Heartless by Marrissa Meyer

3 stars!! 🌟🌟🌟 “A heart, once stolen, can never be taken back.” This was unfortunately, just an ok read for me. I loved that it was a retelling, and the writing was amazing as is any Meyer book!! She doesn't waste her time on much world building - which I think is sorta awesome, in a sense, because she realizes most of her readers should already have a grasp on Wonderland. And its true! I had my own idea of wonderland and it worked for this retelling. I felt so sorry for Cath in the beginning and I hate that she was such a sweet girl - and ends up being a villain. But in Heartless, I had trouble connecting to her fully. Her and the Jest. I felt more of a pull and a connection with many of the side characters. They were written brilliantly. The cat and at Mad Hatter were two of my favorites. Overall I can see why this would be a 5 star book to a lot of people- it was just sort of a slow read for me. But I still recommend this to everyone because of the writing and HELLO its Marissa MEYER!!

The Boy I Grew Up With by Tijan

4 stars!!! 

“I will never be worthy of you, but one day, I hope to be better. One day, I will give you everything. I promise.”

Ahhh- its always fun getting a book about a side character. And if I am being completely honest... I prefer Heather to Samantha! So when I heard she was getting her own book... I was thrilled!!

This story follows Channing and Heather from the Fallen Crest series. It goes through their whole life from past to present. These two have grown up together and have a very long past together. It was fun and also very emotional to go down memory lane with them.

I really enjoy Tijans writing style. She has a way of pulling you in and giving you all the feels. She writes dialogue so well for the types of books that she writes. The pacing was great and it kind of reminded me a little bit of the atmosphere that was in her last book- Crew.

If you have not read all of the Fallen Crest Series- I highly recommend that you read them before you read this one. Then read Crew- and then, follow it up with this one. I guess it could be read as a stand alone- but I feel like it would be so much better if you know all of the backstory from the Fallen Crest Series.

Overall, I loved getting to read all about Heather and Channing. I adored the ending- it was almost like a little Easter Egg, to what I hope is to come in her future books! So exciting- Totally Recommend - especially if you are a Fallen Crest fan!!

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

5 Stars!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

“There are moments that you'll remember for the rest of your life and there are moments that you think you'll remember for the rest of your life, and it's not often they turn out to be the same moment.”

When I first read the description of this book, I assumed that it was going to just be about horses and a race. I had no clue that these amazing water horses of mythology would be involved, or that they would be so awesome, yet terrifying. But the story is about so much more than these terrifying beasts.

We follow two POVs Puck and Sean of Thisby Island. On the island of Thisby, each November is a special time of each year because of the appearance of the water horses and the Scorpio Races. The Capaill Uisce (water horses) swim in the ocean near the shores of Thisby and every once in a while, they will climb onto the island looking for food. They are so dangerous that every year people and animals are killed or maimed by them. If you can catch one of the water horses, and take it away from the ocean, they can be tamed.

Puck is a teenage girl who decides to enter the race because she needs the money. Her and her brothers lost their parents one November to a Capaill Uisce. A female has never entered the races before. Puck will be the first not only to enter the race, but also enter with a regular horse and not a Capaill Uisce (which is what everyone else uses). She is willing to gamble her life in this race for her brothers and to keep her home.

Sean was 9 years old when a Capaill Uisce killed his father right before his eyes. Now 10 years later and the winner of the last 4 Scorpio Races- He is determined to win in order to gain something that is very precious to him. Sean has been working for the richest man in town since his father passed, and trains all his horses-including the magical water horses. No one knows these unique horses as well as Sean does.

I fell in love with this book!! The atmosphere, the writing and OMG - The Horses.... I swear I could hear them gallop as I read and during the training I kept hearing Mick Jagger singing "Wild Horses" (which is a favorite song of mine) in the background.

The main characters, in my opinion reminded me of actual horses themselves. There is a sort of romance in this but it is so well done and has such a slow burn that you can only appreciate it more. The way Puck and Sean communicated to one another was so different. Even though the race is ahead, only one can win, and many may even die- they connect to each other on a another level. Only a few words pass between them and they slowly learn about each other through logic, need, and unspoken endearment. It was a breath of fresh air.

