Tag: reviews

eARC Review – All That’s Bright and Gone

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Title: All That’s Bright and Gone

Author: Eliza Nellums

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Publication date: December 10th, 2019

256 pages

4.25/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Fans of Jodi Picoult and Fredrik Backman will fall for this tenderhearted debut mystery following a young girl on a quest to save her family.

I know my brother is dead. But sometimes Mama gets confused.

Six-year-old Aoife knows better than to talk to people no one else can see, like her best friend Teddy who her mother says is invisible. He’s not, but Mama says it’s rude anyways. So when Mama starts talking to Aoife’s older brother Theo, Aoife is surprised. And when she stops the car in the middle of an intersection, crying and screaming, Aoife gets a bad feeling–because even if they don’t talk about it, everyone knows Theo died a long time ago. He was murdered.

Eventually, Aoife is taken home by her Uncle Donny who says he’ll stay with her until Mama comes home from the hospital, but Aoife doesn’t buy it. The only way to bring Mama home is to find out what really happened to Theo. Even with Teddy by her side, there’s a lot about the grown-up world that Aoife doesn’t understand, but if Aoife doesn’t help her family, who will?

Between Aoife’s vivid imagination and her steadfast goal, All That’s Bright and Gone illuminates the unshakable bond between mothers and daughters in an increasingly unstable world. 

Review

**Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, Eliza Nellums, and Netgalley for providing me this ebook in exchange for an honest review**

Aoife (EE-fah) is a 6 year old girl who has been through a lot in her short life. Her mother has a mental illness that makes her act confused at times, and their living situation isn’t always the greatest. Aoife knows her mom is trying and thinks their life is great fun. When her mom has a mental breakdown while driving, Aoife’s world is turned upside down, because Mommy isn’t home anymore. Her Uncle Donovan comes to take care of her, which trying to navigate CPS and an energetic, 6 year old with an imaginary friend, Teddy, that likes to get her in trouble.

I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book solely narrated by a very, young character, but I imagine this is exactly what it would sound like it this happened in real life. Eliza Nellums made this book so much more interesting by telling it from Aoife’s point of view. It would have been easy to have the mom be the narrator, or even Uncle Donovan. But Aoife lends this story an innocent perspective, which I think really increased my enjoyment of this book, even if at times I (as an adult) just wanted Aoife to pay more attention to the adult conversations happening!

There is a lovely plot twist at the end that came as a shock to me (and Aoife). It also really brings into question the idea of imaginary friends, ghosts, and mental health. This book truly is a rich telling of life and family, and what happens when chaos starts to reign in the dynamic. All characters were interesting and helped move the story onward. There is a general “happy” ending, but not one that you expect in the beginning or middle of the book.

I really appreciated this story. It’s a little out of my comfort zone of what I would normally read, but I knocked it out in one night. It is short, if not necessarily light in tone. Aoife does get herself into some trouble, and I spent a good section of the book worried about this little girl.

This book definitely reminded me of Jodi Picoult and a little of Sarah Dessen, so if you like those authors, check out All That’s Bright and Gone.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂

eARC Review – Everafter Song

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Title: Everafter Song (The Evermore Chronicles #3)

Author: Emily R. King

Publisher: Skyscape

Publication date: December 10th, 2019

282 pages

4.25/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

There’s a price on Everley Donovan’s head. Fleeing from the queen’s false accusation of murder and sorcery, the girl with the clock heart knows there’s only one way to prove her innocence. Everley must catch Killian Markham, the fugitive prince guilty of the crimes for which she’s been condemned. To do that, Everley must follow him into the towering realm of the Silver-Clouded Plain. It’s where flesh-eating Behemoths thrive, long-lost gods hide, and an artifact of destructive force awaits the death grip of the immortal prince.

