or, my new favorite book!
Ask Again, Yes is one of the most emotionally devastating books I’ve read in a long time. I spent the majority of the book crying my eyes out for characters that I just met and woke the next day to an intense book hangover and puffy eyes.
Grady has found a crack in the wall—a crack to the outside world. But all he knows about life outside the compound comes from books, magazines, and a photograph of a creature that no longer exists. Things change when he meets a girl with raspberry-yellow hair, and a secret that could lead them to a world beyond the walls. A world where their abilities could change everything … or lead them both to ruin.
Gods of Jade and Shadow was my introduction to Mexican mythology and I couldn’t have asked for a more beautifully written guide. Full of magic and mystery, Gods of Jade and Shadow was an engrossing and thrilling read that kept me captivated from start to finish.
Read MoreI loved this book! It’s such a juicy and thrilling look into the lives of the wealthy-and wanna be wealthy-suburban families that base their success on the performance of their children. Private horse riding lessons, elite soccer clubs, special STEM classes, and even college courses are a typical daily activity for these gifted and privileged children. But what does it really take to get your kids into these programs? A large donation? Maybe knowing someone on the board? What do you do when you have multiple children and only one is able to make the cut?
Who has the time for any of this nonsense?
Read MoreWhat do you get when you combine Jack and the Beanstalk with Sleeping Beauty and throw in a twist? You get an exciting adventure full of giants, secrets societies, and friendship.
Read MoreThese Witches Don’t Burn by Isabel Sterling
Available Now
If you enjoy teenage witches discovering their true self while also trying to balance their friendships and coven secrets, this book is everything you’re looking for.
Hannah is an elemental witch, descended from a long line of witches. Part of a tight knit coven of other Elementals, she splits her time between normal teenage summer activities like beach parties with her best friend Gemma and a summer job at the Fly By Night Cauldron, and weekly magic lessons with the coven’s high priestess Lady Ariana.
It’s during one of these beach parties that Hannah and her friends discover a horrible sight in the woods. Someone has sacrificed a raccoon in the middle of a burning pentacle. Consumed by the fear of a Blood Witch seeking revenge against Hannah and her ex-girlfriend Veronica, the two witches nearly expose their magic in front of all of their friends. Exposing their magic could cause them to be sanctioned by the Council and face strict punishments. This is just the beginning of a series of horrific and threatening events that begin to plague Hannah and her friends. When a house fire nearly kills her friend Benton, once again forcing her to choose between saving a friend and exposing her magic, he enlists her help in finding out who the threat really is. If being stalked by a potential Blood Witch isn’t enough stress for Hannah, she meets Morgan, a cute new ballerina who has just moved to town and has secrets of her own.
How does one witch handle dealing with a jealous ex-girlfriend, finding a killer, meeting a new girlfriend, and telling your lifelong best friend that you’re a witch? The only way you can: by doing whatever it takes to not get grounded by your parents.
I loved this book! There is so much teenage drama packed into this book. Jealous exes, first date stresses, secrets, friendships, identity, it’s all in here. I really enjoyed Gemma’s character-she’s Hannah’s best friend and is completely accepting of Hannah being a witch. She’s fun, smart, inquisitive, and really truly cares about Hannah’s happiness. There were several different characters that I was sure was our evil nemesis and I was wrong every time. It’s fast paced, with great characters, and a story that many teens will be able to relate to.
If you’d like to try out this bewitching tale, you can get a copy here:
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Friends, there is nothing better than children's nonfiction books. Clear, concise, and fun illustrations-it's the best there is.
Read MoreMemory loss, high school drama, gods...what more can you want in a book?
Read MoreKingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau
Available June 25, 2019
This was so good! The world building was amazing and if any book gets the Netflix treatment this year-it needs to be this one. I would love to see all of the beautiful, colorful beasts brought to life.
Leena is a beast charmer, gifted with the magical talent to tame wild beasts and bond them to her. Betrayed by her first love and ostracized by her people, Leena is on the run trying to curate a collection of beasts that will give her enough power to finally clear her name. After surviving a murderous attack, Leena is forced to join Noc and his clan of formally dead assassins known as Cruor.
