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Leah on the Offbeat Book Review
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli From Goodreads: Leah Burke—girl-band drummer, master of deadpan, and Simon Spier’s best friend from the award-winning Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—takes center stage in this novel of first love and senior-year angst. When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic. An anomaly in her friend group, she’s the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.…
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Thursday Updates
Woo, hello everyone. Usually, I’d be posting a tag, unboxing or some kind of article today, but I have so many announcements that I thought I’d be a boring person and update you on all the exciting things coming up instead. *insert drum roll here* So the first thing I want to announce is that this blog will be part of the official Ash Princess blog tour. If you haven’t read the book yet, or have yet to pre-order it, you should definitely check out my review of it here. The tour will bring you awesome goodness from several blogs, including mine, and I have to say a huge thanks to Laura…
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Beyond a Darkened Shore Book Review
Beyond a Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake From Goodreads: The ancient land of Éirinn is mired in war. Ciara, Princess of Mide, has never known a time when Éirinn’s kingdoms were not battling for power, or Northmen were not plundering their shores. The people of Mide have thankfully always been safe because of Ciara’s unearthly ability to control her enemies’ minds and actions. But lately, a mysterious crow has been appearing to Ciara, whispering warnings of an even darker threat. Although her clansmen dismiss her visions as pagan nonsense, Ciara fears this coming evil will destroy not just Éirinn, but the entire world. Then the crow leads Ciara to Leif, a…
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May Haul and Wrap Up
Hi everyone, welcome to my May Book Haul and Wrap Up. It’s been a pretty good month for books, and with so many big name authors releasing books this month, I couldn’t help but go a little overboard on the hauling. Again, there were some books sent by friends and publishers mixed in with this, as well as some e-arcs, so I’ve set myself up quite nicely for June. June will see me on a book buying ban, so I can save up some money for YALC, but I still have some pre-orders I’ve already bought released in June, as well as some books from late boxes and things, so…
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YA Fairytale Retellings: Part Two
Hello again, everyone. How are you all doing? Today is Thursday, which means it is time for a new post and as promised today will bring you part two of my YA Fairytale Retelling Recommendations. There’s magic, mayhem and good doses of creepiness in store. As with the first part of this post, I should remind you guys that this post MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS. I’m trying not to spoil the books I’m recommending, but if I’m recommending the second or third book in a series, then I’m going to have to give a spoilery synopsis for books earlier in the series. Cool, let’s get into this then: Rumplestiltskin Retelling: Spinning Silver by Naomi…
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The Belles Book Review
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton From Goodreads: Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful. But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the…
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YA Fairytale Retellings: Part One
Hey everyone, Today is Sunday, and that means another bookish post! There’s a huge trend in YA at the moment for fairytale retellings, so today’s post is going to look at YA recommendations based on different fairytales. Since it’s a pretty long list, I’m going to be splitting it into two sections, with the second part posted on Thursday. Some of these recommendations are based on things like Alice in Wonderland, but we’re so familiar with these stories that it makes sense to include them in this list too 😀 Please note that this post contains SPOILERS. Not for the books themselves, but some of them are second or third books in…
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The Summer of Us Book Review
The Summer of Us by Cecilia Vinesse Five friends. Five European cities. Ten days. And a messy, complicated, can-this-really-be-happening love story or two… Since the moment they met, best friends Aubrey and Rae have been planning their inter-railing trip around Europe. With graduation just behind them, it ought to be the perfect summer to go on a last adventure together before university. But things are more complicated at eighteen than they were at ten. Accompanying Aubrey and Rae are other friends, each one carrying baggage they can’t put in a suitcase. First there’s Jonah, Aubrey’s popular and dashing boyfriend, and his best friend Gabe, who Audrey may have accidentally kissed. And then…
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UK Versus US Covers
Hey everyone, Today is Thursday, which means another bookish post. Do you ever get a book, and then see the overseas cover and wish you’d bought that version instead? In honour of that feeling, I thought today I could go through some UK and US editions of YA books, talking about each cover design and explaining which one I prefer. The US editions will be on the left, the UK ones on the right. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor …
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Ash Princess Book Review
Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian One day, I will watch them all burn. Princess Theodosia will never forget the day the kingdom of Astrea was invaded, and her mother, the Queen of Flame and Fury, was murdered before her eyes. For ten years, she has survived, whipped for every futile rebellion and constantly humiliated by the Kaiser who conquered her beloved country. She is paraded around as the Ash Princess, a constant reminder to all of everything she’s lost. Meanwhile her people are enslaved, forced to work in the mines until there are no Astreans left alive. When the Kaiser forces Theo to execute her last hope of rescue, she vows…