Haunted by visions of burning Everwoods and bloody battlefields, Everley’s fears are rising. Because the elusive relic threatens more than the very power that drives her clock heart. In Killian’s hands, it can lead to the dismantling of the seven worlds. With everything—and everyone—Everley loves at stake, she must depend on Killian’s one weakness to outwit him: in his mad ambitions, Killian has underestimated her once again. For Everley is the Time Bearer. This is her destiny. The time of reckoning is at hand.

Review

**Thank you to Skyscape, Netgalley, and Emily R. King for this ebook copy in exchange for an honest review**

In the last book in The Evermore Chronicles, Everley is so close to stopping Killian Markham, but he keeps slipping through her fingers. Time and time again she walks right into his traps, and he walks away with the lead. Everley must travel more than ever and get used to powers she didn’t realize she had, and quickly so she can use them to gain advantage on Markham. Several endings have been foretold, and Everafter Song brings even new magical creatures – elves, giants, trolls, sea hags, etc into the fold. Everley is doing all she can to maintain the structure of the worlds and not allow Markham to rip them all apart. But will she have the strength to make the hard decision when it comes?

Alas, this trilogy is over. I am 100% DEAD over the ending. NO spoilers here, but man am I sad about it. Everafter Song is the end book you want to bring a magical and wild adventure to an end. And, my most hated characters got what was coming to them in the end – which is great. I flowed through this book all in one day because I just needed to know how the story ended and whether Everley was able to prevail and save the worlds.

The world-building in this series is insane. So insane, it was almost hard to keep straight at times. I did read these on my iPad, so assuming there is a map in the print books that would help keep track of the worlds. The concept of Father Time has been interesting throughout this story, even if I didn’t always agree with their actions.

OH and we have a few quietly LGBTQIA characters. Multiple lesbian/gay/bisexual (not entirely clear but there were same sex relationships/interests) along with a transgender elf. I AM HERE FOR IT. Osric must be protected at all costs.

I just have to go back to the ending though. The end is really the kicker for me that pulled the rating down. I wish there had been a way to have a Happily Ever After ending, but I totally get why there wasn’t. I just feel like King built such a bad-a character in Everley and the ending took all of that away from her.

Overall, I think if you like epic world-building, YA Fantasy, and some irredeemable characters please go check out The Evermore Chronicles!

eARC Review – A Violet Fire

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Title: A Violet Fire (Vampires in Avignon #1)

Author: Kelsey Quick

Publisher: Self-published

Publication date: December 9th, 2019

334 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

In the Vampire Stratocracy of Cain, human blood is scarce. For centuries, councils have sought to assuage the blood shortage by enslaving and breeding humans, turning them into profitable supply units for the rich and the abled. 

Today, eighteen-year-old Wavorly Sterling is officially a supply unit, bound to serve her blood willingly to her master for the rest of her life. One of only few humans that was not bred in Cain, Wavorly knows freedom better than anyone, and she is determined to escape the clutches of her oppressors, even if by the hands of death. 

But surprises lay beyond every certainty, and within every doubt. Where Wavorly’s hatred for both vampires and her enslavement once flowed free as blood, it merely trickles as she grows to admire her reserved, yet receptive master and savior, Anton Zein. 

Although warmed by comforts never felt before, danger still lurks in the castle, and a prophecy calls from beyond the walls of a lavender gate—concealing the horrific secrets lodged between handsome smirks and cinereous eyes. It will take everything within Wavorly to face her fears and her doubts; to harness the truth of her past despite what that means for her future. The only question is, will she? 

Set in a richly detailed world of fantasy, A Violet Fire is a gripping journey filled with passion, betrayal, lies, and the encouragement we all need to take a stand for our freedom—no matter the cost.

Review

**Thank you to Kelsey Quick and Netgalley for an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Welcome to the world of Cain, where vampires are in charge and humans are blood slaves called “supply units” that are bred from birth to be pliable, submissive, and utterly in love with the vampires. I mean serious brainwashing here. There is a limited supply of supply units so only the greatest of vampires are able to own them. Wavorly used to be a free-roamer, a human from a separate colony, unmarred by vampires. When her whole town is slaughtered by vampires, she is saved and brought to the Nightingale but a seemingly “nice” vampire. The Nightingale is a school meant to teach supply units how to be better at their job of feeding vampires and being utterly enslaved.

