2024 Book Reviews

    Here are all of my book reviews from 2024 linked in one place. Just click on the picture of the book you would like to read the review of. each book review has:

• A picture of the front of the book
• The book’s name.
• The author’s name.
• A rating that gives one to five out of five stars.
• Summary of the book.
• a review of what I liked, what I disliked, and how I felt about the book as a whole.
• A song suggestion I feel fits the book.

     I hope these book reviews will inspire you to read the books I have reviewed on this website, whether you agree with my opinion on the story or you disagree with it.

The Night Market Review

Filena is known as a seer, one who can see other’s futures. Years ago, her and her brother Cian escaped their abusive father and started a new life under the ownership of the Lonan’s. Now Filena works at the West Tribe’s Night Market. There she tells the future for those who pay coin. Every Night Market before opening a fae comes and visits Filena: Rhylen Lonan, a Raven Folk who Filena has fallen in love with. But with West tribes rules they could never be together. Besides she has seen his future, and he is soon to meet his ‘true mate’. 

    

 2023 Book Reviews

    Here are all of my book reviews from 2023 linked in one place. Just click on the picture of the book you would like to read the review of. each book review has:

• A picture of the front of the book
• The book’s name.
• The author’s name.
• A rating that gives one to five out of five stars.
• Summary of the book.
• a review of what I liked, what I disliked, and how I felt about the book as a whole.
• A song suggestion I feel fits the book.

     I hope these book reviews will inspire you to read the books I have reviewed on this website, whether you agree with my opinion on the story or you disagree with it.

Before Midnight Review

  Cendrillion was born the night her mother died and her father wants nothing to do with her. Instead, he leaves to join the king’s court, but not before leaving another child behind at his home, a boy named Raoul. The two children are raised by the household servants and have lived without a word from Cendrillion’s father for sixteen years. Then one fall day, a message arrives, stating that Cendrillion’s father has remarried, and her new stepmother and two stepsisters appear not too long after. At first, they do not know Cendrillion’s true heritage, believing her to be just another servant. But things finally come to light just as a grand ball is announced. Unknown to Cendrillion and Raoul, this ball will change their lives forever.

The Love Hypothesis Review

 What if you told your friend you were in a romantic relationship so she would not feel bad about dating your ex? What if You kissed a random guy from your work, making your friend think he is the person you are in a romantic relationship with? What if you and the guy you kissed agree to a fake date to keep up your charade? Well, that’s just what is happening to Olive Smith. Now she must sell being in a fake relationship with Adam Carlsen, who is known by everyone as a real mean guy. But he is not to her, in fact, he is super nice and supportive. The more they talk and spend time together the more Olive falls for Adam.

Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal Review

  In 2014 a new Superhero burst into the scene. A huge fan of The Avengers, especially Captain Marvel, Kamala Khan Just wants to be a normal girl from New Jersey. She wants to go to parties and eat meat, but her strict Muslim parents have other plans. Having enough, Kamala sneaks out to go to a party being held by some of the popular kids at school. While there a strange mist envelopes the clearing the party is being held. Feeling uneasy, Kamala decides to go back home, but begins to feel woozy and passes out. When she wakes up she’s not Kamala anymore, but Carol Danvers’s Ms. Marvel! What follows is Kamala discovering her new powers and becoming the Superhero Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal!

Shatter Me Review

  Juliette has been in the same room for 264 days with no contact from anyone. The room is in an asylum and is believed to be the only place to keep her from harming anyone. You see if Juliette touches someone even slightly, the person will feel horrible pain. If touched long enough, the person will die. She is a monster. Then on day 265 someone arrives in her room, a young man named Adam. Juliette is terrified at first. What if he is there to kill her? What if he touches her? Is he even real? Has she gone insane? Adams's arrival is only just the beginning, as Juliette is taken by a group of soldiers working for an organization called the Reestablishment and given a choice by the soldiers' leader Warner: Work for him as a weapon or die!

Destroy Me Review

 In the novella Destroy Me, We take a break from Juliette’s story to see the aftermath of her and Adam’s escape from the Reestablishment from none other than Warner’s eyes. She not only shot him, crippling his arm but stole his heart. Now Warner must retrieve Juliette and Adam, all the while the Supreme Commander of the Reestablishment has come to personally see that Warner does not fail. It does not help that the Supreme Commander is also his father.

Breaking Time Review

  Ever wondered what the story of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon would be like if the roles were reversed? Then look no further than Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg. Breaking Time follows two characters: Callum and Klara. Callum is a Scotsman from the 1500s who gets flung forward in time to 2022 after trying to save his best friend Thomas from a mysterious killer. Klara is a newly graduated high schooler living in Scotland who is trying to figure out a way to tell her dad she’s not going to college. To clear her head, she takes a drive and accidentally hits someone with her car. The person just happens to be Callum.

