Category: Book Reviews

Book Review: Sadie by Courtney Summers

~ Justine ~ 3 Comments

Sadie is a book that is getting a whole lot of buzz right now. A dark contemporary YA novel centered around a sister going after her sister’s suspected killer and the true crime podcast inspired by Sadie and Mattie, this book is the perfect 2018 novel. I absolutely love true crime podcasts and was really interested to see how this would translate into a printed format. I heard about the incredible audiobook after I purchased the hardcover edition. While I liked Sadie a lot, I feel like the audiobook is going to give the reader a different, and perhaps better, experience.

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Book Review: Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

~ Justine ~ 7 Comments

Horror is a genre that I just don't read very often.  I never know where to start, what books I'll like, and what wont scare me half to death. Sawkill Girls caught my eye way back at YALC in July because of its fantastic cover and intriguing premise. Billed as a YA horror novel filled with girl power, I was immediately interested but didn’t really know what to expect.  Having finished the book, this is really one that you should try for yourself -- I can see so many readers having dramatically different opinions on it. I’m not sure how helpful my review will be for others  -- it’s one of those books that will appeal to one’s personal tastes so strongly.

Book Review: Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix by Julie C. Dao

~ Justine ~ 2 Comments

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have gotten my hands on an early copy of Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix!  I read Forest of a Thousand Lanterns earlier this year and absolutely adored it. Xifeng is easily one of my favourite fantasy villains because of her callousness, her calculated choices, and her cutthroat attitude.  She rises to the throne and becomes Empress of Feng Lu at the end of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, but what happens next? Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix takes place 15 years later just before Jade, the daughter of the former Empress Lihua and sole heir to the throne, comes of age.

Book Review: The Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli

~ Justine ~ 4 Comments

I was so thrilled to get my hands on a copy of The Caged Queen.  I liked Ciccarelli’s debut, The Last Namsara, but had some trouble with the romance. The sequel picks up the story where The Last Namsara left off, but follows a new character and a new love interest, so I was definitely intrigued.  The book features some of my favourite tropes: a marriage of convenience, a hate-to-love relationship, and a whole lot of political scheming and backstabbing. I expected to adore The Caged Queen, and while there were aspects that I really liked, I ended up feeling disappointed for a couple of reasons.

Book Review: These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch

~ Justine ~ 6 Comments

I had been hearing a lot of buzz around this book and was so excited to read it.  I love a fun pirate book and These Rebel Waves sounded like it was exactly what I wanted.  Then, I began to hear mixed reviews as proofs were released into the world.  I was given a couple of warnings about this book and I am so glad I had them.  My expectations were well-managed and I ended up really enjoying These Rebel Waves, but I think I would have been incredibly displeased if I hadn’t had those warnings, which I am going to pass on to you.

Book Review: Tarnished City by Vic James

~ Justine ~ 1 Comment

I recently read Gilded Cage and while I wasn’t hugely impressed by the beginning, the story really picked up and it had an incredible ending. I had a feeling that the plot would continue to stay strong through the sequel, and I was right. Tarnished City is a thrilling, fast-paced read that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end. It continues to build upon the interesting concept of the first book and remains one of the most brutal YA fantasy books out there.