Pitched for fans of Raven Boys and Cemetery Boys, but in my opinion closest to F.T. Lukens’ Spell Bound and their The Rules series.
I love the rival tPitched for fans of Raven Boys and Cemetery Boys, but in my opinion closest to F.T. Lukens’ Spell Bound and their The Rules series.
I love the rival to lovers trope, but I like the grumpy-sunshine trope even more, and I loved that one the most in The Hollow and the Haunted. Miles is the empath, always helpful and thinking about others. Gabriel is the brooding one, distant and cold. But when a friendship grows, Gabriel opens up, and Miles finds out, that a sweet boy is hiding underneath all those layers of coldness. Be aware this is a slow, slow, slow-burn and that the romance isn’t the main theme. This story is about two rivaling families, and Miles and Gabriel find themselves in the middle of the feud.
Camilla Raines writing is incredibly vivid and made this story such a pleasure to read. Miles and Gabriel, including the side characters, splashed of the pages, and I smiled so many times. At Miles’ and Gabriel’s banter, but also at Miles’ car because Camilla managed to make Blanche almost human.
To be honest, while reading that ending, I was like ‘WHAT?’, but now I can’t wait to read the sequel! I’d love to be back with Miles and Gabriel again.
What a weird little story, and what a beautiful one. This book is about three lonely people who find each other and form a bond and a faShe’s special.
What a weird little story, and what a beautiful one. This book is about three lonely people who find each other and form a bond and a family in the end. It’s difficult to pinpoint a genre. It’s sci-fi but feels more like a mystery, but not a thrilling one. Nothing really happens, and at the same time, a lot happens. Nate is constantly wondering what on earth is occurring, and as a reader, you’re wondering, too.
”It’s why I chose the both of you. You made me a home out of nothing.”
It took me some time to get to know Art, Alex, and Nate, but the more they revealed, the more I got invested in their story. This is not a standard T.J. Klune book; it’s a less humorous one, but I loved the take on grief. And I loved Art, that ten-year-old who read romances and asked so many questions. Alex and Nate were so protective of her.
I didn’t get it. Not before, Art had told him. I don’t think any of us did. Not until they felt a heart beating in a chest like I have. Not until I felt the bones beneath my skin. We’re not alike. Not really. We’re separated by time and space. And yet, somehow, we’re all made of dust and stars.
I love T.J. Klune’s writing and the epilogue, and look at that new cover! It fits the other books so beautifully!
Thank you, Erin from McMillan International, for this wonderful ARC!
Intimacy is the only shield against insanity. Ambrose Cusk
I often have difficulties getting into a highly anHow easily I pushed that five star button …
Intimacy is the only shield against insanity. Ambrose Cusk
I often have difficulties getting into a highly anticipated read. My eyes want to roam over the pages in just a few seconds to get to the next page, scared they won’t deliver what I’m hoping for. At the same time, I don’t want to read further because I’m too afraid the story will be over too soon. Starting a highly anticipated book can be a challenge.
So, I was a mess while reading Owl’s POV in part 1. I only calmed down when I met Ambrose in part 2. Oh, sweet Ambrose. So lost and constantly in search of intimacy. And then suddenly, I was with Yarrow, and my heart broke. Kodiak mended it a little, but then I got back to Owl, and my fragile heart fell into a million pieces again.
Somewhere along the road, a thought entered my mind. I didn’t think anything when I read the blurb—or the author’s note. But, burrowing myself more and more in this book, my comparison to Cloud Cuckoo Land in my review of The Darkness Outside Us sparked up in my head. People separated by time and space. And then it clicked. IT CLICKED. Eliot, did my review ignite a spark in your brain to write this sequel??? Because … because … Owl and the guns firing at …and even Cuckoo in the sky. Are those Easter Eggs? Or maybe this is me trying to prove my own theory.
Back to the story because it is again a brilliant masterpiece. Don’t expect as many plot twists as the prequel has. Instead, this book leans far more on the first quote in this review (from The Darkness Outside Us): Intimacy is the only shield against insanity.
