Genre: LGBT/Historical/YA
Series/Standalone: Standalone
How I got this book: Library eBook

TW: extreme racism, hate, violence, domestic abuse, sexism and homophobia. 

I don't typically lean towards historical fiction, so this book isn't one that I'd normally choose. However, the synopsis grabbed me, and I really wanted to discover how the love story played out. 

At first, reading this book felt similar to how I feel when reading a classic, something that should be on the education syllabus for schools. In terms of educating yourself about racism and hate, I think it does a great job, showing clearly the damage that can be caused by words. 

"It doesn't show much in the way of brains to decide you don't like people you don't even know. All because of their color." 

I also felt that the depiction of life from the perspectives of both a black girl and a white girl in southern America during this time were painfully realistic and eye-opening.

I do feel that this book would make a fantastic educational tool as it illuminates perfectly the hate and prejudice of the time. It also begins to show how someone who is ignorant and who has been influenced by others can become educated and grow as a person. 

"If something like this happened to me, I'd be shouting by now."

It was very difficult to put down and it's certainly Sarah's plight and pain, and my desire for her to succeed, that made it so compelling. The writing is fantastic, with each voice distinct and unique but I think, for me at least, it was my utter hatred of the white people and my continuous rooting for something good to happen for Sarah that gripped me and pushed me to keep reading. 

"This should be the easiest, most natural thing in the world. Going on a date with a boy. Maybe if I try hard enough it will be."

For much of the book, I didn't feel that Linda was at all redeemable or worthy of Sarah, but the more I read, the more I understood that this book is about self-growth and how, by educating yourself and standing up for what is right, you can become a better person. That being said, I don't feel that she ever did stop being racist and bearing in mind the things that she said and did, knowing full well the consequences of what she was doing, the ending seemed more than a little unrealistic.

I did feel for both characters as they struggled in different ways with their sexuality and with their parents. Again, both very different situations but also similar in how the girls felt that they were unable to be themselves or that they would never be good enough for the people who'd raised them.

"The grown-ups always act like they're the ones who have it hard. None of them knows the first thing about what this is like for us."

This book did fuel my hatred towards people. My anger roiled as I furiously turned page after page, hoping naively for a happier turn of events. But, if nothing else, this book stays true to the period in which it's set and very clearly reflects the issues at the time. 

Having said all of that, this is my review as a white person and so, what I'd like to see is a review from a POC to see how this book really stacks up.

Overall, I do feel that this book would make a fantastic educational tool for young people. But I am cautious that I can't be certain how well this book represents a person of colour and the struggles that were faced during this time, and those still being faced today. 

Genre: Paranormal/YA/Fantasy/LGBT
Series/Standalone: Standalone
How I got this book: Bought

Review by Sophie

TW: Slavery, discrimination, attempted rape, animal abuse.
​
They say the thirst of blood is like a madness - they must sate it. Even with their own kin. ​

​Okay, so first things first, I TOTALLY chose this book purely on the look of the front cover. I loved the whole slightly Gothic and dark feel the design gave off, and so I jumped straight in. 

Before starting, I had no idea that it was kind of a retelling of Dracula, but from his brides’ point of view. This is a story of sisterhood, female love and relationships, and the utter brutality that is life. It's about bravery and heartfelt sorrow. I love the idea, and its an intriguing back story, although I just wish this book was a little longer with a few more chapters to give it that depth that I feel it's ever so slightly missing. 

First, we meet Lil, I love how she’s so harmless and sweet, living in the shadow of her twin and more than happy to let her fiery and passionate sister Kizzy make the decisions and run towards danger. 

On the day that they are captured into slavery, Lillai is anticipating the outcome of her diving day to see what future awaits her and Kizzy. The girls are part of a small group of travellers who keep to themselves and appreciate what nature provides for them. I like how the writer describes and really shows the hate and discrimination towards travellers, how others perceive them as being lesser, not deserving common decency, and sadly this rings true as an issue not just in fiction.

I absolutely love the character personalities in this book. You have Kizzy and Lil who appear to be like yin and yang, the strong and fearless mixed with the shy, quiet and easy-going. Then we meet Mira, a slave who’s truly been brutalised and tortured, yet still manages to find kindness in her heart, especially towards Lil. Their relationship is cute and heartwarming, and honestly just makes you melt. 

