Dune (Dune #1) by Frank Herbert

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the “spice” melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for…

When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paul’s family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as Muad’Dib, he will bring to fruition humankind’s most ancient and unattainable dream.

My Review
4 out of 5 stars

I went into Dune not knowing exactly what to expect. I knew it was a well respected classic scifi, and that it took place in a desert, but that was about it. I read classic works from time to time and there are ones I end up loving and ones I dislike, usually because I find them slow and/or cannot really get into it. The beginning of the book was felt slow, but I still kept my hopes up because I realized it was building this immense scifi-fantasy world that is so well loved by many. The book kept continuing to be slow though, and I couldn’t help but be a bit disappointed. It wasn’t really reaching any sort of climax, twist, or high action point that I thought it would.

In the midst of reading it though, I came across this YouTube video by TedEx on why you should read Dune.

It basically summarizes the world of Dune and gives a synopsis for the book. Upon finishing the video, I was like, yeah, it sounds like a really cool book! I could admit that I was introduced to all of those interesting world building aspects and can agree that all of it is there. It helped me gain a new appreciation for the book.

I think the writing style is the type of style that I would end up using if I ever wrote a high or epic fantasy (not that I could match the creativity of Mr. Herbert). It’s not at all action-based; it focuses on all of the little details of the world. You don’t just learn that water is a scare resource on the planet of Dune. You learn exactly how much water means to its people, how it is the wealth of a person, how meaningful it is to share it with others, and all of the technology and methods used to conserve it. This very technical, detail-focused narrative is what makes the world of Dune as rich and vast as it is. I can definitely see it’s influence on much of the speculative fiction published today.

I am somewhat tempted to continue on with the next book in the series. I can’t say that I loved this book, but I definitely appreciate it. I don’t think a lot of my favorites that I do have today would be what they are without it.

See this review on Goodreads and on Storygraph.

Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

From #1 New York Times bestselling author KAMI GARCIA (Beautiful Creatures) and artist GABRIEL PICOLO, the creative duo behind the New York Times bestselling graphic novel Teen Titans: Raven, comes the romantic meetup we have all been waiting for!

It seems like years, but it’s only been a few days since Raven Roth recovered her memories; trapped her demon father, Trigon, in her amulet; and had her heart broken for the first time. But she doesn’t have time to think about the past…she has to focus on finding a way to get rid of Trigon for good.

Garfield Logan still can’t believe he has powers that allow him to change into different animals, but the price of knowing that his parents kept this secret hidden from him just feels too high. And what’s more, his difficulty controlling these abilities could have unexpected consequences.

Both are seeking answers from the one person who seems to have them all figured out: Slade Wilson.

When their paths converge in Nashville, Raven and Gar can’t help but feel a connection, despite the secrets they both try to hide. It will take a great amount of trust and courage to overcome the wounds of their pasts. But can they find acceptance for the darkest parts of themselves? Or maybe even love?

My Review
5 out of 5 stars

This is by far my favorite of the Teen Titans graphic novels by the duo of Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo. I think it’s in part due to this being the first novel where the Titans actually meet and interact with one another. The previous two installments focused solely on Raven and Beast Boy individually, and while those stories were good, I really love the whole team together. And we’re not at the whole team yet, but this is a great start.

After the events of their respective solo stories, Raven and Beast Boy each travel to Nashville to meet up with a mysterious person known as Slade who claims they will be able to help them with their powers. They get to Nashville a little earlier than the set day to meet, so they have some time to kill. Raven and Beast Boy end up running into each other, and while they don’t know that the other is also going to meet Slade, they end up helping each other out and touring the sights of Nashville. They each wish to hide their powers from the other since they don’t know each other well. Will they be able to contain their powers, and what will happen with the eventual meet with Slade?

I know a lot of the Titans core history and how some of the story will play out, like I know who Slade is already. But the book still has it’s own spin on the story and the characters, especially in terms of the characters learning to control their powers. The art is fantastic, but I’m biased because I have followed the artist on social media with his causal Teen Titans art way before he ever got his contract to write this.

I’ve personally never been a big Beast Boy and Raven shipper (DickFire is my personal DC favorite couple), but I can certainly hop on board after this installment. It is a little instalovey, but that happens a lot in Young Adult novels because it works well with the age of the readership it’s aimed at. Also it’s meant to be a short graphic novel, and there are still a lot more Titans to introduce in the following installments, so some things have to move quickly to get to everything a fan might want.

