[New Post] ARC Review: The Shadows of Wren by Jen Bliton

January 8, 2024August 8, 2024 LatteandbookzLeave a comment

Title: The Shadows of Wren

Author: Jen Bilton

Page count: 386

Published: August 30th, 2023

Publisher: Netgalley

Genre: YA, Magic

Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 2/5

May the Valiant Prevail

After decades of peace within the lands of Caldumn ruled by the Red Kingdom, the southern towns have come under attack. Their libraries burned and ancient texts stolen by an ominous force. An unlikely alliance between two magic kinds is formed when Wren, a nineteen-year-old Mage, finds herself in the middle of a conflict that will take her outside of the peaceful life she’s known.

Along her journey, she meets Tyran, whose Necromancer magic is not widely trusted, and learns they share a deeper ancient magic that has long since disappeared.

Together with the help of all magic kinds, they must unite the towns to save their lands, and themselves, while the threat of the Red Kingdom looms.

Wren is orphaned as a child and discovers that she has a gift for shadow magic. As she grows, she trains with her father to learn how to work her magic. This was a book that was difficult to get into, and that may be because I don’t normally read this type of genre, it did have a good plot/storyline but it just wasn’t for me.

[New Post] ARC Review: Wandering In Wonderland by Alslinn Honeycutt

July 5, 2023January 28, 2025 LatteandbookzLeave a comment

Title: Wandering In Wonderland

Author: Alslinn Honeycutt

Page count:

Published: January 10th, 2021

Publisher: The Parliament House Press

Genre: Retellings, Young Adult

Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 3/5

“Lewis Carroll didn’t get it right?”
“No, my dear. I don’t think anyone truly will.”

Far away and down a rabbit hole sits the magical world known as Wonderland. A safe haven for the souls who lived less than ideal lives in the waking world get to experience peace in their afterlife. Jessica is the newest member of this enchanted land, but after eating a cookie that took away her memories of who she was, she doubts herself at every turn.

Jessica participates in The Looking Glass Ceremony to find her new role in the afterlife, but fate has different plans. As the Queen of Hearts takes Jessica under her royal wing, plots of regicide bubble up from the depths of Wonderland. With the help of new and eccentric friends, Jessica might be able to stop the treasonous threats and bring true peace to Wonderland. But only if she heeds the cryptic words of the Caterpillar.

Familiar faces take on new roles in this fantasy retelling with a dark and romantic LGBT twist This isn’t the Wonderland you’ve experienced before, and you definitely don’t want to be late for it.

Alice in wonderland has always been one of my favourite movies/books I have read a few re telling’s and some have been amazing, and some were just okie. This one It was unique unlike the others that I have read, there are twists and turns that you don’t see happening and everything is backwards.
Alice and Jessica are an amazing pair to make this story truly compelling. I will be giving my full review closer to release day.

[ARC Book Review] Colours by Alastair Crombie

August 19, 2019 LatteandbookzLeave a comment

Title: Colours

Author: Alastair Crombie

Page count: 223

Published: April 27, 2019

, Publisher: BooksGoSocial

Genre: Teen / YA

Received: from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 2.5/5

Summary:

Bullied, beaten, hospitalised. And it’s only his first day.

After the school bully puts Charlie in hospital, he doesn’t think things can get worse, until he starts seeing clouds of light surround strangers.

Charlie worries he’s hallucinating until the mysterious Colours Institute offers him an apprenticeship and a chance at the truth. He soon wishes he was hallucinating as the truth might mean he can manipulate the fabric of humanity.

Fighting against an enemy as ruthless as he his smart can Charlie and his new friends uncover the power he needs? And at what cost?

Charlie might be the most interesting person you meet this year. Why don’t you find out?

My Thoughts:

The synopsis of the book sounded amazing, I have read books that have dealt with synesthesia and have been blown away by those books. So when I read that the main character was able to see colors around people after an accident I knew I had to read the book. but…

While I was reading this I was having a hard time connecting to it. I was really hoping that I was going to love it because it sounded so unique. I got to about 50% and decided to stop because I just couldn’t get into it. I know that I got to half way but I just couldn’t read the last half.