The Brightness Between Us made me laugh, made me cry, and made me laugh-cry. It’s about humanity in all its forms. About surviving as human beings in a world that’s decaying. About surviving in a new world with only a few people around. But most of all this story is about loneliness, (found) family, grief, and the human connections we seek, to live on. So, even though this is a Sci-Fi book, it’s deeply human.
Now I need that movie ASAP. Or a third book. Or preferably both.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, HarperCollins International, for this ARC. I was so happy you let me read this sequel early. You definitely made my day!
D*mn Erik, how did you dare to let me cry at 14% already? And then that scene with Andrew! I cringed and got nauseous because of the pain he must haveD*mn Erik, how did you dare to let me cry at 14% already? And then that scene with Andrew! I cringed and got nauseous because of the pain he must have felt. And Jamie only showed his hardened outer shell, living with so much anger and frustration. I really wanted my favorite cinnamon roll back.
I loved the mingling of teen-related themes with all the action in the scary and heartbreaking apocalypse world, themes like learning to trust others and build upon one another, not talking about insecurities, doubting about proceeding sexually, etc. I constantly sat on the edge of my seat and wanted Andrew and Jamie to stay together and alive so badly, so I rooted, and I gasped, and goosebumps crawled over my body when Henri … and my hands were shaking while reading this sequel. And the Kid, OMG, the Kid. That seven-year-old is my favorite side character in this series.
Erik, your storytelling is sublime, and I need far more of your writing! Of course, I rated this beautiful sequel five stars! And can we please get a treequel (does this word even exist)? We both know that Albie should be the main character in that one!
I can’t thank Hachette Australia enough for this fantastic ARC! It was one of my most anticipated, maybe even most anticipated, 2024 reads, and it was all I could have hoped for!
Oh, how I hate myself for DNF’ing a book by one of my favorite authors.
I loved Felix Ever After, and Stars in Your Eyes, Kacen’s first adDNF at 35%.
Oh, how I hate myself for DNF’ing a book by one of my favorite authors.
I loved Felix Ever After, and Stars in Your Eyes, Kacen’s first adult romance even is one of my most favorite 2023 reads. So, I really, really wanted to read Infinity Alchemist, despite fantasy not being my favorite genre. But when I got the ARC, I got scared, and I gave priority to another book. And another, and another, until this one became one of the oldest on my ARC shelf. That’s when I decided I really needed to pick it up because how could I not love this book? It's Kacen Callender’s, after all!
And now I DNF’d while there’s so much to love about this story. The queer rep is Cheff’s kiss, it’s fast-paced, and the writing is again stunning. And still …
I think I set the bar too high, and my fear of reading this book raised that bar even higher. I guess I like Kacen’s writing more in contemporary books. Or I’m just more of a contemporary reader. Anyway, I tried, but I kept forcing myself to read instead of enjoying the story. And that’s why, with pain in my heart, I decided to DNF. I might pick up this book again somewhere in the future, though. Anyway, I hope I will …
Thank you, Erin, from Macmillan International and Edelweiss, for the ARC!
Oh no, this is not going to happen, no way … Arghhhh! You’re all going to kill me. It happened. This will probably be a very unpopular opinion becauseOh no, this is not going to happen, no way … Arghhhh! You’re all going to kill me. It happened. This will probably be a very unpopular opinion because I DNF’d at 19%.
One of my most anticipated 2024 releases. I loved A Taste of Gold and Iron so much. But this one is way different, even though it’s set in the same universe as ATOGAI. It’s like Alexis Hall and Freya Marske teamed up and wrote the most hysterical and over-the-top story ever.
Maybe I’m not into humor right now and only want to read sad stories. I don’t know. What I do know is that I didn’t laugh. Not even because of Avra and Tev’s banter. Which was hilarious. But I didn’t laugh. Like at all. So I decided to DNF. Maybe I come back to it later. This is definitely a me thing, so please check out all those other reviews!
Thank you so much, Erin from Macmillan International, for the ARC! I’m so sorry for not liking it.
Zan sounded like Bastian felt on the heels of a panic attack. Scared and anxious, like he couldn’t catch a breath.