Wavorly is the only one who doesn’t agree with how life is going for humans. She is the opposite of pliable, submissive, and in love with vampires. But, her owner, Lord Anton Zein continues to keep her alive even with all her attempts to escape. When she is brought to live in Zein’s castle, she starts to have empathy for vampires and her feelings begin to change. However, things are not always as they seem…

I’m generally always a fan of vampires books, and I definitely enjoyed A Violet Fire. Wavorly is feisty and doesn’t have a filter for what she says at all. She makes mistakes, but she owns them and that’s about all you can do. She is trying to make the best of a situation that she has no control over but desperately wants to change.

The plot was solid, however I felt the love story was too quick and happened abruptly. Very much the enemies to lovers trope for those who enjoy that, I know I do. There was a good cliffhanger on at the end that leaves you questioning what is real and what isn’t – and I’m sure Wavorly is too.

If you love enemies to lovers and vampire stories, A Violet Fire will be for you.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂

eARC Review – The Wickerlight

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Title: The Wickerlight (The Wren Hunt #2)

Author: Mary Watson

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Publication date: November 26th, 2019

416 pages

3/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

In this lush, magical thriller for fans of the Raven Cycle and The Hazel Wood, one girl’s murder investigation leads her into an ancient magical war.

It’s been two months since Zara’s sister Laila was found lifeless on the village green of the small Irish town Kilshamble, not a mark on her. Vicious rumors circle that she died of an overdose or committed suicide–but an autopsy finds no evidence.

Zara believes somebody must know what happened, and she throws herself headfirst into an investigation. But retracing her sister’s footsteps takes her to David, a member of an ancient magical faction called the judges. The judges are in the midst of an ancient feud with another faction called the augurs, and Zara quickly finds herself embroiled in a dangerous, twisted game. And if she isn’t careful on the path she’s treading, she could end up with the same fate as Laila.

Riveting, atmospheric, and full of dangerous magic, this lyrical novel set in the world of The Wren Hunt is perfect for readers of Maggie Stiefvater and Melissa Albert.

Review

**Thank you to Bloomsbury YA, Netgalley, and Mary Watson for providing me this ebook in exchange for an honest review**

The Wickerlight picks up where The Wren Hunt picks up, just not focused on Wren and Tarc. This book focuses on Zara, who’s sister was found dead during Wren’s ritual to turn into the flower woman in the first book, and David, Wren’s tormentor. You get a peek behind the curtains into David’s motivations and desires, and it helps turn him a bit into a redeemable character (but only barely). The Wickerlight continues the theme of being confusing and having a host of irredeemable characters. Zara works to learn more about her sister’s death, while dealing with her family life crumbling around her. David is trying to become the most respected warrior judge, and get away from his Dad’s influence.

I was surprised to see that this was not a continuation of Wren’s story, because I really did not feel like the first book wrapped everything up in Wren’s story. It was disorienting and took me some time to catch up to Zara’s story. Zara and David are still both irredeemable characters, if you thought that theme would change with book two, you were mistaken. The judges and augurs all make terrible decisions and hate each other for a reason that is fairly superfluous. They also have no regard for non-gifted people, as Zara’s life and state of mind is constantly tampered with and threatened during this book.

This duology was not for me. Mary Watson’s writing is gorgeous and flowing, but I could not get past the character’s flaws. It’s hard for me to connect with a book if I can’t find common ground with at least one character. I don’t expect every character to be a saint, but I need one who is redeemable. If you love books that are beautifully written with a bunch of irredeemable characters running around rural Ireland, check out this duology!