Beauty and the Blade Review

 Contessa is marrying, but not for love. The man she is engaged to Nathanial Woodrow, also known as the Beast, killed her mother. Her mother was found dead with three slash marks on her face, a sign of Nathanial’s gang the Lions. Now Contessa can bring him to justice. But as She learns more about her new husband, his gang, and a group of magical people known as the Talented, Contessa begins to question everything she knows.

Golden Review

 We all know how the fairy tale goes: “Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair!”. But this Rapunzel has no hair at all. Her head is as bald as an egg. Due to this her mother called her a monster and wanted nothing to do with her. So, a sorceress named Melisande raises Rapunzel for the next sixteen years. But Melisande has a secret, she has another daughter named Rue. Sadly, Rue is trapped in a tower and the only hope of freedom lies with Rapunzel.  Can the two girls work together to break Rue out or with their constant fighting doom them both.

The little Mermaid: Against the Tide Review

  Ariel is so excited; she’s about to be crowned Protector of her own region of the great sea! Her six other sisters already rule their own sections of the sea as Protectors. But sadly, they seem so busy with their duties that they never get together and the times they do they are always fighting. When Ariel finds out her father, King Triton, is able to arrange for her sisters to attend her Protector’s ceremony, she is determined to fix the sisters’ relationships.

Part of Your World: A Twisted Tale Review

 Five years after Ariel went to the above world and was defeated by the sea witch, Ursula she has lost everything; her father, her voice, her carefree life, and Eric… Now she rules the Mer-people of Atlantica voiceless. But one day a message arrives from Scuttle; Ariel’s father, King Triton, is alive! He is being held hostage by Ursula.

Ms. Marvel Vol. 2: Generation Why Review

The Inventor is growing in power in Jersey City and has his eye on a certain superhero: Ms. Marvel! It does not help that Kamla’s parents have told Sheikh Abdullah about her acting strangely. She tries her best to explain without reviling her hero identity and lets it slip that she feels she is not very good at doing it. Sheikh Abdullah shocks her by giving her some advice. She needs a teacher. When Kamla asks where to find one, he says “When the student is ready the master will appear”. What master appears? The Superhero Wolverine!

The Wizard of Oz Review

  One moment she’s at home in Kansas, the next she is in the beautiful land of Oz! The magical country is full of beauty and magic, but all Dorothy wants to do is go back home to her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em. So, with the blessing of the Good Witch of the North, Dorothy sets out on a journey to the Emerald City. Along the way, she meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion. Each wants something and all hope the Great Wizard of Oz can give it to them; the Scarecrow's brains, the Tin Man a heart, and the Cowardly Lion's courage. 

Cinder & Glass Review

  In France in 1682, Cendrillon lives happily with her father as she starts her life at the French court. Then one day, her father meets and marries Lady Catherine which starts changes in Cendrillion’s life. She now has two stepsisters and the members of the house staff whom Cendrillion thought of as family are dismissed. Then suddenly, her father passes away. Now Cendrillion is no more than a servant in her own home, being treated horribly by her stepfamily. But hope comes in the form of her dying godmother, who whisks Cendrillion away and takes her to the grand ball held by the King. 

Rebel Rose: The Queen's Council Review

  The spell is broken and now Belle and the Beast, going by the name Lio, have begun their life together. One of the things they must do is meet with the King of France to restore the ties between them. But when Belle and Lio arrive a revolution starts, with Belle witnessing a riot firsthand. Belle and Lio return home in hopes of stopping the revolution from spreading into their kingdom. Lio’s cousin, Bastien, accompanies them and proposes the kingdom cut all ties with France. This would lead Belle and Lio to become King and Queen. 

Singer Book Review

  Gwenore has been abused by her mother, Rhiamon, her whole life. She tried to escape once. But it led to the death of a man and her friend Tom being gravely injured. Her mother trapped her in a dark room with no food or water for weeks. Then Gwenore is given another chance. Her nursemaid, Brennan, and a mysterious priest named Father Caddaric sneak Gwenore out in the middle of the night. She is whisked away to an abbey, then a community run by healing women called Blessingwood. 

Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale Review 

  What if Snow White decided to fight to get her kingdom back instead of just hiding? What if The Queen had given the poison apple to Snow White’s true love? What if the Evil Queen was not just Snow White’s stepmother, but also her aunt? These scenarios are explored in Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale. In this book we follow Snow White as she teams up with the dwarfs and Prince Henrich to save her kingdom from Queen Ingrid.

