Title: A Crane Among Wolves Author: June Hur Genre: YA Historical Fiction / Mystery / Romance Publication Date: May 14th, 2024 Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary earc to review!
“Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.
1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.
Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.
Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.
When Iseul’s and Daehyun’s fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever
Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.” (Goodreads)
I have read all of this author’s books. I have enjoyed some and others were good but could have been better for me. This book is one of those that I liked but could have been a bit better.
The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Iseul who wants to save her older sister from an evil king and Prince Daehyun, the brother of the king. Both of these characters deal with traumatic ordeals and it was easy to understand the choices they made. I do like books with a sister bond since I have sisters. This one was okay, but not present too much since one of the sisters is missing. I could tell that Iseul really cared for her sister though and took her being taken away personally as her own fault. The guilt she dealt with was a lot!
I wish I would have enjoyed the mystery more. It didn’t draw me in as much as other books did and I think that is why I didn’t love this one as much. It was still good, but I was expecting more. There is a lot of plot twists though and that king is quite crazy!
Overall, this was good and I am looking forward to her next book.
Today’s prompt is Favorite Book Quotes and I will be doing mine from The Poppy War! It is one of my favorite trilogies! Here are some quotes from book one and three. I guess I didn’t have any saved on a kindle book for book two, haha.
“Youth, Rin thought, was an amplification of beauty. It was a filter; it could mask what one was lacking, enhance even the most average features. But beauty without youth was dangerous. The Empress’s beauty did not require the soft fullness of young lips, the rosy red of young cheeks, the tenderness of young skin. This beauty cut deep, like a sharpened crystal. This beauty was immortal.”
“When man begins to think that he is responsible for writing the script of the world, he forgets the forces that dream up our reality.”
“What does it matter? They’re coming, and we’re staying, and at the end of the day whoever is alive is the side that wins. War doesn’t determine who’s right. War determines who remains.”
“Children ceased to be children when you put a sword in their hands. When you taught them to fight a war, then you armed them and put them on the front lines, they were not children anymore. They were soldiers.”
“Children can be murderers, she reminded herself. Little boys can be monsters. The lines of war had become far too blurred.”
“Hate was its own kind of fire and if you had nothing else, it kept you warm.”
“Maybe no one was truly a beast. Maybe that was just how murder became possible. You took away someone’s humanity, and then you killed them.”
“You don’t fix hurts by pretending they never happened. You treat them like infected wounds. You dig deep with a burning knife and gouge out the rotten flesh and then, maybe, you have a chance to heal.”
“War didn’t end, not so cleanly—it just kept building up in little hurts that piled on one another until they exploded afresh into raw new wounds.”
“Take what you want, it said. I’ll hate you for it. But I’ll love you forever. I can’t help but love you. Ruin me, ruin us, and I’ll let you.”
Goodreads Monday was hosted and created by Lauren’s Page Turners and has now been taken over by Budget Tales Book Blog. To participate, choose a random book from your TBR and show it off.
Title: A Crane Among Wolves Author: June Hur Genre: YA Historical Fiction / Mystery Publication Date: May 14th, 2024 Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
“June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history.
Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.
1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.
Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.
Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.
When Iseul’s and Daehyun’s fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever
Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.” (Goodreads)
DOES THIS ONE SOUND LIKE SOMETHING YOU WOULD READ?
Title: Rein Me In Author: Kayla Grosse Genre: Adult Contemporary / Romance / Western Publication Date: March 22nd, 2023 Publisher: Indie Published Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
“A small-town, late brother’s best friend, cowboy romance with a plus-size female main character.
BLAKE TANNER never thought she’d return to her hometown after her brother Reed died in a tragic accident. But when her mom gets injured, she comes home to help out on her family’s ranch. Now, only five years after her brother’s accident, she can’t hide from the grief, the people, or the guilt that she’s been running from.
GAVIN MONTGOMERY didn’t plan for his life to be this way. He didn’t ask to be stuck with a pile of debt, the responsibility of a failing family business, or a little brother with a drinking problem. But when his dad died nine months ago, Gavin had no choice but to step up and take care of his family, even if that involved hiding the truth from that they’re about to lose everything.
When Blake reluctantly agrees to attend a charity “date auction” at the local townie bar, she figures supporting the family of her late brother’s best friend is the right thing to do. Only Gavin is no longer the sweet young boy she remembers, and when he challenges her to ride the mechanical bull in front of the whole town, what choice does she have but to saddle up.
But getting back in the saddle might be a mistake. Because even if she’s an expert rider, there’s no way in hell she’s letting that cowboy hold the reins.
Will Blake and Gavin find a way to work through their grief and ride off into the sunset?
Or will they be over faster than an eight-second ride?” (Goodreads)
This was my first dive into cowboy romance and I’m not mad about it! It wasn’t a favorite but it was a good popcorn read that I finished in one day.
