives collide again. It’s the day before Cherry’s wedding, and Addie and Dylan crash cars at the start of the journey there. The car Dylan was driving is wrecked, and the wedding is in rural Scotland—he’ll never get there on time by public transport.

So, along with Dylan’s best friend, Addie’s sister, and a random guy on Facebook who needed a ride, they squeeze into a space-challenged Mini and set off across Britain. Cramped into the same space, Dylan and Addie are forced to confront the choices they made that tore them apart—and ask themselves whether that final decision was the right one after all.

Read my full review here

In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.

In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.

Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.

Lush and richly imagined, a tale of impossible journeys, unforgettable love, and the enduring power of stories awaits in Alix E. Harrow’s spellbinding debut–step inside and discover its magic.

Those of you who are more than casually familiar with books — those of you who spend your free afternoons in fusty bookshops, who offer furtive, kindly strokes along the spines of familiar titles — understand that page riffling is an essential element in the process of introducing oneself to a new book. It isn’t about reading the words; it’s about reading the smell, which wafts from the pages in a cloud of dust and wood pulp. It might smell expensive and well bound, or it might smell of tissue-thin paper and blurred two-colour prints, or of fifty years unread in the home of a tobacco-smoking old man. Books can smell of cheap thrills or painstaking scholarship, or literary weight or unsolved mysteries.

This story was the ultimate escape read. It was filled with whimsy, fantasy, and magic. Once I began reading, I never wanted to stop. If you enjoy books like The Starless Sea or Strange the Dreamer, you’ll love The Ten Thousand Doors of January. One of the ways I describe books like this is “a bedtime story for adults.” There’s not necessarily a dire need to understand every little piece of what’s happening. You can truly just sit back and enjoy the story being woven around you.

Not only was January a thoroughly likable and fascinating character, but the secondary characters were equally interesting to read about (though not all quite as likable). Rather than adhering to an arc only for the protagonist (January), I was pleased to find that the progression was there for several of my other favorites. It made me appreciate the story even more.

If you’re looking for a romance, this isn’t it, but it is a love story. It’s beautifully written and incredibly quotable. I found myself writing down so many phrases as I listened to the audiobook (which is wonderfully narrated, by the way). There was power in the story and I know I’ll be coming back to it time and again.

[CW: murder, death, insane asylum, ableism, physical abuse, self-harm, racism, classism]

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Z lie Adebola remembers when the soil of Or sha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Z lie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Z lie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Z lie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Z lie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Or sha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Z lie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

Do you ever finish a book and wish you had read it in a different format? That’s how I felt with this one. I chose the audiobook and was thrilled to learn that the narrator was the same actor who voiced several of my favorites, but with this particular story, it just didn’t work out. I think there was a desperate need for a full cast – or at least both male and female voice actors. Since the chapters didn’t have names, I felt myself getting confused very quickly by the switching POVs (which there are 4 of… I think? I’m still not entirely sure).

Unfortunately, the way the book was read greatly affected how I perceived the story. I found it to be really slow and it required a lot of rewinding to understand portions that I had missed or names I hadn’t understood. The concept was beautiful, and again, I think it would have been far more enjoyable as a physical book, but I was lost and pretty baffled for the majority of it.

Towards the end, things picked up and I really wanted to know what would happen next. However, it’s been but a few days since I finished this book and I’ve already forgotten most of it. All I know is that I want to read the second one as a paper copy rather than listening to the audiobook. I’m hoping that will help me digest the depth of the story much better.

I know there were a lot of triggering topics, but I can’t fully comprehend all of them at this time. My plan is to update this review in the future after a reread or at least once I’ve gotten through the second novel.

What if Meg had to become a god?

After Hercules proves he’s a true hero and regains his godship, all seems right in the world. That is, until Zeus tells Meg that she can’t be with Hercules because she’s, well, mortal. Luckily, Hera has a solution, offering Meg a chance to prove herself worthy of a spot on Mt. Olympus–as a god. All Meg has to do is complete a mysterious quest.