The Scorpio Races on a whole was so alluring! Everything about it had me wanting to dive into the book and appear on Thisby Island to watch everything as it unfolded. The only issue I had - was the ending. It was fabulous- and I get why the author ended it, BUT I guess...call me selfish cuzzz... I really just wanted MORE. Pretty sure that is the sign of a great book right?? Totally Recommend this one to ALL!

Book Review I Fire (Graceling Realm, #2) by, Kristin Cashore

4 stars!!!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟

“It was courage and strength, and something else too, as if he were standing with her, as if he’d taken her within himself, letting her rest her entire body for a moment on his backbone, her mind in his mind, her heart in the fire of his.”

When I first started to read Fire, I was confused because it did not fall in line with Graceling. It took place outside of the 7 kingdoms in a place called the Dells. There are no Gracelings in the land of the Dells. Though, there is magic here - the land is full of monsters of impossible shapes and colors. Humans in this land bend their wills to the monsters because of their beauty. The monsters have the ability to trick, impress, and control the minds of the people/prey.

We follow MC Fire, who is the last of her kind and a human monster. Anyone who looks upon Fire- falls under a fog.



They become obsessed with her, long for her - love her and some even want to kill her bc of her unworldly beauty. It is a sort of curse for Fire- but she has the ability to read and change the minds of people around her. Her father was the last King’s advisor, a cruel human monster named Cansrel who abused his beauty and power by bending everyone to his will. Fire struggles with living down her fathers legacy. When war and assassinations begin, King Nash and his brother Brigan, beg for Fire to use her talents to help. Fire finds it hard to say no. She then leaves her life in the Dells for the first time to travel with Brigan’s army.

I was nervous going into this but Fire is a completely different novel than Graceling – an even better novel, at that. I found the writing to be so much better. It was whimsical and beautiful. It felt almost like I was reading a fairy tale. It was so descriptive to read. The story flowed nicely, with a few info dumps here and there. Honestly-there were a few dull moments but I totally was able to overlook them bc I wanted to know what was going to happen with the story.

Besides Fire, the other characters were also more developed than those in Graceling – Archer and Brigan were my two favorites for different reasons. Of course, I had a ship..



and that baby sailed and I'm so happy for it!!! There’s also a familiar character in this book – a boy with two different colored eyes with a huge influence on people.

The world building in Fire far surpassed Graceling as well, in my opinion. There is a ton of action in this installment as there is a war brewing. There is also murder, and plot twists- along with political conspiracies and tactics. Also, I think the Romance subplot of Fire, was well done here and much more believable than that of Graceling.

On the whole- I fell in love with the prose and beautiful world of Fire. I was a huge fan of the action and the romance. This is a book you take your time with and read slow. A book that you can literally soak up the grand lushness of it all. Absolutely recommended to all.

Saga Volume 8 by, Brian K Vaughan

3 Stars!!  This was my least favorite so far. It seemed sort of thrown together and like a filler before the final book. Not much action takes place. I also missed the funny bantering between the characters- you know the Laugh out Loud moments - just weren’t there in this volume for me. Not to mention, this one was pretty political and I’m just not about that in my books. Looking forward to finishing this series though for sure!!

Book Review I Graceling by, Kirstin Cashore

3.5 Stars!! 🌟 “If I wanted to stun anyone at dinner, I'd hit them in the face.” Graceling - a person born with a special extreme skill and often with two different colored eyes. Our MC Katsa is a Graceling and since the age of 8, when she killed her first man with her bare hands, her uncle - the King has used her to his advantage. She never expects to find out the true meaning of her Grace, but when she does could it be a game changer? Katsa as an MC was refreshing to read. She was a bad ass and didn't need anyone's approval. She knows she is good at what she does and is comfortable with her life- She never plans to fall in love, marry or have kids. BUT- something happens when she meets Prince Po... *SWOON* I loved the idea of this book soooo much, and while I wasn't a huge fan of how it was written- I really enjoyed the plot and the pacing of it! The writing was just a little odd to me. It felt a bit rushed and juvenile to the point it almost made it hard to really connect fully to the characters. Even though I liked Katsa- her personality at times came off a little bland. Po was different, his character was easier to connect with for whatever reason. I felt the romance aspect was done perfectly and the action scenes were exciting! So-I wanted to give this book 4 stars because I really enjoyed the story-line. But after thinking about it- there was just something that holds me back from doing that. I still think its a great enjoyable read and still highly recommend it!

