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ARC Book Review: Of Rime And Ruin by Liesl West

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The Basics:

The Book: Of Rime And Ruin by Liesl West

How long is it? 456 Pages

Will Be Published: July 25, 2025 wherever you buy books (Instead of my usual bookshop.org link, I’m going to send you over to Liesl’s website, where you can find pre-order links for several places, content warnings, and a really cool map of Adria)

The Genre: Adult Romance/Fantasy (Standalone-ish, but part of the Sirens of Adria series)

I received an advanced copy from author Liesl West.

What It’s About (Via Goodreads):

A kingdom on the edge.
A monster in the depths.
And a bond that could rule or ruin…

Princess Nahlani of the Brine would rather master her siren magic than endure the responsibilities of court. So, when she’s threatened with an arranged marriage to a land-bound prince, Nahla flees—only to swim into the icy domain of the cruel Frost King.

King Aethan rules a Rime in ruins, his cold exterior concealing an unspoken a curse that turns him into a bloodthirsty, unpredictable threat to his own people. The siren spy in his waters doesn’t know it yet, but she’ll be safer behind bars…

Determined to escape her new captor, Nahla’s magic sparks a forbidden alliance. Unaware of the bond she’s formed with the kingdom’s most feared creature—the fabled clawbeast—Aethan moves her from prison to palace.

But as the truth of the beast unravels, so does the distance between Nahla and Aethan, leaving them to confront a dangerous and undeniable attraction.

Part of the Sirens of Adria series, Of Rime and Ruin is a fantasy romance retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

What I Thought:

I loved Of Song And Scepter, and when I saw that West was looking for ARC readers, I knew I had to apply for the arc, and I am so glad I was approved for, because this book was so good!

I loved Nahla and Aethan so much!  You don’t need to read Of Song And Scepter first, even though both books are set in the same world, since both stories are stand-alones, and focus on two very different couples.  I think Of Song And Scepter is a great book, and you should read it, but you’ll still know what’s going on if you skip it.

I loved this take on Beauty And The Beast, and I loved that we not only had Nahla and Aethan narrating, but the Beast as well.  This version is dark and icy, with an interesting mystery to boot.  I didn’t see the resolution to the mystery coming, but I liked seeing how that got resolved and how it came together.  Lucas was awful, and he is definitely the Gaston of this story, if you’re looking for parallels to the movie.  I wasn’t surprised by his role in things by the end of the book, but I’d be curious to see if it’s something I’d notice if I’d re-read it again.  I did like the nods to the movie, as well, and it really makes me want to go watch the movie!

I loved Nahla, and I was rooting for her the entire book.  I don’t blame her for wanting to escape, and though things were rough in Rime, I’m also glad it worked out for her.  I also loved how Aethan defended her when her family was acting completely awful.  Aethan was interesting and I was surprised to see that Aethan and the beast was more of a Jekyll and Hyde situation.  While it strays from the movie, I thought it was really cool, because there are these two sides to him that he needs to reconcile.  Granted, I’ve never read Jekyll and Hyde, so I’m not the best source, but I thought it was a great take on the Beast.  I really liked Aethan as well, and I definitely understood why he thought Nahla was a spy.  Obviously, he changes his mind about her by the end of the book, but his initial distrust made a lot of sense to me.  I especially loved them together, and I loved seeing them fall in love.

My Rating:

I loved this book so much, and it is a 5 star read for me!  If you love mermaids, magic, and Beauty And The Beast, this is the book for you!

March 2025 Reading Round-Up

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I can’t believe how fast the year is going, and that we’re in April already!  This took a little longer to write than I expected, but I got there eventually.  So let’s get started!

  • Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros.  I really liked Onyx Storm, and I totally should have read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame first because I was super fuzzy on what happened.  But that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book, and it’s going to be a long wait for the next book, especially with how this book ended!  It’s a pretty solid addition to the series.
  • Guilt And Ginataan by Mia Manansala.  I really liked this adult cozy mystery, and this series is one of my favorites, as far as mysteries go.  I loved the food and drinks, and while I’d love to visit this town, I’d also be really cautious about the town, knowing how many terrible things happen there.  But that’s the whole point of mysteries, right?  I love the small town vibe, but the murders could be a deal breaker.
  • Lore Of The Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana.  I loved this adult romance/fantasy!  It’s a slightly different take on faeries, but something about it made me think of a fairy tale.  I got Beauty and the Beast vibes, but I think it’s because of the magical library.  It’s definitely one of my favorites from March, because I can’t stop thinking about that library.  And I just want to know what happens next.  At any rate, if you love fairies and magic, this is worth checking out!
  • Fit For The Throne: The Trial Of Ten by S. McPherson.  I really liked this adult fantasy.  It’s another interesting take on magic, faeries and shifters.  It’s a very interesting take on reality tv, and I actually agree that it’s the Selection meets the Hunger Games.  I really felt for Variella, who has no idea of her own history, especially since she kind of has to figure it out herself.  She has no idea who to trust, and she’s hearing a lot of things, from a lot of people.  I don’t blame her for making the choices she does, and she really is doing the best she can with the knowledge she has.
  • Gilded by Marissa Meyer, narrated by Rebecca Soler.  It took me months to finally finish this book!  Mostly because I’d listen for 20-30 minutes at a time when I didn’t know what else to listen to.  If you loved Cinder (also by Meyer), and you haven’t read this one, I highly recommend this one.  It’s also great if you love fairy tales, because it’s a cool take on Rumplestiltskin.  That’s a story you don’t see retold very often, and it’s a nice change from the usual fairy tale re-tellings out there.
  • Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor.  This adult African-futurism was a great read!  I mean, you can’t wrong with any of her books, but this is one of my favorites from her.  You have two different stories with this book: you have Zelu, who wrote this massive bestselling novel, and you get excerpts of that novel.  I love the idea of a novel within in a novel, and you see what the success of that novel does to Zelu.

  • Catch And Keep by Erin Hahn.  This adult contemporary romance was one of my favorites from March!  It’s so cute, and sweet and it’s friends-to-lovers, which, in my opinion, made this book even better.  I love Maren and Joe together, and Maren fits in with his family so well.  I love her books, and I’ve been a fan since I read her first book.  I definitely recommend Erin Hahn, and she has a lot of really good couples.
  • This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, with Jillian Tamaki as the illustrator.  This YA contemporary graphic novel was a fast read.  It wasn’t my favorite book I read last month, but Tamaki did a great job with complicated family relationships and complicated friendships.  There’s a lot of secrets and there’s a lot of growing up in this one, and while I didn’t love it, I still think it’s worth checking out.
  • There’s No Way I’d Die First by Lisa Springer.  I loved this YA horror!  It’s another one of my favorites from last month, and I loved seeing the mystery unravel.  I loved the quotes from different horror movies at the beginning of each chapter, and the list of Top 10 Essential Black Horror Movies at the end of the book was awesome.  I haven’t seen any of the movies on the list, and I’m going to have to check them out.  I’ve never read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, but I know the basics of the story, and there’s something about Springer’s book that made me think of an Agatha Christie book I’ve never read.  I don’t know if Springer took any inspiration from Christie, because it could have been a coincidence, but either way, I wanted to know what was going to happen.

That’s all for this month, and I’ll be back in a month or so with my April reads!

See you next time!

January 2025 Book Roundup

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Hello there!  It’s been ages since I’ve posted, and by ages, I mean it’s been almost four years. What I thought was going to be a short break turned out to be much, much longer. It’s good to be back, and while I don’t want to promise that I’ll be back to posting full-length reviews the way I used to, I am going to see how doing a monthly round-up works out.

Last month, I read 12 books, everything from YA contemporaries to adult horror to middle grade graphic novels.  You can check out all 12 books below!