Keep in mind, this review and release is for the US edition. The UK edition has already been released.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂

eARC Review – The Wolf and the Sparrow

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Title: The Wolf and the Sparrow

Author: Isabelle Adler

Publisher: Nine Star Press

Publication date: November 25th, 2019

300 pages

3/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Derek never wished to inherit his title as a result of a bloody battle. With the old count dead and the truce dependent on his marriage to the rival duke’s son, Derek has no choice but to agree to the victor’s terms in order to bring peace to his homeland. When he learns of the sinister rumors surrounding his intended groom, Derek begins to have doubts—but there can be no turning back from saying I do.

After the death of his wife, Callan of Mulberny never expected to be forced into another political marriage—especially not to someone like the new Count of Camria. Seemingly soft and meek, it’s only fitting that Derek’s family crest is a flighty sparrow, worthy of nothing but contempt.

Another war with the seafaring people of the Outer Isles looms on the horizon, and the reluctant newlyweds must team together to protect those caught in the circle of violence. Derek and Callan slowly learn to let go of their prejudices, but as they find themselves enmeshed in intrigue fueled by dark secrets and revenge, their tentative bond is all that keeps their world—and their lives—from plunging into chaos.

Review

**Thank you to Nine Star Press, Netgalley, and Isabelle Adler for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review**

Derek barely has time to get accustomed to taking over his father’s title of Count before he is basically ordered to marry a Duke’s son. The Duke had just won a battle with the old count, and is sending a message by giving Derek no choice but to marry Callan. Callan is less than pleased with this, as his first wife is freshly dead from an accident. Chaos ensues when Derek and Callan are captured by the dead girl’s father and they must get out of the situation alive by trusting each other.

I think this book had a lot of potential, but fell flat in some areas. I loved the male/male relationship and how there wasn’t even a question in regards to sexuality and why a marriage is being arranged between two males. It’s not often you see a m/m relationship without more attention being brought to “coming out” or the inherit sexuality of it. It seemed like the culture in this world is such that gender isn’t so much important in relationships. However, the romance was very stilted and happened far more quickly than made sense. Like, they hated each other once day and in love the next – it didn’t work for me.

I also was not a fan of the magic system. It was not well explained and ended up being a pretty integral part of the ending – but I still don’t feel like I understand how the magic works. I think this part could have been done a lot better but it seemed like it was thrown in as an afterthought and was used more as a tool to increase sexual tension (weirdly enough).

The LGBTQIA aspect was my favorite part, along with the main conflict that brought Derek and Callan together. I think pieces of this book were very well done, but I wish some aspects were done differently, or explained better. Would recommend for those who enjoy LGBTQIA where the queerness of the characters isn’t a plot device.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂

Book Review – The Girl The Sea Gave Back

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Title: The Girl The Sea Gave Back

Author: Adrienne Young

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Publication date: September 3rd, 2019

327 pages

4/5 stars

Goodread Synopsis

The new gut-wrenching epic from the New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep.

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

Review

A companion novel to Sky in the Deep, The Girl the Sea Gave Back follows Halvard and Tova. Tova is a Truthtongue living among a hostile clan who believe she is bad luck. They would kill her given the opportunity, but she was found barely alive after her clan put her on a ship and set it on fire to sail out into the sea. The Svell took her in and she owes her life to them. Halvard is working to continue stabilizing the Riki and Aska clans, now combined to form one clan. The Svell are considering invading their land to try and take advantage of their precarious position. After Tova rolls the stones and foretells despair for the Svell tribe, they take it to mean they will be destroyed if they don’t take action. Tova and Halvard’s stories quickly collide and their fates are revealed.

I loved Sky in the Deep. Adrienne Young’s writing is so beautiful and lyrical, so I was fully expecting to love this one as well. I didn’t rate it as highly as SITD but it was still a great read for me. I liked getting to follow up with Halvard about 10 years after SITD ended, and other main characters from SITD were brought back as well – just not as main characters. I miss Eelyn though and her POV so it was hard to have her just in the background. I’m not sure she even had a line in the book, which was a shame.

