[ARC] Dreams of Fire, by Christian Cura | Book Review

Hello, friends! Today I’ve got my ARC book review of

Dreams of Fire, by Christian Cura.

Dreams of Fire is the first in its series.

A huge Thank You to Christian Cura, for allowing me to read Dreams of Fire in exchange for an honest review.
This in no way has impacted my review. 

Meet Kara Hartman, a young painter living and working in D.C. She would love to let you believe she is just an ordinary young woman with a dream of sharing her art with the world. But she is hiding an astonishing secret: Kara can wield magic, the most powerful force in the universe. Traumatized by the loss of her brother, she wants nothing more to do with magic. But when an old foe resurfaces, hellbent on destroying all that she loves, Kara has no choice but to embrace the only power that can stop her.

When the author approached me about Dreams of Fire, I read the synopsis and was truly looking forward to reading Kara’s story. So when I dove into reading Kara’s story, I was…..

[DNF] Ocean’s Daughter by Lisa Barton | ARC Book Review

Hello friends! Todays post is my long, overdue ARC book review of Ocean’s Daughter by Lisa Barton.

**Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the  publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my review.**

Trigger/Content Warning: Plane Crash Resulting in Multiple Deaths, Rape

“You must be Tina Russell,” he finally spoke. His deep voice and his step towards her filled her with renewed fear. “Welcome to Atlantis.”

A mythical story for young adult readers, Ocean’s Daughter follows the life of Tina Russell, a lonely soul searching for meaning of her existence. As she wanders Atlantis, the former place of opportunity, she notices the land is different to how it used to be, leaving Tina determined to change this…

Readers follow Tina’s journey in Atlantis as we see her reunited with her long-lost father and become intertwined in a love triangle with two handsome youths, which turns eventually dangerous…

Jealously, blackmail, magic and mayhem are suddenly everywhere in Atlantis as Tina realises the mythical kingdom will never be the same again. Will Tina ever be able to use her powers and rebuild the Atlantis she once loved? Will she ever be proud again to be known as the daughter of this mythical place?

Inspired by Anthony Horowitz, Gene Roddenberry and Phillip Pullman, this mythical tale will appeal to teenage readers that enjoy Greek mythology and fantasy fiction plus fans of romance novels.

Release Date: April 15, 2016.

I had super high hopes for Ocean’s Daughter. ….yet when I sat down to read it, all of those hopes had crashed and burned.

I’ve got be honest with you about two things: 1. I DNF’d Ocean’s Daughter at 11%. 2., as you may have guessed it already: I truly did not like the 11% that I read.

Annie on My Mind, by Nancy Garden | {ARC} Book Review #382

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden, from Open Road Integrated Media, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger Warning: Homophobia

When Liza Winthrop first lays eyes on Annie Kenyon at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, she knows there’s something special between them. Soon, their close friendship develops into a deep and intimate romance. Neither imagined that falling in love could be so wonderful, but as Liza and Annie’s newfound sexuality sparks conflict in both their families and at their schools, they discover it will take more than love for their relationship to succeed.

One of the first books to positively portray a lesbian relationship, Annie on My Mind is a groundbreaking classic of the genre. The subject of a First Amendment lawsuit over banned books and one of School Library Journal’s “One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century,” Nancy Garden’s iconic novel is an important story for anyone discovering who they’re meant to be.

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Publication Date: September 05, 2017.

Within Annie on My Mind we meet, Liza, whose story we get to read. Within said story we get to see quite an ordeal, which I will get to later… Annie on My Mind is a story were the main character Liza tells the story of falling in love for the first time, and a few other things happen as well. 

