Only Ashes Remain by Rebecca Schaeffer Review

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Publication: September 3rd, 2019

Not Even Bones #2

Genre: Fantasy

Format: ARC

Goodreads

Summary:

Dexter meets This Savage Song in this dark fantasy about a girl who sells magical body parts on the black market until she’s betrayed. Nita doesn’t murder supernatural beings and sell their body parts on the internet, her mother does that. Nita just dissects the bodies. Until one day her mother brings home a live specimen and Nita decides she wants out. Dissecting living people is a step too far and when she tries to save her mother’s victim, she ends up sold on the black market in his place because Nita herself is a supernatural being. After experiencing the other side of the bars, Nita is going to make sure no one can ever capture her again. She did one good deed, and it cost her everything. Now she’s going to do a lot of bad deeds to get it all back.

House of Rage & Sorrow by Sangu Mandanna Review

Rating: 5 Stars

Publication: September 17th, 2019

A Spark of White Fire #2

Genre: Scifi

Format: Egalley

Goodreads

Summary:

In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back. Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home. She’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali. It’s a great plan until her brother breaks her heart and she vows to destroy him for it. As gods, beasts, and kingdoms choose sides, Alexi seeks out a weapon more devastating than even Titania. The House of Rey is at war. And the entire galaxy will bleed before the end.

Last Hope by Krista & Becca Ritchie Review

Rating: 3 Stars

Publication: August 13th, 2019

The Raging Ones #2

Genre: YA Scifi Romance

Format: Egalley/Audiobook

Goodreads

Summary:

In a freezing world, where everyone knows the day they will die, three teens break all odds by defying their death day and somehow become linked so deeply that they start to share senses and emotions. With the threat of people learning they’ve dodged their deathdays, they end up stealing a spaceship and running right into the arms of their enemy. Imprisoned for weeks Franny, Court, and Mykal have sat with an unfathomable revelation. But as they fight to stay alive, escaping prison means trusting a young mysterious stranger. He knows everything about their lost histories, and when answers aren’t given freely, the bonded trio are forced to join a mission. One that will determine the fate of humanity. Vulnerable and with no choice, the trio on embark on a dangerous mission to a water world where their enemies can’t die and survival comes at a high cost.

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin Review

Rating: 4 Stars

Publication: September 3rd, 2019
Genre: Fantasy

Format: Egalley

Goodreads

Summary:

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn. Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned. Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony. The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made. And love makes fools of us all.

10 Graphic Novel Reviews

Ive already talked a little bit about some these graphic novels in my monthly wrap ups, but since they were received for review I figured they deserved their own post. I talk about so many books in my wrap ups that sometimes the comics are overlooked and theres some amazing ones on this list that definitely deserve more attention. I cant believe there was actually a time where I avoided them. I decided to put a bunch of them together because my comic reviews tend to be pretty short. I don't know if its just me, but graphic novels dont usually leave me with much to say. Plus they're so short I dont want to give too much away. They are however great for readathons and getting over book hang overs so Ive been reading a lot of them more lately. For todays post I have 10 I want to share my thoughts on so lets get started.

Containment by Caryn Lix Review

Rating: 3 Stars

Publication: September 10th, 2019

Sanctuary #2

Genre: YA Scifi

Format: Egalley

Goodreads

Summary:

⭐Sanctuary Spoilers⭐

As a citizen of Omnistellar Concepts, the most powerful corporation in the solar system, Kenzie has trained her entire life to become an elite guard on Sanctuary, Omnistellar’s space prison for superpowered teens too dangerous for Earth. As a junior guard, she was excited to prove herself to her company, but then a routine drill went sideways, Kenzie was taken hostage by rioting prisoners, her mother was more concerned with protocol then saving her, and aliens attacked. With people disappearing or being killed Kenzie teamed up with her captors in order to survive. Now they may have escaped the Sanctuary space station, but Kenzie and her new friends are far from safe. With nowhere to go and no one to help them tensions start to boil over when Kenzie discovers more aliens are on their way.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir Review

Buddy Read With Vale

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Publication: September 10th, 2019

Genre: Adult SFF

Format: Egalley

Goodreads

Summary:

In a solar system of swordplay, cut-throat politics, and lesbian necromancers, the Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire needs a swordswoman. Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit. Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. But her childhood nemesis Harrow won't set her free without a service because without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail the trials and lose any chance of becoming an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection. The Ninth House will die, but of course, some things are better left dead.

Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson Review

Buddy Read With Alys

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publication: July 9th, 2019

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Format: Egalley

Goodreads

Summary:

In the tropical kingdom of Rhodaire, magical, elemental Crows are part of every aspect of life...until the Illucian empire invades, destroying everything. That terrible night has thrown Princess Anthia into a deep depression. Her sister Caliza is busy running the kingdom after their mother's death, but all Thia can do is think of all she has lost. But when Caliza is forced to agree to a marriage between Thia and the crown prince of Illucia, Thia is finally spurred into action. And after stumbling upon a hidden Crow egg in the rubble of a rookery, she and her sister devise a dangerous plan to hatch the egg in secret and get back whats taken from them.

Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghart Review

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Publication: July 2nd, 2019

Grace and Fury #2

Genre: Dystopian

Format: Egalley/Audiobook

Diversity: Sapphic SC

Goodreads

Summary:

In a world where women have no rights, sisters Serina and Nomi Tessaro face two very different fates: one in the palace, the other in prison. Betrayal, grief, and violence have changed both sisters, and the women of Mount Ruin have set their sights on revenge beyond the confines of their island prison. They plan to sweep across the entire kingdom, issuing in a new age of freedom for all. But first they'll have to get rid of the Superior, and only Nomi knows how. Separated once again, this time by choice, Nomi and Serina must forge their own paths as they aim to tear down the SpiritTheme know, and build something better in its place. A fierce sequel full of sisterhood, heart pounding action, betrayal, and court intrigue, this duology breathes new life into the feminist story of oppression and resistance.

Merciful Crow by Margaret Owen Review

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publication: July 30th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Format: ARC/Egalley

Diversity: LGBT+ SC

Goodreads

Summary:

Future chieftain Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime. When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses, and perhaps his throat. But he offers a deal that she can’t refuse: protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns. Hawk warrior Tavin has always put Jas’s life before his, magically assuming the prince’s appearance and shadowing his every step. But what happens when Tavin begins to want something to call his own?

Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim Wells Review

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Publication: July 30th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Format: ARC

Diversity: POC & Bi MC, Sapphic SC

Goodreads

Summary:

Raised among the ruins of a conquered mountain nation, Maren dreams only of sharing a quiet life with her girlfriend Kaia until the day Kaia is abducted by the Aurati, prophetic agents of the emperor, and forced to join their ranks. Desperate to save her, Maren hatches a plan to steal one of the emperor’s coveted dragons and storm the Aurati stronghold. If Maren is to have any hope of succeeding, she must become an apprentice to the emperor’s mysterious dragon trainer. What she wasnt prepared for was rumors of a lost prince, a brewing rebellion, and a prophecy that could shatter the empire. With time running out, can Maren survive long enough to rescue Kaia from impending death, or could she be destined for something greater than she could have ever imagined?

Wilder Girls by Rory Power Review

Rating: 4 Stars

Publication: July 9th, 2019

Genre: Horror Fantasy

Format: ARC

Diversity: LGBT+ MC

Goodreads

Summary:

It's been 18 months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty's life out from under her. It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don't dare wander outside the school's fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised. Then Byatt goes missing, and Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there's more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho Review

Rating: 4 Stars

Publication: June 25th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Format: ARC /Audiobook

Diversity: Asian MC

Goodreads

Summary:

No one in modern-day Seoul believes in the old fables anymore, which makes it the perfect place for Gu Miyoung and her mother to hide in plain sight while still feeding every full moon. Miyoung is a Gumiho, an immortal nine-tailed fox, who must eat the souls of men to survive. With the help of her friend Naras shamanic abilities to talk to spirits she finds men who have evaded justice for horrendous crimes and feeds on their soul. Her life is upended when she kills a dokkaebi, a murderous goblin, in the forest just to save the life of a human boy. After Miyoung saves Jihoon's life and starts attenting his school where they end up in the same class the two develop a tenuous friendship that blooms into romance forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon's.

Deviate by Jay Kristoff Review

Rating: 4 Stars

Publication: June 25th, 2019

Lifelike #2

Genre: Scifi

Format: ARC

Diversity: Not Sure

Goodreads

Summary:

Set on a polluted planet turned junkyard with deserts of irradiated glass and moutains of plastic survival isnt for the weak of heart. Separated from her best friend Eve, the Lifelike android Ezekiel and her robot companion Cricket, Lemon Fresh has seen better days. While on the run from both BioMaas Incorporated and Daedelus Technologies, Lemon finds herself falling in with a band of teenagers with astonishing abilities. The group is led by an enigmatic figure who may hold the secrets to Lemon’s past. Meanwhile, Cricket finds himself captured by the bloodthirsty Brotherhood, a religious cult set for a head-on collision with Lemons new friends, Ezekiel makes a strange ally in an old enemy as he tries to track down Lemon, and Eve hatches a plan no one saw coming.

