Stay Sweet, by Siobhan Vivian | {ARC} Book Review #345

A huge Thank You to Simon & Schuster Canada, via Netgalley, for allowing me to read Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian in exchange for an honest review. 

A summer read about first love, feminism, and ice cream.

Summer in Sand Lake isn’t complete without a trip to Meade Creamery—the local ice cream stand founded in 1944 by Molly Meade who started making ice cream to cheer up her lovesick girlfriends while all the boys were away at war. Since then, the stand has been owned and managed exclusively by local girls, who inevitably become the best of friends. Seventeen-year-old Amelia and her best friend Cate have worked at the stand every summer for the past three years, and Amelia is “Head Girl” at the stand this summer. When Molly passes away before Amelia even has her first day in charge, Amelia isn’t sure that the stand can go on. That is, until Molly’s grandnephew Grady arrives and asks Amelia to stay on to help continue the business…but Grady’s got some changes in mind…

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Publication Date: April 24, 2018.

My thoughts on Stay Sweet prior to sitting down and reading the book are that even though the premise for Stay Sweet is interesting, I wanted to keep my expectations low. I thought that Stay Sweet would be a story overflowing with fluff. Kind of like a dreamy summer read. Instead, Stay Sweet was more down-to-earth, more realistic. Amelia has graduated high school, and this summer, she’ll be working at the Meade Creamery before she’s off to college.

Molly Meade dying was something that I don’t think ever crossed Amelia’s mind. However, when Molly is found dead, Amelia’s world seems to come down around her. From then on, the book has it’s high’s and lows.

State of the Arc #2 | March ’18

STATE OF THE ARC MEME

State of the ARC is a monthly meme at Avalinah’s Books meant to motivate you to finish up all your long overdue ARCs (Advanced or Early Reader Copies). You can track your reading progress and link up with your own post. Most commonly it comes out on the 30th of every month.

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February was an exceptionally good reading month for me. I was hoping that march would be a similar month for me ARC wise. Yet March proved to be the exact opposite of what I hoped it’d be. Which I am laughing about now since I wanted to have another good reading month. I guess it wasn’t in the pages for me! (See what I did there?)

Rock & Release, by Riley Edgewood | {ARC} Book Review #337

A huge Thank you to Victory Editing for allowing me to read
Rock & Release by Riley Edgewood
in exchange for an honest review.

She wants something easy. What she needs might be something else…

Cassidy Evans is looking for an escape over her college summer break. And when one night with a few too many martinis leads her to sexy guitarist, Gage Logan, she may have found exactly what she needs.

He’s sweet and hot, and in the bedroom he’s enough to make Cassidy forget her own name. Multiple times. But as her heart opens to Gage, feelings she’s been trying to avoid slip through, too. Regret over her rocky relationship with her parents. Pain from her brother’s recent death. Guilt over a fallout with her best friend… As much as she craves Gage, she can’t unlock her heart the way she feels he deserves.

Enter Luca James, international rock star and lead singer for Gold Rush Standard. Cassidy can’t stand his music. She can’t stand his arrogance. And, when he sets his sights on more than the drinks she serves him, she especially can’t stand how she’s drawn to his no-strings-attached flirting.

Soon Cassidy will have to make a choice: ignore her heart and go after the carefree life she covets, or stand strong to face a bittersweet reality.

Either way, she risks losing everything she truly wants.

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Publication Date: January 02, 2015.

I was hesitant, for years, about reading this book. I was excited, and then I was anxious, and then I was intimidated by Rock & Release. I was excited because Rock & Release is a New Adult novel,

(DNF) Protogenesis, by Alysia Hemming | {ARC} Book Review #327

A huge Thank you to Black Rose Writing via Netgalley for allowing me to read Protogenesis in exchange for an honest review.

I marked this book as Did Not Finish at 29%.

With her unusual violet hazel eyes hidden behind heavy glasses, American teenager Helene Crawford is the kind of stWith her unusual violet hazel eyes hidden behind heavy glasses, American teenager Helene Crawford is the kind of student that always has an answer; yet, she doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere.

One fateful day, life as she knows it comes to a grinding halt. There was a fire. Her mother is gone. But something is not right… The Greek Mafia may be involved. Vivid dreams of ancient deities consume her sleep. A maze of clues leads her to believe that her mother is still alive… She must go to Greece.

The answers to her perilous quest lie there, as Helene braves into the unknown of a new life, torn between two Greek guys and a new world that literally awaits her.

And who knows, maybe the Greek gods and goddesses are on her side… or maybe not.

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Publication Date: March 29, 2018.

As you can see from the title, I Did Not Finish (DNF’d) Protogenesis. I had genuine high hopes for this novel. Protogenesis is a story based within Greek Mythology. In the past, I’ve loved stories that take place, or are inspired by Greek Mythology (henceforth known as GM). When I saw on Netgalley that Protogenesis was indeed another take on GM, I couldn’t help but get excited. I didn’t know what to expect! And with a cover like the one that Protogenesis has, I was looking truly forward to reading Protogenesis even more.

