The Wish Granter by C.J. Redwine

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The Wish Granter by C. J. Redwine is a fun and suspenseful retelling of Rumpelstiltskin!
Ari treats everything with humor and Thad is feeling the pressure from his granted wish. Thad has suddenly become king after he made a deal with the Wish Granter ensuring his sister will be taken care of. Little did he know that the Wish Granter always tricks and gets more out of the bargain than the people he makes deals with. Sebastian has been hired as the kingdom’s new weapons master. He’s grateful for this chance to better his life and get away from his violent father and to help his drug-addicted mother. Ari asks Sebastian to make weapons out of iron for her so she can protect Thad from the Wish Granter. Ari has also asked Sebastian to train her to use weapons to protect herself and her brother, through this the two of them become close friends. Teague discovers that Thad is working to get out of his contract, so Teague comes to collect Thad’s soul but he takes Ari prisoner instead. Sebastian braves everything that’s horribly traumatic and difficult for him, so he can get to Ari. Teague shares his background story with Ari and he tells her what his beautiful pipe is made of and it shocks her to the core. The author’s writing adds suspense, charm and intensity to the story. The Wishgranter is the second book in the Ravenspire series and it’s just as good as the first book, The Shadow Queen! 5 stars for this fairytale about Rumpelstiltskin!

The Make-ahead Sauce Solution by Elisabeth Bailey

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Yummy, time-saving recipes!
Thanks to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the opportunity to read and review The Make-Ahead Sauce Solution by Elisabeth Bailey!
Time and money saving solutions for make-ahead sauces from across the globe. Instructions for cooking pasta, potatoes, rice, tofu, chicken, and other bases for sauces, to perfection, opens the book. The sauces can easily be thinned into soups, if desired. Full sauce recipes and menu ideas help stretch the home chef’s budget and imagination, 5 stars!

Paper Girl by Cindy R. Wilson

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Fun romance!
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review Paper Girl by Cindy R. Wilson!
Zoe is home-schooled and Jackson is homeless and they play chess together online, not knowing each other’s true identities. Before things changed for Zoe, she talked to Jackson at a basketball game her sister was cheering at. Zoe and Jackson think about each other from before she was home-schooled but neither of them realize that. Since Zoe needs help with Math and Physics, her mother hires Jackson for tutoring and their relationship grows into more than just friendly acquaintances. They help each other deal with personal struggles, Zoe’s anxiety and Jackson’s relationship with his father. Paper Girl is therapeutic and a cute young adult romance, 5 stars!

The Time Traveler’s Guide to Modern Romance by Madeline J. Reynolds

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Time travel adventure!
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review The Time Traveler’s Guide to Modern Romance by Madeline J. Reynolds!
Elias lives with his family in London during the 1800’s and he feels like a constant disappointment to his family. His grandfather shares a secret with Elias because he sees how unhappy he is. The secret is a pocket watch that lets the holder travel through time. Elias accidentally ends up in America in the present time, surprising Tyler while he’s in the school library. Tyler accidentally films everything, as he’s aspiring to become a famous filmmaker. He captures the arrival of Elias, including the small earthquakes that occurred in the library, startling Tyler. The boys become fast friends and Tyler guides Elias around the school and New York City, teaching him current slang and explaining the different inventions Elias has never seen before. The culture and technology differences are entertaining and the story is interesting but light at the same time. 4 stars for a fun, cute read!

99% Faking It by Chris Cannon

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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The friend zone is a difficult place to be!
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review 99% Faking It by Chris Cannon! Lisa has a crush on Matt but she’s tried to change her feelings about him since he put her in the friend zone. Now, to help them both get dates, Matt has asked Lisa to pretend to be his girlfriend because a taken person is much more attractive. Lisa bothered me with her insecurities and I understand that everyone is allowed an opinion and should take care of themselves but she seemed self-righteous at times. The comment that Matt made about not caring if Lisa isn’t cool and how he likes that she’s into books annoyed me too. It’s like he’s trying to convince himself to like her. I think I needed a bit more happy relationship events between Matt and Lisa so I could actually root for everything to work out with them but I didn’t feel invested in their relationship. I enjoyed Chris Cannon’s fantasy series, Going Down in Flames, but 99% Faking It feels rushed and lacks depth. I give it three stars for a cutesy, cohesive story.

End of the Lie by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Twisting mystery!
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the opportunity to read and review End of the Lie by Diana Rodriguez Wallach!
Anastasia watches her sister become more and more depressed because of her traumatic kidnapping and the bad publicity that follows. They are both trying to adjust to the new situation with their parents and unwanted fame. Twists and turns keep them running and confused but they stay by each other’s sides to get through their intense struggles. Anastasia sees the people around her change until everything comes full circle. Intense, mysterious and suspenseful all wrapped up in this finale of the Anastasia Phoenix series, 5 stars!

Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Strong, dynamic characters make a wonderful fantasy!
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian!
Theo is on Smoke, Dragonbane’s ship, with her Shadows and Soren. They are all working towards gathering allies to get her palace and reign back. Dynamic, strong characters plus the world building make Lady Smoke interesting to read and the uncertainty of Theo’s future drew me into the story even more. The characters’ backgrounds are intense and built fascinating characters that keep growing and stay steadfast by Theo’s side. Amazing strength and loyalty create unparalleled love for the kingdom they are all trying to get back. As the story carries on, more atrocities are brought to light and make the group even more determined! I don’t want to spoil anything but I’m thoroughly enjoying this series and anxiously awaiting the third book! 5 stars for great world building and strong, dynamic characters!

The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Philosophical dystopian by the author of the Matched series!
I received The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie as a Bookish First Winner!
Poe hides out on a ship with Call, the young man that she loves. They’ve made plans to run away together and they feel like the world is at their fingertips until the ship is attacked by raiders. In that moment, everything is taken away from Poe. The story jumps to two years later when Poe becomes Captain of the ship or dredge that she’s spent the past two years designing protective armor for. She’s all alone in the world and trusts no one. The dredge is built to mine the river and gather gold. Poe designed the armor to protect the ship and shipmates from raiders, the same group of people that attacked the ship she was on two years before. The character range is limited to the people that Poe is in the most contact with. The story is philosophical in its own way as Poe ponders her experiences and the people she truly cares for. Poe grows and matures as the story unfolds, while other things remain mysterious. 4 stars for this dystopian adventure.

I’m Saying No! by Beverly Engel

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Intelligent and helpful guide for everyone!
Thanks to Edelweiss and She Writes Press for the opportunity to read and review I’m Saying No! by Beverly Engel!
Education and knowledge leads to empowerment and protection. The introductory quote fits perfectly with the concept of this book, “For everything that gets taken from you, don’t let your voice be one of them.” -Anonymous.
The author carefully explains and describes the actions that everyone should take to protect themselves from being used in any way or harmed. Her carefulness shows that she truly wants to help us all become stronger and doesn’t want us to feel like a victim or at fault in any way. The best two tips for staying safe are the following:
-Stay focused and stay safe
-Use all your senses
METRAC’s free phone app generates response suggestions for harassment situations and can be helpful in situations where just walking away isn’t enough. I love the suggestions of creative ways to take action against a harasser, such as writing down their license plate number or writing down the statement that was said to you or telling the harasser that you’re conducting a harassment survey. These are awesome ideas that will possibly throw off the situation so the perpetrator loses his steam! This book is a confidence-building and helpful guide to keeping ourselves strong and safe! 5 stars for a book that everyone needs to read to either protect themselves or to become more aware of how people treat others.

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Dynamic Fantasy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian.
A six-year-old Theodosia watches her mother as her life is taken from her. Her mother tells Theodosia that she’s the only hope for their people. The story jumps ahead ten years. Theodosia is a prisoner in the palace with the man who killed her mother, the Kaiser’s second in command- the Theyn. The Kaiser and the Theyn keep her with their own children in the palace, except she receives frequent whippings to remind her of their cruelty and her kingdom’s weakness. The Kaiser also gave her new names, Thora and Ash Princess. The Kaiser summons her to kill a rebel. This man used to be her guardian and he’s also her father. He pleads with her as his queen. He tells her to remember her rightful place as a princess and now a queen. He also tells her to kill him and she fulfills his request knowing that the guards will drag out his death but she will make it quick. The Prinze escorts her to her room and she vomits because of the trauma she’s just been through. Her maid helps her get undressed and puts ointment on her whip marks. Hoa, the maid, can’t speak because her mouth has been sewn shut. The stitches are cut every few days to allow Hoa to eat, then her mouth is sewn back up! There are no words to describe how horrible and deplorable that is. Thora is bolstering herself up to do what both her mother and father asked of her, to be their queen and she knows it’s up to her now because there’s no one left to rescue her. She discovers that a childhood friend is in the palace, Blaise, and he gives her hope once again. Blaise and two other rebels take the place of Thora’s private guards and together they plot the death of the Kaiser, the Prinz, the Theyn and his daughter. Pressure and learning more about the violent crimes towards her people make Thora determined to be the queen she was meant to be. 5 stars for this dynamic fantasy full of strong, interesting characters!