Review: Cancelled

Cancelled by Olivia Hillier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazing Read

I received an advance review copy for free from Booksprout and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you, Olivia Hillier, for the opportunity to read your book. This was an incredible read. This is the second book of the Social Games Trilogy. In this book, the story picks up right where book 1 left off. The story is intriguing and the world is still dystopian but is similar to how our real world looks like. I loved Alexa, who now goes by the name of Anna Knox in the new world. She created the new app called 'The Edge.' I thought she was a brilliant character. To me, her character seems to be breaking away from the influence of social media and trying to find a way to live without it always in our lives. She was relatable. I thought the side characters also added to the story. However, Alexa's journey is by far my favourite. I cannot wait to see how her journey continues in Book Three, Disconnected. The ending was amazing. I can't wait to read Book Three, Disconnected. Also, I want to read more books by Olivia Hillier. Overall, an amazing read.

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Review: Sea Serpent's Heir Book Two: Black Wave

Sea Serpent's Heir Book Two: Black Wave by Mairghread Scott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay Read

I received an advance reader copy for free from Edelweiss, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you, Mairghread Scott, for the opportunity to read your book. This was an alright read. This is the second volume of the Sea Serpent's Heir, and is about finding who you are (basically). In this volume, Aella sets sail with her mother's old crew to discover more about who she is and where she comes from. I still find the story confusing and really fast-paced. I thought that the characters were better than in the first book, but I wish the story was longer so the characters could be much more relatable and genuine. The illustrations were beautifully drawn. I think the illustrations were still the highlight for me because of how they conveyed the story well. I am looking forward to seeing what book 3 is like. However, the events that occurred in this volume alone could have been told in different volumes as well. Overall, an okay read.


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Review: Sea Serpents Heir Vol. 1: The Pirate's Daughter

Sea Serpents Heir Vol. 1: The Pirate's Daughter by Mairghread Scott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay Read

I received an advance review copy for free from Edelweiss, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you, Mairghread Scott, for the opportunity to read your book. This was an alright read. This is the first volume of the Sea Serpents Heir and is about growing up and changing your fate. In this volume, we meet Aella, a teenager who finds out she is the reincarnation of an ancient sea serpent destined to destroy the world. I thought the story was confusing and really fast-paced. I thought that the characters were good as well. If the story was longer, there could have been more development in the characters. However, the illustrations were beautifully drawn. I think the illustrations were the highlight for me, because of how they conveyed the story. I am looking forward to seeing what book 2 is like. However, the events that occurred in this volume alone could have been told in different volumes as well. Overall, an okay read.

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Review: A Plus One for Murder

A Plus One for Murder by Laura Bradford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great Read

This was an enjoyable read. This is the first book in the Friend for Hire Mystery series. I thought the concept of a friend for hire was interesting, and I picked up the audiobook from my library app. I thought the story was great. Emma Westlake has been her own boss, but her travel business is not successful. An older woman, Dottie Adler, suggests Emma start a friend-for-hire business. She first finds the idea crazy, but then decides to do it. When she books a client who wants her to attend an open mic night and cheer for him, she witnesses his murder. I thought it was entertaining and fun. I enjoyed every minute of it. I thought the characters were great. I liked Emma, but I thought she was naive at times. The secondary characters were interesting and made the story more engaging. I thought the ending was great. I cannot wait to see what book 2 has in store. A Perilous Pal, here I come. Overall, a great read.

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Review: The 18th Abduction

The 18th Abduction by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great Read

Actual Rating: 4.45

This was an interesting read. Every book is getting better and better in my opinion. I really love Lindsay Boxer. She has become one of my favourite heroines. In this book, there are two cases within the storyline. The women are back on the trail of three missing teachers and Joe is following up on the sighting of a Bosnian war criminal. I really liked how we got to see more of Joe in this book. There was crime, mystery, and some badass moments. I really liked the fast pace of the story, and also the twists that unfold in the series are great. The ending was great, and I didn't expect it at all. This series reminds me of Criminal Minds, but an all-female version of it. The series about four best friends, who are more like sisters than friends is the best thing ever. We get to see how they are able to overcome anything because of their friendship. The only thing I am sad about is that Yuki never got to meet Jill. I think if all 5 women were in the series, it would have been even better. I can't wait to read book 19, and I am excited to see what the series has in store for me. The 19th Christmas, here I come. Overall, a great read.