My main issue with this book was the ending. It was left up to the imagination what happened and no clear explanation was given (not going to go into detail, because spoilers). I have a pretty good assumption as to what happened, but I prefer for it to be spelled out pretty clearly. I also just wasn’t as invested in Tova’s story as I was in the MC’s in SITD.

Overall, I really liked this book and the cover is absolutely GORGEOUS. Also, the first editions have this beautiful embossing on the naked book and it looks amazing. I took my time through this book as it was a gift from my boyfriend for my birthday and I didn’t want to finish it too quickly. This continues to show that I wasn’t as invested in it because I was able to easily put it down.

If you loved Sky in the Deep, check out The Girl the Sea Gave back for more Viking vibes.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂

eARC Review – Safe Harbour

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Title: Safe Harbour

Author: Christina Kilbourne

Publisher: Dundurn

Publication date: November 16th, 2019

264 pages

3/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

As crazy as her father’s plan sounds, sticking to it is easy for Harbour — until it isn’t.

Fourteen-year-old Harbour is living in a tent in a Toronto ravine with her dog, a two-month supply of canned tuna, and an eccentric reading list. She’s not homeless, she tells herself. She’s merely waiting for her home — a thirty-six-foot sailboat — to arrive with her father at the helm. Why should she worry when the clouds give her signs that assure her that she’s safe and protected?

When her credit card gets declined, phone contact from her father stops, and summer slips into a frosty fall, Harbour is forced to face reality and accept the help of a homeless girl named Lise to survive on the streets. Lise shows Harbour how to panhandle and navigate the shelter system while trying to unravel Harbour’s mysterious past. But if Harbour tells her anything, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Review

**Thank you to Dundurn Press, Christina Kilbourne, and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Harbour is 14 years old and used to living on a boat with her father, ever since her mom died. This time, her dad has her take the bus to Toronto while he sails there, he says it will be a great adventure. When weeks pass and Harbour is living by herself in a tent in a ravine with her dog, Tuff Stuff, she starts to worry about him. Thankfully, she meets Lise, a young, homeless girl who starts to look out for her. They share food and spend all their time together, until winter starts to set in and it starts to look like something happened to Harbour’s dad. When Harbour’s credit card is declined, she starts to panic, especially because she is keeping a secret that could affect everyone.

This book was fairly solid. It was shorter than I’m used to, but it was nice to be able to get through a book quickly. It was interesting reading about a girl who is basically homeless, trying to convince everyone around her that she is not homeless. Lise is a great asset to her, and she was frankly my favorite part of the book. I respect people who are able to make the most out of tough situations, and sometimes Harbour comes off as very whiny and ungrateful for the help Lise was providing. Also, I really have concerns about a dad that has his young daughter living on a boat, at one point stranding her on islands overnight, and then sending her to travel from Miami to Toronto by bus with only a dog to keep her company.

I felt the ending of this went to quickly and the big reveal wasn’t given enough emphasis. Harbour was SO convinced of this one thing, and then very quickly got over it with no issue. It didn’t follow with her personality and demeanor throughout the book. Definitely a missed plot point there and one thing I would change.

This was overall a solid choice. It was well written and kept my attention throughout the book.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂

eARC Review – Coral

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Title: Coral

Author: Sara Ella

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishing

Publication date: November 12th, 2019

384 pages

3.75/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

There is more than one way to drown.

Coral has always been different, standing out from her mermaid sisters in a society where blending in is key. Worse yet, she fears she has been afflicted with the dreaded Disease, said to be carried by humans—emotions. Can she face the darkness long enough to surface in the light?

Above the sea, Brooke has nothing left to give. Depression and anxiety have left her feeling isolated. Forgotten. The only thing she can rely on is the numbness she finds within the cool and comforting ocean waves. If only she weren’t stuck at Fathoms—a new group therapy home that promises a second chance at life. But what’s the point of living if her soul is destined to bleed?