Lady Smoke by, Laura Sebastian

4 Stars!! 

“A queen without a crown, without a throne, without a coronation. What, exactly, do you imagine you're queen of?” 


Lady Smoke picks up right where Ash Princess left off. Theo is trying to get everything in order on her travels with Dragons-bane and her fleet. They are all looking for allies to take down the Kaiser and Cress. 


Things I Liked: 
Theo shows a ton of growth in this book as her character falls in line with the title of Queen. Shes starting to come into herself and really see what kind of leader she will make. She has lots of hard decisions to make and she is learning everything as she goes along. 

My ship.... oh my ship .... ITS STILL KICKING!! Things may be a little rocky but Im telling you Im going down with this one!! 


The Shadows - They bring so much more to the book! I just love them- Heron, Blaise and Art all protect and handle Theo in their own individual ways. Art doesnt take any crap and is always mouthing off to her, but at the same time has Theo's back no matter what. Heron is quiet - yet he also will stand up to Theo when he is not on board with something. Blaise.... will do anything for Theo even if it means he has to pay with his life. He loves her and is so loyal- as her oldest friend- these two have an unbreakable bond. 

The ending... I NEED BOOK 3 now!!!! 

What I didn't really like: 

Some parts dragged a bit unlike the first book. There was also something major that happens towards the end - and the way it was handled had me scratching my head.. like is this really how this is about to go down?? I needed something bigger after everything Theo went through. I dont want to spoil anything but I personally needed this person to be put through HELL.. And maybe he was a little but not to my satisfaction. It just felt a bit lazy. 

Lady Smoke was a really good read. I have seen some people like this one more than Ash Princess. But for me, I find that Lady Smoke suffered a little bit of middle book syndrome. I cant put my finger on what it was, but something was missing. Im not worried though- I think whatever it was will come back in full force once I read the final book. I still 100% recommend this series!

Book Review I Courting Darkness by, Robin LeFevers

4 Stars!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟

Death wasn’t the end, it was only the beginning…

Before reading this- I re-read Grave Mercy and then finished off the series reading Dark Triumph and Mortal Heart. I think my favorite of the 3 was Mortal Heart, probably because it was the last in the series and everything just came together for me in that last installment. I will point out that if you have not read the first trilogy - I would not read this one until you do. I know the author says that you really dont need to read it first, but trust me - I literally just finished the trilogy and still found myself having to take a minute to remember certain things from the other books.

This book is told from two POVs and follows Sybella (an OG from book 2 Dark Triumph) and a new Character Genevieve. I am going to just call her Gen. Gen is also a daughter of Mortain- which basically means she is another bad ass nun assassin hidden behind a sweet girl persona.


In a desperate bid to keep her two youngest sisters safe from the family that nearly destroyed them all, Sybella agrees to accompany the duchess to France, where they quickly find themselves surrounded by enemies. Sybellas only hope is to find two fellow sisters of the convent, disguised and hidden deep in the French court years ago by the convent—provided Sybella can find them.

Gen was sent undercover years ago and struggles remembering what her end game is. She wonders why after all this time- why she was sent here and what she is supposed to be doing because she is ready to return safely to the convent. She finds solace in a prisoner she stumbles across whom which the guards have forgotten about. As Sybella and Gen’s paths draw ever closer, the fate of everything they hold sacred rests on a knife’s edge. Will they find each other in time? Or will everything come together only to fall apart?

I really liked Courting Darkness!! I found the beginning to be a bit confusing and long winded- but I think maybe that was a little info dumping for those who have not read the trilogy. Once all that was done- the plot began to take shape and things started to pick up and get intense. There was not very much world building in this one- she covered that in the first books, thats why I feel to truly be able to appreciate this story, you need to read the trilogy.

