Once Upon A Dream Review

Happy Monday!

 I hope everyone had an amazing weekend! I am excited about the reviews and other posts I have in store for this week. So let's get this amazing week started off with a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell, is an amazing remake of the tale of Sleeping Beauty that we all know and love, except it has a twist to it.

The description was taken from the Goodreads website:

 "What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dream marks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways.

It should be simple—a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess', it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over.

With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up?"

In the original tale of Sleeping Beauty the Prince defeats the dragon, and rescues Aurora from her curse. But what if when the Prince went to awake Aurora he feel into a deep sleep curse of his own, and becomes trapped within the same dream as Aurora? Aurora is lead on a twisty adventure to find a way back to herself, while trying to figure out just who she is. When she meets Phillip along the journey she has to learn to trust him. Can she trust him to help get them both out of the nightmare or is he just another pawn of Maleficent's that will lead her on a wild goose chase?

This version of sleeping beauty had me enraptured from the very first word. It stays true to the story we all know and love, but the twist that Liz puts on the original story gives the reader a new found respect for Aurora. No longer does Aurora have to have a man to save her from her sleeping curse, but in this story the Princess gets to take her own story into her hands, which helps women see themselves as capable of saving themselves, without having to wait for a Prince's kiss.

Go find your own happily ever after readers!



Image taken from the Goodreads website.

Under Different Stars Review

Happy Monday Readers!

  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and is ready to start another week! Today I wanted to review a book that I recently read and loved. Under Different Stars by Amy Bartol had me laughing, crying, and on the edge of my seat to see what happened next. I could't put this book down that I actually finished it in a couple of days, because it is that good!

The description was taken from the Goodreads website:

 "Kricket Hollowell is normally not one to wish upon stars; she believes they’re rarely in her favor. Well versed at dodging caseworkers from Chicago’s foster care system, the past few years on her own have made Kricket an expert at the art of survival and blending in. With her 18th birthday fast approaching, she dreams of the day when she can stop running and find what her heart needs most: a home.

Trey Allairis hates Earth and doubts that anyone from his world can thrive here. What he’s learning of Kricket and her existence away from her true home only confirms his theory. But, when he and Kricket lie together under the stars of Ethar, counting them all may be easier than letting her go.

Kyon Ensin’s secrets number the stars; he knows more about Kricket's gifts than anyone and plans to possess her because of them. He also knows she’s more valuable than any fire in the night sky. He’ll move the heavens and align them all in order to make her his own.

When everything in their world can be broken, will Kricket rely upon love to save her under different stars?"

Kricket just wants to make it on her own until her 18th birthday, so she can be free to live her life without having to worry about case workers. She wants to be able to settle down and find a home to call her own. However, when she is on her way home one morning from work, she discovers that her identity has been compromised and people are after her. She has to figure out how to hide from the two groups that are trying to grab her to take her to her rightful home, and another group who wants to take her home to answer for her crimes. When she is taken by one of the groups lead by Trey, she is taken on one wild adventure that will have her guessing everything she knew about her family and everything she knew about herself. Can Kricket learn to trust Trey or will she be betrayed and have to save herself like she always does?

Kricket is a strong female character, who has survived so much that she doesn't know who she can trust, and knows that she has to protect herself at all costs. She doesn't take any crap off of anyone, and some of the things she says and does will have you laughing and crying. Amy brings the reader into an imaginative futuristic world, that you will believe you are experiencing Kricket's journey and emotions right along with her. Trey is a complicated character, however along the journey you get to understand why he acts the way he does, and somewhere along the line you start to fall in love with him a little. If you like adventure, romance, strong female characters, and a story line that will leave you guessing until the very end, then this book is for you!

Happy journey under the stars my friends!



Image taken from the Goodreads website.

Books On My Reading List For 2019

Hey Guys!

  So I decided to do a different type of post today than what I have recently done. I wanted to list some books that I am looking forward to reading in 2019. This is the year where a lot of amazing books are going to come out, and I am excited to read each one of them! I also thought this may interest my readers as well, in case you are looking for that special book to add to your reading collection this year. I have also made it a goal of mine to read more books this year, since I don't have to do homework anymore on the weekends! Some of these books will be published in 2019, and some have been previously published, but I haven't read them yet.

Let's get this list started! (These books are in no particular order)

• Stain by A.G. Howard

• Anastasia and Her Sisters by Carolyn Meyer

• Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley

• Again, But Better by Christine Riccio

• Romanov by Nadine Brandes

• Enchantee by Gita Trelease

• Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

• The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

All images taken from the Goodreads website. 