Totally looking forward to the next one! It has Robin! He’s my second favorite Titan! AHHHHH! -fangirls away-

Thank you to the publisher for providing a free eARC. All opinions are my own.

See this review on Goodreads and on Storygraph.

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in this defiantly joyful adventure set in California’s San Gabriel Valley, with cursed violins, Faustian bargains, and queer alien courtship over fresh-made donuts.

Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six.

When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka’s ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She’s found her final candidate.

But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four. Shizuka doesn’t have time for crushes or coffee dates, what with her very soul on the line, but Lan’s kind smile and eyes like stars might just redefine a soul’s worth. And maybe something as small as a warm donut is powerful enough to break a curse as vast as the California coastline.

As the lives of these three women become entangled by chance and fate, a story of magic, identity, curses, and hope begins, and a family worth crossing the universe for is found.

My Review
4 out of 5 stars

This book is pitched as Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. I definitely agree with the Good Omens comparison. It’s a little quirky with a Queen of Hell teaching star violinists in exchange for their soul and an alien family turning their spaceship into a donut shop in LA. I think The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (TLWSAP) comparison is maybe due to the Aliens? But I don’t quite get those vibes. TLWSAP is very warm and fuzzy while this one is a harder read. Our virtuoso, Katrina Nguyen, that the Queen of Hell, Shizuka Satomi. ends up choosing to teach is transgender and disowned by her family. She’s on the run with no money and just the violin on her back with hopes of a friend she knew from two years ago may take her in. Her life is difficult and full of challenges that she had to overcome. Shizuka is there to support Katrina and help her see that being a person isn’t a big deal. That warm fuzzy acceptance is there, but it’s still not without external conflicts. Also, in regards to the alien family, the aliens are an allegory for United States immigration, so there’s definitely some commentary there that also isn’t warm and fuzzy. I enjoyed this book a lot more because of the conflicts that the characters have to face and overcome, but I just want to temper those looking for warm fuzzy feels. Again, it does still have an overarching message of acceptance, but TLWTAP doesn’t acknowledge the dark path to get there.

Hm, can I say anything more about the book without comparing it to it’s pitch? That honestly wraps it up pretty nicely. It covers the main reason why I liked it– it was quirky and I learned about some of the experiences transgenders and immigrants might face. It’s definitely more character driven than plot, and the quirkiness is a large draw. At it’s core, it has a lot of heart, and you’ll find yourself rooting for Katrina Nguyen to overcome it all and succeed in her music.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a free eARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

See this review on Goodreads and on StoryGraph.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Synopsis (From Goodreads)*
*edited. Going into this book fairly blind is best in my opinion.

Ryland Grace is on a desperate, last-chance mission–and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.

Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home.

With his memories fuzzily returning, he realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. And thanks to an unexpected ally, he just might have a chance.

Part scientific mystery, part dazzling interstellar journey, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian–while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.

My Review
4 out of 5 stars

If you enjoyed The Martian and wouldn’t mind more science fiction in your Andy Weir books, then I would pick this one up. I think it’s great to go into this one blind because the main character wakes up in a situation where they don’t know where they are, so you can literally find out everything along with them. It just adds to the thrill of the story.

The book is told like The Martian in that you’re getting the inner monologue of the main character. It is very similar to Mark Watney’s. The monologue has in-depth scientific breakdowns of the problem or situation with some occasional humor; you’ll think think it’s Mark Watney 2.0. I didn’t mind this as I enjoyed The Martian and Mark’s point-of-view a lot, but don’t go into this expecting a completely brand new character here.

There are some points where I just had to suspend my disbelief. Again, it is like The Martian with a space survival scenario. The Martian works well because it does feel like a feasible mission that would happen in the real world. The science behind it all then feels really important and like something that will actually work.. This one is much less likely to happen in the real world, so some situations don’t feel like they would actually play out in such a convenient way. Again, as long as you don’t mind some more fiction in your science fiction, and you like Mr. Weir’s first book, you will likely enjoy this one.

I received a free eARC of this from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

See this review on Goodreads.

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini

Synopsis (From Goodreads)
"To Sleep in a Sea of Stars is a brand new epic novel from New York Times bestselling author Christopher Paolini.

Kira Navárez dreamed of life on new worlds.

Now she's awakened a nightmare.

During a routine survey mission on an uncolonized planet, Kira finds an alien relic. At first she's delighted, but elation turns to terror when the ancient dust around her begins to move.

As war erupts among the stars, Kira is launched into a galaxy-spanning odyssey of discovery and transformation. First contact isn't at all what she imagined, and events push her to the very limits of what it means to be human.

