Unexpectedly Hers: The Slopes of Her Secrets are Steep

Unexpectedly Hers (Sterling Canyon #3)
by Jamie Beck
Chick Lit / Contemporary / Romance
282 Pages
Montlake Romance
Publication Date:  February 21st, 2017
Get a copy here!

BLURB: 

By day, bashful wallflower Emma Duffy works at her family’s bed-and-breakfast. By night, she secretly pens erotic romance hot enough to melt the snow in their cozy Rockies town.

But Emma’s real life is about to heat up when her mother books the entire inn to a professional snowboarder, hoping the publicity will put them on the map. In a karmic twist of fate, that guest is Wyatt Lawson, the man with whom Emma had shared the secret one-night stand that became the inspiration for her novel and its dreamy hero. Worse, a film crew is documenting his comeback just as her debut is about to hit the shelves. Emma’s only saving grace is that Wyatt doesn’t remember her—and hopefully he never will.

When Wyatt arrives in Sterling Canyon for several weeks of intense training, the last tumble he expects to take is falling for a girl, especially one as shy as Emma. Unlike groupies with their hidden agendas, she isn’t using him—or so he believes…until the film crew uncovers Emma’s pen name and steamy novel.

Wyatt’s comeback run can withstand a fall or two, but can his heart recover from this crash and burn?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Jamie Beck is a Romance Writers of America Honor Roll author with a passion for writing stories about love and redemption, including her best selling St. James and Sterling Canyon series. When she’s not writing, you can find her dancing around her kitchen or hitting the slopes in Utah and Vermont. Above all, she’s a grateful wife and mother to a very patient and supportive family.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

Quick Reasons: cutesy contemporary; shy wallflower to strong woman plot; mostly believable romance; the ending seemed a little too easy; unexplained girl hate; weird, though believable, family dynamics; interesting look into the many layers of guilt

fishing for more

entertaining

devoured it

hot and steamy

Huge thanks to Jamie Beck, Montlake Romance, and PR By the Book for sending me a free digital galley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book!

So first things first: I was super nervous, when I received this book for review, that I’d be stepping into the middle of a story and wind up SUPER confused (or, at the very least, super spoiled on the previous two novels). Much to my surprise, this read like a standalone novel–in fact, I was immediately immersed in the story and SO admire the way Jamie Beck both brought back the recurring/previous characters, while still allowing this novel to stand apart and be read on its own. That being said, now that I’ve had a chance to look up the previous two novels, there ARE a few spoiler-y moments I encountered….but in the end, they’re so minute and tiny, I feel as if I could still backtrack and read those two novels without too much fuss.

The romance in this particular read is super believable and SO, SO steamy–seriously, my poor penguin beak about melted off my face during certain sexy moments, though Jamie Beck wrote them to remain tasteful enough that sensitive readers won’t have problems reading the scenes. While there are some moments of tension/plot-heavy action…the book, for the most part, is more focused upon the characters and their changes/growth journeys. Emma’s story, in particular, was super sweet and endearing to read–her growth from shy wallflower into strong, comfortable-with-herself woman has become something of an inspiration for me, to be honest. I really, really enjoyed following her through these events of her life!

I was a little bit disappointed with how quickly things are resolved in the end. I felt like Wyatt left Emma with SO much drama and anger, only to “suddenly” realize how right she was for him after seeing her again several weeks later. It felt a bit contrived, honestly, and wasn’t entirely believable for me. While I understand forgiveness, I felt like Wyatt’s complete 180 in emotions was a bit TOO quick in coming.

Still, I had a ton of fun getting to know these characters and visiting their sleepy Colorado town. The fact that the settings are so close to my home (Wyoming girl, here!) brought about a fair amount of nostalgia–though I have to admit, I still don’t miss the cold or snow! I definitely recommend this read to lovers of chick lit, contemporary romances, and character-focused plots. Put on your goggles and strap in, penguins–these slopes are steep!

Geekerella: All that’s Missing Are the Mice

Geekerella
by Ashley Poston
320 Pages
Quirk Books
Publication Date:  April 4th, 2017
Get a copy here!