There are a lot more books that I can out on this list, but I decided to make this a two part post, because there are a lot of amazing books out there that I can't wait to get my hands on!

Enjoy the journey of reading friends!

The Fake Boyfriend Experiment Review

Happy Friday Everyone!

 We have finally made it to Friday, and are on our way to an amazing weekend! Today I wanted to review a book that I read a while back that I could relate to at that time in my life. The Fake Boyfriend Experiment by Stephanie Rowe, is to me a YA romantic comedy, that left my sides hurting from so much laughter.

The description was taken from the Goodreads website:

 "Rafe Turner has a tattoo running from his wrist to his shoulder. His hair is a little too long. He doesn't need to rebel, because owning his life is already in his blood. He's way out of her league, for sure, but when Lily Gardner accidentally face plants through the window of his band's practice room, a connection is formed between Rafe and Lily that can't be shaken. When Rafe invites her to jam with his band, Lily knows the mega-talented drummer is exactly what she needs to fix her life. The fact that Rafe already has a girlfriend? No problem. It'll be enough if people simply think she's dating him…won't it? Lily is about to discover that finding her passion is a whole lot more complicated than a fake boyfriend…or two."

What would you do to get the attention of a sexy man that is out of our league? You create a fake boyfriend of course or at least in Lily's case she does. When Lily sees Rafe she has an instant crush on him, because honestly who doesn't love a good bad boy? Lily decides to let her friends think she is dating him, while she creates another boyfriend for Rafe to believe she is dating someone. Lily thinks she has everything worked out, but when the truth comes out will Lily lose everything she has or will she gain exactly what she wants?

Lily is every girl, who has created a fake boyfriend or has thought about creating a fake boyfriend, once in their life. Just because someone creates a fake boyfriend, doesn't mean they are doing it with mean intentions behind it, because sometimes it could be used to make someone seem more popular or it could protect you from unwanted attention. When I read this book, I connected with Lily on so many different levels. She is clumsy, silly, and everything she gets into will have you laughing out loud. The way Stephanie writes these characters will have you becoming best friends with them, and even maybe developing crushes on them as well. You get to see that Rafe is actually a man of different layers, and that Lily's deception works for a long period of time until the truth comes into light. You will laugh, cry, scream, and want to slap some characters in the process, but this is one book anyone who loves to read good feel books needs to read!

Have fun creating a fake boyfriend my fellow readers!



Image taken from the Goodreads website!

The Iron Butterfly Review

Happy Fri-yay!

 We have made it to Friday, and I have to work tomorrow, but oh well. Today I am reviewing The Iron Butterfly by Chanda Hahn. This is another book where the main character is in a difficult situation, and has to find the strength to survive a world where someone wants her as an experiment.

The description was taken from the Goodreads website:

 "Imprisoned, starved and left with no memories, Thalia awakens to find herself at the mercy of an evil cult known as the Septori. Their leader has chosen Thalia as the test subject for a torture device of untold power, designed to change and twist her into something that is neither human nor Denai.

Escaping, Thalia finds an unwilling warrior to protect her and an unlikely Denai to befriend her. After finding a home at the Citadel as a servant, Thalia’s worst nightmare comes to life and she begins to show signs of power. Scared and unable to control her gifts, she tries to hide her past to fit in among the Denai. But the Septori want their latest test subject back and will stop at nothing to retrieve her, dead or alive."

Thalia just wants to live her life, and doesn't want to become a test subject. She decides that she needs to escape and she needs help to do it. When she finds two guys to help her, she never expects to find love and a twisting journey along the way. Will she be able to hide from the evil cult or will they catch up with her and put her through unimaginable torture?

This novel takes the reader into a world of wonder and intrigue. You will be rooting for her to end up with one person, and than changing your mind in the mist of it. I couldn't put this book down, because I had to know what happened next. I am happy to admit this is one book I stayed up late to finish, and was so happy that it is part of a trilogy. Once I finished this one, I had to buy book two just to continue the journey with characters that I had come to know and love!

Happy Trails Readers!



Image taken from Goodreads website.

Wolves and Roses Review

Happy Christmas Eve Everyone!

 The book I am reviewing today is Wolves and Roses by Christina Bauer. This book focuses on people who live fairy tale templates, and are supposed to follow them. You get to meet Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, and other fairy tale characters that you have come to love!