  • Six Stunning Sirens by Lynn Cahoon.  I really like this series, and this was a good addition to the Kitchen Witch books.  If you like cozy mysteries, this series is a good read.  You can’t go wrong with a kitchen witch living in a small town who’s helping out with a beauty pageant that goes terribly wrong.
  • The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling.  I saw this one when I was at Meet Cute, a romance bookstore in San Diego.  The staff recommendation card is what sold me: angry sapphics in space caves.  And the book definitely lived up to that!  It’s creepy and unsettling and there is something suffocating about the setting.  It’s not surprising, considering we’re in a cave for most of the book.
  • The September House by Carissa Orlando.  This one is an adult horror and I thought it was okay.  It’s definitely creepy, and I liked seeing the mystery unravel.  I love the concept of a haunted house that comes to life only in September, but it wasn’t for me.  
  • A Banh Mi For Two by Trinity Nguyen was so good, and I absolutely loved it!  It’s a super-cute YA contemporary, and one of my favorites from January.  It’s a really cute romance set in Vietnam that’s also about family, history and the trauma that’s a result of history.  All of the food sounded so good, and if you’re a foodie, this is an especially good book to read!
  • The Electric Heir by Victoria Lee, which is okay for me.  It’s a YA sci-fi that has some fantasy elements.  I honestly couldn’t tell you much about this book, even though it’s only been a couple weeks since I’ve read it.  If you’re (understandably) trying to avoid dystopia and overthrowing the government, this series is definitely one to skip, at least for the foreseeable future.  On the hand, if that’s what you’re looking for, definitely check it out.  
  • The Lumbering Giants Of Windy Pines by Mo Netz is a super cute middle grade contemporary.  It has Gravity Falls vibes, and I love the mystery in the book.  Plus, it’s set in a creepy motel on the edge of the woods, and we see how motels are really accessible for Jerry (a wheelchair user) and her mom, which is why they move from motel to motel.  

  • Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe is my other favorite book from January.  It’s an adult romance featuring a believer in all things paranormal and weird and a non-believer in the paranormal.  Hallie and Hayden work on a web series for a Buzzfeed type company, and I loved seeing them fall in love.
  • I read Ex Marks The Spot by Gloria Chao, which is another YA contemporary.  It’s pretty similar to A Banh Mi For Two, in terms of family history and adventure in another country.  I wanted to like Chao’s book more, and I really think that if I hadn’t read the two so close together, I would have like Ex Marks The Spot More.  
  • Next is Moon Blooded Breeding Clinic by C.M. Nacosta.  I don’t normally read monster romances, but I really like this book, and the series it’s a part of.  I may have to do another post about this series, because each book focuses on a different couple.  This one is a werewolf and human romance (the first one featured a minotaur and the second had mothman), and I’m looking forward to reading the next one.  
  • House Of Hunger by Alexis Henderson was okay.  It’s adult horror, and very creepy and very gothic.  I love the idea of bloodmaids, and I wanted a little bit more of the world, since we’re confined to Lisabet’s house.  It’s would have been nice to see the world outside of that house.
  • Somewhere In The Deep by Tanvi Berwah.  I liked this YA fantasy.  It’s underwater, which you don’t see a lot of, and it has the same creepy claustrophobia that you get in House Of Hunger and The Luminous Dead.  There are legendary creatures, clashes between people who work in the mines and the people who live on land, and a teen left to deal with the terrible legacy of her parents.  Clearly, family history has been a running theme for January, which wasn’t intentional, but still interesting.  I would definitely recommend this one.
  • Sea Sirens by written by Amy Chu, illustrated by Janet K. Lee.  This was a cute middle grade graphic novel about a Vietnamese-American surfer, her cat Bill, and her grandpa.  I love seeing grandparent-grandchild relationships, because I was close to my own grandparents, and this book was no exception.  I loved that her grandpa was so prominent (though he needs a lot of care since he has dementia), because I feel like we see a lot of grandmas.  Listen, grandma are awesome, but I think we could see a few more grandpas.  They definitely go on an adventure, and I have the sequel next to me, so I’m looking forward to reading that one.  

