Review: Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

Title: Girls of Paper and Fire

Author: Natasha Ngan

Narrator: Allison Hiroto

Published On: 11/6/18

Page Count: 400

Audio Length: 14hr 23min

Rating: 2.5/5

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):

Each year, eight beautiful girls are chosen as Paper Girls to serve the king. 

It's the highest honor they could hope for...and the most cruel.

But this year, there's a ninth girl. 

And instead of paper, she's made of fire.

This was not at all what I was expecting when I heard all the hype

surrounding this book. I did appreciate the trigger warning that the

narrator gave. This did get pretty graphic considering the audience

it is intended for. The F/F love interest was awesome so I can appreciate that.

Our Main character did feel little young for the sheltered life of knowledge

she had. She did however pick up experience and education with little effort.

As much as I would like to know what happens next I don't think I`ll be

finishing this one. The last 15% of the audio was pretty awesome but after

75% of the novel being about abuse, sexual desires and hidden lies that

were pointedly obvious I can't in good faith continue.

TTFN,

Ashley

Review: Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton

Strange Grace

Tessa Gratton

Narrator: Amy McFadden

Published On: 9/18/18

Page Count: 389

Audio Length: 10hr 53min

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):

Once, a witch made a pact with a devil. The legend says they loved each other,

but can the story be trusted at all? Find out in this lush, atmospheric fantasy novel

that entwines love, lies, and sacrifice.  

Long ago, a village made a bargain with the devil: To ensure their prosperity,

when the Slaughter Moon rises, the village must sacrifice a young man into

the depths of the Devil's Forest.

Here's my original Goodreads update:

Maybe the author just isn't for me. I tried to push to finish this before starting 2019

but it just dragged a bit. There are parts I truly enjoyed. Other parts just seemed to

be descriptive paragraph after paragraph. I did enjoy the narrator so I know that wasn't the cause.

Full review:

I appreciated this one for the most part but for long periods of the story it just seemed

to be drawn out. What appealed to me was the cult and sacrificial aspect. It reminded

me of Kim Liggett`s Blood and Salt as well as Dawn Kurtagich`s The Dead House.

(both books I highly recommend)The growth or progression the love triangle goes

through is an interesting one. Other than that I just listened to finish instead of listening

to enjoy unfortunately. I can honestly say that maybe Tessa as an author just isn`t for me.

I've tried two of her books and both just seem to fall flat for me sadly.

TTFN,

Ashley

Review: Ever the Brave by Erin Summerhill

Erin Summerhill

Narrator: Helen Johns

Published On: 12/5/17

Page Count: 464

Audio Length: 12hr 39min

Rating: 4/5

Spoilers Ahead

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):

Ever the Divided. Ever the Feared. Ever the Brave.

After saving King Aodren with her newfound Channeler powers, Britta only

wants to live a peaceful life in her childhood home.

Unfortunately, saving the King has created a tether between them she cannot sever,

no matter how much she'd like to, and now he's insisting on making her a noble lady.

Its been quite awhile since I read book one (Ever the Hunted). This one picks up right

where it left off though which was nice. I truly enjoyed how much of King Aodren`s perspective

we got. He was made out to be kind of a bad guy in book one so to get more of his side and story

in this novel made everything he was doing not seem as bad. He is a very vulnerable person and as

times it felt like Britta wasn't seeing it that way.

Although I do enjoy Cohen it was really hard not to ship Aodren and Britta together. Cohen

just sort of became this whiny errand boy who doted on Britta`s every word. Some parts of the

book seem to just be “busy work” in order to progress the storyline. Although that isn't a bad

thing there did seem to be a bit much in some areas.

I do look forward to picking up Once a King in the near future. Michaela has already read

it and enjoyed it.

TTFN,

Ashley

Review: Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

Title: The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy

Author: Mackenzi Lee

Published On: October 2, 2018

Page Count: 450pgs

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):

A year after an accidentally whirlwind grand tour with her brother Monty,

Felicity Montague has returned to England with two goals in mind—avoid the

marriage proposal of a lovestruck suitor from Edinburgh and enroll in medical

school. However, her intellect and passion will never be enough in the eyes of

the administrators, who see men as the sole guardians of science.