The description was taken from the Goodreads website:

 "Seventeen-year-old Bryar Rose has a problem. She’s descended from one of the three magical races—shifters, fairies, or witches. That makes her one of the Magicorum, and Magicorum always follow a fairy tale life template. In Bryar’s case, that template should be Sleeping Beauty.

Should being the key word.

Trouble is, Bryar is nowhere near the sleeping beauty life template. Not even close. She doesn’t like birds or woodland creatures. She can’t sing. And she certainly can’t stand Prince Philpot, the so-called “His Highness of Hedge Funds” that her aunties want her to marry. Even worse, Bryar’s having recurring dreams of a bad boy hottie and is obsessed with finding papyri from ancient Egypt. What’s up with that?

All Bryar wants is to attend a regular high school with normal humans and forget all about shifters, fairies, witches, and the curse that Colonel Mallory the Magnificent placed on her. And she might be able to do just that--if only she can just keep her head down until her eighteenth birthday when the spell that’s ruined her life goes buh-bye.

But that plan gets turned upside down when Bryar Rose meets Knox, the bad boy who’s literally from her dreams. Knox is a powerful werewolf, and his presence in her life changes everything, and not just because he makes her knees turn into Jell-O. If Bryar can’t figure out who—or what—she really is, it might cost both her and Knox their lives… as well as jeopardize the very nature of magic itself."

I don't want to expand more on the book from the description, because I don't want to give anything away. But if you love fairy tales, sexy shape shifters, witches, mystery, ancient Egypt, and a story that will leave you on the edge of your seat, then this book is for you. I am currently reading the sequal to this book now called Shifters and Glyphs, and I have to tell you I can't put it down. I will probably actually be done with it tonight!

I hope everyone has a great and safe holiday!



Image taken from Goodreads website.

Reflection Review

Hello Readers!

 I hope everyone had an amazing weekend, I know mine was relaxing after getting my final grades and graduation done. You all know how much of a Disney fan I am, and this book is by far one of my favorite retellings. Reflection by Elizabeth Lim, is a retelling of the amazing Disney movie Mulan! The second I saw this book was coming out, and read the description, I knew I had to have this book, and it did not disappoint.

The description was taken from the Goodreads website:

 "What if Mulan had to travel to the Underworld?
When Captain Shang is mortally wounded by Shan Yu in battle, Mulan must travel to the Underworld, Diyu, in order to save him from certain death. But King Yama, the ruler of Diyu, is not willing to give Shang up easily. With the help of Shang's great lion guardian ShiShi, Mulan must traverse Diyu to find Shang's spirit, face harrowing obstacles, and leave by sunrise--or become King Yama's prisoner forever. Moreover, Mulan is still disguised as the soldier called Ping, wrestling with the decision to reveal her true identity to her closest friend. Will Mulan be able to save Shang before it's too late? Will he ever be able to trust her again? Or will she lose him--and be lost in the Underworld--forever?"

What would have happened if Shang had been more severely wounded, and got shot with the arrow instead of Mulan? In this retelling, you get to dive into the what if world, and it is one amazing ride. Mulan has to travel to the Underworld to save Shang's soul, and save his life in the process. She joins Shang's guardian ShiShi, and runs into some trouble. She has to save Shang, but when she finds him will he willingly go with her or will he choose to stay where he can be reunited with his deceased loved ones?

What I really loved about this book, as the rest of the books in the series, it takes the story that we all know and love, and ramps it up a couple of notches. This story will take the reader on a wild journey into what would have happened if Shang got shot instead of Mulan. Mulan feels so much guilt that she knows she has to save Shang's life even if it means she exposes her secret and puts her own life in danger. Elizabeth takes the reader on a winding journey through the Underworld, and delivers a more in depth story to Mulan. She doesn't take anything away from what the movie does, but adds on to it and draws the reader into a dark world of what if's.

Enjoy the Underworld dearies!



Image taken from Goodreads website.

The Juliet Club Review

Hello!

 We have reached the middle of the week, and I wanted to share one of my favorite YA books with you. The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper, takes the reader one a wild journey full of love and laughter. It is set in Verona, Italy and is a summer camp for Shakespeare lovers.

The description was taken from the Goodreads website:

 "Kate Sanderson inherited her good sense from her mother, a disciplined law professor, and her admiration for the Bard from her father, a passionate Shakespeare scholar. When she gets dumped, out of the blue, for the Practically Perfect Ashley Lawson, she vows never to fall in love again. From now on she will control her own destiny, and every decision she makes will be highly reasoned and rational. She thinks Shakespeare would have approved.