The mission? Oh, just to rescue her ex’s current wife from the Underworld. The ex-boyfriend she saved by selling her soul to Hades. The ex-boyfriend who immediately moved on to someone else while she was stuck in the Underworld. Can Meg put her past behind her and use her quick-wit to defeat monsters and gods alike, including the nefarious Hades? Will she finally figure out her place and contribution to the world? Or will her fear of commitment have her running away from an eternity of godhood with Herc?

Written by the author of Mirror, Mirror and Conceal, Don’t Feel, Jen Calonita’s latest twist is sure to delight and surprise.

Read my full review here

From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel about family, hope, and learning to love against all odds.

Cassie Hanwell was born for emergencies. As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, she’s seen her fair share of them, and she’s excellent at dealing with other people’s tragedies. But when her estranged and ailing mother asks her to uproot her life and move to Boston, it’s an emergency of a kind Cassie never anticipated.

The tough, old-school Boston firehouse is as different from Cassie’s old job as it could possibly be. Hazing, a lack of funding, and poor facilities mean that the firemen aren’t exactly thrilled to have a “lady” on the crew, even one as competent and smart as Cassie. Except for the handsome rookie, who doesn’t seem to mind having Cassie around. But she can’t think about that. Because she doesn’t fall in love. And because of the advice her old captain gave her: don’t date firefighters. Cassie can feel her resolve slipping…but will she jeopardize her place in a career where she’s worked so hard to be taken seriously?

Katherine Center’s Things You Save in a Fire is a heartfelt, affecting novel about life, love, and the true meaning of courage.

“Choosing to love, despite all the ways that people let you down and disappear and break your heart, knowing everything we know about how hard life is and choosing to love anyway – that’s not weakness, that’s courage.” 

I chose to read this book on a whim since it was available on my library’s audiobook app. I wasn’t expecting to fly through it quite so quickly. The whole thing felt a bit unexpected – not because it wasn’t predictable (which it certainly was) but because of the themes and how they were approached.

Cassie chooses to give up a promotion to lieutenant at her fire station in Texas because she will not apologize for publicly defending herself against sexual assault. Immediately, I appreciated her boldness and decision to stand for what she knew was right. Shortly after, she transfers to another fire station in order to live with her “estranged” mom (who she calls by her first name: Diana) outside of Boston. This enables her to help her mom, who is blind in one eye.

Before leaving the job she knows and loves, her captain basically gives her a pep talk, telling her that the new job will be incredibly sexist and old-fashioned in more ways than one. Rather than trying to change that, she basically prods Cassie to hold back on all fronts and be as little like a woman as possible. This definitely hit me the wrong way. If Cassie was agreeing to termination in order to avoid apologizing for self-defense, it’s hard for me to imagine her being alright with accepting this kind of position. 

When she arrives, she’s immediately lumped in with “The Rookie,” and we see immediately that this will be our love interest. From there on out, things are really predictable: they’re always stuck together, hazed at the same time, forced to be in uncomfortable situations, and the romance develops super quickly. Despite Cassie’s severe intolerance of love and romance, she’s pretty into this guy (emotionally and physically).

There’s a lot that happens in this book, considering how short it is. Betrayal, bullying, a whirlwind romance, and a picture-perfect ending. It was a nice read but didn’t feel like there was as much substance as I wanted, considering some of the more challenging topics it was dealing with. I really hoped that we would see some ground-breaking moments. Instead, it felt a bit lackluster and even slightly rushed. Good if you’re just looking for a filler read and not something that will change your life.

Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone – but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he’d ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who’d always terrified her – but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she’d ever imagined.

In Melissa Marr’s third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos.

Coming back to this Wicked Lovely world has really been a treat. I had truly forgotten so much of what I loved in the books (and also what I hated). Fragile Eternity is definitely one of my favorite books in the series and that has mostly to do with the fact that a large portion of the plot revolves around Seth. 