The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Blake and Gavin. They are both dealing with their own issues that involve their family and through this they learn to rely on one another for help. I liked seeing them come together. Their first reactions of each other were very lusty, but they don’t give in for a long while. Blake isn’t much of a fan of him due to the stunt he pulled at the beginning of the book. They got off on the wrong foot. It was hilarious to see it pan out though!
They both have good relationships with their family for the most part. Gavin has a brother he doesn’t always get along with and I am hoping he gets his own book because I feel like it would be a good one.
I wouldn’t say there is much to the plot. It’s more simple and does wrap up quickly and well. Once you hit a certain point it becomes spicy for the rest of the book. I like a middle ground so that’s where this one lost me. I know others won’t have that same problem.
The narration was great and I really enjoyed their voices!
Overall, this was good and I am looking forward to the sequel.
Quick Life Update! : I have been MIA from the blog for the last week. My husband was on vacation last week and I just didn’t have time to get on and post or blog hop. He always throws my schedule off, haha. Since Friday I have been dealing with some reoccurring health issues so I have been resting. I should be back to usual posting starting today which is why I am writing this one up! I hope you all have been doing well.
My current audiobook is Powerless by Laura Roberts. I just started listening to it while writing this up, ha.
Other books I am working on are The Curse of Sins (The Curse of Saints #2) by Kate Dramis, The Stars are Dying by C.C. Peñaranda, and Love, Off the Record by Samantha Markum.
Drop, Cover, and Hold on by Jasmine Guillory 🎧 ⭐⭐
Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne 🎧 ⭐⭐⭐
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WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT READ? ARE YOU LOVING IT? HAVE YOU READ OR WANT TO READ ANY THAT I HAVE LISTED? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!
Title: Not Like Other Girls Author: Meredith Adamo Genre: YA Mystery / Thriller Publication Date: April 30th, 2024 Publisher: Bloomsbury YA Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary earc to review!
“A girl risks everything to find her former best friend in this powerful debut mystery about trauma, girlhood, and what we deserve.
When Jo-Lynn Kirby’s former best friend—pretty, nice Maddie Price—comes to her claiming to be in trouble, Jo assumes it’s some kind of joke. After all, Jo has been an outcast ever since her nude photos were leaked—and since everyone decided she deserved it. There’s no way Maddie would actually come to her for help.
But then Maddie is gone.
Everyone is quick to write off Maddie as a runaway, but Jo can’t shake the feeling there’s more to the story. To find out the truth, Jo needs to get back in with the people who left her behind—and the only way back in is through Hudson Harper-Moore. An old fling of Jo’s with his own reasons for wanting to find Maddie, Hudson hatches a fake dating scheme to get Jo back into their clique. But being back on the inside means Jo must confront everything she’d rather forget: the boys who betrayed her, the whispers that she had it coming, and the secrets that tore her and Maddie apart. As Jo digs deeper into Maddie’s disappearance, she’s left to wonder who she’s really searching for: Maddie, or the girl she used to be.
Not Like Other Girls is a stunning debut that takes a hard look at how we treat young women and their trauma, through the lens of a missing girl and a girl trying to find herself again.” (Goodreads)
I was intrigued by this one from the beginning!
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Jo-Lynn. Before starting this one I didn’t realize that the main character had the same name as my daughter, only difference is that there is no hyphen. It was kind of hard to disassociate from the name, haha. Jo is in the middle of dealing with the fallout of her nude photos being shared throughout her school. I couldn’t imagine having to deal with this, but it is something that feels more common as almost every kid has a phone where as when I was in high school it wasn’t like that. I felt bad for her from the beginning and it was a shame that her friends basically left her to the way side.
There are a lot more plot points besides that one. Another big one is the missing school mate named Maddie. I love a good mystery and this one was no exception! It was hard to put down as I had to know what was going to happen. As a reader we only get glimpses and understanding at a slower rate, but it feeds on Jo understanding for herself what actually happened and really dealing with the emotions that have been left to be bottled up. It was really well done.
Overall, this was an enjoyable mystery with a really great message for teens. Those who like books by Courtney Summers will like this one.
Title: The Reappearance of Rachel Price Author: Holly Jackson Genre: YA Mystery / Thriller Publication Date: April 2nd, 2024 Publisher: Delacorte Press Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Lights. Camera. Lies.
18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on.
But the case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again.
Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And – could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . .
From world-renowned author Holly Jackson comes a mind-blowing masterpiece about one girl’s search for the truth, and the terror in finding out who your family really is.” (Goodreads)
Even though I haven’t loved every book by Holly Jackson I still find myself drawn to read every book that she rights, haha.
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Bel. She is 18-years-old and her family has decided to star in a documentary about her mother who has been missing for 16 years. The money is too good to pass up when her grandfather needs it for his medical issues. Things start to get weird when her mother shows up one day.
This was such a an intriguing plot! I can’t say I have read something like it and even though I had read the blurb previously I had forgot and then all of a sudden her mom showed up. It was kind of crazy. With her mom showing up it only brings up more things about the Price family that should have been forgotten, but Bel is on a mission to figure it all out. I don’t blame her for being curious. It would be odd to not see your mom for 16 years and it would make me question a lot, especially when things don’t add up. She has a lot of guts!