Merrick may be San Francisco’s golden boy, but he wants nothing more than to escape his controlling father. When his younger sister’s suicide attempt sends Merrick to his breaking point, escape becomes the only option. If he can find their mom, everything will be made right again—right?

When their worlds collide, all three will do whatever it takes to survive, and Coral might even catch a prince in the process. But what—and who—must they leave behind for life to finally begin?

Taking a new twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved—yet tragic—fairy tale, Coral explores mental health from multiple perspectives, questioning what it means to be human in a world where humanity often seems lost.

Review

**Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishing, Sara Ella, and Netgalley for providing me this ebook in exchange for an honest review**

First off, I want to give a GIANT trigger warning for this book. Depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and suicidality are all major themes in this book and can be hard for some to read. Please be mindful of your mental health while reading this book, and please seek help if you are in need. A great part of this book is that Sara Ella begins the book with a long trigger warning, which is so helpful.

Coral loosely follows the original The Little Mermaid fairy tale. There are three points of view in this book: Coral, a mermaid princess who feels out of place within her family. Human emotion is considered a “Disease” in the mer-world and her eldest sister falls to the Disease after falling in love with a human prince. Merrick is a troubled young man who’s world falls to pieces when his 10 year old sister attempts suicide. He sets of on a journey to help her in the only way he can think of. Lastly, we have Brooke, a young woman who has entered treatment for depression and suicidal ideation. Her story is that of redemption and regaining mental health stability in a world she doesn’t feel she belongs. All three separate stories become forever entwined after mutual loss and love.

There is a lot to unpack in this novel. As someone who’s professional background (outside of reviewing books!) is in Clinical Psychology, I feel qualified to say that Sara Ella provided a realistic and haunting explanation of the affect of depression and suicidal ideation on the self and the family unit. There are a lot of bad examples of mental health and those who suffer from the disease in the media in society, but I see Sara Ella working to dispel the presumptions and biases and applaud her.

One thing I will say is that the timing and pacing of this book seem off. There was a point where I was very confused about the timeline, and I recognize this is due to trying to keep the big reveal from being realized too soon, but this makes the book more confusing than necessary. It’s a good twist, but not worth the initial confusion. Also, the ending didn’t seem to wrap up the story as much as I wanted. I felt disappointed in the lack of clear ending and I feel some ends are still loose.

Overall, Sara Ella has woven a story of life, love, and struggling with internal demons – something we can all relate to whether we want to admit it or not. It starts a conversation about healing and recovery from illness, but also continues the conversation about those who succumb to the disease and move on from this life. Again, please be aware of your own mental health when reading this book.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂

eBook Review – Into the Hourglass

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Title: Into the Hourglass (The Evermore Chronicles #2)

Author: Emily R. King

Publisher: Skyscape

Publication date: August 20th, 2019

286 pages

4/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

In the second book in The Evermore Chronicles by Emily R. King, Everley Donovan plunges into the roiling waves of a strange new world to hunt a wicked prince who cheated time.

Everley Donovan’s mission: retrieve the hallowed sword of Avelyn stolen by the wicked Prince Killian, who slayed her family and left her for dead. Should she fail, the seven worlds will come to an end, as could time itself. And no one treasures time more than Everley, whose lifesaving clock heart cannot beat forever. She has set sail with a rogue crew for the otherworlds, where the key to dethroning the prince lies deep within the Land Under the Wave.

But passage through these unknown seas—where horrors lurk and pirates rove—proves a treacherous gamble. The Land Under the Wave was not made for humans, particularly one with a fragile clock heart. Here, Everley’s tragic past resurfaces unsolved questions. Here, too, the prince has hidden secrets more precious than pearls, secrets that could fracture the future forevermore. Everley must take back her sword and break free from this watery world before her time runs out…or so will everyone else’s. 

Review

In the second installment of The Evermore Chronicles, Everley finds herself chasing after Killiam Markham to get her sword back. This quest brings her to the land of pirates, sirens, and fin people – along with some not so fun elves. Everley’s clock heart is beating slower and she’s struggling more to live with it. Each page is full of adventure.