That’s all for today.  I hope you enjoyed this reading round-up, and I’ll for sure be back next month with another one!  See you around!

Book Review: Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle, Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

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Book: Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle, Illustrated by Rafael Lopez

Published March 2015 by HMH Books For Young Readers|48 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: Children’s- Picture Books

Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule—until the drum dream girl. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But when at last her dream-bright music was heard, everyone sang and danced and decided that both girls and boys should be free to drum and dream.

Inspired by the childhood of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba’s traditional taboo against female drummers, Drum Dream Girl tells an inspiring true story for dreamers everywhere.

This picture book was amazing!  Seriously, it was.  I didn’t realize it was a picture book when I got the e-book from the library, but the description is what got my interest.

It would have been nice to go with the print version for this one, mostly because the illustrations are absolutely beautiful.  I apparently don’t love picture books in e-book form, because it just wasn’t the same reading it on my phone.

It didn’t stop me from loving this book, and the story it tells.  It’s about how a young girl became a drummer- after practicing in secret and dreaming of the day she can become a drummer, she has the chance to drum in public.  And because of her, all children are able to drum.  It really is a great story, and I’m going to have to read more about Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, who inspired this story.

5 stars.  This book was so cute, with great illustrations and a great story.

Book Review: Admission by Julie Buxbaum

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Book: Admission by Julie Buxbaum

Published December 2020 by Delacorte Press|352 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

It’s good to be Chloe Wynn Berringer. She’s headed off to the college of her dreams. She’s going to prom with the boy she’s had a crush on since middle school. Her best friend always has her back, and her mom, a B-list Hollywood celebrity, may finally be on her way to the B+ list. It’s good to be Chloe Wynn Berringer–at least, it was, until the FBI came knocking on her front door, guns at the ready, and her future went up in smoke. Now her mother is under arrest in a massive college admissions bribery scandal. Chloe, too, might be facing charges, and even time behind bars. The public is furious, the press is rabid, and the US attorney is out for blood.

As she loses everything she’s long taken for granted, Chloe must reckon not only with the truth of what happened, but also with the examination of her own guilt. Why did her parents think the only way for her to succeed was to cheat for her? What did she know, and when did she know it? And perhaps most importantly, what does it mean to be complicit?

This was an interesting book!  I wasn’t sure about it, but I liked it a lot more than I thought I would.

So, this book is a take on the whole college admissions scandal from a couple of years ago.  It focuses on Chloe, who has to deal with the fall-out of what her parents did.  That part was interesting to me, seeing the aftermath of what happened.  Seeing what she knew and when she knew it…the pieces were there, but it took her opening the door to the FBI to put everything together.

This book has two different timelines- before her mom was arrested and after she was arrested.  The dual timeline was done okay.  I didn’t love it, but I think it’s the best way to tell the story.  You see Chloe struggle with what her parents want, even though it doesn’t necessarily match up with what she wants.  There was so much pressure on her, and it makes me grateful that I didn’t have that kind of pressure to deal with.

What her parents did was pretty horrible.  I know they want the best for her, and wanted things to be easy for her.  Easier for her than things were for them.  But it really was like they thought she couldn’t do it on her own, and had to bribe their way into a college acceptance letter.  Their lack of confidence and pressure…I feel like that’s part of why she’s insecure.  I hate that they got time accommodations, even though she didn’t need them.  It was infuriating to read in this book, the way it was infuriating to hear about it in real life.

Then there’s the fact that they didn’t even tell her they knew an arrest was coming for her mom.  She ends up talking to some of the other kids who were wrapped up in the scandal, and they all knew what was going to happen.  I don’t know, maybe they thought they were protecting her.  It doesn’t make it okay, and I’m curious about how they thought they were going to explain what was going on.