While Kira faces her own horrors, Earth and its colonies stand upon the brink of annihilation. Now, Kira might be humanity's greatest and final hope . . ."

My Review
3 out of 5 stars

Harry Potter was a large SFF book targeted towards children back in the 2000's era. While waiting for other the next installments, young readers like myself at the time were looking for more fantasy books. That's where Eragon steps in, as it was a well marketed book in the bookstore-- front and center with its colorful dragon covers. It follows-up a Harry Potter book by bringing in dragons, but is different because it is a high fantasy tale, introducing a completely new world. I enjoyed reading Eragon as a young preteen, and remember it fondly, especially the first two books of the series that came out. Mr. Paolini took his time finishing the series-- the four books were published across a total of 9 years. I was in college by the time the last book came out. And the last two books I remember less fondly, as the flaws of the series started to become more apparent to me. The story moves slow and is heavily focused on description.

Paolini took several more years off (though he did publish a short story collection taking place in the Eragon universe) and spent those years researching the science that he would eventually use in his first adult novel. And after reading the novel, I must say that the research was definitely done. Mr. Paolini is doing the sci-fi genre justice in that he is using the best knowledge of scientific principles to develop his own world and technology. There is a lot incorporated throughout the novel and I think many sci-fi fans will enjoy it.

There are also instances of the book that remind me a bit of Eragon. It's not that Paolini hasn't grown as an author over the course of two decades, but more so that he has some of his own style that still manages to come through. What's also nice about this book is that, like how Eragon was a good introduction to high fantasy, this book is a good first book for sci-fi, especially adult sci-fi. I think many of those preteens of the 2000s reminiscing about Eragon may pick this up today as adults and it likely will get them to pick up more in the genre.

This almost 900 page novel isn't without it faults. I also found it similar to Eragon in that it is very description heavy. There are definite times where the plot moves slowly due to all the world and content Mr. Paolini is trying to build. In the end I think it's a little too long, but I slightly came in expecting that since I've already been exposed to it through Eragon (as well as other novels and authors). There are definite times that are exciting, though, and some even caught me off guard. The character development could have also been stronger given the page count, but if I am remembering correctly, I don't think an emphasis on character development was high in Eragon either. Paolini vastly enjoys and focuses on the world building and action scenes. So if you read more so for those things, you'll likely enjoy this.

This novel is currently set as a standalone story and feels complete. But Paolini has stated that the world he created here can and will be used in other books. I likely may give them a try, especially if I know I am in the mood for a Paolini tale.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

See this review on Goodreads.

Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Garfield Logan has spent his entire life being overlooked. Even in a small town like Eden, Georgia, the 17-year-old with green streaks in his hair can’t find a way to stand out–and the clock is ticking. Senior year is almost over. If Gar doesn’t find a way to impress the Chosen Ones–the social elite at Bull Creek High School–he will never know what it’s like to matter. Gar’s best friends, Stella and Tank, don’t understand why he cares what other people think. They miss their funny, pizza-loving, video game-obsessed best friend.

Then Gar accepts a wild dare out of the blue. It impresses the Chosen Ones and his social status soars. But other things are changing, too. Gar grows six inches overnight. His voice drops and, suddenly, he’s stronger and faster. He’s finally getting everything he wanted, but his newfound popularity comes at a price. Gar has to work harder to impress his new friends. The dares keep getting bigger and the stakes keep getting higher.

When Gar realizes the extent of his physical changes, he has to dig deep and face the truth about himself–and the people who truly matter–before his life spirals out of control.

My Review
4 out of 5 stars

This is the second installment of the DC Ink line aimed at teens following the Teen Titans. I’m a big fan of Teen Titans, mainly due to the 2003 cartoon adaption, and the artist for this line is inspired by that show as well, so I simply love the character designs. The artist, Gabriel Picolo, has improved his work so much between the first and second book. His style has cleaned up some of the rougher sketches seen in Teen Titans: Raven.

As for the story itself, it’s very much a straightforward plot that will appeal to teens. Beast Boy has a bucket list to meet by the end of senior year, and he hasn’t made any progress. He is trying to impress the popular crowd, and he keeps working out and drinking protein shakes in hopes of bulking up to catch his crush’s, Alana, attention. Little does he know his size is related to the medication he has been taking daily for all his life. One day Beast Boy learns that his medicine may be the cause, so he stops taking it, which leads to his development of his super powers.