BLURB:

Anything can happen once upon a con…

When geek girl Elle Wittimer sees a cosplay contest sponsored by the producers of Starfield, she has to enter. First prize is an invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. Elle’s been scraping together tips from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck behind her stepmother’s back, and winning this contest could be her ticket out once and for all—not to mention a fangirl’s dream come true.

Teen actor Darien Freeman is less than thrilled about this year’s ExcelsiCon. He used to live for conventions, but now they’re nothing but jaw-aching photo sessions and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Federation Prince Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the diehard Starfield fandom has already dismissed him as just another heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, closet nerd Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

 

Quick Reasons: yet another CINDERELLA retelling!; I loved the nerdculture/comic con references happening throughout; awesome, entertaining voice; these characters are pretty rocking; LOVELOVELOVE the play on fandom; not so sure how I feel about a few of the relationships here

insta-love

entertaining

devoured it

purple prose

Huge thanks to Ashley Poston, Quirk Books, and Netgalley for sending me a free digital galley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

As so often happens when I pick up a CINDERELLA retelling (or ANY retelling, honestly), I found myself swept up in the magic of the story…and yet, somehow, also questioning some of the relationships. Now, don’t get me wrong–I totally understand the whole “wicked stepmother, evil step-siblings” trope. By “understand” I mean I get why it has to exist. But recently, I’ve begun to question the REALITY of such relationships. In this book, for instance: it’s really unclear exactly why the stepmother is so determined to be so cruel to Elle. I get that the stepsister is really just “following by example” in this case, and can therefore wrap my head around her being so unnecessarily snotty. But the stepmom? While we get a bit of an explanation later on in the story, it just… it doesn’t really FIT for me. It doesn’t really make much sense, or explain anything. It’s an excuse, in the end–not a justification or explanation. So I’m not sure how much I believed that particular relationship–it just didn’t seem very realistic.  It felt, in fact, just a little forced to fit the fairy tale trope, in my opinion.

 

That being said, however–these characters shine! The personalities are all individualized; I absolutely adored watching Elle transform and grow from “shy girl who never says no” to “independent, strong young lady.” I also adored all the mini references/nods to the original Cinderella–such as the pumpkin/chariot, which I only JUST now realized and pieced together (oops!)

The play on fandom and cons was super entertaining for this lover of all things nerdculture, and I so appreciated all the pop culture references laced throughout. It was so great to watch these characters react to and interact with others over their passion–and introduce a few specific special characters to the obsession, as well! I had a TON of fun watching the relationship between Elle and Darien evolve, as well–they’re so sweetly cute and tooth-rotting!

 

Overall, this was an entertaining read FULL of nerdculture/pop culture references. The characters are well-written, though a few of the relationships felt a bit too contrived to fit tropes for my taste. Also…I now wish that Starfield was an actual thing, because it sounds amazeballs. I definitely recommend to my fellow retellings fanatics, lovers of modern-day fairy tales, and other pop culture nerds. Roll up your sleeves and step on the gas, penguins; it’s time the masks came off.

Blog Tour, Giveaway, and Review: Duels and Deception

 

Duels and Deception
by Cindy Anstey
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: April 11th 2017
Genres: Historical, Romance, Young Adult

Miss Lydia Whitfield, heiress to the family fortune, has her future entirely planned out. She will run the family estate until she marries the man of her late father’s choosing, and then she will spend the rest of her days as a devoted wife. Confident in those arrangements, Lydia has tasked her young law clerk, Mr. Robert Newton, to begin drawing up the marriage contracts. Everything is going according to plan.

Until Lydia—and Robert along with her—is kidnapped. Someone is after her fortune and won’t hesitate to destroy her reputation to get it. With Robert’s help, Lydia strives to keep her family’s good name intact and expose whoever is behind the devious plot. But as their investigation delves deeper and their affections for each other grow, Lydia starts to wonder whether her carefully planned future is in fact what she truly wants…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

 

Author Bio:

Whenever she is not sitting at the computer, throwing a ball in the backyard, gardening or reading, Cindy can be found–actually, not found–adventuring around the world with her hubby.

She has lived on three continents, had a monkey in her yard and a scorpion under her sink, dwelt among castles and canals, enjoyed the jazz of Beale St and attempted to speak French.

