folklore but make it fantasy: Among the Beasts & Briars by Ashley Poston Blog Tour review + giveaway

 Hi, friends! I know it's been a little while, but *gestures to world* there's a lot going on out there, and sometimes it's hard to find the mental space to write and blog. I have struggled this year. But that's why I'm especially excited to participate in the blog tour for Among the Beasts & Briars. I preordered this book back in March because I knew I'd need it during this frustrating and difficult year, and this book DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Scroll down to read my 5 star review and some of my favorite quotes from the book. Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a finished copy!

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: October 20, 2020

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Genre: young adult fantasy

Format/Source: ARC, from the publisher

Status: standalone?
Links: Geekerella review (also 5 stars)

Geekerella blog tour - guest post by Ash

The Princess & the Fangirl review (also 5 stars)

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book before voluntarily joining the blog tour, which does not affect the content of my review. The tour was organized & hosted by The Book Terminal, and the full tour schedule can be found HERE. Please go give my fellow tour hosts some love!

Summary:

Cerys is safe in the kingdom of Aloriya.

 

Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden. Cerys knows this all too well: when she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse—the magic—in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything. The most danger she faces now, as a gardener’s daughter, is the annoying fox who stalks the royal gardens and won’t leave her alone.

 

As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions the small fox from the garden, a strange and powerful bear, and the magic in her veins. It’s up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home. But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it’s going to take everything she has just to survive.

Blog Tour: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Today I'm reviewing my first-ever Jennifer Lynn Barnes book, The Inheritance Games, which I really enjoyed. Be sure to scroll down to see all the tour stops and enter the tour-wide giveaway!

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: September 1, 2020

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Genre: young adult thriller

Format/Source: DRC, from the publisher

Status: Book 1 of The Inheritance Games series

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour, which was organized & hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. The full tour schedule can be found below. Please go give my fellow tour hosts some love!

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour. This does not affect the content of my review.

Summary:

A Cinderella story with deadly stakes and thrilling twists, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why--or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch--and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfathe's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

Review + Giveaway: Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff: The irreverent space romp

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: 

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Genre: young adult sci-fi + ?????

Format/Source: 

Status: book 1 of the Aurora Cycle trilogy
Links: Illuminae review
Illuminae audio review
Illuminae merch
Gemina gif review
Obsidio review

Summary:

From the internationally bestselling authors of THE ILLUMINAE FILES comes an epic new science fiction adventure.

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.


They're not the heroes we deserve. They're just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. This does not affect the content of my review.

Review: Go with the Flow by Lily Williams & Karen Schneemann

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: January 14, 2020

Publisher: First Second

Genre: young adult realistic graphic novel

Format/Source: finished copy, from the library

Status: standalone

Summary:

Good friends help you go with the flow. Best friends help you start a revolution.

Sophomores Abby, Brit, Christine, and Sasha are fed up. Hazelton High never has enough tampons. Or pads. Or adults who will listen.

Sick of an administration that puts football before female health, the girls confront a world that shrugs―or worse, squirms―at the thought of a menstruation revolution. They band together to make a change. It’s no easy task, especially while grappling with everything from crushes to trig to JV track but they have each other’s backs. That is, until one of the girls goes rogue, testing the limits of their friendship and pushing the friends to question the power of their own voices.

Now they must learn to work together to raise each other up. But how to you stand your ground while raising bloody hell?

Blog Tour: Lucky Caller by Emma Mills

Today I have the pleasure of kicking off  the blog tour for one of my favorite authors! Emma Mills's newest release Lucky Caller releases next week, and you can enter to win your own copy below!

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: January 14, 2020

Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)

Genre: young adult contemporary romance

Format/Source: DRC, from the publisher

Status: Book 2 of the Wait For You companion series
Links: First & Then review (4 stars)
This Adventure Ends review (5 stars)
Foolish Hearts blog tour (in which I analyze Emma's characters, assign them Shakespearean counterparts, and gif-ify them all using teen movies based on Shakespeare)

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book by the publisher. This does not affect the content of my review.

Summary:

With the warmth, wit, intimate friendships, and heart-melting romance she brings to all her books, Emma Mills crafts a story about believing in yourself, owning your mistakes, and trusting in human connection in Lucky Caller.