The delay of Beast Boy’s superpowers doesn’t seem too probable as someone familiar with his traditional origin story, but it is a convenient way to have him brought up as a normal teenager. In the end I didn’t mind this too much because the point of the series is to make DC superheros friendly and accessible to a younger generation.

To further help bring in new readers, Ms. Garcia incorporates a lot of current media that teenagers today would follow, such as one of Beast Boy’s friends being a video game streamer, and the popular crowd’s interest in a daredevil-like YouTuber. Meeting expectations and peer-pressure caused by social media today is present here and what many teens will be able to relate to.

It reads very quickly, and I think ends a little abruptly. At the time of writing this review, there has been no announcement of a third book, but I sincerely hope we can continue the character introductory books which eventually lead to the formation of the Titans themselves.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

See this review on Goodreads.

Supernova (Renegades #3) by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

All’s fair in love and anarchy…

The epic conclusion to Marissa Meyer’s thrilling Renegades Trilogy finds Nova and Adrian fighting to keep their identities secret. While the battle rages on between their alter egos and their allies, there is a darker threat shrouding Gatlon City.

The Renegades’ worst enemy is back among them, threatening to reclaim Gatlon City. Nova and Adrian must brave lies and betrayal to protect those they love. Their greatest fears are about to come to life, and unless they can bridge the divide between heroes and villains, they stand to lose everything. Including each other.

Intrigue and action will leave readers on edge until the final, shocking secrets are revealed.

My Review
3 out of 5 stars

I guess I’m happy I finished the series, but there wasn’t anything in this conclusion that stood out to me. This book finally resolved the alter-ego plot that was dragged all the way through the ground, but only because it was forced to due to this being the last book. Really, the suspense of it died after book one because it was dragged on so long and it just became unbelievable of how oblivious the characters were to it. Though Mrs. Meyer did find a way to drag it even more into the ground in this novel. The whole time I just wanted it to be completely buried! xD

Then we move on more to Ace Anarchy himself, which resolves in a kind of predictable and unsatisfying way. There’s still a decent amount of character development for our main characters, but kind of along my spoiler comments, it could have been more complex with a better plot. But Nova and Adrian still have to come into their own in this concluding novel, which is pulled off.

The ending leaves with the plot of the trilogy resolved, but there is a thing out of left field thrown in that leaves a lot of potential for a continuation. I’m not sure I’d read it, even though I have read everything written by Mrs. Meyer thus far. Though I enjoy her characters, the plots and worlds of her other books were more interesting to me than this one. I guess I’ll see if a continuation or spin-off is ever announced. It’s already been a whole year and there hasn’t been anything.

I’m still happy I read it as Mrs. Meyer writes fun characters and it is just really easy to read.

My goodreads review has a few spoiler thoughts, so if you’d like to know more feel free to check that out.

Archenemies (Renegades #2) by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Time is running out. Together, they can save the world. But are they each other’s worst nightmare?

Nova’s double life is about to get a lot more complicated:

As Insomnia, she is a full-fledged member of the Renegades, a syndicate of powerful and beloved superheroes. She works with Adrian’s patrol unit to protect the weak and maintain order in Gatlon City.

As Nightmare, she is an Anarchist—a group of villains who are determined to destroy the Renegades. Nova wants vengeance against the so-called heroes who once failed her when she needed them the most.

But as Nova, her feelings for Adrian are deepening, despite the fact that he is the son of her sworn enemies and, unbeknownst to Nova, he has some dangerous secrets of his own.

In this second installment of the Renegades trilogy, Nova, Adrian, and the rest of their crew—Ruby, Oscar, and Danna—are faced with escalating crime in Gatlon City, while covert weapons and conflicting missions have Nova and Adrian questioning not only their beliefs about justice but also the feelings they have for each other.

The line between good and evil has been blurred, but what’s clear to them both is that too much power could mean the end of their City—and the world—as they know it.

My Review
3 out of 5 stars

This book suffers terribly from second book syndrome. I did go into this expecting that due to the fact that this series was originally planned to only be a duology. Expanding a duology into a trilogy doesn’t mean bad things, and can be good, but I really don’t think the plot of the whole series warranted an entire third book.

Much of the book here is focusing on Nova and Adrian’s romance. I know I said that Mrs. Meyer’s romances are adorable and just get to me, but a 470 middle-book romance is not what I was looking to pick up. Honestly, the actual plot of this one can be wrapped up in probably 50 pages or so. I’m also amazed in how long the reveal plot line is being dragged out (I think you understand this if you’ve read the first one). It is getting to be ridiculous at this point, and I think that plotline is what most readers are returning to this series are looking for.

