— ARC review, book review, young adult —

Wings of Ebony by J. Elle (Review)

March 26, 2021

“Make a way out of no way” is just the way of life for Rue. But when her mother is shot dead on her doorstep, life for her and her younger sister changes forever. Rue’s taken from her neighborhood by the father she never knew, forced to leave her little sister behind, and whisked away to Ghizon—a hidden island of magic wielders. Rue is the only half-god, half-human there, where leaders protect their magical powers at all costs and thrive on human suffering. Miserable and desperate to see her sister on the anniversary of their mother’s death, Rue breaks Ghizon’s sacred Do Not Leave Law and returns to Houston, only to discover that Black kids are being forced into crime and violence… Read More Wings of Ebony by J. Elle (Review)

— book review, young adult —

I’m a Gay Wizard by V.S. Santoni (Review)

March 1, 2021

You try magic once and it sticks to you like glitter glue… When Johnny and his best friend, Alison, pass their summer holidays dabbling in magic, they never expect it to have consequences. Sure, it’d be great if they could banish bullies or change their lives for the better, and what harm could come from lighting a few candles and chanting a few spells? When they cause an earthquake that shakes Chicago to its core, they draw the attention of the Marduk Institute, an age-old organization dedicated to fostering the talents of young wizards. Once there, Johnny and Alison are told they can never return to their previous lives, and must quickly adapt to a new world shimmering with monsters, fraternities, and cute boys like Hunter and Blake. But when they’re pulled into an epic, supernatural fight that could cost them both their lives, Johnny and Alison find strength they never knew they had as they battle for love, acceptance, and their own happy ending—all with the help of a little magic… Read More I’m a Gay Wizard by V.S. Santoni (Review)

— ARC review, book review, young adult —

Wayward Witch by Zoraida Córdova (ARC Review)

January 12, 2021

Rose Mortiz has always been a fixer, but lately she’s been feeling lost. She has brand-new powers she doesn’t understand, and her family is still trying to figure out how to function in the wake of her amnesiac father’s return home. Then, on the night of her Deathday party, Rose discovers her father’s memory loss has been a lie. As she rushes to his side, the two are ambushed and pulled through a portal to the land of Adas, a fairy realm hidden in the Caribbean Sea. There, Rose is forced to work with a group of others to save Adas. Soon, she begins to discover the scope of her powers, the troubling truth about her father’s past, and the sacrifices he made to save her sisters. But if Rose wants to return home so she can repair her broken family, she must figure out how to heal Adas first… Read More Wayward Witch by Zoraida Córdova (ARC Review)

— ARC review, book review, young adult —

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (ARC Review)

December 22, 2020

After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus. A flying demon feeding on human energies. A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down. And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw… Read More Legendborn by Tracy Deonn (ARC Review)

— ARC review, book review, young adult —

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar (ARC Review)

December 11, 2020

If the night sky holds many secrets, it holds Sheetal Mistry’s secret the closest. A secret that explains why her hair is the silver of starlight, or why some nights the stars call Sheetal by name. Stars like her mother, who returned to her place in the constellation Pushya years ago. Since that day, Sheetal has been forced to hide. But as her seventeenth birthday draws near, the pull from the sky is growing stronger. So strong that Sheetal loses control, and a flare of starfire burns her human father—an injury only a full star’s blood can heal… Read More Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar (ARC Review)

— book review, young adult —

Scion of the Fox by S.M. Beiko (Review)

March 13, 2019

As the winter ice begins to thaw, the fury of a demon builds — all because one girl couldn’t stay dead . . .Roan Harken considers herself a typical high school student — dead parents, an infected eyeball, and living in the house of her estranged, currently comatose grandmother (well, maybe not so typical) — but she’s uncovering the depth of the secrets her family left behind…… Read More Scion of the Fox by S.M. Beiko (Review)

— book review, young adult —

Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer (Review)

October 24, 2018

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 after they’ve been “acquired.” But when her mom brings home a live specimen, Nita decides she wants out — dissecting living people is a step too far.… Read More Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer (Review)

— blog tour, excerpt, giveaway —

Children of the Bloodlands by S.M. Beiko (Blog Tour: Excerpt & Giveaway) [CLOSED]

September 26, 2018

Welcome to my stop on the Children of the Bloodlands Blog Tour hosted by ECW Press! I really enjoy S.M. Beiko‘s writing, and cannot wait to finish Scion of the Fox and then dive right into Children of the Bloodlands! I mean, who doesn’t love binge reading series like that?! You can read an excerpt from Children of the Bloodlands below, and… Read More Children of the Bloodlands by S.M. Beiko (Blog Tour: Excerpt & Giveaway) [CLOSED]