When Nina decides to take a radio broadcasting class her senior year, she expects it to be a walk in the park. Instead, it’s a complete disaster.

The members of Nina's haphazardly formed radio team have approximately nothing in common. And to maximize the awkwardness her group includes Jamie, a childhood friend she'd hoped to basically avoid for the rest of her life.

The show is a mess, internet rumors threaten to bring the wrath of two fandoms down on their heads, and to top it all off Nina's family is on the brink of some major upheaval.

Everything feels like it's spiraling out of control―but maybe control is overrated?

Romance Review: Moonlighter by Sarina Bowen: "There's only one bed"

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: October 21, 2019

Publisher: Tuxbury Publishing, LLC

Genre: romantic suspense

Format/Source: ARC, from the author

Status: book 1 of The Company companion series

Summary:

Five nights. Two adversaries. Only one bed in their hotel room.

Eric Bayer is at the height of his hockey career. He only gets six weeks of summer vacation. He’d never agree to do a favor for his brother, the head of a global security company so secretive that Eric doesn’t even know its name.

Pass, thanks. He doesn’t need a summer job.

But the jerk ambushes Eric with a damsel in distress. That damsel is Alex, the competitive, sassy girl he knew when they were kids. Now she's a drop-dead gorgeous woman in deep trouble.

So guess who's on a flight to Hawaii?

It's going to be a long week in paradise. Eric’s job is keeping Alex safe, while her job is torturing him with her tiny bikinis. It's all snark and flirting until the threat against Alex gets serious. And the hockey-playing party boy becomes her major league protector.

Moonlighter is a stand-alone novel. No cliffhangers, no prior experience necessary. Expect: a growly hero, a lady boss with no time for his attitude, and a war of wills and hormones. Bonus: a hunk wearing a baby in a sling.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the author. This does not affect the content of my review.

Review: Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: August 7,2018

Publisher: Henry Holt & Company

Genre: young adult fantasy

Format/Source: ARC, from the publisher
audiobook, from my library

Status: book 1 of the Dance of Thieves duology

Summary:

A new novel in the New York Times–bestselling Remnant Chronicles universe, in which a reformed thief and the young leader of an outlaw dynasty lock wits in a battle that may cost them their lives—and their hearts.

When the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dies, his son, Jase, becomes its new leader. Even nearby kingdoms bow to the strength of this outlaw family, who have always governed by their own rules. But a new era looms on the horizon, set in motion by a young queen, which makes her the target of the dynasty's resentment and anger.


At the same time, Kazi, a legendary former street thief, is sent by the queen to investigate transgressions against the new settlements. When Kazi arrives in the forbidding land of the Ballengers, she learns that there is more to Jase than she thought. As unexpected events spiral out of their control, bringing them intimately together, they continue to play a cat and mouse game of false moves and motives in order to fulfill their own secret missions.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. This does not affect the content of my review.

Romance Review: Superfan by Sarina Bowen: Goofy good boy meets cynical girl with a voice like magic

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: June 25, 2019

Publisher: Tuxbury Publishing, LLC

Genre: adult contemporary sports romance

Format/Source: eARC, from the author
audiobook, purchased

Status: book 3 of the Brooklyn companion series
(spinoff of the Brooklyn Bruisers series)

Summary:

Sometimes lady luck shakes your hand, and sometimes she smacks your face. Sometimes she does both on the same day.

Three years ago I met the most amazing girl in the world. We were both down on our luck. Then I got that call—the one that tells you to get your buns on a plane to go meet your destiny.

But the girl was left behind. I didn’t have her phone number, and she didn’t know my real name.

While I became a professional hockey player, she became a superstar, with platinum records and legions of fans. And a slick, music producer boyfriend who treated her badly.

But fate wasn’t done with us yet. When Delilah turns up at a hockey game, I can’t resist making contact. The internet swoons when I ask her out on a date.

She might not remember me. But her jerkface ex does. He’ll do anything to keep us apart.


Good thing athletes never give up. This time I’m playing for keeps.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the author. This does not affect the content of my review.

Review: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: May 14, 2019

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Genre: new adult contemporary romance

Format/Source: eARC, Edelweiss & audio, purchased

Status: standalone (for now)

 

 

Summary:

A big-hearted romantic comedy in which the First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales after an incident of international proportions forces them to pretend to be best friends...

