Author: Liz Brooks

Reviews

Book Review: Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

Liz Brooks

Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass, #6)

Goodreads Summary:

Chaol Westfall has always defined himself by his unwavering loyalty, his strength, and his position as the Captain of the Guard. But all of that has changed since the glass castle shattered, since his men were slaughtered, since the King of Adarlan spared him from a killing blow, but left his body broken.

His only shot at recovery lies with the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme in Antica-the stronghold of the southern continent’s mighty empire. And with war looming over Dorian and Aelin back home, their survival might lie with Chaol and Nesryn convincing its rulers to ally with them.

But what they discover in Antica will change them both-and be more vital to saving Erilea than they could have imagined.

Liz’s Review

Hi everyone! It has quite a while since I posted a review. Well I. AM. BACK! Life has been really busy for me for a long time, so I haven’t read much. But I now have found time to read not just one book, but FOUR BOOKS! I am very excited to be jumping back into reading and reviewing… Starting with Tower of Dawn.

It took me a year to read this. I got about half way through when it was first published in 2017. It was droll. I was bored. However, my best friend asked if I had finished it back in August 2018. I said no, for the reasons list above. She told me to give it a second chance, “You love SJM! Just push through. It’s worth it.”

So I did.

And it did not disappoint. The first half of the book is your basic intro to new characters, get their background, etc. But the second half was a fast-paced story culminating in so much new information about people and animals and things we didn’t have before.

There are new ships to consider, which is always fun. New adventures for Chaol, which I actually enjoyed having a solo book surrounding his quest to the Antica. I truly think it helped with the last book of the series. Instead of getting a quick recap of what he did, the audience gets the full back story. And I don’t think Kingdom of Ash would’ve been as good had Tower of Dawn not been written.

Rating: 4 stars

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Reviews, YA Fantasy

Book Review: A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas

Liz Brooks

A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.1)

GoodReads Summary:

Months after the explosive events in A Court of Wings and Ruin, Feyre, Rhys, and their companions are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly-changed world beyond. But Winter Solstice is finally near, and with it, a hard-earned reprieve. Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated–scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court.

Liz’s Review:

I’ve always really loved Sarah J. Maas’ books. She’s a good writer, provides good backstory, gives characters depth and meaning. HOWEVER, A Court of Frost and Starlight fell short for me. It doesn’t surprise me that these characters are having a difficult time adjusting to life post-war. Its a very real thing, PTSD. And I felt like this “mini-novel”- because it isn’t a novella and it isn’t a novel either- didn’t take us anywhere, didn’t help the characters.

We, again, saw most of the events through Rhys and Feyre’s perspective, and we still learned nothing new. The others were there, but it didn’t build upon their story. Their chapters also didn’t bring us any closer to understanding their PTSD. I felt like this was fluff, but a fluff I didn’t need. A fluff that could have been inserted in the true 4th novel with flashbacks, or some other story driving force. Sadly, this just felt like a waste of my time.

On Goodreads, I gave it three stars, and that was generous.

Rating: 2 stars

Veronica’s Review:

This is what I wanted and what I did not want. Let me explain. My heart hurt to see them so… broken.

The book was told through four POV’s, Rhys & Feyre (not surprising) and Cass & Nesta (Interesting). I assume Sarah did it this way to start getting us familiarized with Cass and Nesta being the main POV’s from here on out. Now onto the good stuff.

I really thought the book would be more happy, but who am I kidding? I should have known how broken and sad the characters were going to be. I was surprised with Nesta’s actions. I always thought her rebellion would be manifested a different way, but alas I was wrong.

Overall, I expected more from this book, yet I was pleased with how she managed to wrap up Rhys & Feyre’s story in order for us to move onto Cass and Nesta’s. I wish we could have seen more of Az or the other characters of the inner circle and seen their struggle after the war, but I do understand that the focus was Rhys and Feyre. All the past books in the series had weight to them while this one was just a transition book which is why I am not being so hard on it.

My fangirl heart gave this book a 5 on Goodreads, but really…

Rating: 4 stars

Reviews

If There’s No Tomorrow by Jennifer L Armentrout Trailer Reveal!

Liz Brooks

If There's No Tomorrow

“Thought provoking and powerful.”

–# 1 New York Times bestselling authors Erin Watt

“Beautiful, real, and devastating, If There’s No Tomorrow grabbed me by the heart from the first lines and didn’t let go until the very end. Teeming with toe-curling romance, fully-realized friendships, and nuanced portrayals of grief and healing, this book will forever have a spot on my all-time favorites shelf. Absolutely brilliant and unforgettable.”

–# 1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah J. Maas

“Moving and necessary, essential and powerful, IF THERE’S NO TOMORROW belongs in everyone’s hands. You won’t be able to put it down.”

–Brigid Kemmerer, author of LETTERS TO THE LOST and ELEMENTAL SERIES

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SYNOPSIS:

ITNT-10Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She’s ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college applications and to maybe let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be epic—one of opportunities and chances. 

Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything. ITNT-5

Now Lena isn’t looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian might never forgive her for what happened. 

For what she let happen. 