Cindy loves history, mystery and… a chocolate Labrador called Chester. Love, Lies and Spies is her debut novel.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY!
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Quick Reasons: entertaining, beautifully written historical fiction; absolutely adore Lydia; realistic, delicious romance; a subtle hint of mystery and intrigue; Lydia’s shift from “not a romantic” to “fully in love” is believable and well-done; oh my penguins, THE SNARK

entertaining

purple prose

devoured it

fishing for more

Huge thanks to Cindy Anstey, Swoon Reads, Netgalley, and Xpresso Book Tours for granting me free access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

Holy penguins, is Lydia QUITE the character! I fell in love with her pretty quickly, honestly–her snark and personality are loud and vibrantly painted and she drew me in like a fine work of art. I kept trying to burrow my way into her heart, to better see and feel the world from her point of view. In fact, I’d say she’s one of my favorite characters of recent reads–the fact that she’s so super snarky and to the point only helped to cement her place in my list of favorite personalities. She’s blunt, she goes after what she wants (for the most part), and she doesn’t let society denote what she does with her life or her time. I mean seriously, she’s a role model–and her story in this read? Only helped to strengthen the message that you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to, so long as you don’t let the rest of the world get in your way.

The relationship with Robert– ahem, Mr. Newton –started out a bit awkwardly and stilted. In the end, though, it was believably written and so, so endearing. Robert was written to perfectly match Lydia in wit and intellect–and helped prove that real romance and passion do exist in the world. The fact that they start off a little rocky, and each hiding their feelings for the other because of convention or rules– only to finally drop the act –was realistic, though a bit frustrating at times for me (I just wanted to shake some sense into their hearts, that’s all!)

The slight, subtle use of mystery and intrigue helped to pull me more thoroughly into this read, and I really enjoyed that we got the story from both perspectives. I find what I miss most in books like this– such as Pride and Prejudice –is that we weren’t given a glimpse into the OTHER side of the story. This book took the guessing and the mystery away by giving us access to Mr. Newton’s thoughts and emotions, which I really appreciated. This helped to make him less a “bystander” in the action of his life, but have a more concrete and tangible role in the story.

This was such a snarky, personality-filled, entertaining read, and I’m even more excited now to pick up more of Cindy Anstey in the future! Lydia’s vibrant, strong-willed character and Robert’s passionate intellect made for a positively wonderful match. The action of the plot, mixed with the subtle mystery, helped to keep me enthralled throughout. I definitely recommend this to lovers of historical fiction, vividly-painted characters, and subtle societal statements. This read enchanted me, penguins; maybe you should take a taste of the magic, too.

My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen: A Snarky Reinvention of a Well-Loved Fairy Tale

Chris Bellows is just trying to get through high school and survive being the only stepchild in the social-climbing Fontaine family, whose recently diminished fortune hasn’t dimmed their desire to mingle with Upper East Side society. Chris sometimes feels more like a maid than part of the family. But when Chris’s stepsister Kimberly begins dating golden boy J. J. Kennerly, heir to a political dynasty, everything changes. Because Chris and J. J. fall in love . . . with each other.

With the help of a new friend, Coco Chanel Jones, Chris learns to be comfortable in his own skin, let himself fall in love and be loved, and discovers that maybe he was wrong about his step-family all along. All it takes is one fairy godmother dressed as Diana Ross to change the course of his life.

My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen is a Cinderella retelling for the modern reader. The novel expertly balances issues like sexuality, family and financial troubles, and self-discovery with more lighthearted moments like how one rogue shoe can launch a secret, whirlwind romance and a chance meeting with a drag queen can spark magic and light in a once dark reality.

YA / Contemporary / Romance / Fairy Tale Retellings
336 Pages
Sky Pony Press
Expected Publication Date:  May 2nd, 2017
Preorder a copy here!

Quick Reasons: just a bit stereotypical; love the humor and personality of the voice; entertaining, endearing, wholly recreated characters; I was sucked in from start to finish; tons of delicious angst, drama, and fun; the snark is on point; LOVE how David Clawson made this retelling wholly his own

insta-love

entertaining

devoured it

hot and steamy

Huge thanks to David Clawson, Sky Pony Press, and Edelweiss for sending me a free digital ARC of this read in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

By now, I’m sure ALL my loyal penguins know full well that I am all about retellings. They are the bread to my readerly sandwich, after all! I am ALSO all about snarky characters, uniquely individualized reads, and reinvented story lines (especially if it’s a retelling being reinvented)! There’s nothing quite like stepping into a world you’re pretty sure you’ve seen from every angle…and being proven wrong.