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations.

The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother’s bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry’s Prince Charming veneer, there’s a soft-hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. And Henry throws everything into question for Alex, an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything: What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. This does not affect the content of my review.

Novella Review: Bridal Boot Camp by Meg Cabot

Rating: 3.5 stars

Pub Date: May 28, 2019

Publisher: Avon Impulse

Genre: adult romantic comedy

Format/Source: eARC, Edelweiss

Status: novella, book #0.5 of the Little Bridge Island series

Summary: Physical trainer Roberta “Rob” James moved to Little Bridge thinking she’d found paradise, but things haven’t turned out quite as she’d hoped.

The closest Rob has come to her “happily ever after” is happy hour at the Mermaid Café with her buddy Bree, the bartender slash waitress who’s got romance problems of her own.

But Rob’s situation suddenly changes when sheriff’s deputy Ryan Martinez accidentally enrolls in her bridal boot camp class. Turning mush into metal in time for the big day is Rob’s passion (because even the happiest bride could use a little toning).

But what happens when a guy who’s all mush meets a girl who’s all metal?

They discover they have a lot to learn . . . about each other, themselves, and the island paradise they’ve come to call home.

Review:

Bridal Boot Camp is the first look into Meg's new Little Bridge Island series, which I'm really excited about! I've been needing some more adult romance from Meg since I frequently reread her Boy series and last year I reread the entire Heather Wells series. Her books are a shot of fluff that I always appreciate, and Bridal Boot Camp isn't any different.

I think Rob and Ryan have really really great chemistry, and I loved seeing them overcome some initial not-quite-right first impressions to get to the good stuff (ie kissing). However, I'm going to give Bridal Boot Camp 3.5 stars because it was SO SHORT. I don't mind novellas, but I like them more in the 80-120 page range. Bridal Boot Camp is only 51 pages, and that really wasn't enough time to get a good arc with Rob and Ryan. We only get four chapters, and while they're good, fun chapters, full of that classic Meg Cabot banter and charm, this didn't feel like a fully fleshed out story.

And although I thought it introduced the world of Little Bridge Island decently, I prefer for companions (whether novellas or full-length novels) to be at least a little more connected. The summary mentions Bree (who is the mc of the first full Little Bridge Island book No Judgments) and Rob being friends, but really, Rob is just Bree's one-a-week trainer, and Bree is the "sad-eyed" waitress Rob sometimes sees at the Mermaid Cafe. I've also just finished reading No Judgments, which I really enjoyed (review coming closer to its pub date in September!), but Rob was not even mentioned by name in it. Ryan is in exactly one scene, and only refers to Rob as his girlfriend.

I never miss an opportunity for more content in a good series so I love novellas, I just think this one was not quite meaty enough to be a must-read. But if you're a die-hard Cabot-fan like me, or if you read No Judgments and want more Little Bridge goodness, Bridal Boot Camp will whet your appetite while you await the next book in the series.

Purchase Links:

 

About the Author:

Meg Cabot was born in Bloomington, Indiana during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign, but learned at an early age that a good storyteller can always give herself a happy ending.  Her 80+ books for both adults and tweens/teens have included multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers, selling over twenty-five million copies worldwide. Her Princess Diaries series has been published in more than 38 countries and was made into two hit films by Disney. Meg’s numerous other award-winning books include the Mediator series, the Heather Wells mystery series, and Avalon High, the latter of which was made into a film for Disney Channel. Meg Cabot (her last name rhymes with habit, as in “her books can be habit forming”) currently lives in Key West with her husband and various cats.

Author Links:

    

Blog Tour: Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: May 7, 2019

Publisher: Salaam Reads

Genre: young adult contemporary romance

Format/Source: ARC, from the publisher

Status: standalone

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour. This does not affect the content of my review.

Summary:

From William C. Morris Award Finalist S.K. Ali comes an unforgettable romance that is part The Sun Is Also a Star mixed with Anna and the French Kiss, following two Muslim teens who meet during a spring break trip.

A marvel: something you find amazing. Even ordinary-amazing. Like potatoes—because they make French fries happen. Like the perfect fries Adam and his mom used to make together.

