Reviews – The Talking Bookworm

About Book:

Till Death by Miranda Lyn is the first book in The Ever Sky Series. Till Death is a standalone novel but will be a part of a series of standalone novels that are connected.

Goodreads Summary:

Long ago, Requiem was plagued by war and abandoned by the gods but Death saved the suffering people, giving each soul a hundred years of immortality. With that grace, he also sent two Maidens. One of Life, for healing and comfort, and one of Death, the only person in the world with the ability to kill.

Generations later, the Life Maiden is missing and Princess Deyanira is nothing more than a trained weapon. A hunter. A murderer wrenched into Death’s dark court to have the name of her next victim seared onto her palm.

She is the enemy of this land. But, when she’s given the chance to bring peace through marriage and finally show her father’s kingdom her worth, she is viciously tricked into marrying the wrong man, ruining the future of the damaged realm. Her only hope to give something back to the world is to find the missing Life Maiden.

Now, eternally bound to her enemy and dragged into the dark burlesque show her new husband is bound to, she must fight to keep herself free. And her heart. Especially when she becomes the hunted.

Review:

Where do I even begin. This book took me for a whirlwind of a ride and I have been dying to give you all my thoughts! I am going to try my best to keep this as spoiler free as possible, but just in case my vagueness doesn’t feel so vague, you have been warned.

Deyanira is the MC we wanted… and needed! The beginning of her journey is tough as she is born to be the death maiden. Her first kill was her mother’s life and her father, the king, has never let her forget it. Her life’s duty is not just to kill those Death tells her too, but she is also the first Death Maiden to be royalty. Her duties as princess and death maiden have been at odds several times, for which she ultimately pays the price for. Her desire to do her duty as both leads her down a path that unravels everything she has ever known and begins on a journey of self discovery and growth.

We, of course, have a male main character that plays his part very well in the enemies to lovers arc. The tension between them is so palpable, even those around them can clearly see it, and we can feel it too! The delicious tension between the two characters builds in such a way that makes the “lovers” party oh so satisfying to see happen!

I have not enjoyed a standalone novel as much as this one in a while. I was a little skeptical at first, but it did its job well and Miranda broke it apart in many acts that it felt like I was reading a series of books and not a standalone novel. Nothing felt rushed and the pace was great! At one point in the story, I personally felt it dragged a little but that is the only “fault” I found. This is the only reason I knocked it down half a point.

I hope you pick up this book today. I can guarantee you won’t regret it!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Disclaimer: I want to thank Miranda Lyn and The Realm Studios for an advanced reading copy. My review is 100% honest and my own thoughts.

Adult Fantasy, NA Romance, New Adult Fantasy, Reviews, Smutty

Book Review: A Light in the Flame (Flesh & Fire #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

January 15, 2023January 15, 2023 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

The truth about Sera’s plan is out, shattering the fragile trust forged between her and Nyktos. Surrounded by those distrustful of her, all Sera has is her duty. She will do anything to end Kolis, the false King of Gods, and his tyrannical rule of Iliseeum, thus stopping the threat he poses to the mortal realm.

Nyktos has a plan, though, and as they work together, the last thing they need is the undeniable, scorching passion that continues to ignite between them. Sera cannot afford to fall for the tortured Primal, not when a life no longer bound to a destiny she never wanted is more attainable than ever. But memories of their shared pleasure and unrivaled desire are a siren’s call impossible to resist.

And as Sera begins to realize that she wants to be more than a Consort in name only, the danger surrounding them intensifies. The attacks on the Shadowlands are increasing, and when Kolis summons them to Court, a whole new risk becomes apparent. The Primal power of Life is growing inside her, pushing her closer to the end of her Culling. And without Nyktos’s love—an emotion he’s incapable of feeling—she won’t survive her Ascension. That is if she even makes it to her Ascension and Kolis doesn’t get to her first. Because time is running out. For both her and the realms.

Review:

The cliffhanger at the end of A Shadow in the Ember (ASITE) had me reeling, trying to connect all of the dots between what we learned in that book and what we have learned so far in the Blood & Ash series. Some of you (or most likely most of you) will know that the Flesh & Fire series is a prequel to the Blood & Ash Series. That saying, this has definitely filled in some knowledge gaps, but at the same time brought up a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

A Light in the Flame (ALITF) starts off right where we were left off at the end of ASITE. We learn more about the prophecy and the consequences of both Sera’s and Nyktos’ actions. To be truthful, this entire book had me holding my breath, waiting for the next big reveal to drop. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and seemed to not give me a moment of rest. There were some moments when things slowed down a bit, but overall it was an anxiety-ridden ride that I loved.