She’s pretty privileged, obviously, and I remember being so angry after the real-life scandal broke.  It didn’t seem like college was a good fit for Chloe, at least right away, because she was so unsure about what she wanted to do.  But because of this pressure to go to college right out of high school, she winds up finding out what her parents did to get her there.  She does figure it out, and I really hope that this is a turning point for her in recognizing how privileged she is, and how she has a lot of opportunities that others, like her friend Shola, don’t have.

It was hard to like Chloe and her mom.  Her mom, especially, because she thinks she can fight the charges against, and can’t accept that there are consequences for her actions.  She was definitely in denial for most of the book.  It was a little hard to like her dad, though I don’t feel like we got enough of him for me to have stronger feelings either way.

The one I felt really bad for was her sister.  I have to say, she was right when she talked about how hard it was going to be for her because of what her parents did for Chloe.  I hope college isn’t horrible for her but I feel like people are going to question her place there now.  Her parents were so busy trying to buy Chloe’s way into college that they didn’t think about how it would affect Isla.

Honestly, it felt like they didn’t care about Isla at all.  At least, not the way they thought about Chloe.  The comments about Chloe were horrible, and while I don’t know what kind of comments were directed towards Isla, I can imagine what Isla got was only a fraction of what Chloe dealt with.  Still, it won’t be easy for her after all of this.

3 stars.  I liked it, and though most of Chloe’s family was frustrating, it was an interesting read.

Currently Obsessed With: March 2021

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I can’t believe we’re in April already!  I also can’t believe we’ve been dealing with COVID for a year now.  Where has the time gone?  It’s been the longest but fastest year.

Here’s what March 2021 looked like.  I have to say, it was a pretty good month.  Busy, but good!

Inspired by:

  • Discussion posts.  It’s random, but I’ve learned a lot from some of the discussion posts in my classes.  Particularly my communications class, because we were encouraged to do interactive posters, slide shows and portfolios.  I particularly liked Canva, and I’ve been playing around with it for random Instagram posts and blog graphics.

Watching:

  • The Unlisted.  This show was creepy but in a good way.  The government is trying to control all of the kids, some of whom are hiding, trying to stop different governments from controlling all of them.
  • Invisible City.  This was different!  A murder investigation turns into a discovery that there’s this whole mythical world that we don’t notice.  It
  • Ginny & Georgia.  If you like Gilmore Girls, this is the show for you!  It has an interesting mother-daughter relationship, and I’d like to see what’s in store for both of them.  I don’t know if there’s going to be a 2nd season, but I hope so!
  • Zero Chill.  There’s a lot of drama, but I really liked this one!  I actually felt for Kayla, because her brother’s hockey career was way more important to the family, and it seemed like her ice-skating wasn’t as important.
  • iZombie.  I haven’t watched the final season, and decided to re-watch the show from the beginning as a refresher.  It’s a fun show and it’s pretty entertaining.

Reading: 

  • Audio books.  I’ve been re-listening to some audio books.  It’s nice, because I don’t have the energy to engage with something new, but I still want someone talking at me.  It’s nice that I can have them on in the background and come into the story at random times.

Thinking About:

  • Quotes/Quote Notebook.  Months and months ago, I started writing down quotes that I really liked in some of the books I was reading.  I haven’t done it ages, mostly because I haven’t been reading a lot, but also because I haven’t really come across anything that I really wanted to write down.  But I have pulled out this notebook for the first time in a while, and it’s nice to do it again!
  • Organizing my desk at work.  I moved to a different office at work a couple months ago, and then switched to the other desk when that opened up.  I really need to get it organized because of the papers and forms I have.  I know where stuff is, but I’d like it to be a little more organized.

Dream Life:

  • Making tea.  That’s all I remember from this particular dream.
  • Going to Disneyland.  I’m really glad I went to Disneyland before it closed last year.  Maybe I’ll make it back up there one day!