Bastian is lActual rating 4.5 stars.
Zan sounded like Bastian felt on the heels of a panic attack. Scared and anxious, like he couldn’t catch a breath.
Bastian is lost since his mom died in a car incident. The car incident HE caused. His identical twin brother, Dorian, escaped physically unscathed, but Bastian still experiences the consequences, and his guilt works overtime. Zan is lost, too. 499 years ago, he saved his mom by giving his soul to the Ferryman. Just one more year until he’s free. Until then he has to guide people who are stuck between life and death so the Ferryman can eat their souls. People like Bastian, who meets Zan in his dreams.
Michelle Kulwicki delivered a beautiful and honest take on grief and healing through love. I wanted to hug Bastian and Zan so many times. The sadness from both boys penetrated the pages from the first sentences, but I also felt Dorian's powerlessness in my bones, the ever-outstretched hand to grieve together instead of alone. The twin, who is not in the blurb but is such an essential part of Bastian's story. I also loved, loved the side characters, Riley jumped off the page, and Mathais was such a sweet jock. And when I was done hugging Bastian and Zan virtually, I wrapped my arms around Dorian for a long, long time.
Don't worry if you're not much of a fantasy reader. At the End of the River Styx is, far and foremost, a contemporary novel, vividly written and so easy to read. Be prepared for lumps in your throat and watery eyes, though. This story is a sad one, but in the end imbued with hope.
I ended the story with a smile on my face, but when I read the acknowledgments, tears crept up behind my eyes again because of that last sentence. A sentence with probably a world behind it and probably the reason you wrote this book, Michelle.
Thank you, Jane, from Pagestreet Publishing, for this beautiful ARC. I can't wait for what Michelle has in store for us next!
Fanfic writing and literary teamed up for The Mars House where the politics and fake marriage from Winter’s Orbit meet the warning about our current wFanfic writing and literary teamed up for The Mars House where the politics and fake marriage from Winter’s Orbit meet the warning about our current world from To Paradise.
Imagine. A flooded London. The Chinese saving the British. Saudi Arabia turning back refugee boats from the UK. A Chinese colony on Mars. Special train carriages, special houses, special entrances, and so on for so-called Earthstrongers (people from Earth). Forcing people to change because of how they’re born. Gender Abolition. Imagine. And think.
Natasha Pulley’s writing is always elusive. Not much seems to be happening, and still, you feel the uneasiness below the surface in every word and every sentence. You’re waiting to peel off layer by layer, to find snippets of information to help you lose that turmoil in your body, but instead, your radar starts whirling, and you might think you’re going mad. As a reader, it makes you extremely frantic because what if you’re missing something essential? So, The Mars House started in slow motion, with numerous footnotes, and it made me read even more slowly. And at the same time, the story gripped me because I instantly felt the social importance of this book. It’s an apparent reference to the world we’re living in right now, with climate change and populism and excluding others.
There’s always a slow-slow-slow-burn love story in Natasha’s novels between two traumatized people. The fake marriage between January and Gale is no different. Starting as magnets with their repelling poles pointed at each other—January hates everything Gale thinks, and Gale hates everything January is—eventually, they start teasing and grinning and suddenly having rather normal conversations. Everything seems to be fine (except for Gale’s political positions), and even I, a huge Natasha Pulley fan, started to wonder if this book would be anything like her other books. But my heart opened up for Gale and January, oh sweet January, and warmth slid inside my body, and small smiles tilted up my lips while, at other times, chills started to creep up my arms, and I was reading faster and faster, and ... About halfway through the novel, I had an inkling and … sorry, I’m saying no more. Only … mammoths (movie-like!)… and know my inkling was correct!
If you haven’t read anything by Natasha Pulley yet, I’m not sure if you should start with this one. On the other hand, none of them might seem to be the best to begin with. They all give you doubt and confusion and furrowed brows. The most important thing is to just surrender to her storytelling and not quit when you feel bored or utterly confused. The pacing in her books is slow, especially in the first part, but eventually, the story will unfold itself, and suddenly you understand why so many readers are Natasha Pulley stans!