 The Night Market Review

Book Name: The Night Market

Author Name: Jesikah Sundin

Release Date: January 15,2024

Number of Pages: 511 pages

Review: 

Filena is known as a seer, one who can see other’s futures. Years ago, her and her brother Cian escaped their abusive father and started a new life under the ownership of the Lonan’s. Now Filena works at the West Tribe’s Night Market. There she tells the future for those who pay coin. Every Night Market before opening a fae comes and visits Filena: Rhylen Lonan, a Raven Folk who Filena has fallen in love with. But with West tribes rules they could never be together. Besides she has seen his future, and he is soon to meet his ‘true mate’. 
Little does Filena know that she is actually Rhylen’s true mate. He has known for a number of years and has courted her in secret. One night the Night Market catches fire and Rhylen saves Filena just in time. This set off a chain of events which leads Filena and Rhylen not only together but changing the way the raven folk have lived for centuries.   
     The Nigh Market is a beautiful romantic fantasy that kept me wanting to keep turning the page to see what would happen next. Whether from the fun interactions between characters, the swoon worthy romance between the two main characters, or the interesting world building, I couldn’t get enough of this story. 
     The characters are wonderful to read about. I loved how animal loving and imaginative Filena was. She thought up the best curses, even if she didn’t think she could cast them. Her interactions with her brother, Cian, were fun and sweet. They taunt each other and are they’re for the other when needed most. I would have loved more of Filena and Glenna interacting as they were supposed to be the best of friends. Just seemed it more of Glenna with Cian than Filena page wise. 
     The romance! Oh! The romance. I was squealing so much though the romance in this book. Filena and Rhylen are my new favorite couple. The way Rhylen would do anything for Filena is beautiful to read. I also loved how the two would not fall into the trope of getting angry with the other for holding a secret. They thought through them logically. The treasure between them being buttons is so cute. If I could get another book of just them doing things together, I would be so happy! 
    The world building in this is interesting. I liked how the raven folk live and love as a family. The class system and traditions were interesting to read about, and I wish the book went into more detail. I also liked the mentions of Seren, the city present in the pervious novel Bound by Ravens. But luckily you don’t need to have read it to understand this story at all. But if you have fun finding Easter eggs though out the story. 
In closing the Night Market is a great book with hilarious characters and a swoon worthy romance. So, if you like great character interactions, beautiful romantic scenes, great world building, and racoons who love to steal gloves, the Night Market is the read for you. I give this book a four out of five!

Song like This Book: At All Cost (Demo) By Benjamin Rice and Julia Micheals

Mirror, Mirror Book Review

 Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale Review

Book Name: Mirror, Mirror

Book Number: 6 of 16

Author Name: Jen Calonita

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: April 2, 2019

Number of Pages: 334 pages

Review:

            Almost everyone knows how the 1937 animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs goes. A princess named Snow White is labeled the fairest in the land, which drives the land’s Evil Queen to try to kill her in jealousy. Snow White was able to escape and hides out with Seven dwarfs until she’s tricked into eating a poison apple putting her in a death like sleep. The Evil Queen is stop, a kiss from her true love wakes Snow White up, and everyone lives Happily ever after. But What if…

            What if Snow White decided to fight to get her kingdom back instead of just hiding? What if The Queen had given the poison apple to Snow White’s true love? What if the Evil Queen was not just Snow White’s stepmother, but also her aunt? These scenarios are explored in Mirror, Mirror: A Twisted Tale. In this book we follow Snow White as she teams up with the dwarfs and Prince Henrich to save her kingdom from Queen Ingrid.

Though the main twist promoted in Mirror, Mirror (What if the Evil Queen poisoned the prince?) is not what majorly changed the plot of the original Snow-White movie, this book is still a great change to the original 1937 film. I feel this is what could be a version of the Disney movie if it was created in modern day.

Snow White does not feel out of character in the slightest. She was a strong character in the original as well, which I feel due to the limitations of animation technics and the time the movie released has hindered modern audiences from seeing this. For example, in the original movie she realizes her fear of the dark forest getting the better of her, then overcomes it to find a way to survive. This leads her to the seven dwarfs’ cottage where she becomes their leader when they are at home. She’s kind and sees the best in everyone, which sadly leads to her to being tricked by the Evil Queen.