Stronger Than a Bronze Dragon By Mary Fan Review

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publication: June 11th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy/ Steam Punk

Format: Egalley

Diversity: Asian MC

Goodreads

Summary:

When a powerful viceroy arrives with a fleet of mechanical dragons and stops an attack on Anlei’s village, her people see him as a godsend. They agree to give him their sacred, enchanted River Pearl in exchange for permanent protection and the marriage to one of the village girls to solidify the alliance. Anlei is appalled when the viceroy selects her as a bride, but with the fate of her people at stake, she sees no choice but to consent. Then a young thief steals the River Pearl for himself. Knowing the viceroy won’t protect her village without the jewel, Anlei tracks down the thief and offers to join him on an epic quest across the land and into the Courts of Hell if he promises to return the pearl once his people are set free. The two set off on a dangerous journey that will reveal more is at stake than they could have ever imagined.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson Review

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Publication: June 4th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy Standalone

Format: ARC

Diversity: Bi SC & Ace SC

Goodreads

Summary:

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. When an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire, Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she's torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to, but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

Rise By Ellen Goodlett Review

Rating: 5 Stars

Publication: June 11th, 2019

Rule #2

Genre: Fantasy

Format: ARC

Diversity: Sapphic Romance

Goodreads

Summary:

Sisters Akeylah, Ren, and Zofi are all a step closer to their dying father's throne, a step closer to the crown that will allow one of them to rule over Kolonya. But the sisters' pasts continue to haunt them. Each hides a secret marked with blood and betrayal, and now their blackmailer is holding nothing back. When King Andros discovers the sisters' traitorous pasts, the consequences will shake the entire kingdom to its core. As Kolonya's greatest threat stalks closer and closer, weaving a web of fear and deceit around Ren, Zofi, and Akeylah, even the people they love are under suspicion. If the sisters are going to survive, they'll have to learn to trust each other above all else and work together, not only to save themselves, but to protect everyone and everything they hold dear.

An Illusion of Thieves by Cate Glass Review

Rating: 4 Stars

Publication: May 21st, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Format: Egalley

Diversity: Not Sure

Goodreads

Summary:

In Cantagna, being a sorcerer is a death sentence. Romy escapes her hardscrabble upbringing when she becomes courtesan to the Shadow Lord, a revolutionary noble who brings laws and comforts once reserved for the wealthy to all. When her brother, Neri, is caught thieving with the aid of magic, Romy's aristocratic influence is the only thing that can spare his life, and the price is her banishment. Now back in Beggar’s Ring, she has just her wits and her own long-hidden sorcery to help her and Neri survive. But when a plot to overthrow the Shadow Lord and incite civil war is uncovered, only Romy knows how to stop it. To do so, she’ll have to rely on newfound allies; a swordmaster, a silversmith, and her own thieving brother. And they'll need the very thing that could condemn them all. Magic.

Beholder by Anna Bright Review

Rating: 3 Stars

Publication: June 4th, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Format: Egalley

Diversity: PoC SC

Goodreads

Summary:

Selah has waited her whole life for a happily ever after. As the only daughter of the leader of Potomac, she knows her duty is to find the perfect match, a partner who will help secure the future of her people. Now that day has finally come. But after an excruciatingly public rejection from her closest childhood friend, Selah’s stepmother suggests an unthinkable solution: Selah must set sail across the Atlantic, where a series of potential suitors awaits, and if she doesn’t come home engaged, she shouldn’t come home at all. From English castle gardens to the fjords of Norge, and under the eye of the dreaded Imperiya Yotne, Selah’s quest will be the journey of a lifetime. But her stepmother’s schemes aren’t the only secrets hiding belowdecks, and the stakes of her voyage may be higher than any happy ending

Missing Presumed Dead By Emma Berquist Review

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publication: May 21st, 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Format: Egalley

Diversity: Bi MC & Sapphic Romance

Goodreads

Summary:

With a touch, Lexi can sense how and when someone will die. Some say it’s a gift, but to Lexi it’s a curse, one that keeps her friendless and alone. All that changes when Lexi foresees the violent death of a young woman, Jane, outside a club and Jane doesn’t go to the afterlife quietly. Her ghost remains behind, determined to hunt down her murderer, and she needs Lexi’s help. In life, Jane was everything Lexi is not; outgoing, happy, popular. But in death, all Jane wants is revenge. Lexi will do anything to help Jane, to make up for the fact that she couldn’t save Jane’s life, and to keep this beautiful ghost of a girl by her side for as long as possible.