Listening To:

  • In Defense Of Plants.  I’ve heard the host on This Podcast Will Kill You a few times, but never listened to his podcast until recently.  I’m glad I did.  I’m not a gardener, but plants are cool, and I get to learn about them through this podcast!
  • Periodic Talks.  This is a new podcast, and I’m glad I listen!  The hosts talk about different topics in the science world, like space and virtual reality.
  • Conspirituality.  It’s when right-wing conspiracy theories collide with the wellness world.  The episodes are pretty long, usually about an hour and a half to two hours, so I tend to listen to a segment or two at a time.  It’s different from what I usually listen to, but another one I’m glad I’m listening to.

Researching:

  • Gelada Monkeys.  Admittedly, this is for a report I have to do for biological anthropology.  But it was fun to research them, and I even made a trip to the zoo to see them.

Eating + Drinking:

  • Tea.  I love having a Sips By box, because of all of the teas I get to try!
  • Coffee.  Would you expect anything else from a blog called Reading Books With Coffee?  I’ve been drinking a lot of coffee that I got from Bones Coffee Company.  I don’t normally go for flavored coffee, but that’s a good portion of their selection.  It is really good coffee, and I’m glad I gave them a try!
  • Red beans and rice.  It’s always a good choice, and I haven’t had it in a while.
  • Oatmeal.  I’ve been trying to be better about eating breakfast, and oatmeal was something I ate quite a bit last month.

Grateful For:

  • Getting through the time change.  It was really hard this year, and I was exhausted for a week, no matter when I went to bed.
  • Podcasts!  I was in my office by myself for a couple of weeks and podcasts kept me company.

Good things:

  • I finished my communications class!  It was an 8 week class, so it was short and fast-paced but also a lot of work.  I did really well, though, and ended up with an A!
  • I went to the zoo!  Mostly to look at the gelada monkeys, since I wanted to see them in person.  And I have a membership, so I thought I’d use it, especially because the zoo has been closed for a while.  I was sore for two days, because of the hills, but I was glad I went.  I felt pretty safe, since everyone was wearing masks, social distanced, and got screened before coming in.  And I’m vaccinated, so that helped a lot.
  • I did yoga!  Not as much as I did in January and February, but it averaged out to a couple of times a week, so I’m at least sticking with my goal of doing yoga once a week.
  • I received the Botanica Tarot!  This was a Tarot deck I kick-started sometime last year, and it finally came.  It’s really pretty, and all of the other things that came with it are really pretty as well.  I would have been happy with just the deck, but it’s nice they were able to add in some nice extras!

That wraps up my monthly recap for March.

Stay safe,

Audio Book Review: Alpha by Rachel Vincent, Narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck

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Book: Alpha by Rachel Vincent, Narrated by Jennifer Van Dyck

Published October 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.|Length: 12 hours, 37 minutes

Where I Got It: I own the audio book

Series: Shifters #6

Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy

The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder and treason. Yeah, we’ve been busy. But now it’s time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother’s death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

It’s not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I’m heading for a final showdown that can, that will change everything forever. A showdown I’m not sure I’m ready for.

But life never waits until you’re ready.

I really liked this one!  I’m sad to see this series end, but I’m also glad that I got to see how everything ended.

Faith has been through a lot in this series!  She’s lost some people, and unfortunately, this book had a loss I wasn’t expecting or was remotely prepared for.

She had a lot to deal with after everything that happened with her dad, and she really had to fight for her pride.  She did it, of course, though there were a lot of obstacles along the way.  I wasn’t surprised, and I hope things get at least a little better for her.  She needs things to go her way, in addition to having support from her friends and family.  She needs things to be normal.  Well, as normal as they’re going to get, which isn’t very normal, considering we’re talking about Faith.  But it seems like things will (hopefully) settle down enough for her.

The war wasn’t what I thought it would be.  There was action, of course, and I’m not completely sure what I was expecting, but I think it was something different than what we got.  At least things with certain council members got taken care of, and I think things are headed in a good direction.  A lot of changes are in store, but I think it’ll be good changes.  At least, I hope they’re good.  Things can’t keep going the way they are.

