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.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by, Heather Morris

4 Stars!!! 

“Politics will help you understand the world until you don’t understand it anymore, and then it will get you thrown into a prison camp. Politics and religion both.” 

The Tattooist of Auschwitz, is a harrowing true story- one that grips your heart from the very beginning. This was a beautiful story about perseverance and hope. Stories about this time in history, usually are very difficult to read. They make you uncomfortable and just give new perspective on how blessed we really are regardless of where we are from. At least that's what they do for me. 

The story follows Lale, who became the main tattooist of Auschwitz and falls in love at first sight with Gita, who he first met tattooing her arm. There are a ton of books about the holocaust - but this one was different for me because it grips your emotions. It was a beautiful thing to read that love and hope can still reside in the most difficult of situations. Especially with this being a true story- It leaves a mark, and makes you humble and makes you think. 

I really cant say I enjoyed reading this because it was hard and emotional- but it was a must read if that makes sense. Its just a story I feel everyone should read and if for only a moment- count their blessings. 100 % recommend!!

The Kiss Thief by LJ Shen

3 Stars!!  “They say that all great love stories have a happy ending. I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter.”  This was just an ok read for me. I had some issues with some of it. Personally-some parts were good and some just annoyed me to no end. I think my main issue was something felt off for me almost like this was just a silly far fetched story to make way for the sexy times, that for me were NOT sexy they were sort of just too much. I'm down with a good romance novel - this one was just over the top for my liking. Not to mention the way things were handled the first time they got together, it repulsed me to be honest and from that moment on I had a hard time really feeling their relationship.  Plot: ★★★ Hero: ★★ Heroine: ★★★ Sex scenes: ★ Story ending: ★★★

The Eye of the World by, Robert Jordan

3 Stars!! 

“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.” 

With very descriptive and well thought out writing, The Wheel of Time is a rich Epic Fantasy novel-There is no wonder why it is a classic. This book has intimidated me for a long time. I have heard a bazillion things about it and most of the good- came to pass. 

The world building is incredible and the writing- while at times, a bit long winded, still made a great read. I instantly found myself invested in a few of the characters- and they were what kept me going. And there are A LOT of characters in this series!! 

The story line is not really anything I haven't read before- its about a normal boy Rand- who finds himself on the run from the bad guys. Along his journey he grows and finds himself and his power. The difference is in the intricate world- a place you read, and you feel you can teleport to this place. Jordan has crafted such a detailed atmosphere, its almost poetic. 

The only thing I can say that this one lacked for me was excitement. It was a journey book, and though there was action- it wasn't really exciting. I think this had more to do with pacing issues not so much with the plot. So I was left really only reading to find out what happens to my favorite characters. Then there was the magic system and the measure of time in which we hear about but don't learn much about how they work. I think this is something that probably happens over time, since there are a ton of books in this series. 

Overall- I thought this was an excellent start to the series. The characters and the writing were what really drew me in. I think I could read this story over and over and still find things I missed from this first read. It has that much depth- so I think the series will develop over.. TIME :P

Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch

3 Stars!!  Calling all Veronica Mars Fans!!! This one is for YOU!  In Dare You to Lie, we get two mysteries in one. We follow main character Kylene, who has just returned to Ohio to seek out some answers, and to fix some things that happened before she moved away. In Jasperville, she is known as the town liar- along with her father who is a cop, in prison for a supposed murder. She sets out to clear both of their names, but has no idea who or what she is dealing with behind the scenes. She doesn't realize it, but she is in for a dangerous ride.  Ky is a snarky, sarcastic and fun character. She has a take no crap- personality and is willing to dig and do whatever it takes to clean up these allegations. But that's not always a good thing- her inability to keep her mouth shut- makes her a target!  I love the friendships in this book. She has a best friend Garrett, she has known since childhood who has never let what others say stop him from being there for her. And then there is a naïve new girl in school who just fits right in with them both.  I really enjoyed the sassiness in this book and the VM Vibes were so strong- I felt like I was binge watching a new season in my brain. The only problem I had was for some reason, I found myself not being able to fully connect to the story/characters. It was really good, but something was missing and I am not sure what it was. Maybe since this is the first book in the series- whatever was missing in this one, will be in the next one!  If you like YA- and are looking for a good mystery, with a kick ass, snarky MC- with no insta-love or romance, this one is for you!!