 

 

David Clawson did exactly this for me with this title. I’ll be honest with you guys–when I stumbled upon this title on Edelweiss and saw it was up for instant download, I didn’t think twice. I read the title, laughed out loud like a lunatic, and promptly hit “download.” I didn’t even stop to read the blurb, which means, when I picked this book up to read…. I had no idea it was a retelling. It took only a couple of pages for me to realize that’s exactly what I was reading…and only a couple more after that to realize it was going to be entirely different from the story I thought I already knew. David Clawson took this fairy tale, and molded it into his own witty, snarky, entertaining beast–and I ADORED every second of it!

This was a fast-paced, entertaining read with some well-written, complex, and wholly unique characters. Trust me, penguins–this is not the Cinderella cast you know, but that doesn’t mean you won’t love them to tuna fish pieces. Honestly, I feel like the relationships sewn and nurtured in this book are SO MUCH BETTER than those I’ve been reading in the recent months. They are realistic, they grow and change as the characters do, and they’re all, in some tiny way, flawed…but they’re also easy for readers to relate to. In the original Cinderella story, and the subsequent retellings I’ve had the pleasure of reading/watching… I was never quite sure WHY the stepmother and sisters hated Cinderella so much. There never seemed to be an actual reason. David Clawson approached this in a new and unique way, and managed to wrap it up in the process!

 

 

I had a ton of fun with this book, and while it leans a bit heavily on certain stereotypes, I feel the personality and uniquely individualized characters really set this apart from other Cinderella retellings. The snark was heavy-handed, the morals (being true to yourself, feeling comfortable in your own skin) are handled with sensitivity, and I just ADORED me some Coco Chanel Jones–seriously, one of the best characters EVER! I recommend this to lovers of fairy tale retellings, diverse reads, and a strong focus on the sewing and building of familial relationships. If you’re seeking YOUR Prince Charming, maybe you should wear shoes that are much too big for you…you never know whose face you’ll kick one into!

Piper Perish: Poisonous Family Dynamics, Open-Ended Ending

Piper Perish inhales air and exhales art. The sooner she and her best friends can get out of Houston and into art school in New York City, the better. It’s been Piper’s dream her whole life, and now that senior year is halfway over, she’s never felt more ready. But in the final months before graduation, things are weird with her friends and stressful with three different guys, and Piper’s sister’s tyrannical mental state seems to thwart every attempt at happiness for the close-knit Perish family. Piper’s art just might be enough to get her out. But is she brave enough to seize that power, even if it means giving up what she’s always known? Debut author Kayla Cagan breathes new life into fiction in this ridiculously compelling, utterly authentic work featuring interior art from Rookie magazine illustrator Maria Ines Gul. Piper will have readers asking big questions along with her. What is love? What is friendship? What is family? What is home? And who is a person when she’s missing any one of these things?

Contemporary / YA / LGBTQIA+
Chronicle Books
Publication Date:  March 7th, 2017
Get a copy here!

Quick Reasons: realistic and true-to-life; I LOVE how open-ended the ending is; an interesting glimpse into family dynamics and sibling rivalries; a focus on opportunity, self-preservation, and personal sacrifice; Piper has an entertaining, strong voice, but she comes off a bit unreliable at times

entertaining

devoured it

purple prose

Huge thanks to Kayla Cagan, Chronicle Books Publishing, and Netgalley for granting me free early access to an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

 

The first thing you need to know about this book: it’s written in diary form. Therefore, the only perspective we get is Piper’s–and while I adored how strong and unique her voice is throughout this novel, I also struggled a bit with seeing the world through her eyes. Don’t get me wrong–single perspective reads are not in any way a bad thing! However, Piper’s perspective is (as to be expected, with diary entries) very biased. A couple of times, I found myself wondering if she was more unreliable than honest. You know that saying, “there’s three sides to every story. His, hers, and the truth.” ? I felt it applied to a lot of this book, when perhaps it shouldn’t have.