With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when her and her friends’ entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn’t even guaranteed?

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IF THERE’S NO TOMORROW giveaway!!

Surprise Signed Prize Pack (multiple JLA books & swag)

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Ends: 9/14/17

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#1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

 

 

NA Romance, Reviews

Book Review: A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas

Liz Brooks

A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3)

GoodReads Summary:

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

My Review:

My expectations were too high.

I loved ACOTAR and ACOMAF… but I am only mildly happy with A Court of Wings and Ruin.

SJM said that we would get the story through multiple people, and while that is semi true, it wasn’t enough for me. I didn’t see enough of the other characters for my liking… and we really needed character development for the inner circle and more information about Elain and Nesta. Feyre grew so much in ACOMAF so I felt it was the side characters time to grow.

I will say the witter banter was still there, which is always fun to read. And what Feyre does in the Spring Court was badass to a whole new level for her. The introduction of the other High Lords of the Winter, Day, and Dawn courts was super fun.

So while ACOMAF wil always be my favorite SJM novel (so far), I think ACOWAR is tying with her Heir of Fire (TOG series) for my least favorite.

Author Signing Event:

By some MIRACLE, The Ivy Bookshop was able to secure a visit from SJM herself… first time I’ve see her in Baltimore ever. So it was incredibly exciting to go see her. The questions she answered were hilarious- the inner circle’s Hogwarts Houses and how she came to terms with being a Hufflepuff; what the 6th book of TOG looks like; how Rhysand came to be.

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The bestie and I waiting for SJM
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SJM talking about being a Hufflepuff
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SJM + Husband signing

Rating: 3 out of 5Blog Signature

Reviews, ya contemporary, ya romance

ARC Review: How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake

Liz Brooks

How to Make a Wish

GoodReads Summary:

All seventeen year-old Grace Glasser wants is her own life. A normal life in which she sleeps in the same bed for longer than three months and doesn’t have to scrounge for spare change to make sure the electric bill is paid. Emotionally trapped by her unreliable mother, Maggie, and the tiny cape on which she lives, she focuses on her best friend, her upcoming audition for a top music school in New York, and surviving Maggie’s latest boyfriend—who happens to be Grace’s own ex-boyfriend’s father.

Her attempts to lay low until she graduates are disrupted when she meets Eva, a girl with her own share of ghosts she’s trying to outrun. Grief-stricken and lonely, Eva pulls Grace into midnight adventures and feelings Grace never planned on. When Eva tells Grace she likes girls, both of their worlds open up. But, united by loss, Eva also shares a connection with Maggie. As Grace’s mother spirals downward, both girls must figure out how to love and how to move on.

My Review:

From the first moment that How to Make a Wish was announced I was incredibly excited to read it. I had read Suffer Love by Ashley Herring Blake and fell in love with her writing style and story telling. And while this review is coming out on the day How to Make a Wish is published, I read this novel over two months ago when I received the ARC.

How to Make a Wish grabbed me from the first sentence. A story of loss, love, acceptance, and future, Ashley weaves an intense tale of two teen girls finding each other at the right moment. Of complex stories that intertwine. Of having to handle that moment of “coming-out” to her family and friends.

I like both character’s right away and their “meet cute” was the perfect way to start their relationship.

With Grace launched into the adult world too soon, having to take care of a mother who is unpredictable, she is resentful that she doesn’t get a normal childhood. She is also looking toward her future, thinking about college, worried about her mother, worried about her best friend, feeling helpless. She is a very well-rounded character.

Eva on the other side is suffering the death of her mother and mentor. Forced to move to a town and in with a family she doesn’t know. Finding connection with Grace’s erratic mother.

On a deep scale, this book is about relationships; coming to terms with who an individual is, who a person wants to be, acceptance, love, friendship.

My Rating: 5 out of 5

I’d like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group for providing me with an ARC of this novel. Receiving this novel for free does not sway my review. Blog Signature

Reviews, ya contemporary, ya romance

Book Review: The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L Armentrout

Liz Brooks

The Problem with Forever

Goodreads Summary:

For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.

Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.

It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with the lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory faces a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants, and the truths that need to be heard.

My Review:

Something I have always loved about Jennifer L. Armentrout is her ability to take mental illness and weave them realistically into lives of her characters. Having seen her a few times in person, she is incredibly passionate about mental illness and being true to them when writing stories. She has previously written two other stories about mental illness, both of which I loved- Scorched and Frigid.

The Problem with Forever is about a Malory who grew up in the foster care system with abusive foster parents. She shared that home with a boy- Rider- whom was like a protector. Eventually Mallory is adopted by a new family, but she still has to deal with the after affects of the abuse and foster care system.

Mallory and Rider are both complex characters, each with their own coping mechanisms. The importance of this story is the acknowledgement  of these complexities and how their family and friends supported them, but also how they supported each other. This novel also sheds light on old “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” idea. All people come from different backgrounds, and, especially given today’s issues, it’s important to not judge before knowing someone.