We finally got the Mark-Jace-Faith love triangle resolved, and I wasn’t surprised by who she ended up with.  I’m not enthused with it, though I’m not sure who I’d want for Faith.  It took her a while to figure out what she wanted, and it wasn’t an easy decision to make.  That, with everything else…I don’t know how she managed to take care of everything but she did.

Honestly, I would have been disappointed if the love triangle hadn’t been resolved.  Even though I didn’t love Faith and Mark, or Faith and Jace, I’m still glad we know where that stands.  Honestly, they both deserve better, but it’s not like we’re going to get a third, random choice thrown in.  It was always going to be one of them.

I’ve really liked Jennifer Van Dyck’s narration.  She did a great job giving Faith a voice, and she was a really good choice for this series.  I’m really glad I went with the audio, and it’s because of her!

4 stars.  This was a pretty good end to the series, and it was a great book (and series) to listen to!

Book Review: Into The Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer

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Book: Into The Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Published January 2021 by Page Street Kids|368 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Fantasy

Epic, heartbreaking, and darkly atmospheric, Into the Heartless Wood is the story of impossible love between a monstrous tree siren and a boy who lives at the edge of her wood.

The forest is a dangerous place, where siren song lures men and women to their deaths. For centuries, a witch has harvested souls to feed the heartless tree, using its power to grow her domain.

When Owen Merrick is lured into the witch’s wood, one of her tree-siren daughters, Seren, saves his life instead of ending it. Every night, he climbs over the garden wall to see her, and every night her longing to become human deepens. But a shift in the stars foretells a dangerous curse, and Seren’s quest to become human will lead them into an ancient war raging between the witch and the king who is trying to stop her.

I LOVED Into The Heartless Wood!  It’s so beautiful, and if you haven’t read it, I recommend it!

Honestly, I wasn’t sure about it at first.  But the more I read it, the more I fell in love with it.  It’s beautiful and musical, and Seren’s chapter’s are particularly beautiful and heart wrenching.  Don’t get me wrong, I really liked Owen’s chapters too, but there was just something about Seren’s chapters that I absolutely loved.

Everything fell into place at the end of the book, and I was actually interested to see how everything came together.  And how this war not only came to be, but how it all ended.  It really felt like Owen and Seren were pawns at times, but they did make their own choices.  Owen in particular allowed Seren to see that she did have a choice, and I’m glad Owen finally saw that she wasn’t the monster he thought she was.

I also love the idea of tree sirens.  It sounds strange, because when I hear siren, I think vast oceans and sailors being lured to their death.  It’s basically that, but in a forest instead of an ocean.  The whole story behind Seren and her family is one I really liked reading, and I loved seeing how Seren wanted more.  I loved that she protected Owen, and save him again and again.  I hated seeing her be forced to do things she didn’t want to do, but that she had the chance to do something different.  Be something different.

Now that I’m thinking about it, Seren’s chapters made me think of the Shatter Me series.  Particularly Juliette at the beginning of the series.  I think it’s how it’s formatted, and though Seren’s mind isn’t fractured the way Juliette’s is, there’s just something about the way their thoughts are formed, and how they tell they their story that go pretty well together.  Though their stories are so completely different, it was interesting that there was something similar about how we saw them.

5 stars.  I loved this book, and would happily reread it!

Book Review: The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa

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Book: The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa

Published February 2021 by Inkyard Press|416 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: The Iron Fay: Evenfall #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

Wicked faeries and fantastic danger… Welcome to book one of the new trilogy in N ew York Times bestselling author Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey fantasy series, as infamous prankster Puck finally has a chance to tell his story and stand with allies new and old to save Faery and the world. For fans of Holly Black and Cassandra Clare!

“YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF ME…”

Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Prankster, joker, raven, fool… King Oberon’s right-hand jester from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The legends are many, but the truth will now be known, as Puck finally tells his own story and faces a threat from a time before Faery began. A threat that brings him face-to-face with a new enemy…himself.