I wouldn’t say that there is much character development because it really is plot based. I didn’t mind this since it worked for the story. The only thing that could have helped from more character development would have been the relationship forming between Bel and someone else. I didn’t feel the chemistry between and the story would have been fine without that added plotline.
Overall, this was a really good mystery and had me guessing all the way up until the big reveal!
Title:Calling of Light (Shamanborn #3) Author: Lori M. Lee Genre: YA Fantasy Publication Date: April 16th, 2024 Publisher: Page Street YA Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary hard copy to review!
“Sirscha has returned to Evewyn, only to discover that everyone believes she killed the queen and that she’s the new king’s Shadow. These rumors have made people fear her, but it’s not the rumors that concern her―it’s finding out what the Soulless is going to do next so she can finally destroy him.
Everyone might believe she’s a monster, but Sirscha knows who the real evil is, and she refuses to let him destroy their world.
Full of the danger, intrigue, fierce friendship, and incredible world building of the first two books in the Shamanborn trilogy, this final installment will delight readers of this popular series.” (Goodreads)
I have been waiting for this conclusion for a while! I am happy that I was finally able to finish the series.
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Sirscha. She has a lot of responsibility as the king’s Shadow and with people believing that she killed the queen stakes are high when it comes to trust. Not many are willing to risk it because of her power. They would rather see her gone. I thought that she was still a great character as she was in book 1 and 2. She had more development and learned that sometimes you have to let go even if it hurts and its not exactly what you want.
I was happy to see that her friendship with Saengo remained strong throughout. It was one of my favorite plotlines. It’s one of the only relationships that sticks out because there was never any romance in the book. I don’t think that was a bad thing because the plot didn’t need it and friendships are just as important!
Although I liked this book I wasn’t as intrigued by it. There were some lulls and I found myself not feeling as connected to the story as I had hoped.
Overall, this was a decent conclusion and I am happy I finally know how it all ended! Maybe the lapse in time is why I didn’t love it as much. Who knows!
Title:Dragon Rider Author: Taran Matharu Genre: Adult Fantasy / Dragons Publication Date: April 23rd, 2024 Publisher: Harper Voyager Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary earc!
“Can an orphan captive learn the secrets of the Dragon Riders to stand up and avenge his people? Jai lives as a royal hostage in the Sabine Court—ever since his father Rohan, leader of the Steppefolk, led a failed rebellion and was executed by the very emperor Jai now serves. When the emperor’s son and heir is betrothed to Princess Erica of the neighboring Dansk Kingdom, she brings with her dragons. Endemic to the northern nation, these powerful beasts come in several forms, but mystery surrounds them. Only Dansk royalty know the secret to soulbonding with these dangerous beasts to draw on their power and strength. This marriage—and the alliance that forms—will change that forever. But conspirators lurk in the shadows, and soon the Sabine Court is in chaos. With his life in danger, Jai uses the opportunity to escape with the Dansk handmaiden, Frida, and a stolen hatchling. Hunted at every turn, he must learn to cultivate magic and become a soulbound warrior if he has any chance of finding safety, seizing his destiny…and seeking his revenge.” (Goodreads)
i was very much intrigued with wanting to read this book because of the word dragon. A lot of books have been popping up lately with them in it and I definitely love reading about them, even if they are not always the star of the show. This would be the case for this book.
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Jai. He is an orphan captive who works for the royal family who killed his father in battle. This made for an interesting backstory and does add to the overall plot. He also has two brothers who are in service to the royals as well. I do enjoy a good sibling bond and was disappointed that it didn’t turn out the way I would have liked. Since the reader is told more about the sibling bond than it actually being shown besides one scene I just didn’t feel anything towards the situation that arises with them. I felt this way for a lot of the plot twists actually. One I saw coming from the beginning. Jai does care about those close to him and dislikes seeing all of the death caused by war and will try to do anything to stop it even if it means risking his own life.
There are a lot of characters playing roles in helping move the plot along and I thought they were fine, but some don’t last long in the book and so its hard to actual feel anything towards them. I am not really sure I understand the villain well. He seemed to just go full throttle on his plan without the reader even understanding why.
When it came to the dragons I was disappointed. They are very minor in the beginning of this series and if something has dragon in the title, especially followed by rider, I expected that. I am sure it will happen in book two, but it really threw off my expectations. What we got when it came to the dragons was fine, it kind of reminded me of Eragon in some ways. I do think that the book focuses more on politics which is fine because I liked reading about it.
The pacing was a miss for me. I struggled to get through the first 35% of the book. I kept putting it down to read something else and dreaded picking it back up to finish. The rest of the book moved a bit quicker, but there were still lulls and I think shortening the book would have made it easier on me to get through.
Overall, this was decent. I did struggle with it but as the book went on it got a bit better. I would potentially try the sequel, but I will wait to see.
TheGeekishBrunette 