Seth has been my book boyfriend since the first time I read Wicked Lovely almost ten years ago. He’s a stand-out character because he actually has integrity, which is something that it feels like a lot of other characters in this series do not possess. From the moment he’s introduced, he supports Aislinn through everything, manages to (mostly) avoid conflict with hotheaded, manipulative Keenan, and really is just an overall wonderful boyfriend and person. He’s like Switzerland. A peaceful middle ground between the humans and the multiple faerie courts.

In this book, we see him do whatever it takes to fight for Aislinn as she and Keenan grow closer to strengthen the Summer court. It honestly makes me emotional each time I read this book because the majority of the struggles are due to lack of communication and Keenan ruining things because of how possessive he is! Not to mention, we’ve also got War (aka Bananach) on the prowl, causing major destruction and conflict among all the faeries.

As well as Seth’s storyline, we get more of Donia – another favorite character. She’s more powerful as the Winter Queen and I freaking love how she begins to stand up for herself, sick and tired of Keenan’s games (okay, if it isn’t already obvious: I hate Keenan). 

We also watch Niall really come into his own as the Dark Court’s king. However, this isn’t a pretty look on the Gancanagh. A character that was pretty beloved early on really has allowed his demons and shadows to overtake him, which is a huge bummer.

Alright, so, overall, this has been my favorite to reread, I think. I’m looking forward to diving into Radiant Shadows next!

From the moment Carli and Rex first locked eyes on a Texas high school basketball court, they both knew it was destiny. But can you truly love someone else if you don’t love yourself?

Acclaimed author Liara Tamani’s luminous second novel explores love, family, heartbreak, betrayal, and the power of healing, in gorgeous prose that will appeal to readers of Nicola Yoon and Jacqueline Woodson.

A glance was all it took. That kind of connection, the immediate and raw understanding of another person, just doesn’t come along very often. And as rising stars on their Texas high schools’ respective basketball teams, destined for bright futures in college and beyond, it seems like a match made in heaven. But Carli and Rex have secrets. As do their families.

Liara Tamani, the author of the acclaimed Calling My Name, follows two Black teenagers as they discover how first love, heartbreak, betrayal, and family can shape you–for better or for worse. A novel full of pain, joy, healing, and hope for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jenny Han.

The more I think about this book, the lower the rating gets in my mind. It was tough to read, folks.

I wanted to adore this book so, so badly. A cute teen romance revolving around basketball? Yes, please! But wow, I wound up just angry with the characters over and over again and nearly stopped reading halfway through.

This had the potential to be somewhere between John Green and Jenny Han as far as cute-yet-emotional goes. And yet, here we are with a 2-star rating.

Every single problem in this book could have been solved with proper communication. I realize communication is the number one reason for conflict, but there was an overly heavy dose of it in this story. In fact, it made the plot slow to a crawl countless times. There was conflict between parents and children, parents and their significant others, the two main characters, the main characters and their friends, etc. It was nonstop emotional sabotage.

This might have been less of an issue if the characters were likable. However, they were not. They were petty and juvenile – even for their young age. If it weren’t for the random almost-sex scenes and cursing, I would’ve thought this was middle grade, not just YA. 

By the time it was over, I was thanking sweet baby Jesus that I could just put it behind me. I’m so disappointed, because I truly, truly thought it could be fantastic, but I just can’t say that was the case.

Two powerhouse authors bring you a hilarious tale of one woman’s journey to find herself again.

Ever have one of those days where life just plain sucks? Welcome to my last three months―ever since I caught my can’t-be-soon-enough ex-husband cheating with his paralegal. I’m thirty-five years old, and I’ve lost my NYC apartment, my job, my money, and frankly, my dignity.

But the final heartache in the suck sandwich of my life? My great-aunt Maggie died. The only family member who’s ever gotten me.