I do want to address that some have an issue with JLA’s writing style and her storytelling. If you are that person who has not liked her past books and are holding out to see if this will be the one that gets you to love her, then I suggest not to read this one either. I myself am a fan and do acknowledge a few issues with her writing style at times, but overall I enjoy her stories and the way she writes them. I throughly enjoy her novels and this is one I devoured within a span of a few days.

ALITF did not disappoint and was a solid second book in the Flesh & Fire prequel series of the FBAA universe. If you’ve enjoyed the FBAA series, I believe you will also enjoy this book. You may even be like me and be more Team Daddy Nyktos than Team Casteel (but we still love him dearly).

Rating: 5 out of 5

Reviews

Book Review: Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas

February 14, 2019 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 contemporary

Book Review: If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say by Leila Sales

July 3, 2018 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Before we go any further, I want you to understand this: I am not a good person.

We all want to be seen. We all want to be heard. But what happens when we’re seen and heard saying or doing the wrong things? What then?

When Winter Halperin—former spelling bee champion, aspiring writer, and daughter of a parenting expert—gets caught saying the wrong thing online, her life explodes. All across the world, people knows what she’s done, and none of them will forgive her.

With her friends gone, her future plans cut short, and her identity in shambles, Winter is just trying to pick up the pieces without hurting anyone else. She knows she messed up, but does that mean it’s okay for people to send her hate mail and death threats? Does she deserve to lose all that she’s lost? And is “I’m sorry” ever good enough?

First and foremost a novel about public shaming in the internet age, If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say is also an exploration of the power of words, the cumulative destructiveness of microaggressions, and the pressing need for empathy.

Review:

Let’s get started.

I’m not sure if I liked how cyberbullying and racism was dealt with in this book. Maybe my perspective is different because I am a part of the minority, but in my eyes the main character didn’t fully realize the wrongness in her comment, but then I also don’t think cyber-bullying people is the key to making a person realize their wrong doing. That just leads to them becoming a victim too. Most of the book dealt with Winter being a victim, than about racism. I wish more had come out of the severed friendship with one of her friends. Then we could have really talked about racism. It was nice though that she realized that it is not easy for those that don’t look a certain way. That scene at the gas station I applaud.

Overall, I think it was a good attempt at raising awareness, but it felt short. This won’t stop me from reading future books by Leila as I like some of her past novels, I just don’t like how she handled the sensitive topics in this one.

Rating: 2.5 of out 5

Note: I received this ARC as part of Miss Print’s ARC Adoption Program.

Reviews, YA Fantasy

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

May 21, 2018 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!

September 5, 2017 Liz Brooks

“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-10 Lena 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?

IF THERE’S NO TOMORROW giveaway!!

Surprise Signed Prize Pack (multiple JLA books & swag)

Open Internationally

Ends: 9/14/17

JLArmentrout-AuthorPhoto

#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.

Reviews, Special Review, ya contemporary, ya romance

Book Review: It Started With Goodbye by Christina June

June 7, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Tatum Elsea is bracing for the worst summer of her life. After being falsely accused of a crime, she’s stuck under stepmother-imposed house arrest and her BFF’s gone ghost. Tatum fills her newfound free time with community service by day and working at her covert graphic design business at night (which includes trading emails with a cute cello-playing client). When Tatum discovers she’s not the only one in the house keeping secrets, she finds she has the chance to make amends with her family and friends. Equipped with a new perspective, and assisted by her feisty step-abuela-slash-fairy-godmother, Tatum is ready to start fresh and maybe even get her happy ending along the way.

Review:

I was surprised by this book many times. At first I thought it would be an angsty “woe is me” book. Then I was like ahhh something horrible is going to happen towards the end and it will ruin my ship. But none of my theories or guesses happened (except for who Shay was).

We start of at the Police station. Tatum, her friend Ashley, and Ashley’s boyfriend are arrested. Why are they arrested? Because Ashley’s bae decided to steal a whole bunch of smartphones. Now Tatum is stuck with a fine and community service even though she knew nothing of what Ashley and her bf had planned on doing that day they went to the mall. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The story progresses as Tate struggles with being under house arrest under her stepmother’s watchful eye. Her stepmother Belen is very harsh on her and her step sister Tilly hardly acknowledges her existence. To make things worse, her father goes out of the country so she is left alone with her step-family. Throughout the entire book, Tate learns that the people closest to you can disappoint you, that making new friends may not be as bad as she thought it would be, that forgiving others is always good even though it takes time for the person you forgive to realize their mistake (Yes, I am talking about Ashley) and that you shouldn’t judge others, especially if you haven’t taken the time to properly get to know them (Her stepmother Belen and her stepsister Tilly).