An oddity: whatever gives you pause. Like the fact that there are hateful people in the world. Like Zayneb’s teacher, who won’t stop reminding the class how “bad” Muslims are.

But Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, isn’t bad. She’s angry.

When she gets suspended for confronting her teacher, and he begins investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar, for an early start to spring break.

Fueled by the guilt of getting her friends in trouble, she resolves to try out a newer, “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her.

Then her path crosses with Adam’s.

Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, Adam’s stopped going to classes, intent, instead, on perfecting the making of things. Intent on keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister.

Adam’s also intent on keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father.

Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals.

Until a marvel and an oddity occurs…

Marvel: Adam and Zayneb meeting.

Oddity: Adam and Zayneb meeting.

Review + Giveaway: The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: April 2, 2019

Publisher: Quirk Books

Genre: young adult contemporary romance, retelling

Format/Source: ARC from the publisher

Status: book 2 of the Once Upon a Con series
(companion to Geekerella)
Links: Geekerella review (also 5 stars)
Geekerella blog tour

Summary:

The Prince and the Pauper gets a modern makeover in this adorable, witty, and heartwarming young adult novel set in the Geekerella universe by national bestselling author Ashley Poston.

Imogen Lovelace is an ordinary fangirl on an impossible mission: save her favorite character, Princess Amara, from being killed off from her favorite franchise, Starfield. The problem is, Jessica Stone—the actress who plays Princess Amara—wants nothing more than to leave the intense scrutiny of the fandom behind. If this year's ExcelsiCon isn't her last, she'll consider her career derailed.


When a case of mistaken identity throws look-a-likes Imogen and Jess together, they quickly become enemies. But when the script for the Starfield sequel leaks, and all signs point to Jess, she and Imogen must trade places to find the person responsible. That's easier said than done when the girls step into each other's shoes and discover new romantic possibilities, as well as the other side of intense fandom. As these "princesses" race to find the script-leaker, they must rescue themselves from their own expectations, and redefine what it means to live happily ever after.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. This does not affect the content of my review.

Review: Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: August 28, 2018

Publisher: Dial Books

Genre: young adult contemporary realistic fiction

Format/Source: ARC, from the publisher
at ALA annual conference
audiobook, from my library

Status: standalone

Summary:

Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this unforgettable debut introduces a brilliant new voice in contemporary YA.

Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He's about to take his first-ever trip to Iran, and it's pretty overwhelming--especially when he's also dealing with clinical depression, a disapproving dad, and a chronically anemic social life. In Iran, he gets to know his ailing but still formidable grandfather, his loving grandmother, and the rest of his mom's family for the first time. And he meets Sohrab, the boy next door who changes everything.

Sohrab makes sure people speak English so Darius can understand what's going on. He gets Darius an Iranian National Football Team jersey that makes him feel like a True Persian for the first time. And he understands that sometimes, best friends don't have to talk. Darius has never had a true friend before, but now he's spending his days with Sohrab playing soccer, eating rosewater ice cream, and sitting together for hours in their special place, a rooftop overlooking the Yazdi skyline.

Sohrab calls him Darioush--the original Persian version of his name--and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he's Darioush to Sohrab. When it's time to go home to America, he'll have to find a way to be Darioush on his own.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. This does not affect the content of my review.

Review: To Be Honest by Maggie Ann Martin

Rating: 3.5 stars

Release Date: August 21, 2018

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Genre: young adult contemporary

Format/Source: ARC, ALA annual conference
audiobook, purchased from Audible

Status: standalone

Summary:

Savannah is dreading being home alone with her overbearing mother after her sister goes off to college. But if she can just get through senior year, she'll be able to escape to college, too. What she doesn't count on is that her mother's obsession with weight has only grown deeper since her appearance on an extreme weight-loss show, and now Savvy's mom is pressuring her even harder to be constantly mindful of what she eats.

Between her mom's diet-helicoptering, missing her sister, and worrying about her collegiate future, Savvy has enough to worry about. And then she meets George, the cute new kid at school who has insecurities of his own. As Savvy and George grow closer, they help each other discover how to live in the moment and enjoy the here and now before it disappears.