Soon we meet the cruel and heartless Boyar Valcar and hear whispers of the Dragon, known to be myth and legend. I was a bit annoyed that there wasn’t more detail surrounding these characters. I know the story is intended to focus on the girls, but I would have really liked more detail surrounding the Dragon, just to give a better idea of him and his personality. 

Now, if you’re lucky enough to have a sister or best friend, you can appreciate and completely relate to the bond and relationship that Kizzy and Lil have. How they endlessly defend each other and have a mutual understanding of how the other feels. 

I really liked reading The Deathless Girls, it was easy going in terms of pace, perhaps a little too easy-going maybe? I think it only took me a day to finish. It has a good flow and pace, and the ending really just leaves you wanting more. 

I'll be completely honest and say that I did expect and want more than this book delivered. I felt that there was some detail missing and it wasn’t quite as dark as I had anticipated. However, the ending was brilliant, and somehow still caught me off guard. 

I really hope that there’s more to come from The Deathless Girls. 

This cold has me feeling pretty sorry for myself at the moment but since I can't sleep, I figured re-reading some of my favourite *comfort* stories would do the trick. 

This book was actually an accidental re-read since I'd forgotten that I'd already read it back when I had my Kindle Unlimited subscription and so I bought it again and got a sense of deja vu pretty early on. 

However, that didn't detract from my enjoyment of this book. While it is very short (I read it in just over 2 hours), the characters have great chemistry, depth, and there's just enough plot to keep things interesting. 

The book really only features the two main characters, with very few and brief appearances from minor characters which works in its favour, keeping the story on track and the tension building throughout. 

I love how naive and clueless Fielding and Mick seem to be, Mick especially, but what I love most is how their relationship progresses with relatively little amounts of drama and angst. 

“I want you to teach me how to kiss,” Fielding said in his most arrogant voice. It came out as a demand, like Fetch me the lamp from the sideboard, wench.

For me, this was the perfect, sweet as sugar, grin-inducing book that had me smiling despite the fact that I can only breathe through one nostril.

If you're a fan of innocent, clueless characters and slow-burn romance reminiscent of Anyta Sunday, you'll love Blame it on the Mistletoe.  

Calling all fans of Anyta Sunday, friends to lovers, M/M romance and second chance romance!

If any of the above applies to you, I have a special treat lined up for you today!

​I was feeling a bit crappy on Thursday night last week when I reached for my ARC of Happy for You by Anyta Sunday and it turned my mood right around, my grin growing with every page I turned.

Today, I'm taking part in the Release Day Blitz for Happy For You (book 3 in the Love & Family series). You can check out my reviews for Book 1: Taboo For You and Book 2: Made For You on Goodreads because I just found out that apparently I never added them to the blog ?

I've loved every book in this series so far, as with most of Anyta Sunday's books I have a habit of devouring them in one sitting and laughing my head off at characters antics. Keep reading to see what I thought of Book 3. Plus, read an exclusive excerpt, a Q&A with the author herself and an international giveaway!

STARS: 4 STARS!

Genre: MM Romance/LGBT
Series/Standalone: Love and Family #3
How I got this book: ARC from A Novel Take Promotions

Mort wants his de facto family back. . . .
He knows he doesn’t deserve them. Not yet, anyway. Not without making up for leaving them in their time of need.
But it’s not easy to make amends. Mort must show how much he wants the Rochester family back in his life. When his best friend’s younger brother, Felix, has his license suspended, Mort jumps at the chance to play chauffeur and to win back the family he desperately wants to call his own.
Repairing his broken relationships—with all five Rochester siblings—becomes Mort’s personal mission. Especially with Felix. Felix, who used to follow him everywhere. Felix, who idolized him. Felix, whom Mort has not stopped thinking about . . .

Felix is just trying to keep it together. . . .
With a perma-smile as his armor, he’s determined to make his family happy. Determined to be a positive role model to his three younger sisters, while their mum struggles with depression after her kidney transplant.
Unfortunately, no amount of smiling can save his license when he gets pulled over for the umpteenth time, and he still needs to get his sisters to school, soccer, and dance classes.
The solution to his problem emerges in the return of their prodigal neighbor, Mort. Mort, who left their lives without a word. Mort, who was in love with Felix’s older brother.
Mort, who is the last guy Felix wants charging back into their lives. . . .