Even after death, though, she’s helping me get back up. She’s willed me the keys to a house in the burbs, of all places, and dared me to grab life by the family jewels. Well, I’ve got the vise grips already in hand (my ex should take note) and I’m ready to fight for my life again.

Too bad that bravado only lasts as long as it takes to drive into Huckleberry Hills. And see the house.

There are forty-seven separate HOA violations, and I feel them all in my bones. Honestly, I’m surprised no one’s “accidentally” torched the house yet. I want to, and I’ve only been standing in front of it for five minutes. But then my hot, grumpy neighbor tells me to mow the lawn first and I’m just…done. Done with men too sexy for their own good and done with anyone telling me what to do.

First rule of surviving the burbs? There is nothing that YouTube and a glass of wine can’t conquer.

One of the things I’ve found to be the most challenging over the past few years is finding a contemporary romance that doesn’t feel painfully predictable. I’ll read a synopsis, think, “oh that’s going to be so unique,” and then I’m sorely disappointed when I actually read the novel. I think that’s kind of how I felt with Back in the Burbs.

Okay, so I do need to say that it had me cackling with frequency throughout the first half of the books. Considering the fact that our protagonist is going through a divorce because of a seriously emotionally abusive ex who cheated on her (freaking heavy stuff, man) – it still had fantastic humor.

I was seriously thrilled when Mikey’s character was introduced since he was so sweet and helpful. Apparently, enemies-to-lovers is the “only option” for some people because Mikey was thrown to the side the literal second that Nick popped up. Now, I realize that Nick was not a toxic character and I appreciated that. The enemies-to-lovers trope was actually pretty mild on that account (thank goodness), but it did make me sad that Mallory practically assumed she was just going to always be attracted to “the jerk.” Rather than “giving in” to that, it would’ve been nice to see her take time to fully recognize that Nick wasn’t awful so she could have a healthy relationship. Instead, it took nearly the entire book for her to realize something that could have taken two seconds if she wasn’t in such denial.

I was in a relationship so painfully similar to her and her ex, Karl, that there were times where I needed to skim the chapters because the content was too triggering. Learning how he spoke to her and treated her made my skin crawl and it actually made it more challenging to wind up liking Nick – even as the story went on.

The best parts were the references to her Aunt Maggie, who sounds like a total hoot. I felt as though the plotline with Sarah was completely unnecessary and the issues with her parents were exasperating and unresolved, which bothered me too. I’m assuming that if this is a series, we’re going to see Sarah’s story next, so I hope that clears some plot holes up a bit.

Don’t even get me started on the epilogue. Just read nearly any other romcom epilogue and you’ve read this one too. Please, someone, give me an epilogue that doesn’t include pregnancy, for goodness’ sake.

The storm of the century is about to hit Little Bridge Island, Florida—and it’s sending waves crashing through Sabrina “Bree” Beckham’s love life…

When a massive hurricane severs all power and cell service to Little Bridge Island—as well as its connection to the mainland—twenty-five-year-old Bree Beckham isn’t worried . . . at first. She’s already escaped one storm—her emotionally abusive ex—so a hurricane seems like it will be a piece of cake.

But animal-loving Bree does become alarmed when she realizes how many islanders have been cut off from their beloved pets. Now it’s up to her to save as many of Little Bridge’s cats and dogs as she can . . . but to do so, she’s going to need help—help she has no choice but to accept from her boss’s sexy nephew, Drew Hartwell, the Mermaid Café’s most notorious heartbreaker.

But when Bree starts falling for Drew, just as Little Bridge’s power is restored and her penitent ex shows up, she has to ask herself if her island fling was only a result of the stormy weather, or if it could last during clear skies too.