And now I want that sequel to Valery K Natasha was talking about on Twitter! Publishers, do you hear me? US READERS NEED THAT SEQUEL DESPERATELY!!
Actual rating 4.5 stars rounded up to five.
I received an ARC from Orion Publishing House and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Seth Haddon’s debut, Reforged. Bale and Zavrius were a couple to swoon for, and that cover by Julie Dillon was the icing on the cake. So, I coI loved Seth Haddon’s debut, Reforged. Bale and Zavrius were a couple to swoon for, and that cover by Julie Dillon was the icing on the cake. So, I couldn’t wait for Seth’s sophomore book. I loved the blurb and another cover by Julie Dillon, and then … nothing …
From the moment I started reading, I had trouble getting into the story, and understanding the world-building, and even remembering whose chapter I was reading. I didn’t remember much of Reforged, and maybe I should’ve reread that one first. I think it’s a case of the wrong book at the wrong time. At least, it was the wrong genre at the wrong time. I struggled to get through it, and I must admit that I skim-read parts … I rounded up my 2.5 rating to three stars. So, if you want to read this story, please check out other reviews!
I received an ARC from Blind Eye Books in exchange for an honest review.
I had seen raving reviews about this book, and I had seen one review of a friend who DNF’d. The raving reviews talked about lots and lots oDNF at 26%.
I had seen raving reviews about this book, and I had seen one review of a friend who DNF’d. The raving reviews talked about lots and lots of trigger warnings, and the sadder and grittier a book, the more I seem to like it. So I was really excited about The Sins on their Bones, but because of that one review, I got a little scared before I started reading. And d*mn, was she right. I tried, I really did, but even though the writing is beautiful, I couldn’t connect to the characters and found the story boring. I just didn’t feel a thing. So I doubted for a while, and in the end, I also decided to DNF.
I’m so sorry, Penguin Random House Canada and Edelweiss, for DNFing this book, but thank you so much for the opportunity to read The Sins on their Bones early.
A magnetic connection, an unresistible pull, soulmates. That’s how I’d describe the way Xian and Zhen felt about each other from the moment they met.
IA magnetic connection, an unresistible pull, soulmates. That’s how I’d describe the way Xian and Zhen felt about each other from the moment they met.
I’m not a huge fantasy reader; I’ve said it before. Most and for all, I’m a contemporary lover. But sometimes, a fantasy book pulls me in, and I can’t let go. Legend of the White Snake is such a book. It reads like a historical (YA) romance set in ancient China with some fantasy elements added.
The start of this story, told from a dual perspective, blew me away. Xian and Zhen are both wonderful MCs, Xian the resilient, headstrong prince, and Zhen, the gentle, calm boy/white snake—two boys who immediately feel a bond with each other.
I loved the interaction between those two, the pulling and the pushing, and the tropes used (there’s only one room/bed!). Legend of the White Snake is on the lighter and sweeter side, just like Sher Lee’s debut Fake Dates and Mooncakes, especially in the first part of the story. My lips curved up in a smile so many times. The second part got a bit harsher, there are fights and people die, but that bond between those two boys was always palpable. And isn’t that cover stunning? It fits the softness of this story so well!
Thank you, Allison, from HarperCollins, and of course, dear Sher, for this ARC! I can’t wait to have the book in my hands! I
A gorgeous cover. Lyrical descriptive writing. A golem made for vengeance. Jewish MCs in WWII in Lithuania.
Somehow I’m a sucker for beautifully writteA gorgeous cover. Lyrical descriptive writing. A golem made for vengeance. Jewish MCs in WWII in Lithuania.
Somehow I’m a sucker for beautifully written historical stories these days. I’m there for the pain, the grief, the rage, to acknowledge we did so much wrong in the past and still do.