Speedbump, by Charli Coty | {ARC} Book Review #321

A huge Thank-You to Nine-Star Press, LLC, via NetGalley for allowing me to read Speedbump by Charli Coty in exchange for an honest review. 

Trigger Warning:
Mentioning of Self-harm, Mentioning of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Abuse.

Ezra Cook is sole caregiver to older brother Tray, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in his forties. They live outside the small town of Drop, Oregon, on property Tray bought with his Microsoft settlement money. For years, Ezra has been going on and off low doses of testosterone to maintain a comfortable level of androgyny. Ezra spends most days juggling Tray’s needs and the work required to survive in rural Oregon on a small income, ignoring their own needs, especially companionship and sleep.

Ellred “Red” Long escaped Drop at seventeen but returns to his hometown in disgrace after his band dumped him on the streets of LA. Coming back doesn’t seem like such a dead end, though, after he sees a guy walking along the side of the road in the rain and gives him a lift.

Ezra and Red’s chance meeting begins an uncomfortable friendship neither had expected, and both allow fear to keep it from escalating into a hookup, or worse, a romance. Red never meant to return to Drop and doesn’t want to get stuck there again, while Ezra’s protective walls may be too strong to breach, from either side.

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All I really knew about Speedbump was that it was listed on NetGalley as a LGBTQIA, Romance. The synopsis was interesting so I thought that I’d check it out.

Speedbump tells the story of two very different individuals who are both queer. Each character has led different lives, and I like that they talk about it when they’re ready. I like that both Ezra and Red are supportive of the other.

The beginning of the book was a little iffy for me. There are two points of view, each individual chapter was slow to gain momentum since we’re getting to know everyone and their story from Ezra and Red. During the beginning of the book, I don’t know if it was the awkwardness of the characters, but the writing felt like the author was trying to find their way to write the novel.

Both Ezra and Red are interesting characters. They prove that time and time again. One thing that I like about this book is that we see in Ezra’s mind that they’re having quite a run with how they view them-self.

Speedbump story was never a dull story. Of course there are some really rude characters, but that’s life. And Speedbump certainly pertains to the LGBTQIA crowd. In a way, I kind of wish there were more LGBTQIA+ characters, but Speedbump IS about Ezra and Red. So keeping the focus on them was very important, and the point of this story.

Speedbump pleasantly surprised me. There were many moments in this book where I was legitimately worried for the characters in them. One thing that will stick with me though is that no one died a tragic death (since most of these characters are LGBTQIA+).

I give Speedbump 4 stars!

Happy Reading!
Adele

Spring Tide, by K. Dicke | ARC Book Review #296

Thank you to both Netgalley, and Dirty Blonde Press for allowing me to read Spring Tide (Tide, #1) by K. Dicke in exchange for an honest review.

“She’s here. I feel her.”
“Who’s here?”
“The one who’s mine.”

To the dismay of her family, Kris Edwards postpones college, despite a full-ride scholarship, and moves to the beach. She has a crazy feeling there’s something she has to find to figure out her life, and it’s at the coast.

She’s pretty sure that something isn’t Jericho, the too-hot surfer with amazing blue eyes. He’s way out of her league. And is that an actual electric spark that happens every time she touches him? She doesn’t have time for him—not with two jobs, a boozer neighbor, and her best friend’s stalker on the scene. Not to mention the weird black mist over the water or outside her workplace that no one seems to notice but her.

But there’s more to Jericho than Kris realizes, and she can’t blow him off so easily. He’s in tune with the magic of the tides, and only he knows of the evil that’s washed ashore and is coming for her. The closer Kris gets to him the more danger she’s in. But he can’t let her be—he’s been waiting years for her.

With Jericho by her side, Kris might find what she’s looking for. Or she might lose everything.

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I didn’t know what to expect when I happened upon Spring Tide, but it sure wasn’t what I ended up reading!

Stitching Snow, by R.C. Lewis | ARC Book Review #287

TRIGGER WARNING: Rape / Incestuous Rape.

Note: I’ve copied and pasted my review from GoodReads. 

A big Thank You to Disney Book Group, via Netgalley for allowing me to review Stitching Snow in exchange for an honest review. 

Princess Snow is missing.

Her home planet is filled with violence and corruption at the hands of King Matthias and his wife as they attempt to punish her captors. The king will stop at nothing to get his beloved daughter back—but that’s assuming she wants to return at all.

Essie has grown used to being cold. Temperatures on the planet Thanda are always sub-zero, and she fills her days with coding and repairs for the seven loyal drones that run the local mines.

When a mysterious young man named Dane crash-lands near her home, Essie agrees to help the pilot repair his ship. But soon she realizes that Dane’s arrival was far from accidental, and she’s pulled into the heart of a war she’s risked everything to avoid. With the galaxy’s future—and her own—in jeopardy, Essie must choose who to trust in a fiery fight for survival.