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Review: Time After Time

Time After Time by Nicole Sobon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay Read

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Nicole Sobon for the opportunity to read your book. This was an alright read. This is a young adult story about love, loss, and sacrifice. I thought that the story was okay. I found the story interesting in some parts, but I did feel a bit disappointed about how the concept of time travel was depicted. I found it confusing and boring. The characters were okay. I thought Maya was a good character. I found her character relatable. I connected with her and it was nice to understand her as a character. To me, Maya was smart and witty. I liked how she kept fighting for the people that she loved. Also, I thought that the other characters could have been more relatable. I thought that the ending was interesting and it was the best part. I wish the story could have been longer because I think it could have been better if the story had more to the plot and more to the relationship between Cam and Maya. I am looking forward to reading more books by Nicole Sobon. I believe that she has a lot of potential. Overall, an okay read.

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Review: Burn the Same

Burn the Same by Marianna Palmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great Read

I received an advance review copy for free from Booksprout, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Marianna Palmer for the opportunity to read your book. This was an enjoyable read. In this story, sixteen-year-old Laoni is Burner with an icy destiny. Her life as a Burner has made her live on the run from Breathers, people who are hunting her for her rare abilities. Burn the Same is a great urban fantasy about survival and self-discovery. This was a fast-paced book, and I thought the story was intriguing. The narrative of the present and the past was great. I thought the use of her journals from her past narrative was interesting and gave a lot of insight into her character. I enjoyed Laoni as a character as well. She is strong, smart, and witty. She is my type of heroine. Also, her interactions with Redmond was great. I think they balanced each other out. Redmond is a Burner with a fiery destiny. Although the combination of fire and ice should not go together, they make it work. I thought he was sweet, strong, and smart. I thought the ending was interesting. I cannot wait to read book 2. I cannot wait to see where the story goes. Overall, a great read.

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Review: Racing Hearts

Racing Hearts by Melinda Anne Di Lorenzo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great Read

Actual Rating: 3.5

I received an advance review copy for free from Edelweiss, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Melinda Anne Di Lorenzo for the opportunity to read your book. This book contains some disturbing themes such as suicide. This was an enjoyable read. In this book, Sienna signs up to do a triathlon and finds a connection with an unexpected training partner. This was a romance that explores the themes of body positivity, love, grief, perseverance, and trusting in yourself. I thought Sienna and Blake were great characters. Sienna was struggling to find her place in life because she lost her best friend. She finds inspiration after the popular jock, Blake starts training her for the triathlon. I thought Blake was sweet and considerate. I really liked their interaction and connection. He truly is a great character. I thought the ending was sweet. I wish the story was longer. I was there was more about their relationship. I think it would be really cute and nice to see how their relationship progressed. I am looking forward to reading more Orca Soundings books and also more Melinda Anne Di Lorenzo. Overall, a great read.

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Review: Airlock

Airlock by Tash McAdam
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay Read

Actual Rating: 2.5

I received an advanced review copy for free from Edelweiss, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Tash McAdam for the opportunity to read your book. This was an alright read. I have to say that the concept was very intriguing, but the story did not live up to my expectations. In this book, Brick, a young thief, is terrified of outer space, but they are forced to escape Earth when there is a warrant for Brick's arrest. Brick goes on a cargo ship, and allows a young person, Amar. While they are on the cargo ship, Pirates take over the ship and puts the crew in the Airlock. Brick and Amar try to free the crew. Will they succeed? I thought that the story was good, but there could have been longer. I thought that there could have been more action scenes. I feel like if the story was longer, there is more opportunities for the story to grow. Also, I wish we could have had more of a backstory for Brick and Amar. I thought they were okay characters. I did not love them, but I did not dislike them. I thought the ending was short and abrupt. I will try to read more Orca Soundings books. Overall, an okay read.