I really enjoyed the different themes that Kayla Cagan explored, though! One of the biggest focuses, sibling rivalry, was a new one for me to encounter in YA, and it was beautifully done. Growing up with a TON of half-siblings and one younger brother, I know just how volatile and dramatic such relationships can be. They are, at times, downright caustic. When you add in pregnancy and the additional hormones that come with it, it’s pretty easy to believe in Marli’s terrifying unpredictability.

In fact, the entire family dynamic was never once sugar-coated or glossed over. Kayla Cagan did an awesome job of asking the right questions, and then employing the answers in ways that shifted the plot and changed my perspective as a reader. Both parents are fully present and realistically flawed, acting and reacting in predictable AND surprising ways. After all, who hasn’t done or said something out of character when stressed? Unlike a lot of YA reads with missing or “side-note” parents, I felt as if I got to know Piper’s mom and dad as fully as I did Piper and Marli. I felt as if all these characters came to life for me, honestly–and that’s a hard thing to do in writing, to make each character feel individualized and equally vibrant.

 

In the end, this was an entertaining and thought-provoking read. There are tons of moments filled with teen angst, family drama, and abstract philosophies or ideas. It is, at times, difficult to put yourself in Piper’s shoes and understand where she’s coming from. Marli is, throughout, downright terrifying–and, at times, emotionally abusive. Still, each character feels fleshed out and unique, and the ending is open-ended enough to let readers continue the story on their own, if they want. I recommend this to lovers of contemporary fiction, “differing” family dynamics, and the exploration of abstract ideas/human nature. This was an interesting read; I’ll be keeping my eyes open for the next project Kayla Cagan tackles.

Ensnared: Beware this AI’s Gears

A Near Future Retelling of Beauty and the Beast

Watch the Book Trailer

Alainn’s father is not a bad man. He’s a genius and an inventor. When he’s hired to create the robot Rose, Alainn knows taking the money is a mistake.

Rose acts like a human. She looks exactly like Alainn. But, something in her comes out wrong.

To save her father from a five year prison sentence, Alainn takes Rose’s place. She says goodbye to the sun and goes to live in a tower no human is allowed to enter. She becomes the prisoner of a man no human is allowed to see.

Believing that a life of servitude lies ahead, Alainn finds a very different fate awaits her in the company of the strange, scarred recluse.

[This novel contains adult situations and is only suitable for readers who are 18+]

New Adult / Romance / Science Fiction / Retellings
380 Pages
Expected Publication Date:  December 18th, 2017

About the Author:
Rita Stradling is the author of The Deception Dance series, the Dakota Kekoa series and The Fourteen Day Soul Detox Novella Serial. She has a BA in Art History and a particular love for modern and medieval art.

Rita lives with her husband and son in Northern California.

She has an insatiable novel addiction and mostly reads young adult and adult: romance, paranormal, urban fantasy and high fantasy.

You can find and contact Rita here:
– Website
– Facebook
– Twitter
– Goodreads

Quick Reasons: this is terrifyingly realistic; LOVELOVELOVE the small nods to the original, interspersed with new ideas from Rita Stradling; entertaining, heart-wrenching, and horrifying all at once; there are some very mature themes and situations found in these pages; believable, complex, well-rounded characters

Huge, HUGE thanks to Rita Stradling and Lola’s Blog Tours for granting me free early access to this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

First off–LOOK at the gorgeousness that is this cover! I mean seriously, I could not have imagined a prettier, more perfect cover for this book. I LOVELOVELOVE the inspiration that is so obviously drawn from the read (the gears and bolts and whatnot behind the silhouette–there’s obviously a tone of science fiction set here!) So just… A++ and two penguin feet WAY up for cover design, it’s what initially drew me to this book.

AND THEN! I found out! this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and you all know I flipped my silly penguin beak totally upside down and jumped all over this opportunity. Because…ugh, my favorite fairy tale. My favorite Disney movie. I need more retellings like this one in my life, on top of this, because seriously, Rita Stradling did BEAUTIFULLY with drawing inspiration from the original story while maintaining her own sense of creativity and unique voice. Seriously, guys, I haven’t read a retelling quite as lovely and original as this in a LONG time–Rita Stradling wins, in my book.