Leena has two choices, die or supply the group with beasts.
Leena chooses to live.
Surrounded by people who would love to see her dead, Leena must find the assassins their beasts, discover who put a hit out on her, and survive falling for the deadly leader of Cruor.
This one is so much fun! I love all the descriptions of the beasts and their special gifts. Not only can Leena bond with them and make them appear, but they live in a magical beast realm that sounds amazing. A little like Fantastic Beasts but way deadlier and infinitely sexier.
Leena is incredibly strong and intelligent. She has a lot going on-death threats, being exiled from her people, dangerous beasts, a man that can kill her if he falls in love with her-it's a lot to process. Because yep, not only is Noc a formerly dead assassin tasked with killing her, he's also cursed.
I love a good curse.
Magical worlds, beautiful beasts, intense fight scenes, found family, super steamy love scenes-this checks all the boxes.
And, it's the first book in a series…
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.
If you would like to dive into the magical beast world of Kingdom of Exiles, you can do so here:
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A simple rumor. That’s all it was. There was no proof to back it up, only conjecture. Joanna doesn’t even mean to repeat it. Repeating the rumor, will change her life.
Read MoreHere are some of the titles that I have either ordered for the Library, for myself, or added to my wishlist. Click on each title for more info.
I was thrilled to learn there would be a sequel to The City of Lost Fortunes. Bryan Camp has created a magical world full of mystery and intrigue and I am loving every minute of it.
Told from the perspectives of three family members, A Nearly Normal Family, is an intense and gripping look at what we will do to keep our families safe.
Read MoreHere are some of the titles that I have either ordered for the Library, for myself, or added to my wishlist. Click on each title for more info.
I loved this book! Just loved it! I’ve been very exclamation point happy lately but the slew of amazing books coming out justifies my actions. I swear.
The Lesson is a dark and twisting novel about how those that are most powerful can so easily justify putting their desires ahead of those less powerful than them. The island of St. Thomas has a long history of groups invading and conquering but none have been as deadly or feared as the Ynaa.
Read MoreHere are some of the titles that I have either ordered for the Library, for myself, or added to my wishlist. Click on each title for more info.
Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald
Available June 11, 2019
Reader Friends, this book is beautiful. Absolutely lovely in every way. From the clothes, to the city, to the way people speak to one another, it’s just lovely. I’m also not going to apologize for my overuse of the word “lovely.”
On a beautiful December morning while on his way to a prayer meeting, Joe Reynolds meets a young woman wearing a disheveled dress, no coat, and looking completely out of place at the train station so early in the morning. It’s when he stops to offer her assistance that he realizes something is slightly off. Her clothes don’t seem quite right, it’s too cold to not have a coat, and how did she get to the train station?
One year later, he sees her again. The same Nora from a year ago. Same dress, same pearls, same perfume. How is that possible and what is going on? Together, Nora and Joe begin a complicated and magical relationship revolving around her mystical appearance and the confines of the train station.
This is one of the stories that the less you know, the more amazing it is. The twists and turns are revealed slowly throughout the story and each one adds a complication that Joe and Nora deal with together with love and respect. I really loved how the author made the city itself an integral part of the relationship. Grand Central made a gorgeous backdrop for this novel. From the ladies’ lounge to the hotel, the restaurants and shops, the station provided everything Joe and Nora could need. However, even with the luxurious hotel rooms and room service, being confined to one location is still a limitation that will tax anyone. Joe and Nora have a truly loving relationship that is tested over and over again by family, war, and time. Even with the magical existence of Nora, their relationship is still just like that of anyone else. Lisa Grunwald does an incredible job of exploring the lengths we are willing to go to ensure the happiness of those we love. When Nora fully realizes that the passage of time is affecting her very differently than those around her, her actions are quite different than other novels I’ve read that deal with the same concept.
I loved this story. I loved how Joe and Nora were with one another. I loved the setting and the writing. It’s just a lovely, lovely story.
If you would like to fall into this gorgeous story, and help support the site, you may do so here:
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