Burn Girl by Mandy Mikulencak | {ARC} Book Review #367

Thank you to Albert Whitman and Company, via Netgalley, for giving me an Advanced Readers Copy of Burn Girl by Mandy Mikulencak in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger Warning:
Drug Mention,
Drug Overdose resulting in Death,
Fire, Attempted Murder,
Guns, Bullying

A meth lab explosion leaves Arlie permanently scarred — both physically and emotionally. Yet, she develops the street smarts and survival skills to keep her addict mother out of the reach of the law and hidden from her stepfather, Lloyd, the man responsible for the explosion that killed three people.
Shortly after Arlie’s 16th birthday, her mother overdoses, forcing an end to their nomadic lives. Social services steps in and rules suddenly exist where none had before. Soon, she’s living in a 31-foot Airstream trailer with an eccentric uncle and attending high school for the first time.
While her facial scar makes it hard to fit in, Arlie begins to think a normal life might be possible – that is, until her stepfather tracks her down and insists she return drug money her mother had stolen. A final confrontation tests Arlie’s idea of right and wrong, and how far she’s willing to go to protect her new life.

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Publication Date: September 1st 2015.

This review is long overdue, but since I’ve only recently gotten around to reading Burn Girl…it is better late than never.

I’ve been perpetually interested in Burn Girl for a few years. Every time I go to read it, I read the synopsis and think “Hmm, this’ll be good!” and then for some reason I move on to another book. So I’m really freakin’ glad that I finally sat down to read Arlie’s story.

Save the Date, by Morgan Matson | {ARC} Book Review #362

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for allowing me to read Save the Date by Morgan Matson, in exchange for an honest review.

Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait—for the first time in years, all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend, before the house is sold and everything changes. The house will be filled with jokes and games and laughs again. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster—all that can wait. She wants to focus on making the weekend perfect.

The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster.

There’s the unexpected dog with a penchant for howling, house alarm that won’t stop going off, and a papergirl with a grudge.

There are the relatives who aren’t speaking, the (awful) girl her favorite brother brought home unannounced, and a missing tuxedo.

Not to mention the neighbor who seems to be bent on sabotage and a storm that is bent on drenching everything. The justice of the peace is missing. The band will only play covers. The guests are all crazy. And the wedding planner’s nephew is unexpectedly, distractingly…cute.

Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.

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Publication Date: June 05, 2018.

I was so excited to read Save the Date. I’ve read two previous works of Morgan Matson before and I enjoyed those novels, so when there was a chance to read Save the Date, I took a leap and requested this novel. I’m so glad I took that leap!

Black Dawn, by Mallory McCartney | {ARC} Book Review (SPOILERS) #361

Thank you to Clean Reads Publishing, via Netgalley for allowing me to read Black Dawn by Mallory McCartney in exchange for an honest review.

This review contains spoilers. 

Trigger Warning:
Blood, Blood Mention,
War, & Torture

The end of an Empire, The rise of a Queen

Emory Fae enjoys leading a quiet, normal life. That is until two mysterious, and handsome soldiers show up at her apartment, and the life she knew is instantly whisked away. Memphis Carter and Brokk Foster come from the magical and war ridden world of Kiero, and upon Emory’s arrival she will discover she is the long lost heir to the Royal Line and is thrown into the Black Dawn Rebellion with a dynamic role to ignite the rebels and reclaim her throne.

With both men being darkly woven in her past Emory uncovers hidden secrets, a power held long dormant, and will soon realize there are worse things than supernatural humans, love, loss, betrayal, and a Mad King.

Some things are better left in the shadows.

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Publication Date: February 14, 2017.

The cover is the first thing that drew me into checking out what the book was about. I’m drawn to dark and pretty book covers! I soon found out that Black Dawn was a YA Fantasy and hand to get my hands on a copy. I’m quite happy that I was approved an ARC for Black Dawn, especially so since I believed that Black Dawn is a Fae novel.

The Traitor God, by Cameron Johnston | {ARC} Book Review #360

Thank you Angry Robot Books, via Netgalley for allowing me to read The Traitor God by Cameron Johnston in exchange for an honest review.

A city threatened by unimaginable horrors must trust their most hated outcast, or lose everything, in this crushing epic fantasy debut.