Some things that didn’t change from book one – I still hate Markham and Harlow. They still suck as people and they can leave for all I need. I get why the story needs them but COME ON. On the better side, Jamison Callahan is still swoon worthy as he quite obviously falls in love with Everley, even though she believes she’s incapable of love without a physical heart. Lastly, the amount of interesting creatures and worlds that they get to explore. It ALMOST reminds me of the Pendragon series – but only because of the world jumping to catch the bad guys, and they never quite know what to expect from each world.

Some interesting new developments – the side characters are developed more and start to have their own plot lines and independent thoughts and actions. We learn more things about Markham’s motivations (don’t care – still hate him) but it adds to his backstory.

Overall, I generally dislike middle books more than the first and third books. I actually think this book was better than Before the Broken Star, because they were really able to get into the plot and get the story going. It was a pleasant surprise for me because middle books are often just vehicles to set up for an ending – whereas King is able to keep the momentum going through this book, in my opinion.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂

eBook Review – Before the Broken Star

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Title: Before the Broken Star (The Evermore Chronicles #1)

Author: Emily R. King

Publisher: Skyscape

Publication date: May 1st, 2019

294 pages

3.5/5 stars

Goodreads Synopsis

A fierce young female adventurer battles time itself to claim her destiny in a sweeping new fantasy saga from the author of the Hundredth Queen series.

Everley Donovan is living on borrowed time. The lone survivor of her family’s unexplained assassination, she was saved by an ingeniously crafted clockwork heart. But the time she was given won’t last forever. Now, every tick-tock reminds her how fragile her existence is and hastens her quest to expose Killian Markham, the navy admiral who shattered her world and left her for dead. But Everley’s hunt for justice will be a long and hard-won voyage.

Her journey takes her to a penal colony on a cursed isle, where she will be married off and charged to build the new world. It is here, and beyond, that hidden realms hide, treasures are unearthed, her family secrets are buried, and young love will test the strength of her makeshift heart. When Everley discovers Markham may not be who he seems, her pursuit for truth is bound to his redemption, her tragic history, and her astonishing destiny.

Review

Could you become a monster to destroy one?

Emily r. king, before the broken star

Everley is an apprentice to a clockmaker, who also happens to be her uncle. She seems like an ordinary girl from the outside, but in fact she has a clock heart that keeps her alive after her entire family was brutally murdered and she was run through the heart with a sword. She lives her life focused on revenge, revenge against Killian Markham, the Governor who killed her family and tried to kill her. When Markham walks into her uncle’s clock shop, the perfect opportunity presents itself.

Everley ends up getting arrested and sentenced to live on a new colony on an island far away in order to help populate it. The important part to this is the Markham is the governor of the island, so she hopes to be able to kill him quickly and get on with her life. She has no idea the whirlwind her life will turn into when she gets to Dagger Island. Especially when she is forcibly married to a sweet lieutenant on the ship ride to the island. Before the Broken Star follows Everley’s attempts to understand her past, while living with the reality of her future. She must keep her clock heart hidden otherwise she would be sentenced to death immediately for sorcery.

Before the Broken Star held my attention. I love when books grab me and don’t let go. I prefer to have to wrench myself away to go about the charade of life and adulthood. I followed Everley’s story with excitement, but I can’t say I love where the story ended up. I’m really a Happily Ever After lover, and this is not a trope adhered to in this book. Also, Killian Markham and his associate Harlow are terrible people and it bothers me. They are the definition of irredeemable. Everley continues to help Harlow even when she is completely awful to her! Bothered me for Everley’s sake. BUT Lieutenant Callahan makes up for it *swoon*.

In a universe of magical worlds filled with pixies, grindylow’s, Father Time’s influence, and portals to the other worlds, Before the Broken Star has great world building, writing, and characters. Evie is a bad-a woman and I am with her all the way.

Happy reading, bookish friends! 🙂