My favorite character’s were Abby (Her new friend and journalistic wiz) and Blanche (Belen’s mother, Tilly’s grandmother). They both brought humor and the reality check that Tate needed. They were great support systems, yet they didn’t baby Tate. Loved this!

Overall, It Started With Goodbye, is a solid debut. I will keep a lookout for Christina June’s next novel.

(P.S. I didn’t write about the romance/ship in this novel because while it is in the story, I liked that it wasn’t the main point so I shall keep it that way.)

Rating: 4 out of 5

Disclaimer: I’d like to thank Blink/Harper Collins for providing me with an ARC of this novel. Receiving this novel for free does not sway my review.

Reviews, ya contemporary, ya romance

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

June 6, 2017June 6, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Review:

So I’m not exactly sure why but I LOVED Lola and the Boy Next Door waaaaaaaay more than the first time I read it about 5 years ago. I remember being annoyed by Lola the entire time. This time around though I’m not sure what changed, but I was able to empathize with her. And I also think Cricket is part of the reason I like Lola and the Boy Next Door now.

As I am sitting here trying to gather my thoughts, and the one thing that stood out to me this time was the theme of forgiveness. Lola has to forgive the Bell twins, her biological mother, and her musician boyfriend (who becomes the ex thankfully because he sucked). The entire book is a journey of looking at the mistakes that were made, and finding redemption through forgiveness and understanding.

We also see the theme of second chances. Lola gave both her mother and Cricket a second chance. Having your heart-broken by two of the most important people hurts, but if both parties are willing to put in effort, relationships can be restored.

I was very into my feelings as I read Lola this time, and it could be why it’s gone on my “You should read this book” list (and why this review turned deep. Sorry guys, no fangirling today).

Rating: 5 out of 5

Vero Signature copy

NA Romance, Reviews

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

May 26, 2017 Liz Brooks

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.

18342474_2888438809928_2765722861454813425_n — SJM + Husband signing

Rating: 3 out of 5

NA Romance, Reviews

Book Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

May 22, 2017May 22, 2017 Veronica Porras (TTB)

Goodreads Summary:

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she’s losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart.

Review:

DEBUT. NOVEL.

How the heck is this Hoover’s debut novel. It’s so freaking good. *dead*

Many of you that have been following this blog for a while now know how big of a fan I am of Colleen Hoover. That woman writes masterpiece after masterpiece, making the book community talk about tough topics no one wants to talk about (Ex: It Ends With Us and Ugly Love). In my book this lady is boss!

Alright, I’m going on a tangent… let’s go back to Slammed.

We have Layken (aka Lake) and Will.

Did I mention Will?

Y’all I’m thankful I never had a teacher like him in High School because I would have been a goner like Lake. *Swoons*

The book starts of as Lake is making the move from Texas to Michigan. Her father recently died and her mom is moving everyone to Michigan to begin anew. Then enters Will, the hot boy-next-door who not so long after meeting her asks her out on a date, and of course she says yes. The rest of the book is their journey navigating the discovery of him being her poetry teacher in high school once she finally makes it to school, and many other challenges that come along the way. As I try to keep this as non-spoilery as possible, I appreciate the fact that Hoover kept this as PG 13 as possible, which I’m assuming relates to the sensitive issue of a possible romance between a teacher and a student. Lake is 18, so she is an adult, but the fine print that keeps them apart is that she is still a student… at least for the next year.

My only “ehhh” feelings about Slammed is that the secondary characters didn’t come to life for me except for Eddie. She was amazing and her story is one I hope Hoover expands on one day. And as a last note, I want to talk about the poems within the story. They are profound and moving. I only WISH I could write poetry like Hoover. It even makes me want to go to a poetry slam session. As a writer, I am very jealous of Hoover’s ability, but I do tip my hat to her. Talent like that needs to be recognized.

Slammed is Hoover’s metaphorical mic drop in the publishing world and one can only keep expecting great stories from her.

Rating: 5/5

Check out Colleen Hoover’s other books here:

My Reviews:

Maybe Someday, Maybe Someday (Re-read review), Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, Confess, Ugly Love

Liz’s Review:

Hopeless, November 9