Review + Giveaway: The Risk by Elle Kennedy

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: February 18, 2019

Genre: new adult contemporary romance

Format/Source: eARC, from the author

Status: book 2 in the Briar U companion series
Links: The Deal review

Summary:

Everyone says I’m a bad girl. They’re only partly right—I don’t let fear rule me, and I certainly don’t care what people think. But I draw the line at sleeping with the enemy. As the daughter of Briar’s head hockey coach, I’d be vilified if I hooked up with a player from a rival team.

And that’s who Jake Connelly is. Harvard’s star forward is arrogant, annoying, and too attractive for his own good. But fate is cruel—I require his help to secure a much-coveted internship, and the sexy jerk isn’t making it easy for me.

I need Connelly to be my fake boyfriend.

For every fake date…he wants a real one.

Which means this bad girl is in big trouble. Nothing good can come from sneaking around with Jake Connelly. My father would kill me, my friends will revolt, and my post-college career is on the line. But while it’s getting harder and harder to resist Jake’s oozing sex appeal and cocky grin, I refuse to fall for him.

That’s the one risk I’m not willing to take

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book by the author. This does not affect the content of my review.

Review: Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

Rating: 3 stars

Release Date: April 3, 2018

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Genre: young adult contemporary romance

Format/Source: hardcover, purchased

Status: standalone

Summary:

Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern-day Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.

But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.


And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?

Review: My True Love Gave To Me

Rating: 5 stars

Release Date: October 14, 2014

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Genre: young adult romance short stories
(mostly contemp, but some magical realism & fantasy)

Format/Source: eARC, from the publisher
HC & audio, purchased from B&N and Audible respectively

Status: short story anthology, standalone
one story has a sequel in Summer Days & Summer Nights

Summary:

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me ...This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.

Blog Tour: The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: October 24, 2017

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: young adult contemporary

Format/Source: paperback, from the author

Status: standalone
Links: My Lady Jane blog tour, My Plain Jane blog tour

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour, which was organized & hosted by Your Book Travels.

Summary:

On Christmas Eve five years ago, Holly was visited by three ghosts who showed her how selfish and spoiled she'd become. They tried to convince her to mend her ways.

She didn't.

And then she died.

Now she's stuck working for the top-secret company Project Scrooge--as the latest Ghost of Christmas Past.

Every year, they save another miserly grouch. Every year, Holly stays frozen at seventeen while her family and friends go on living without her. So far, Holly's afterlife has been miserable.

But this year, everything is about to change. . . .

Review: Love À La Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm

This morning I'm so excited to kick off the blog tour for Stephanie Kate Strohm's Love a la Mode, a new rom com from Disney Books! Check out my review, and then scroll down to the bottom to enter to win a copy!

Rating: 4 stars

Release Date: November 27, 2018

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Genre: young adult contemporary romance

Format/Source: ARC, ALA annual conference

Status: standalone

Links: Prince in Disguise review

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of the blog tour, which was organized & hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. The full tour schedule can be found HERE. Please go give my fellow tour hosts some love!

Summary:

Take two American teen chefs, add one heaping cup of Paris, toss in a pinch of romance, and stir. . . .

Rosie Radeke firmly believes that happiness can be found at the bottom of a mixing bowl. But she never expected that she, a random nobody from East Liberty, Ohio, would be accepted to celebrity chef Denis Laurent's school in Paris, the most prestigious cooking program for teens in the entire world. Life in Paris, however, isn't all cream puffs and crepes. Faced with a challenging curriculum and a nightmare professor, Rosie begins to doubt her dishes.

Henry Yi grew up in his dad's restaurant in Chicago, and his lifelong love affair with food landed him a coveted spot in Chef Laurent's school. He quickly connects with Rosie, but academic pressure from home and his jealousy over Rosie's growing friendship with gorgeous bad-boy baker Bodie Tal makes Henry lash out and push his dream girl away.

Desperate to prove themselves, Rosie and Henry cook like never before while sparks fly between them. But as they reach their breaking points, they wonder whether they have what it takes to become real chefs.


Perfect for lovers of Chopped Teen Tournament and Kids Baking Championship, as well as anyone who dreams of a romantic trip to France, Love à la Mode follows Rosie and Henry as they fall in love with food, with Paris, and ultimately, with each other.