I really liked Sybellas role in this one. I liked seeing a little softer side to her hard personality. Gen was a pretty interesting new character, once I realized what she was and her purpose. After the half way point things really start happening and picking up. There are some really hard situations to read - I wanted to jump into the book a few times and punch a few people. My emotions were all over the place in some parts. Which is a good sign I was invested. I think my favorite thing about these is not only the writing but the french atmosphere. It is so rich and I love that about it. It makes all the politics and war talk a little more interesting since its sorta based off of something that really happened in history. LeFevers just puts her spin on it and its unique and awesome for someone like me who isn't into history.

Overall I found this to be a really intriguing read and look forward to the second part of this Duology. I hope more people read the first series so that can truly give this one a chance. :P

Ash Princess by, Laura Sebastian

5 Stars!! 

“I was a princess made of ashes; there is nothing left of me to burn.
Now it's time for a queen to rise.” 

This was a re-read to prepare for Lady Smoke! As I started it, everything came back to me. But once again, I was engulfed in the story and absolutely loved it all over again!! 

This book is not a new story- we have all heard about the lowly chick who somehow got her kingdom taken away… and somehow- she makes a plan to get her kingdom back. Yeah.. that's this one, but SO MUCH MORE. 



First of all, this book had me from the first page. I was hooked and committed. The pacing never faltered either. This is a book you'll want to binge read. The magic system is unique, but only touched on in this installment. I expect it to be explored more in the rest of the series. There is also the use of the Ash Crown, which I thought was a brilliant. The whole atmosphere of the book is somewhat dark. There are a few scenes that are brutal but added so much to the atmosphere. 

There is romance, and some may say even a love triangle but, it's done in a way that didn't make me want to hurl or eye roll. The romance is actually only a small part in this one. All I know is I have my Ship and I can only pray… that it will set sail in the next few books!



Then there is the cliffhanger… had me like -



I am so glad I took the time to re-read this one. It was a favorite last year and will continue to be for this year as well! I am totally looking forward to jumping into Lady Smoke and hope it is even better than this one! If you couldn't tell already- I Highly Recommend this one! Even if you think you have heard this type of plot before, I encourage you to give it a go! 

This is my Review from the first time I read it:

Everything... Everything... Everything about this book I loved! Was it perfect? Nope ... but did it entertain me?? You betcha!! Sucked me in from the first page! Have you heard this story before? Meh - maybe a little... did it stand all on its on?? Yes it most certainly did! Can we talk about the cover?? Absolutely gorgeous.. Writing: 4/5 Pacing: 5/5 World: 3/5 characters: 4/5 Plot: 4/5 Overall: 5/5 stars in my opinion for this beautiful Gem!! (Stomping feet like a two year old) I want book two right MEOWW!!! 

Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin 3) by, Robin LeFevers

4 Stars!! 

“We are all of us, gods and mortals, made up of many pieces, some of them broken, some of them scarred, but none of them the total sum of who we are.” 

This was my favorite of the series I think.... LaFevers did an amazing job with this last installment. 

In this book we follow Annith, like her sisters, she has been trained to be Mortain's assassin. We know from the previous books that the Abbess wants her to be the new Seeress. Annith is not having it though. She has always wanted to leave the convent so one night she takes off in the night, a few exciting things happen along her way to find Ismae and Sybella. Once she reaches the girls though, things start to unravel and secrets unfold! 


I thought this installment was a bit different that the first two. I found it to be more exciting- and the love interest was unique. There were so many plot twists that I did not see coming and it was awesome!! I loved how the story just grabbed my attention and made me want to find out what was going to happen. I am so ready for Courting Darkness and hope that it does not disappoint! 

Series Overall 4/5 *'s

The Queen of Air and Darkness by, Cassandra Claire

3 Stars!! 

“The sky was a road and the stars made pathways; the moon was a watchtower, a lighthouse that led you home.” 

Whew! I have officially finished the MONSTER~and it feels fantastic! Another Shadowhunter story DOWN! So where do I start to review this monstrosity ?!?! Bare with me... while I activate my runes. 


Let's start at the beginning- It started right where LOS left off. Having to relive that tragic moment AGAIN wasn't fun but all the character babies needed to grieve and I get that. I was there with them, in "black ink" spirit. 


Soooo yeah we grieved.... for half the book it seemed like - to the point where I was done and over it. Like can we please talk about something else? Everyone is sad and it's depressing but can we fight someone or something?? 