Wrath Becomes Her is different than the historical books I’ve read before. Vera is a golem made for vengeance, made from the mud from the river. She doesn’t only look like a human being, she feels like one too, with emotions running through her body from a human life once lived. I’m not only a sucker for historical stories, but I’m also a sucker for sadder ones, and this book is full of feelings. Akiva’s and Ezra’s grief was so palpable, and I felt their rage against the Nazis seep through my body. Add Vera’s struggles with finding her identity, worsened by the constant turmoil of Chaya’s emotions, and I flew through the pages.
This story is for anyone who loves to read a different WWII story, with a fantasy twist and Jewish main characters but without the holocaust as a central theme.
I hadn’t read one of Aden Polydoros’ books before, but I’m definitely picking up his first two books.
Thank you, Riffat, from Inkyard, HarperCollins for the ARC!
Who else has a little rabbit hiding in their chest? A rabbit that translates the fear that buries itself underneath the sternum beside the heart? The Who else has a little rabbit hiding in their chest? A rabbit that translates the fear that buries itself underneath the sternum beside the heart? The same rabbit that tries to convince you everyone is picking you to pieces? The rabbit that fuels your anxiety? That rabbit constantly talked to Silas in The Bares Its Teeth and it was so recognizable.
When I finished Hell Followed with Us, I said that even though that story would probably haunt me forever, I’d pick up anything Andrew Joseph White would write, even without reading the blurb. Well, I kind of read the blurb of his sophomore book but otherwise jumped in without knowing much more. There’s gore again. A lot of. A trans character but this time in 1883. And that beautiful writing.
This story fueled, at times, my anxiety and my nausea. I read the author’s note, and Andrew said I didn’t have to endure it. That I could get off the operating table and walk away at any time. And I thought I didn’t really have triggers. But I do. I have one. I’m not one for bloody things, and I have to look away if I see blood on tv or in a movie, especially if it’s an operation. There’s so much to love about this story, and I highlighted so many sentences. Andrew’s writing is one of the best I’ve ever seen. But I had to skip some parts. I got off the operating table sometimes, Andrew, because the medical horror was just too much for me. But I came back and gobbled up that beautiful story for a while. And then I got off again. And got back on again.
I still want to read anything Andrew writes in the future. I only hope that I can control my anxiety and nausea the next time.
I received an ARC from Peachtree Teen and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nothing is more frustrating than one of your most anticipated reads ending in just being okay.
Hell Followed With Us was a powerhouse of a book, and I Nothing is more frustrating than one of your most anticipated reads ending in just being okay.
Hell Followed With Us was a powerhouse of a book, and I loved The Spirit Bares Its Teeth even though the gore made me nauseous, so I had to get off the operating table at times. And then came Compound Fracture, a thriller instead of horror, a genre that fits me much better. Until it didn’t …
Don’t get me wrong, I liked Compound Fracture; I just didn’t love it. The writing is still awesome, I wanted to pat Lady so many times, and I really enjoyed the autism and aro rep. And I loved Amber. But I didn’t connect to Miles as much as I wanted to and felt the plot was a bit … too much? It felt too black and white to me, or overdone, or too f*cked up, or … I actually haven���t got a clue because usually I like f*cked up stories. What I know is that I started to shift in my seat in discomfort and couldn’t shake off my disbelief about everything that happened.
I’ve seen raving reviews and am pretty sure many people will love this story, but sadly, I just found it okay.
Christan Reyes is dead, and he’s in my basement. Sometimes, I know from the first sentence a book will be good, and the first sentence of this story maChristan Reyes is dead, and he’s in my basement. Sometimes, I know from the first sentence a book will be good, and the first sentence of this story made me gasp, writhe on my chair while an uncomfortable feeling sank in my stomach, and at the same time, this small line of words made me want to read on and on and on.
Lately, I seem to have a soft spot for stories about the living and the death. I love darker and sadder stories, don’t need a HEA, but I’m actually not a person for ghosts and dead bodies, and still, I devor these books like they’re lighthearted romances. Mainly because those books aren’t that heavy or creepy but funny and moving; this includes Till the Last Beat of My Heart.