With the Iron Queen Meghan Chase and her prince consort, Puck’s longtime rival Ash, and allies old and new by his side, Puck begins a fantastical and dangerous adventure not to be missed or forgotten. Evenfall is coming, and with it a reckoning that even their combined powers and wits may not vanquish, as a shadow falls over the lands of Faery and the world slips into chaos.

I really enjoyed this book!  It’s really nice to be back in Faery, and to get Puck’s story.

I loved this world in the Iron Fey series, I loved this world in the Call Of The Forgotten Series, and even though we’re only one book into this trilogy, I already love the world we’re seeing in this series.

Nothing is ever easy, and there’s always an adventure and danger and new threats.  This series is no exception, but I can’t wait to see how Puck, Meghan and Ash deal with Evenfall.  I mean, how do you deal with something that is from before the world of Faery even started?  All I can say is that we will find out.

Just when I thought it wasn’t possible to tell more stories in this world…well, Kagawa proved me wrong!  The first trilogy was always Meghan’s story (plus a book from Ash’s perspective), and the second was always about her brother and son.

But now we get Puck’s story!  I’m glad we finally get his story, because he’s been through a lot.  He’s changed a lot over the centuries, and I liked learning more about his past.  I really hope we learn more about Puck’s past in the rest of the series.  Puck really deserves to be happy, and I hope he finds happiness and peace.  Whether it’s with Nyx, someone else or just himself,  I hope he finds it.  My guess is that he’ll end up with Nyx.  But only because I’ve read pretty much all of her books, and I have a good sense of where things are going to go.  I could be wrong, but Nyx and Puck are interesting together.

And Grim!  I love that cat so much it’s not even funny.  I doubt we’ll get ever get a series from Grim’s perspective, but I’d take a novella at this point.  Grim does not show up enough, that’s for sure.

I’m glad we get to see what’s going on in the Iron Court, and that we get to catch up with Meghan, Ash and Kierran.  It’s good to have the gang back together, though I don’t like where things are headed.  I’m sure things will end up fine but getting there will be a journey.  It always is, and I’m just along for the ride.

4 stars.  I don’t know why, but I didn’t love this book.  I still really, really liked it, and it’s good to be back with Puck, Grim and everyone else!

Book Review: You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson

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Book: You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson

Published June 2020 by Scholastic Press|336 pages

Where I Got It: I own the hardcover

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.

But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down…until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.

The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams…or make them come true?

I really liked You Should See Me In A Crown!  It’s really cute and Liz is really, really cool.

Liz is such a great character.  I can relate to not wanting to be in the spotlight, but I also admire her determination to get the scholarship so she can go to Pennington.  Even if it means going through the public events and dealing absolutely terrible competitors.  She has a really good group of friends, though she has some issues with one of friends throughout the book.  It wasn’t surprising but also understandable, and I get why her friend acted the way she did.  It doesn’t make it okay, of course, but I get why she acted the way she did.

I really liked her family too.  I really do love when grandparents show up, and I’m glad they were there for Liz and her brother.  Especially after losing her mom years earlier.  She’s really lucky to have them, and they seem great.

I also liked her relationship with Mack.  I don’t completely get why she wasn’t upfront about the scholarship with Mack.  And of course, Liz not sharing that and not being open about them dating leads to some issues between them.  It all works out in the end, but I’m still frustrated and angry that Liz had to keep her relationship with Mack hidden because it goes against the rules for going for not just prom court but also prom queen.

I’m angry that, if she were straight, it would totally cool for her to go to prom with, say, Jordan, but going with her girlfriend isn’t.  It’s not surprising that some places aren’t okay with anyone who’s not straight, and clearly, Liz lives in one of those areas.  But it’s also sad she has to hide a part of herself just so she can go for a scholarship that will help her go to the college of her dreams.  Still, it all works out for Liz, and I’m glad it does.

4 stars.  I’m really glad I finally read this book, and I definitely recommend it!