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Review: The Moores Are Missing

The Moores Are Missing by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great Read

This was an enjoyable read. This is a BookShot book, which contains three short thriller stories that James Patterson collaborated with three different authors. The first short story is The Moores Are Missing by James Patterson and Loren D. Estleman. In this story, a family is running away from something and two friends set out to find them. The second short story is The Housewife by James Patterson and Sam Hawken. In this story, the main character, Maggie, is a former Chief of Detectives turned housewife, who sees a woman in her neighbourhood getting out of a limo in the morning while out walking. Then, the woman is found murdered the next morning. The third and final short story is Absolute Zero by James Patterson and Ed Chatterton. In this story, an ex-special forces man is framed for murder and arson. The stories were short and quick, but they were also exciting and engaging. They were filled with action-packed moments and interesting moments. I think for me, I wish the stories were longer because there was potential to be individual novels. The endings were great. I cannot wait to read more books by James Patterson. Also, I cannot wait to read more crime, mystery, thriller novels. Overall, a great read.

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Review: To Travel the Stars: A Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

To Travel the Stars: A Retelling of Pride and Prejudice by Amy Sundberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amazing Read

I received an advance review copy for free from Booksprout and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Amy Sundberg for the opportunity to read your book. This was an incredible read. This was a Retelling of the classic story, Pride and Prejudice. In this book, Lisette Bennett, the second child of the Bennet family, desires to be an FTL pilot and lives on Meryton V, a rundown space station in the armpit of the universe. I loved the world revolves around interfacing partners, where you have to link with someone in a VR scenario and work together to figure out the problem, if anyone has a score of 95% or more, they are compatible with each other and will be able to enter a contract for being interfacing partners. This was really entertaining, and I took my time with it to engage more with the story. It was worth the time spent because the story was well-written and filled with surprises. It was a fantastic retelling of a classic Jane Austen book. The characters were terrific. I loved Lisette and Will. I love the whole enemy-to-lover story because their connection and chemistry make the story more palpable. I also really loved Jayne and Florian. They are sweet siblings to have and I thought Florian was funny. Margot was really into biology and the disgusting stuff. I thought Will was a complex character because he has a rough exterior, but once you get to know him, he is a different person. We see the more sensible and genuine Will Darcy, who also dreams of being an FTL pilot. The ending was beautiful. I am glad that Will and Lisette are getting to live their dreams together. I cannot wait to read more books by Amy Sundberg. Overall, an amazing read.

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Review: Flunked

Flunked by Jen Calonita
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great Read

This was an enjoyable read. This is the first book of the Fairy Tale Reform School series. In this book, Cinderella's evil stepmother wants to be good. She decides to go to the Fairy Tale Reform School to help young adults/youth be good rather than villains. Gilly is a young girl who is a thief trying to help put food on the table for her family after her father's cobbler shop is going under because of a ban on the production of glass slippers and becomes one of the Fairy Tale Reform School students. During her time at Fairy Tale Reform School, Gilly makes some friends. I think this story was great. I thought the characters were great and relatable. I really liked Gilly. She was an interesting character. I really liked how she was characterized as a person who gave everything to her family. When I read this book, I thought of the movie series, Descendants, which is about mischievous villains' kids getting a second chance to be good. I thought the ending was good. I am glad that I found this series. I cannot wait to see what book 2 has in store for me. Charmed (Book 2), here I come. Overall, a great read.