I loved Christian from the moment I met him. Not when he was still dead, obviously. I’m not a fan of detailed described dead bodies, but after Jax alived him (Jax’s words), he immediately became so enthusiastic and energetic and also incredibly sweet, but it also wanted to hug him because he was scared because he wanted to keep living. I had to warm up to Jax, though. He felt a little … dismissive? But I could understand where he came from, full of anxiety, and we all have flaws, right?
This story is about living surrounded by death and still trying to live to your fullest. About old family wounds. About wanting to keep someone you’d die for in your life.
Thank you so much, Louangie, for sending me a link to this book. I loved your debut and can’t wait for what you have in store for us next!
Winter’s Orbit’s politics meets a lesser cruel Captive Prince. Add a slow-burn romance full of yearniWe’re getting Tadek’s story! So excited about it!
Winter’s Orbit’s politics meets a lesser cruel Captive Prince. Add a slow-burn romance full of yearning, and A Taste of Gold and Iron is born.
First of all, look at that gorgeous cover! I love it so much, and it fits the story so well!
This was just the story I needed. Inclusiveness all over, in color, sexuality, and gender. Flawed, sometimes almost unlikable characters, and so much under the surface. Mental health rep, and full of angst AND romance. A book that ticked off all of my boxes.
The romance is central in A Taste of Gold and Iron, and I adored it. Kadou and Evemer were both complex characters with many, many layers, and even though they disliked each other at first, they became more and more vulnerable to each other by peeling off those layers. Their first kiss was unexpected, and I immediately felt a warm glow of light in my chest. When they held hands in the cellar, butterflies fluttered through my belly, and I sighed with contentment.
My favorite character, though, was Tadek. After I rolled my eyes, and knitted my brows together, he put a smile on my face so many times. But there was also another side of him. Like Kadou said, Tadek had as many walls as Evemer had. He just did a better job of convincing everyone that they weren’t there.
For a long time, I was convinced that I would rate this book four stars, but my thumbs just hit five beautiful stars, and I do not regret it!
I received an ARC from Tor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Listen. I loved The Sunbearer Trials and expected another five-star read. I still liked this one, especially Xio, the boy I 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Listen. I loved The Sunbearer Trials and expected another five-star read. I still liked this one, especially Xio, the boy I already had a soft spot for in the first book, but somehow, it couldn’t hold my attention like its prequel did. It might be because it dragged sometimes, and it took me a week to finish it, the longest in years, or because Celestial Monsters didn’t surprise me as much as Sunbearer. Anyway, I still loved Teo and Aurelio, I still had fun, and I still love this duology.
Thank you, Macmillan Children’s Books and NetGalley, for this ARC!
A queer magical trilogy with faeries. Great world building. Lush and descriptive writing. What do we want more?
Aw, it OUT NOW!! Actual rating 4.5 stars
A queer magical trilogy with faeries. Great world building. Lush and descriptive writing. What do we want more?
Aw, it feels like the story has only just begun, and at the same time, so much has already happened. The first chapters of The Nexus of Destiny were incredibly action-packed, and I loved it. Until I got a bit restless because I didn’t only want action but also ‘inter’action. Conversations, dialogues, persons reacting to each other. And then suddenly, there was Kielik. Talkative Kielik. Teasing Kielik. Thoughtless Kielik. Witty Kielik. And everything suddenly changed. Because Kielik never shut his mouth, like ever.
The Nexus of Destiny made my thoughts veer from left to right and back again, and turn around in a completely different direction. My heart thudded in my throat, and smiles tugged at my lips, of course because of Kielik.
Even though I liked Sthier and had a soft spot for Kielik, my favorite character was Ellequin or ‘El’ as Kielik called him. He was such quiet person an such a cute cinnamon roll, and the nickname Kielik gave him felt special. One of my most favorite YA books is Hideous Beauty, and one of the MCs also had ‘El’ as a nickname. I treasured that boy. So every time I read the name ‘El’, a warm glow found its way through my body.
For those who’s love to read this book, please read the prequel novella first, available here . It helped me so much in understanding the world building.
Thank you so much, Kalob, for this ARC and for writing such an energetic and enervating story! The ending left me breathless and wanting for more. I’m so excited about what will come up next!
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