The characters are complex, well-rounded, and so true to the “originals” while being uniquely written I can’t even. Also, I just realized who this book’s Gaston is and OH MY PENGUINS I can’t believe I didn’t put that connection together in the middle of reading. Holy beaks, penguins, it’s just so fitting and…GAH! I will break off my little love-fest for a second, though, because I have a bit of a trigger warning. There are mentions of: abuse, possible rape, assault, attempted murder, and murder. While the scenes are not in any way explicit or overly detailed, keep this in mind while reading please, and keep yourselves safe if you’re triggered by these things in any way!

Overall, I had a HUGELY awesome time reading this book, and cannot wait to get my hands on more of Rita Stradling’s writing in the future! The characters are realistic and well-rounded, the moral implications are terrifying and inspiring in turn, and the personalities are spot-on and still brilliantly unique. I need more Beauty and the Beast retellings in my life, penguins–if you know of any good ones, please send titles my way! For now, I’m going to go blow the dust off my shoulders and try not to fall into a reading slump!

Everything You Want Me to Be: Deliciously Dramatic!

Mystery/Thriller/Contemporary
352 Pages
Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Publication Date:  January 3rd, 2017
Get a copy here!

Full of twists and turns, Everything You Want Me to Be reconstructs a year in the life of a dangerously mesmerizing young woman, during which a small town’s darkest secrets come to the forefront…and she inches closer and closer to her death.

High school senior Hattie Hoffman has spent her whole life playing many parts: the good student, the good daughter, the good citizen. When she’s found brutally stabbed to death on the opening night of her high school play, the tragedy rips through the fabric of her small town community. Local sheriff Del Goodman, a family friend of the Hoffmans, vows to find her killer, but trying to solve her murder yields more questions than answers. It seems that Hattie’s acting talents ran far beyond the stage. Told from three points of view—Del, Hattie, and the new English teacher whose marriage is crumbling—Everything You Want Me to Be weaves the story of Hattie’s last school year and the events that drew her ever closer to her death.

Evocative and razor-sharp, Everything You Want Me to Be challenges you to test the lines between innocence and culpability, identity and deception. Does love lead to self-discovery—or destruction?

 

Quick Reasons: this is a haunting merry-go-round of mystery; I LOVELOVELOVE all the different viewpoints we’re treated to; the plot is deliciously dramatic and angsty; I honestly didn’t see that ending coming; this was a treat of a read!

entertaining

devoured it

creeptastic

heartbreaker

Huge thanks to Mindy Mejia, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and Netgalley for granting me free digital access to this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

 

This was SUCH a delicious dramatic, angsty treat to read, penguins! So let’s start with that–the plot. The plot for this is action-packed, laced through with tension, and unbelievably mysterious all at once. For someone who often figures out the ending long before the halfway mark….this book caught me up in a whirlwind of visceral emotions and total surprise. From page one, I was drawn in–to Hattie’s story, to the wonderful lure of the unknown. This book was an exciting, captivating journey!

 

The characters are wholly realistic, believably flawed, and so complex you’ll feel as if they’re in the same room with you instead of written down on a page. I really enjoyed that we were given several different viewpoints to fight through and learn from–and that the plot is not necessarily linear, but written in a series of present times and back-flashes. This helped to both bring the entire story together, and keep the mystery at a high par. I also really enjoyed how Mindy Mejia handled each of these perspectives; it’s clear, from the beginning, that she knew where she wanted this story to take readers…and she knew EXACTLY how to get us there without giving the important details away too soon.

This is the type of book you pick up expecting to read only a few chapters of at a time…and instead find yourself devouring. The pacing was spot-on, the tension was high and heart-pounding, and the characters all played their roles and brought readers closer to the answer without actually spoiling the journey. There were several moments I thought I knew EXACTLY where this story was headed…only to turn around and be proven totally wrong, and I love books (and authors) who manage to do that.

 

Overall, this was a treat to read from start to finish! The characters and plot were believable, the action was full of drama and angst, and I absolutely adored the multiple perspectives we were given insight to. I recommend this to lovers of murder mysteries, star-crossed lovers, and flawed but endearing personalities. If you like gritty stories with a ton of twists, you should pick this one up! As for me, I cannot WAIT to see what Mindy Mejia writes next!

Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: The Alchemists of Loom

 

The Alchemists of Loom  (Loom Saga #1)
by Elise Kova
Publication date: January 10th, 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Her vengeance. His vision.