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Review: The Reunion

The Reunion by L.J. Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay Read

This was an alright read. This is the fourth book of The Vampire Diaries. There are more books in the series but they go under different series names, so this is the final book of the original Vampire Diaries series. In this book, Meredith, Bonnie, Stefan and Damon are the focal points of the story as Elena is gone for most of this book. I liked seeing the four of them work together. Also, I must say I really like Bonnie. She is badass and strong. I think Meredith was smart. The Salvatore brothers are their handsome, mysterious selves. Trying to save Elena with the help of her friends. I thought the story was good, but could have been better. There could be more added to the ending because it felt abrupt to end it like that. I wish we got an insight into how Elena is living after the events of the final chapter. I think the story was boring at times. I will have to read The Vampire Diaries: The Return and see what happens. I am looking forward to seeing what the new series will bring. I still prefer the TV show to the book. Overall, an okay read.

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Review: The Fury

The Fury by L.J. Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay Read

This was an alright read. This is the third book of the Vampire Diaries series. In this book, Elena is a vampire now. The story was okay. I did like seeing Damon, Stefan, and Elena work together. In this book, I started to like Elena a bit more than before because she was less self-centered. Also, I liked that Bonnie and Meredith had more scenes in this book. I still feel like Stefan and Elena's story was good. I feel like Damon is still as mysterious as ever. Also, I thought that there could have been more done with the story. It could have been longer to finish the story quicker. Matt is ever a sweet guy who helps out his friends in whatever way he can. I thought the last 25% was the best part of the story. After the ending, I will have to read The Dark Reunion to continue the series and see what happens. I am looking forward to seeing what book 4 brings. I still cannot get over the changes from the TV show and the book. I still prefer the TV show to the book. Overall, an okay read.

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Review: The Struggle

The Struggle by L.J. Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay Read

This was an alright read. This is the second book of the Vampire Diaries series. In this book, the story picks up right where The Awakening ends with Stefan missing, and Elena confronting Damon. Also, the story focused more on Elena's missing diary, which has incriminating information about Stefan and his family. I liked that there were more scenes with Damon. I think he was a mysterious character. He has this vibe about him that attracts people to him. Stefan and Elena's story was good in this book as well. I really liked the showdown between Damon and Stefan at the end. I thought the last 25% was the best part of the story. Also, I wish the ending was not a cliffhanger, but I get it. After the ending, I will have to read The Fury to continue the series and see what happens. I am looking forward to seeing what book 3 brings. I still cannot get over the changes from the TV show and the book. I still prefer the TV show to the book. Overall, an okay read.

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Review: My Brother Is a Big, Fat Liar

My Brother Is a Big, Fat Liar by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great Read

This was an enjoyable read. This is the third book of the Middle School series. In this book, Rafe's sister, Georgia Khatchadorian starts the sixth grade. While Rafe went there, he made it his mission to break every rule in Hills Village Middle School's rule book. Therefore, being Rafe's sisters, everyone believes that Georgia is just like her brother. How will her school year go? I really liked this story. Getting to meet and be introduced to Rafe's sister is a great addition to the book series. She is nothing like Rafe. She tries to make friends and eventually met two friends, Sam and Rhonda. I think her story gives insight into what it is like to be Rafe Khatchadorian's little sister. I thought the story was short, funny, and filled with mischief. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series will bring, but I am excited. Although intended for a younger audience, I believe that this is a story for any age group. Book 4, here I come. Overall, a great read.

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Review: Before Your Memory Fades

Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great Read

This was an enjoyable read. This is the third book of the Before Your Coffee Gets Cold series. In this book, the stories do not take place in Café Funiculi Funicula in Tokyo, instead, the stories take place in Café Donna Donna in Hakodate. In Hakodate, we meet Nagare and Kazu filling in for his mother while she is travelling. She owns Café Donna Donna. I thought the stories were a wonderful addition to the many that we have already read in the previous books. In every book, the author is able to bring up themes of love, loss, grief, and moving on in such a beautiful way. I think this book teaches us how we should appreciate every moment in our lives because we will never know when we will have to go through troubling times and move on from them. If we learn how to do that, we can overcome any obstacle that is put in our paths. I cannot wait to read the fourth book in November. Overall, a great read.

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