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I don’t usually like to read sci-fi because when I read them I end up not liking them. At all. So when I decided to pick up Stitching Snow, I was pleasantly surprised. The way that R. C. Lewis wrote Stitching Snow was very compelling. There wasn’t ever a dull moment. There was action when there needed to be, and nothing in the story felt forced. So I was thoroughly entertained while reading the book.

I love this book. Stitching Snow is one of my favourite books. I love the story, the retelling. The settings. Yes, multiple, because the story takes place across a lot of galaxies. And there is so much character diversity! I was surprised by that, to be honest.

Right off from the start you realize that Essie is one tough cookie! On the part of the planet she lives; planet Thurda, its mostly men. Big burly men who work in the mines and then after work they get drunk. While reading this I was very worried for Essie. Again I was surprised. Essie can hold her own!

Essie is tough. She is so resilient, and she gets tested a lot in the book. What I like about Essie the most is that she is feisty. She stands up for herself, and she’s stubborn. And she hates being treated like she’s some weak person. All character traits I love.

I personally think that this is one of the best sci-fi stand alone’s that Ive read in a long, long time. And that ending! The ending is so precious.

BEWARE THOUGH! There is a incestuous rape scene in this book. It doesnt get too detailed but there is an attempt and then there are snippets of Essie’s past which involves the incestuous rape.

I gave Stitching Snow 5 of 5 stars on GoodReads.

Have you read Stitching Snow, or any other books written by R.C. Lewis?

Happy Reading!
Adele

Spinning Starlight, by R.C. Lewis | ARC Book Review #286

NOTE: I’ve copied and pasted this review from my GoodReads account. 

I was given a copy of this book from Disney Book Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sixteen-year-old heiress and paparazzi darling Liddi Jantzen hates the spotlight. But as the only daughter in the most powerful tech family in the galaxy, it’s hard to escape it. So when a group of men shows up at her house uninvited, she assumes it’s just the usual media-grubs. That is, until shots are fired.

Liddi escapes, only to be pulled into an interplanetary conspiracy more complex than she ever could have imagined. Her older brothers have been caught as well, trapped in the conduits between the planets. And when their captor implants a device in Liddi’s vocal cords to monitor her speech, their lives are in her hands: One word and her brothers are dead.

Desperate to save her family from a desolate future, Liddi travels to another world, where she meets the one person who might have the skills to help her bring her eight brothers home—a handsome dignitary named Tiav. But without her voice, Liddi must use every bit of her strength and wit to convince Tiav that her mission is true. With the tenuous balance of the planets deeply intertwined with her brothers’ survival, just how much is Liddi willing to sacrifice to bring them back?

Haunting and mesmerizing, this retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Wild Swans strings the heart of the classic with a stunning, imaginative world as a star-crossed family fights for its very survival.

Of Shadow and Stone, by Michelle Muto | ARC Book Review #282

Thank You to Amazon Publishing for allowing me to read Of Shadow & Stone by Michelle Muto in exchange for an honest review.

Gargoyles were created centuries ago to protect mankind, but something went horribly wrong. Now only the sentinel—a mortal chosen to control the stone beasts—stands between them and their human prey.

When the latest sentinel is killed, Kate Mercer is destined to take his place. But Kate has enough going on in her life—like a skyrocketing film career, a delusional ex-boyfriend, and a crazed stalker who will stop at nothing to get to her. But the powers that be have decided, and Kate is transported to Shadow Wood, a mysterious castle that serves as a sanctuary for the supernatural. Although beautiful, Shadow Wood is no safe place for a mere mortal. Yet Kate is drawn not only to the gargoyles but also to Ian McGuire, a charming novelist who might be in the greatest danger of all.

As Kate decides whether to accept the most perilous role of her life, she discovers there are more secrets than answers within the castle’s walls. Her survival and Ian’s depend on her ability to master the gargoyles before time runs out. Is fate really cast in stone?

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Trigger Warning: Stalker, Murder, Torture, Blood

Everything You and I Could Have Been If You and I Weren’t You and I, by Albert Espinosa | Book Review #137

Everything You and I Could Have Been If You and I Weren’t You and I, by Albert Espinosa.

I received this title from Penguin Random House Group Editorial via Netgalley in exchanged for an honest review.

“Can you imagine a future where everyone has given up sleeping?

From the creator of the television series Red Band Society and author of the international bestseller The Yellow World comes this uniquely special novel.

What if I could reveal your secrets with just a glance? And what if I could feel with your heart just by looking at you? And what if –in a single moment– I could know that we were made for each other? Marcos has just lost his mother, a famous dancer who taught him everything, and he decides that his world can never be the same without her. Just as he is about to make a radical change, a phone call turns his world upside down.”

TRIGGER WARNING: Rape Mention, Attempted Murder Mention, Torture Mention.