So when she is accepted to a summer Shakespeare symposium in Verona, Italy, Kate sees it as the ideal way to get over her heartbreak once and for all. She'll lose herself in her studies, explore ancient architecture, and eat plenty of pasta and gelato. (Plus, she'll be getting college credit for it—another goal accomplished!) But can even completely logical Kate resist the romance of living in a beautiful villa in the city where those star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet met and died for each other? Especially when the other Shakespeare Scholars—in particular Giacomo, with his tousled brown hair, expressive dark eyes, and charming ways—try hard to break her protective shell?

"In fair Verona, where we lay our scene . . . ""

Kate Sanderson is your average American teen, who knows Shakespeare like the back of her hand due to her father. When her boyfriend dumps her for another girl, her heart is broken and she decides never to fall in love again. When she gets accepted to go to Verona, Italy she decides that she will get lost in the world of Shakespeare and forget all about her troubles. However when she gets there she finds that the students want to play a trick on her and Giacomo. So they decide to turn the tables on the students, and go along with their plan. However along the way Kate discovers things about herself, learns to let go, and wonders if you can truly escape from love.

This is one story that will make the reader dive into the Shakespeare world with Kate. You will laugh, get angry, and root for her to figure out just exactly what she wants. You can also relate to Kate's character, especially if you have ever been dumped in High School for another girl. This is one adventure that Shakespeare would be proud of, and any lover of Shakespeare needs to read. Don't let this amazing story pass you by.

Go on an adventure in Verona and find yourself lost in the story readers!



Image taken from the Goodreads website.

Branded Review

We made it to Friday everyone!

 Today I am going to be reviewing a YA book called Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki. This is a dystopian novel set in the future where criminals are punished in a certain way.

The description was taken from the Goodreads website:

 "Fifty years ago The Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society.

To punish the guilty, he created the Hole, a place where sinners are branded according to their sins. Sinners are forced to live a less than human existence in deplorable conditions, under the watchful eye of guards who are ready to kill anyone who steps out of line.

Now, LUST wraps around my neck like thick, blue fingers, threatening to choke the life out of me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit, and the Hole is my new home.

Constant darkness.

Brutal and savage violence.

Excruciating pain.

Every day is a fight for survival.

But I won’t let them win. I will not die in the Hole.

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story."

Lexi has been accused of a crime she didn't commit, and now she much be punished for it. When she gets thrown into the hole she is assigned a special guard, and gets a job at the hospital. She sees how people look at her brand, and sees how they are treated. There are a couple of times that Lexi gets in to trouble, and her guard has to watch out for her. Along the way she will realize the truth about the Commander and the truth about the hole. But will she find out the truth in time to save herself or will she be too late?

This is a very powerful story about one girl's journey to find herself and to prove her innocence. The authors draw you into the story, and make you feel exactly what Lexi is feeling. What I really loved about this book is Lexi starts out as a damsel in distress, but she finds her strength, and starts to stand up for herself. It's a book about a harsh future where you have to fight to survive, and there is a little love thrown into the mix along the way. This is one adventure you won't want to miss.

Journey into the future fellow readers!



Image taken from Goodreads website.

Dear Mr. Knightley Review

Happy Monday Guys!

  I hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine was busy trying to finish up homework before graduation, but I know it will be worth it in the end. Today I am going to be reviewing Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay. This is an Austen inspired book with the retelling of a book called Daddy Long Legs, that will play with your emotions, but in a good way.

The description was taken from the Goodreads website:

 "Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.

After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.

As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters."

Samantha Moore survived the worst time in her life by reading books and using the fictional characters from her stories to adapt her personality. When she starts receiving letters from a mysterious person, who goes by the name of Mr. Knightley, she is hesitant at first. She has trust issues, which in all honesty is understandable given the life she is living. While writing to Mr. Knightley, Sam starts to open herself up to the people around her, and even makes a couple of friends along the way. However when the true identity of Mr. Knightley is reveled, that trust that Samantha built up around her will start to crumble and she will start to wonder if she can ever trust anyone again.

This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster, it will make you laugh, cry, and just feel deep in your heart. I found a connection to Samantha because she is a book nerd who fell in love with the fictional characters that she reads about. I know when I find a really good book that draws me in, I start to have real feelings for the characters whether they are feelings of love or anger. I recommend this book to anyone who has fallen in love with a fictional character, and loves a good story where the main character goes on a journey to find herself.

Happy journey my friends!



Image taken from the Goodreads website.