Rating: 4 out of 5Blog Signature

 

NA Romance, Reviews

Book Review: The Ending I Want by Samantha Towle

Liz Brooks

 

The Ending I Want

Goodreads Summary:

From the New York Times Bestselling author of The Mighty Storm, comes a heartfelt new standalone novel…

Taylor Shaw had the perfect life—until she was sixteen. That was when everything changed. From that moment on, life went from bad to worse…to the worst.
After recovering from a brain tumor, months later, she suffers the tragic loss of her whole family.
Since that fateful day, she’s been coasting through life.

Now, the brain tumor has returned, and Taylor decides she’s had enough. She’s going to take her fate into her own hands.
No more hospitals. No more surgeries. No more anything.
She’s going to join her family.
It’s her decision.
What she longs for.
The ending she wants.

She just has a list of things to do before she goes.
First, go to England.
Second, kiss a stranger…

Only, Taylor didn’t expect Liam Hunter, the stranger—with his handsome face, his six-foot-three of gorgeousness, and his oh-so-hot English accent—to change things.
To change her.
To change the ending she wanted.

What is a girl, who is standing on the edge of nothing, to do when offered the chance of everything?

My Review:

As I’m sure you’ve seen through my other review, I generally love everything I read. Even the other book by Samantha Towle I absolutely adored (and then convinced Veronica to read it). However, this books was extremely problematic for me. I think it had more to do with the fact that, while contemporary isn’t my favorite genre, it felt unrealistic.

I had a difficult time with the two main characters, Taylor and Liam. To me their relationship doesn’t make sense. I get wanting to do things for yourself and on your terms. I get that potentially meeting someone can change your plans. But the way Liam and Taylor met, their adventures, it all felt fake. And maybe I am being a skeptic here. I know I’ve read other novels where events and meet cute was just as exaggerated. Sometimes it works really well, other times it doesn’t.

In the end, this felt like a mix between Me Before You and 50 Shades of Grey.

Rating: 2 out of 5Blog Signature

 

 

Reviews, YA Fantasy, ya romance

Book Review: Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas

Liz Brooks

Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass, #5)

Goodreads Summary:

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don’t.

As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Aelin’s journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?

My Review:

This series continues to get better and better. Mass’ writing has evolved over time and Empire of Storms is at the top.

As the second to last novel (that we know about because last year we received exciting news about novellas), Empire of Storms picks up right where Queen of Shadows finished. Between the first and the fourth book, Celaena Sardothian has evolved into her true self, Aelin Galathynius. She has used everything she went through to become the true Queen of Terrasen. And in EOS, Aelin must now gather her army and prove she is more than her enemy.

Old friends come back and new faces appear. EoS is a continuous adventure, switching perspectives of several different characters. We learn new back stories. Discover devious plots. Hearts change. Maas weaves secret after secret through the pages and when events happen, it usually blew my mind. And the end completely threw me for a loop. I didn’t see any of it coming.

I would put Sarah J Maas in the same story telling category as JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien. She is a story teller, a world builder.

Rating: 5 out 5Blog Signature

 

 

Reviews

Blog Tour Release Day: ROSEBLOOD by A.G. Howard

Liz Brooks

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Synopsis:

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic ROSEBLOOD.jpgtalent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

Amazon * B&N * iBooks * Audible

Goodreads * YouTube

About A.G. Howard

ag-howardA.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would’ve happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and she hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child.

When she’s not writing, A.G.’s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

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1 Winner will receive a signed ROSEBLOOD poster and mask courtesy of A.G. and Rockstar Book Tours. US Only. Ends January 17th at midnight.

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Reviews, YA, YA Fantasy

Book Review: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Liz Brooks

Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2)

GoodReads Summary:

Kaz Brekker and his crew have just pulled off a heist so daring even they didn’t think they’d survive. But instead of divvying up a fat reward, they’re right back to fighting for their lives. Double-crossed and left crippled by the kidnapping of a valuable team member, the crew is low on resources, allies, and hope. As powerful forces from around the world descend on Ketterdam to root out the secrets of the dangerous drug known as jurda parem, old rivals and new enemies emerge to challenge Kaz’s cunning and test the team’s fragile loyalties. A war will be waged on the city’s dark and twisting streets―a battle for revenge and redemption that will decide the fate of magic in the Grisha world.

My Review:

So this is the followup to Bardugo’s Six of Crows which I absolutely loved. And Crooked Kingdom was just as good, though not better. We again follow the rogue Kaz Brekker and his band of miscreants. This time they are seeking revenge on their double crossed deal with Ja Van Eck- “We are going to take Van Eck’s money, and then we’re going to take his reputation.”

Bardugo does a good job of wending the story long, telling if from the perspective of each member in the group. And along the way things go wrong. Plans must change. Surprises arise. The writing is just as good, but I do have to say the story felt slower than Six of Crows. There isn’t as much action. You get more personal with Nina, Matthias, Inej, Kaz, Jesper, and Wylan, more of their backgrounds that was missing from the first novel.

Six of Crows was better, in my opinion, due to the fact that it was more fast paced. I will say that Bardugo does a great job of holding back details and surprising the reader just when you need it. Don’t think you’ll get through this book scot-free without deaths. There are some and they hit pretty close to home.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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