In my opinion, the first half of the book seemed to just go on and on about nothing really... It didn't pick up until part 2 for me. And from that point on I was invested. Things slowly started to pick up and things started happening. 

I don't really feel the need to talk much about the plot of this story- because if you are reading this review, you obviously are invested enough to know that you are getting the WRAP UP to this trilogy. Seems like so much happened but at the same time, not much. 

I will talk about the Menage a Trois though- how can I review this and NOT. Can I just say that every time the book got to these three I could not help but think of Lito, Dani and Hernando from the Netflix Show Sense8 - Raise your hand if you know what Im talking about ???




Yeah… You know I'm right… (ps- if you have not watched Sense8 WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE??? GO WATCH IT!!) So … did I like this aspect?? Meh- I don't know honestly, I kind of do - but not for a YA book. Yeah I'm sure lots of teens get their groove on this way and that.. whatever- their prerogative... but as a mother, I just think this type of scene should be in an adult/new adult book. 

Here is the thing. I think I am basically tip toeing around this review bc I know I'll probably be a minority- but let me just get on with my REAL FEELINGS. I have been a Shadowhunter fan since Jump Street. I have read all the books and have watched it evolve. The MI and TID books were fabulous and I absolutely loved them. I do not feel the same way about this new Trilogy. While I have my favorite characters and LOVE LOVE LOVE the family dynamic in these- I just honestly feel like a huge portion of this new series was just recycled. 


This book has a lot of the original schemes and themes from the first books. As a reader, I don't want recycled plots. I need something new, I don't want to have to worry about someone we defeated in the first series to come back and haunt me again through another book OVER AND OVER again. It is just not fun or original. This was my main issue with this book. Could we not have made up some other bad guy or something - did we really have to go back to YOU KNOW WHO?? In some cases it works - but sadly, in this case- it did not work for me. Also what's with the ending?? The whole thing with Zara- Just WHY??



I really did enjoy parts of this book. I really enjoyed seeing all the REAL OGs from the past play a bigger role in this book. I am so glad that everyone's relationships got all worked out. I needed that closure, so i'm glad that part did come to pass. Also, I appreciate that Clare tackled some real world issues, and used diverse characters. The illustrations were phenomenal as well! 

Overall- I feel like this book was way too long and all over the place - Kinda like this review but clearly I am not a writer :P I feel a little off after reading it to be honest. I've said this in an earlier review of Clare's books- but I will say it again, I would really love to see her write another Fantasy or something that does not depend on her love interests to build conflicts in her story. Regardless Kudos Clare - you will probably still be an Auto Buy author even after today. Because lets face it- I am here for the long haul. #shadowhunter4life 

Dark Triumph ( His Fair Assassins 2) by, Robin LeFevers

4 Stars!! 


“Hate cannot be fought with hate. Evil cannot be conquered by darkness. Only love has the power to conquer them both.” 

Another one down 1 more to go in this fun and exciting Nun/Assassin Series!! 


The story takes off right where Grave Mercy left off. In this installment we follow Sybella's story. She has a few secrets, one being- that she is D'lbrets daughter. As a handmaiden of death, she is left with the task of returning to her fathers home to act as a spy. There are so many dark memories of things that await her there. 

I wasn't sure how I would like this one since it didn't follow Ismae and Duval- but I am glad I gave it a chance. It only took a minute to get wrapped up in Sybellas story. She has a horrific past. It was a little harder to read than the first. There are some disturbing things that take place and by no means, does she have a pretty story. 

Enter Beast- not easy on the eyes, and the name Beast may fit his body, but not his personality. It wasn't hard to fall for Beast and his big heart. The writing was once again beautiful, and pacing flowed nicely. 

I really enjoyed Sybellas whole personality a little more than I did Ismaes from Grave Mercy. She wasn't as soft and I liked that. But I do have to admit- I liked Grave Mercy a little more than Dark Triumph. I think maybe since it was the first in the series, but this was still a great follow up to GM! I'm looking forward to the last book, Mortal Heart, so that I can get all caught up for the new series Courting Darkness! 

When Summer Ends by, Jessica Pennington

4 Stars!! 

This was such a cute and sweet read! It warmed my heart this winter- with its sunshine and summer feel. 