The story in the beginning did seem a little slow. I didn’t think that it was going to go anywhere. I felt like it was lacking something more.

ARC Book Review: Pregnant in Pennsylvania by Jasinda Wilder

April 20, 2019April 22, 2019 LatteandbookzLeave a comment

Title: Pregnant in Pennsylvania

Author: Jasinda Wilder

Page count: 350

Published: April 12, 2019

Publisher: Jasinda Wilder

Genre: New Adult

Received: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 5/5

Summary:

When you’re from a place like Clayton, PA, you either leave as soon as you can, or you never leave. We can’t even say we’re a one-stoplight town, because we don’t have a stoplight, just a traffic circle on a minor local highway. Here in Clayton, everyone knows everyone, and gossip and rumors are a way of life.

So, when my high school sweetheart leaves our son and me for a woman in another state, it’s the talk of the town for months, if not years. Even my motor-mouthed, wild child of a best friend, Cora, can’t rustle up enough trouble to keep my name off their lips for more than a week or two.

So, when I meet a handsome, single man not from Clayton, I assume he’s just passing through.

It was just supposed to be a night of fun with my BFF before school starts—one last hurrah before lesson plans and homework and packing lunches and school pickup lines take over everything. It wasn’t supposed to lead to an intense, sizzling connection—an attraction which despite my most vehement denials goes far beyond the physical.

The real question now is…will it end in another heartbreak for me and my son, or could it become a Happily Ever After?

My Thoughts:

I love that this was a second chance romance because Jamie and Elyse are people who need that. This book was very realistic which I think is amazing. Jasinda does that with such ease.

We meet Elyse who is a divorced single mom which has taken a tole on her. I love her son Aiden he has such a great sense of humour. Her best friend Cora takes Elyse out for a night and she happens to meet this smexy stranger.

Jamie has divorced recently and moved to Clayton because of his job. One night out he meets this amazing woman and when he wakes in the morning she’s gone.

When Jamie and Elyse meet a few days later after there night together, you can just feel the attraction between the two of them. They won’t be able to hold off for long.

I definitely recommend this to everyone. It was such a great quick read

ARC Book Review: Best I’ve Ever Had by Abbi Glines

April 19, 2019July 22, 2023 LatteandbookzLeave a comment

Title: The Best I’ve Never Had

Author: Abbi Glines

Page count: N/A

Published: April 14, 2019

Publisher: The NextstepPR

Genre: New Adult

Received: From the author in exchange for an honest review

Rating: 3/5

Summary:

Summer had returned to the coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama. The nightlife lit up with scantily clad sun-kissed bodies, live music, the smell of freshly cooked seafood.

Taking it all in he wondered if coming back had been the best thing. He wasn’t the same man who had driven out of town a year ago on the motorcycle he’d spontaneously bought after his best friend’s wedding. From the messy blond curls he’d let grow out to the tattoos now covering his arms, part of his chest and even the side of his neck, it all represented a part of his journey.

Eli Hardy was back, but he didn’t plan on staying for long

My Thoughts:

This is the first book that I have read by this author it was cute and sweet. It was a quick read for me. It is the 3^rd in the series but without having read the previous books I feel like it can be read as a standalone. This book for me was just okie.

First meeting Eli he is a total mess. He leaves his home for a year and when I family emergency happens, he needs to return home. When he returns, he is a completely different man. He now is more rugged and has tattoos. He just wants to go home and deal with what he needs to deal with and leave. He doesn’t want to stay longer then what’s needed. Well… that’s until he meets Ophelia. Ophelia is just what Eli needs even if he doesn’t realize it at first.

The ending was a bit abrupt in my opinion because it just ends on an I Love You…. I feel like it should have had a bit more then that. Maybe an Epilogue? Or an extra few pages. Not just I Love You.