After ten years on the run, dodging daemons and debt, reviled magician Edrin Walker returns home to avenge the brutal murder of his friend. Lynas had uncovered a terrible secret, something that threatened to devour the entire city. He tried to warn the Arcanum, the sorcerers who rule the city. He failed. Lynas was skinned alive and Walker felt every cut. Now nothing will stop him from finding the murderer. Magi, mortals, daemons, and even the gods – Walker will burn them all if he has to. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s killed a god…

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Publication Date: June 05, 2018.

What drew me towards The Traitor Gods was initially the cover; I mean, it’s beautifully illustrated, and it’s so interesting. There’s so much to look at! The second thing that drew me towards this novel was the title: The Traitor God.  The title alone sparks my imagination.

(DNF) Endangered, by Dani Hoots | {ARC} Book Review #359

Thank you to Victory Editing, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read Endangered (Daughter of Hades Book 1) by Dani Hoots, in exchange for an honest review. 

Chrys has been in the Underworld for thousands of years, hidden away by her father, Hades, from all the other gods. He’s afraid that if someone finds out about her, that they will destroy her because of the dichotomous power that she holds, the power of life and death. So she has remained in the Palace of Hades all her life, making very little friends and always bored out of her mind.

Huntley would have never guessed that after he died that he would wake up with a beautiful girl standing over him. And that she would be the Dark Lord of the Underworld’s daughter. Yet, for some reason, she keeps him around as her tutor, as if he knows anything about the world. But Huntley knows that all she really wants is a friend; being trapped in the Underworld can get pretty lonely.

That is, until Chrys decides that she wants to run away to the human world after a big fight with her mother Persephone. Chrys claims that her father is over reacting and that nothing bad will come of it. There’s no way that the gods will notice she’s there for only a couple of days, right?

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Publication Date: May 13, 2016.
DNF’d at 59%

Immediately, when I knew that this book was part of the mythology genre, I was slightly interested in reading this book. When I found out that Endangered is from the point of view of Hades’ daughter, my interest was piqued and then I requested the novel.

I was very excited about Endangered, and I was truly looking forward to it.

Maybe Never, by Sadie Allen | {ARC} Book Review #328

A huge Thank You to Sadie Allen via Netgalley, for allowing me to read Maybe Never by Sadie Allen. 

Trigger Warning: 

• Bullying as a result of having a trans-parent.
• Alcoholic Parents
• Physical Abuse
• Sexual Assault
• Gun Violence & Attempted Murder

One golden boy…

Judd Jackson had it all—star football player with a college scholarship, perfect family, tons of friends, and a beautiful girlfriend. He was the most popular guy in town … until a family secret burned it all to the ground. Now, he’s the object of scorn and ridicule, and the only thing he has left is his scholarship and counting down the days until he can leave town.

One goal-oriented girl…

Sunny Blackfox was alone in the world, but she had big plans and big dreams to keep her occupied. She didn’t have time for anyone in her life. That was, until she came to the rescue of the boy she always had a thing for.

They have everything going against them, but maybe, if they are lucky, they will make it out of town after graduation together … or maybe never.

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Publication Date: February 20, 2018.

Goldfisch, Vol. 1, by Nana Yaa | {ARC} Manga Review #13

A huge Thank You to Diamond Book Distributors and TOKYOPOP, via Netgalley for allowing me to read Goldfisch by Nana Yaa in exchange for an honest review.

This review may contain spoilers. 

Say hi to Morrey Gibbs! A fisher-boy in a flooded world overrun with dangerous mutated animals known as “anomals”, he’s got his own problems to worry about. Namely, how everything he touches turns to gold! Sure it sounds great, but gold underpants aren’t exactly stylish — or comfortable!

Together with his otter buddy and new inventor friend Shelly, Morrey’s on a quest to rid himself of his blessing-turned-curse and undo the tragedy it caused. That is of course, if they can dodge the treasure-hungry bounty hunters…

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Publication date: January 16, 2018.

With a cover like that, I did not expect the story to be as it is. I liked getting to know Morrey and his history, while getting to know what his future holds was great.