            The author was able to keep this intact while bringing Snow White up to a more modern character. Snow White is not an annoying girl boss as so many of these types of characters seem to fall into now a days. She works and listens to others, thinks things through, and looks for the most peaceful way to resolve things. She also has a sweet relationship Henrich, who was the nameless prince in the original with only two scenes due to limited knowledge in animating human males at the time. In the book he is very supportive of Snow White and always ready to help her at a moment’s notice.

             The dwarfs have very little page time in this book but do contribute by helping Snow White recruit villagers for their cause. The Evil Queen, known as Queen Ingrid in this tale, has her whole back story explored. It’s shown her and sister, Snow White’s mother, came from nothing. As she grows up Ingrid lets her want for power and beauty consume her, no thanks to the Magic Mirror: this book’s true villain.

            Mirror, Mirror is one of the better Disney Twisted Tales books with a great premise and good execution. The characters feel true to themselves and have great additions added to them. With an interesting take on the story’s true villain, this book is a good read. I give Mirror, Mirror a four out of five.

Song Like this Book: Strong by Sonna

 Singer Book Review

Book Name: Singer

Book Number: Standalone

Author Name: Jean Thesman

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: April 7, 2005

Number of Pages: 280 pages

Review:

            Gwenore has been abused by her mother, Rhiamon, her whole life. She tried to escape once. But it led to the death of a man and her friend Tom being gravely injured. Her mother trapped her in a dark room with no food or water for weeks. Then Gwenore is given another chance. Her nursemaid, Brennan, and a mysterious priest named Father Caddaric sneak Gwenore out in the middle of the night. She is whisked away to an abbey, then a community run by healing women called Blessingwood.

            Gwenore has lived at Blessingwood for almost 3 years, where she learned the arts of singing and healing. While there she goes by the name of Mary Singer. But she must always stay hidden unless she wants her mother to find her. The Fair Folk helps conceal her and send messages through one of their own, a cat named King Harry. But her life cannot last forever in Blessingwood. After an incident with a patient, Gwenore’s location is revealed to her mother, and she must go on the run again. This leads her to the Land of Lir. There Gwenore becomes the nursemaid to four royal children and must protect them from her own mother.

            This book is a retelling of the Irish folktale “The Children of Lir” where a group of royal children are turned into swans by their evil stepmother. They were left this way for eight hundred years until freed. But this book is supposed to tell the real story of what happened. Though this premise is interesting, the author was unable to execute the idea well at all.

            The majority of this 280-page book is used to establish Gwenore in learning her skills and growing into her powers but sadly leaves only 102 pages to retell the whole story of “The Children of Lir” tale. The story is heavily rushed from there. It feels as though someone continues to hit the fast-forward button with each new chapter. This concludes with a Disney-style climax as the villain, Gwenore’s mother, falls from the top of a tower to her death.

            The rushed story also hinders almost all the characters besides Gwenore. Characters like the women of Blessingwood are introduced as Gwenore’s teachers but never expand from healer, herbalist, and blacksmith. The book never goes into real detail about them along with the fact that Blessingwood seems to be a place to protect special children for some amount of time. Only one child is given any real page time, leading the child into giving a moving tapestry to Gwenore which only foreshadows events her magic pocket mirror already did in a better fashion.

            These problems come from the fact this book feels more like one and a half stories than just one. Gwenore’s life storyline then the rushed “The Children of Lir” story. The beginning also is written as though it’s a sequel to another book where Gwenore’s early life was given, but this book is a standalone. This book would have greatly benefited from more time centered on “The Children of Lir” retelling part and trimming Gwenore’s back story. I give this book two out of five stars.

Rating:

⭐⭐✰✰✰

Song Like This Book: The Voice by Celtic Woman

 August Book Haul 2023

    It's time for an August Book Haul! Here are all the Books I got in August.

Video

    Hope you like the video! It would really help if you like and comment on the video on YouTube itself, please. 

 Rebel Rose: The Queen's Council Book Review

Book Name: Rebel Rose

Author Name: Emma Theriault

Genre: Fantasy

Release Date: November 10, 2020

Number of Pages: 352 pages

Review:

    The spell is broken and now Belle and the Beast, going by the name Lio, have begun their life together. One of the things they must do is meet with the King of France to restore the ties between them. But when Belle and Lio arrive a revolution starts, with Belle witnessing a riot firsthand. Belle and Lio return home in hopes of stopping the revolution from spreading into their kingdom. Lio’s cousin, Bastien, accompanies them and proposes the kingdom cut all ties with France. This would lead Belle and Lio to become King and Queen. Though unsure, Lio accepts, while Belle declines the position. After the ceremony, Bastien urges Lio to spend time with the kingdom’s nobles while Belle believes the best path for their kingdom is to listen and help the commoners.