Ari lost everything she once loved when the Five Guilds’ resistance fell to the Dragon King. Now, she uses her unparalleled gift for clockwork machinery in tandem with notoriously unscrupulous morals to contribute to a thriving underground organ
market. There isn’t a place on Loom that is secure from the engineer turned thief, and
her magical talents are sold to the highest bidder as long as the job defies their Dragon
oppressors.

Cvareh would do anything to see his sister usurp the Dragon King and sit on the throne. His family’s house has endured the shame of being the lowest rung in the Dragons’ society for far too long. The Alchemist Guild, down on Loom, may just hold the key to putting his kin in power, if Cvareh can get to them before the Dragon King’s assassins.

When Ari stumbles upon a wounded Cvareh, she sees an opportunity to slaughter
an enemy and make a profit off his corpse. But the Dragon sees an opportunity to
navigate Loom with the best person to get him where he wants to go.

He offers her the one thing Ari can’t refuse: A wish of her greatest desire, if she
brings him to the Alchemists of Loom.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks

 

Author Bio:

Elise Kova has always had a profound love of fantastical worlds. Somehow, she managed to focus on the real world long enough to graduate with a Master’s in Business Administration before crawling back under her favorite writing blanket to conceptualize her next magic system. She currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, and when she is not writing can be found playing video games, watching anime, or talking with readers on social media. She is the USA Today bestselling author of the Air Awakens Series as well as the upcoming Loom Saga (Keymaster, 2017).

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Quick Reasons: interesting, though slightly confusing, world-building; I had trouble picturing the characters; some of the rules of the world were unclear; fun, entertaining, super snarky characters; not quite like anything I’ve read before

fishing for more

entertaining

devoured it

purple prose

Huge thanks to Elise Kova, Keymaster Press, Netgalley, and Xpresso Book Tours for granting me early access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

Okay, penguins–let’s talk. This book? Super entertaining! It’s clear that Elise Kova spent a lot of hours crafting and imagining the worlds of Loom and Nova. Every page is full of action, snark, and discord. For a whole poised on the brink of war, this helped set the tone and put me in the middle of the action.

However, some of the world-building was confusing. We know the dragons reign over the skies and set the laws of the ground, but we aren’t told exactly what the laws entail. We know the people of Loom (the Fen, the Chimera) are required to take skill tests and are tattooed with their guild, or–if they fail–are killed off… But we aren’t told exactly how the Dragons above oversee this. I have a LOT of questions, actually, revolving around the laws of the world and how they’re governed or enforced. Dragons don’t leave the sky often, so how do they keep the people of Loom in check? Are there people hired to enforce said laws for the Dragons? I mean, they’re little details, sure…but they left a lot of room for confusion.

The people/Dragons were also confusing, and hard for me to “imagine” in full detail. While we got bits and pieces along the way–each Dragon’s blood smells differently, and their skin color varies depending on their house; Dragons bleed gold; the people of Loom are grey, unless they’re Chimera, and then they’re varying colors….. But we aren’t ever given ENOUGH description to form a full, completed picture. I don’t know, for instance, exactly what the Wraith looks like–we know she wears white, she has a blue dragon ear, she has purple eyes… But hair color? Height? Facial structure? Nothing. I don’t know. I also can’t tell you if the Dragons have scales or wings, or how tall they are, or if they have tails. I just… I couldn’t SEE the characters.

The snark and dialogue are on point, though. I absolutely ADORE how much attitude we get from the White Wraith. Her interactions with and reactions to Cvareh are both tense and super amusing, especially as Cvareh begins to experiment and play with his own sass. I also love that we can see their relationship shift and change as time passes. Cvareh’s reactions to Loom, and the people living there, were also super entertaining. While it’s clear at the start he’s prejudiced against the Fen, you can see this change the longer he stays with them and interacts with them.

This was a SUPER fun, snarky read–though a bit confusing on some of the finer details. I loved the dialogue, but wish I’d been better able to “see” the characters. Here’s hoping the next book will help clear things up for me–I cannot WAIT to lay hands on it next year! I recommend this read to lovers of fantasy, dragons, and steampunk. The White Wraith crawled under my skin and stuck there; maybe you should join the rebellion, too!