I’m going with 3 stars, as in I liked it, because I listened to this mainly on audiobook and it’s very easy to listen to, and it’s okay to zone out on every once and awhile. Again, I do enjoy the romance, it’s just that I don’t think we needed 470 more pages of it. I will continue on with the series; I just hope the actual action of a superhero and super villain story actually picks up in the finale.

See this review on Goodreads.

Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb #1) by Tamsyn Muir

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon’s sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Of course, some things are better left dead.

My Review
2 out of 5 stars

“Lesbian Necromancers explore a haunted Gothic palace in space! Decadent nobles vie to serve the deathless emperor! Skeletons!” — Charles Stross

Goodness, that blurb still makes me want to give this book another try… I so wanted to like this. I’ve been in the mood for spooky books (but not horror) and Gothic space palace with necromancy and skeletons sounds great! Unfortunately, this book just did not mesh with me. I could not get into this at all. I think it was in part just due to Ms. Muir’s writing style. I just had a very hard time visualizing anything or following anything that was going on. Other reviews tell me how cool the necromancy based magic system was, while I was just left puzzled over what, if any, necromancy took place (other than skeletons walking around as servants). I just could not follow it or visualize it. Again, a lot of other people really enjoyed the book, so it’s not that Ms. Muir’s writing is bad. Sometimes it just doesn’t mesh with everyone. I do think part of the problem is that Ms. Muir throws you directly into her world, and I do much better with things being more spelled out for me. I am very detail orientated. This approach works well if you don’t like pages and pages of exposition (and I don’t really either, but a little is good for me). It does take a good portion of the book to actually discover the plot as well, so it was hard to see where it was headed.

Other praise for this book is for the characters, mainly Gideon. Gideon is very snarky and selfish; she’s not a traditional fantasy main character. Her snarkiness does come through and bring me back a bit into the story, but it wasn’t enough guidance that I needed. If a snarky main character turns you away, Harrow is a good “sidekick” (Harrow is the royal member competing in the competition, so really Gideon is the sidekick, but Gideon would never see it that way); she is much more serious and driven to win the competition. She can also handle Gideon’s snark, so it makes for a good pairing.

The book does end with a cliffhanger– there’s a chance I give the sequel a go, especially if the sequel is able to clarify a lot of what I was missing. I still really like the idea and world presented and want to love this. This book took forever to get from the library, so I’m sure if I wait for the sequel, plenty of reviews will be out to help me decide by then.

See this review on Goodreads.

Renegades (Renegades #1) by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone… except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

My Review
4 out of 5 stars

Ms. Meyer simply has my number– she knows exactly what I enjoy to read. It’s been almost 3 years since this book came out, which I PREORDERED a copy of and didn’t read it for again, 3 years! I even reached a point where I thought maybe I’ll just give up on this series– I’ve definitely read other Superhero stories and they don’t really stand out much. I don’t think the actual superhero part of this book stands out much either, though some of the powers are kinda cool. We follow Nova (or Nightmare) who is more of the Super Villain of the story. She is part of a group known as “The Anarchists” who want to take down “The Renegades”, or the heroes of this world. After some sort of apocalyptic event that led to an Age of Anarchy with super villain gangs did whatever they want with no governmental control. This Age of Anarchy ended with the Day of Triumph, where a group of superheroes, the now Renegades, put an end to the gangs and established The Council. The Renegade Council now oversees the city and protects the city from crime. Nova’s Uncle, the Lead Anarchist, was killed during the Day of Triumph, but she still works with other Anarchists to take down the Renegades. The Anarchists believe that the Renegades form of control is wrong and fight for freedom for all. Nova and her crew come up with a plan for her to compete in the Renegade trials in order to join the Renegades and gather information for the Anarchists to take them down from within.

It’s not the most super original plot or anything, but the thing that Ms. Meyer always gets me with is her adorable romances. Nova of course ends up meeting a cute Renegade Boy, Sketch, and you get to follow not really a hate-to-love sorta thing, but just a fundamental “you’re the bad guy, I can’t like you” romance story. I don’t know how she gets me to fangirl for these things but she does. The foundation of it is laid within the plot, and she just pulls through with it while pulling me in. I know I just said the plot isn’t original, but it’s not bad, either. It can be fun to have a simpler plot from time to time.

I’d say if you like her other books, you’ll enjoy this one as well. I’m disappointed that I slept on this series for as long as I did, but now I do get to binge read all of them.

See this review on Goodreads.