    With enough convincing, Lio does what Bastien says leaving Belle to work with the king’s assembly to take care of day-to-day duties. But Bastien and the assembly go against Belle at every turn. Then the enchantress who cured Lio returns, revealing that the kingdom could be destroyed, and Belle is the only one to stop it. Will Belle find the courage to stand up at take her rightful title as Queen? Or will her kingdom go up in flames? Find out in Disney’s The Queen’s Council book one: Rebel Rose.

    As a huge fan of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast seeing a continuation of the story is wonderful. I love how Belle feels she is not the right person to take the title princess, then eventually queen. She also learns how to trust her feelings and stand her ground. As a commoner before the curse, she sees differently than everyone around her and she tries to show that to everyone. I loved reading about her verbal battles with Bastien and reading about how she seemed so unsure about things. It made me love Belle as a character even more.

    I liked how the enchantress was woven back into the narrative and how the author made her into a character that will most likely be used in future installments of the Queens Council books. Also, the book did have me wondering if the character Bastien was good or bad throughout the story, but I think the author needed to give some more backstory on him. This could easily be fixed by having Belle use the magic mirror, which was established to still exist, to see why Bastien was the way he was. The mirror is shown in this story to see the future, so why not the past?

    I wish Lio had more page time as the original Beauty and the Beast animated movie is as much his movie as it is Belle’s. Maybe they could have thrown in a few more interactions between Belle and Lio. Lastly, I loved that Belle found a friend in a new character named Margaret. It was great to have Belle interact with another girl who had tons in common with her. Overall Rebel Rose is a good read and I give this book four out of five stars.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Song like this Book:  Brave by Josh Groban

 Cinder & Glass Book Review

Author Name: Melissa De La Cruz

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: March 8, 2022

Number of Pages: 336 pages

Review:

    In France in 1682, Cendrillon lives happily with her father as she starts her life at the French court. Then one day, her father meets and marries Lady Catherine which starts changes in Cendrillion’s life. She now has two stepsisters and the members of the house staff whom Cendrillion thought of as family are dismissed. Then suddenly, her father passes away. Now Cendrillion is no more than a servant in her own home, being treated horribly by her stepfamily. But hope comes in the form of her dying godmother, who whisks Cendrillion away and takes her to the grand ball held by the King. There she encounters both Prince Louis and his half-brother Augustu. She’s unsure of the former but feels sparks with the latter.

    Later that night an announcement is made: twenty-five ladies of the court will be courted by Prince Louis and he will choose one for his bride. Even more surprising; Cendrillion’s name is called as one of the suiters. Panicking and scared of what her stepmother will do, she flees the ball, leaving behind her slipper. The next day she is confronted by Lady Catherine, who forbids Cendrillion from participating in the prince’s courting. But Cendrillion does anyway as it seems it might be the only way to escape her stepfamily for good.

    Cendrillion works hard to impress Prince Louis to be chosen as his bride, but as she sees Augustu more, the more she falls for him. Now as the prince’s courting event winds down to an end, Cendrillion must make a choice; marry Louis and be free from her stepfamily or be with Augustu, the man she loves.

    Cinder & Glass was a very interesting and entertaining read. I really enjoyed how the story of Cinderella was adapted and changed to fit in the real world of 1682 in France. I feel the book set up Cendrillion’s story from a noble lady to her stepmother’s servant at a good pace. I really felt for Cendrillion at times as she faces the hardships her stepmother puts her through and how she finally has enough of her is great to read. I also liked how she didn’t fall in love with the prince but the prince’s half-brother. This leads to fun interactions Cendrillion has with both, especially Cendrillion’s and Augustu’s romantic scenes. The two are so cute together. This book has the trope of one of the stepsisters being nice but has her stand up to her mother in the end, which was a nice change of pace.

    The biggest negative I had with the story was how Cenderillion’s godmother was handled. She’s friends with Cendrillion’s father and even though she says his death affected her so bad that she had to leave court for over a year only sending Cendrillion letters did not sit right with me. I feel like the author should have had a point where she tried to come back for Cendrillion, but was tricked by Lady Catherine in some way before she arrived when the stepfamily was away at the ball.

    I also did not like how she came back only to die off the page a few chapters later. The author could have thought of another way to make it so that she could no longer help Cendrillion. Maybe still have her godmother die and have her inherit her gowns. Then when she wants to go to the ball the people who used to work at her home return, dress her up, and get her to the ball. Either way I still really enjoyed Cinder & Glass. I give this book four out of five stars.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Song like this Book: Safe & Sound by Jackie Evancho