In When Summer Ends, we follow two teenagers Aiden and Olivia - who discover how an unexpected turn of fate can bring new love to heal old wounds. I really enjoyed the characters and the book as a whole was just a quick fun read. The writing was simple and flowed nicely. The story was about how when you're in high school you think your life is headed in one direction but then something happens and it makes you rethink where you are headed. Or in this case, make you wake up to realize there is more to your future than you thought there could be. 
I totally recommend this one! 

Thank you to netgalley for this arc. Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassins 1) by Robin LeFevers

4 Stars!! 

“When one consorts with assassins, one must expect to dance along the edge of a knife once or twice.” 

This was a re-read to prepare for Courting Darkness. The first time I rated it a 4 and my rating did not waver this go round! 

I could kick myself for not reviewing everything I read years ago because I would really like to compare where my brain was then compared to now. It was amazing how much I forgot! It was like reading a totally new book for the most part. 

Grave Mercy was written beautifully! I love all the French names and the French vibes this book has in it. Not to mention, the nation this book takes place in is called, "BRITTANY"- HELLO- HELLA points for that :P The characters were well rounded and the pacing was perfect. 

We follow MC Ismae who is a bad ass NUN assassin..



Shut the front door- did you say nun and assassin in the same sentence … I sure did!! 

Ismae is part of the coolest convent ever... acting as Death Handmaidens. This book had so many interesting highs- There is poison, candles, Horses, Traitors, death, fight for the throne and corruption with a teeny side of romance. All the things that check off my list! 

The only issue I had was the ending was a little rushed. But other than that, I had no issues. I have not read the rest of the series but hoping it is as good as the first one!! Totally recommend!

On the Come Up by, Angie Thomas

4 Stars!! 

“There's only so much you can take being described as somebody you're not.” 

Whew- I started reading this and literally after only a few pages- I knew this would be another movie. It just had that "it" factor, and a dialogue that you can not help but get lost in because its so raw and REAL. 

Angie Thomas has once again proven that she knows what she is talking about, and has lived the life of her characters. The emotion and feels she is able to magically portray is so outstanding - I think she needs a standing "O"! 


In, On the Come Up- we follow Bri, whos life is far from perfect. She knows what it is to struggle and to live through dark days. But all Bri wants to do is put her past behind her and make something of herself. She doesn't want to walk in her late fathers (who was an upcoming popular rapper) footsteps. She wants to just be Bri, but some people make it hard to forget that she's not her dad. 

"You'll never silence me and you'll never kill my dream,
Just recognize when you say brilliant that you're also saying Bri." 

Throughout the book we see Bri make bad decisions but also get to see her growth. I absolutely loved her character and could feel her pain through the pages. The pacing was great and the message was amazing. I enjoyed reading her lyrics and connecting to the story she was trying to tell through them.


I wont compare this to THUG- bc this is on another level and another topic- but one that needs to be told. 

This book is full of perspective and wisdom. There is a lot to take in and learn. I'm just so humbled and blessed after reading this book and really hope that more books like this get into the hands of our youth today! I 100% recommend this one!

Smoke and Key by, Kelsey Sutton

3 Stars!! 

Smoke and Key begins with a girl falling out of her grave into a dark bottomless pit. As she struggles to come to terms with where she is, she starts to meet a group of others who share her fate and with no knowledge of what caused them to fall below into what they call "under". 


She comes across a boy claiming to be no one, which makes her head spin. He then tells her that's she's dead. But she cant be dead. She sets off to uncover the secrets of the past with the hope of finding lasting peace for the afterlife. 

The atmpsphere was dark and oh so creepy. 

How does one function underground??

I really enjoyed this book!! I had a hard time putting it down the first time. I kept flipping pages, feeling as desperate as the heroine to get answers! I thought the story line was unique and different. The pacing was perfect. We get flashbacks and present time Povs, along with a group of interesting characters. 

While I really enjoyed the read- there were some things that could have been done a little differently. I felt the writing was great and simple which made for an easy read. My biggest issue was the ending. It felt too rushed and I still had some questions that I needed answers for :( Besides that issue- I think its a great dark and interesting read and I would recommend it. 

Thank you to netgalley for this arc. Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.