This is the story about a girl who is dumb enough to stay on an island that’s about to be hit by a major hurricane because she doesn’t want to be called a “freshwater” (aka someone who is too new to the island to know how to handle themselves in a storm). She has some serious insta-love with a not-quite-enemy (just an overall unlikeable guy with a drinking problem) and saves some pets who were abandoned in the storm. Then her awful ex and his even more awful BFF (someone who sexually assaulted her) show up and she decides the best way to handle it is to pull a gun on them and scare them off. WHAT DID I JUST READ. This was not a good book. I was so uncomfortable the entire time.

The Demon King. As Fjerda’s massive army prepares to invade, Nikolai Lantsov will summon every bit of his ingenuity and charm–and even the monster within–to win this fight. But a dark threat looms that cannot be defeated by a young king’s gift for the impossible.

The Stormwitch. Zoya Nazyalensky has lost too much to war. She saw her mentor die and her worst enemy resurrected, and she refuses to bury another friend. Now duty demands she embrace her powers to become the weapon her country needs. No matter the cost.

The Queen of Mourning. Deep undercover, Nina Zenik risks discovery and death as she wages war on Fjerda from inside its capital. But her desire for revenge may cost her country its chance at freedom and Nina the chance to heal her grieving heart.

King. General. Spy. Together they must find a way to forge a future in the darkness. Or watch a nation fall.

Oh, Leigh, you broke my heart with this ending.

After binging Shadow and Bone on Netflix at least 10x in a row, I was so excited to pick up the last of the Grishaverse novels to fill even more of my mind with this world that I’ve come to adore so much.

King of Scars sent me on such an adventure and I was thrilled by the phenomenal cliffhanger. I couldn’t wait to see how this picked up where that left off – but I was honestly disappointed overall.

To cohesively share my thoughts on this book, it must be jam-packed with spoilers from here on out. I enjoyed the adventure, seeing so many of the characters fully embrace themselves, and the reunions with other members of the Grishaverse that we’ve loved over the years. There were also some seriously sweet moments – specifically between Zoya and Nikolai – that brought such joy. I will say that I continue to hope for another book in the future. One that clears up the plot holes and the cliffhanger ending (because really, who ends a series on a cliffhanger?)

Why on earth did David have to die? And in such a cruel manner, no less. I’ve always been someone who appreciated a well-timed character ending to bring about emotion, but in the final book, I feel like it’s really unfair to the reader (and the characters). Genya had been through far too much already and she and David were finally getting comfortable in married life and finding themselves. It shattered my heart into a million pieces.

Nikolai gave up his throne. Literally what he’s been fighting for since day one. And he gave it up. I am shook by this. I realize he loves Zoya and respects her enough to sacrifice for her, but I think it could have easily been that he found a way to give her a title so she could still be his queen, rather than just fully handing the crown to her.

My heart sped up when they brought The Darkling to Alina and Mal – only to find them totally weak, easy to fool, and just nothing like themselves. I would think Alina would have seen The Darkling’s motives from a mile away!

Another confusing plot line was Nina and Hanne. The first half of King of Scars showed Nina grieving Matthias and unsure how to move on. It seems totally out of character for her to so quickly jump from one person to the next. I would’ve loved to see her encourage Hanne exploring her identity, but not necessarily getting with them in a romantic sense. Nina is a really confident character who loves her home and wanted nothing more than to go back there, so to give all of that up in order to stay with Hanne – and not even as herself, but as Mila – just hit me wrong.

The Darkling didn’t seem like himself either. He was witty and sardonic but didn’t display the same level of power or finesse that we’ve come to expect from the character. I mean, he sacrificed himself in the end? And for what? He didn’t receive any glory or praise from it.

All in all, it felt like this book wasn’t even canon. I was so baffled by how different it was from the rest of the series. Like, take it out of the Grishaverse entirely and give the characters other names and I would’ve loved it for the story itself. However, it really did read more like fanfiction than anything else. Soooo less-than-stellar ending? That’s a huge bummer but it’s alright because I can just read the Shadow and Bone trilogy and Six of Crows duology an infinite number of times for the rest of forever and be perfectly satisfied.