Loved this installment of the Montague siblings, especially because Felicity was my favorite in Monty's story. The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy is Felicity's story after Monty's failed tour, and man was it good. Met some new faces, and some old ones and a big fluffy dog with a massive pink bow. Felicity is dead set on getting into medical school, without the help of a man, and in doing so she ends up crashing with Percy and Monty after leaving Edinburgh before she is on her way with a new friend to Germany. In Germany she then catches up with an old friend of hers, while trying to meet and talk to the doctor she idolizes, who is engaged to marry her former best friend. After getting up to some Henry Montague like activities, Felicity finds that the Dr. she idolizes should not be considered and idol at all, and ends up on the road with Johanna and Sim to figure out the research that Johanna’s mother had been doing. They all find out that things they had believed to be legends, were quite a reality, and that baby dragons can be very friendly. I hope this is not the last we see of Felicity, Monty, and Percy, and some of their new friends and foes.

Till the next read,

Mackenzie

Review: A Sorrow Fierce and Falling by Jessica Cluess

Title: A Sorrow Fierce and Falling

Author: Jessica Cluess

Narrator: Fiona Hardingham

Published On: October 16, 2018

Page Count: 416pgs

Audio Length: 11h 49m

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):

Spoilers Ahead

After suffering terrible losses, Henrietta and Lord Blackwood have led their warriors to

Sorrow-Fell, a vast estate where only those invited by a Blackwood may enter–and the

ideal place to plan a final assault against the Ancients.

I read A Sorrow Fierce and Falling in audiobook form, while I physically read the first two.

I LOVED the narrator, only to find out that she’s narrated other books that I have heard

snippets of and thought I liked the narrator.

The book itself however fell a little short next to its predecessors for me. I enjoyed it,

but there were somethings that left me a little miffed, such as how

Blackwood and Henrietta’s relationship has evolved into what it is, as well

as the relationship between Magnus and Blackwood. In listening it felt like

parts of the book were rushed and that it may have been better had there been

a few other details added in. I do like how we get to learn more about Maria, and

where she learned how all the herbal medicines. There are a few characters from

previous encounters that make appearances again, which was nice to see how

they help Henrietta in the battle against her father. Henrietta also learns a lot more

about her father and how he ended up the way he did.

Overall A Sorrow Fierce and Falling was a good read but it was not my favorite of

the three books.

Till the next read,

Mackenzie

Review: Contagion by Erin Bowman

Title:Contagion

Author: Erin Bowman

Published On: July 24 ,2018

Page Count:432

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):

After receiving an urgent SOS from a work detail on a distant planet, a skeleton

crew is dispatched to perform a standard search-and-rescue mission. But when t

he crew arrives, they find an abandoned site, littered with rotten food, discarded

weapons…and dead bodies.

I read a lot of Si-Fi this past year and I’ve really enjoyed them. Couldn’t have ended

my reading year off with a better book. The ending already has me wanting more of

these characters. Thea, a high school intern and who doesn’t think she should be going.

Nova, a military trained pilot who wasn’t accepted due to an eyesight problem. Dylan,

a badass commander who’s father pulled strings to get her this position. A renowned

scientist with a secret. Along with a Tech and Mechanic, set out on this rescue mission

with little intel on what they are getting themselves into. Everything they plan practically

goes south and it becomes a think on your feet situation.

Nova and Dylan realize they aren’t so different from each other, our scientists secret is

revealed, Thea discovers more about herself and the young man she finds herself with.

I really liked how both our lone survivor and young intern has similar backstories.

I look forward to what comes next.

Happy Reading,

Michaela

Review: Give the Dark my Love by Beth Revis

Beth Revis

Published On: 9/25/18

Page Count: 368

Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):

When seventeen-year-old Nedra Brysstain leaves her home in the rural,

northern territories of

Lunar Island to attend the prestigious Yugen Academy, she has only one goal in mind:

learn the trade of medicinal alchemy.

I have adored Beth Revis`s writing for quite a few years and this novel has outdone itself.

I cannot wait to read book 2 when it comes out this year. Neocromancy has always seem to be

this taboo subject. By taboo I mean that when it comes up in YA Novels it tends to always been

this negative idea and cannot be practiced by the hero. Reign the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh

seems to have paved an opening for YA novel heros to start doing some dark magic in order to

save the story.

Give the Dark my Love paints an incredible story about passion and deception. Set when a

plague is ravaging the northern country while those in the south live on in riches and ease. Tables

turn though when people of wealth are coming down with symptoms of the “unwashed” peoples

disease.

A book lovers daughter with a passion for helping others is the only person who can find the

cure. Can Nedra save those she loves or will she run out of time?

TTFN,

Ashley