Mort and Felix. Two guys bound by a rocky past--
—a past they must come to terms with to find true happiness in the here and now.

TW: ​Depression and generalized anxiety (of a side character)

Unlike the other two books in this series, this one took me a little longer to get into. I was a little confused at the beginning, as though there was a little information missing and so parts of the relationship felt a little rushed almost. 

But the characters quickly got under my skin with their flirty, clueless ways. Anyta writes the most adorable, bashful characters and the slow-burn just sizzles. 

This book did sadly have a bit of an uncomfortable (for me at least) twist to it that I didn't really like and that to be honest almost made me lower the star rating, but the cute, likeable characters won me over. 

​Anyta does deal with some difficult topics in this book including depression, grief and sexual anxiety through the side characters in a way that gives more depth to the story but doesn't detract from the mushy, slow-burn romance.

I can't say that this is my favourite book in the series, as that's probably reserved for Taboo For You, which I adored. Made For You also came in a close second with Happy For You falling into third place, just because of that one, uncomfortable twist (I don't want to give too much away but it's relating to Mort's relationship with Felix's older brother as hinted on in the synopsis). 

If you love clueless, romantics with big families and light-hearted drama, Happy For You is a book not to be missed. 

Now, keep reading to check out an excerpt, Q&A with Anyta Sunday and your chance to win! 

What is the significance of the title “Happy For You”?
 
AS: This book’s all about happiness – where to find it for ourselves, how to make others happy, and how to live with the fact that we can’t make everyone around us happy.  Mort and Felix have to learn it the hard way: if they’re both only trying to make others happy, they’ll lose sight of themselves. They have to find their own happiness first to finally be happy together.
 
What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?
 
AS: While every book has its own challenges, this one was special because it features a large family that wanted to have ample space on the page. To give all of them their rightful place was not easy, but they all demanded to be heard ☺ This spring and summer, when I worked on “Happy For You”, was also a time of transitions for my family – from my son changing schools to me transitioning to a new diet, so finding time for the book wasn’t always easy.
 
Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about?
 
AS: I am always working :D At the moment, I’m diving back into astrology and star signs, and tackling book 5 in the “Signs of Love” series. A Cancer and an Aquarius are the lucky couple in this one, and I’m already having so much fun with them. It’s quite emotional, but just like all the other SoL books, also full of banter and romantic comedy!
 
Where do you draw inspiration from?
 
AS: Inspiration is all around – walking the streets, seeing a couple interact at the café, getting a lovely message from my husband. So many things can spark an idea, like a smell that brings back a memory or a piece of music that becomes alive in my head. I try to soak it all in and scribble it down as soon as possible.

Do you have any new series planned?
 
AS: There are a few ideas currently swirling in my head, and I never know how they’ll finally arrive on the page. One series idea I just cannot stop thinking about is what I call the “Love Shack” in my head. A beachside house that brings different roommates together, always sparking new misadventures and love stories! Another idea is a cozy, super sweet and romantic mystery. But whatever series comes next, you can be sure it’ll be full of slow burn romance!
 
About Anyta Sunday:
 
I'm a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love. Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries. I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of Fantasy. My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.
 
Connect with Anyta:
 
Author website:http://www.anytasunday.com/
Author newsletter signup: http://www.anytasunday.com/newsletter-free-e-book/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anytasundaybooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anytasunday
Instagram: https://instagram.com/anytasunday
BookBub: https://bookbub.com/authors/anyta-sunday

Click the cover photo above to add the book to your Goodreads TBR and enter below for your chance to win one complete paperback set of the Love & Family series: Taboo for You, Made for You, and Happy for You, or, one of three e-books of Happy for You. Prizes are open internationally. Must be 18 to enter and win.

​Now, excuse me while I enter the competition myself!

Welcome to my stop on the All Boy blog tour. 

​Since reading The Princess of Baker Street by Mia Kerick last year, I've been looking forward to reading her next release and I'm so excited to be sharing this review with you! 

A very big thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for allowing me to review the book and participate in the tour.

Keep reading to check out the synopsis, my review and for your chance to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card (open internationally!)

Rating: 4 STARS

Genre: LGBT/YA
Series/Standalone: Standalone
How I got this book: ARC from Xpresso Book Tours

Seventeen-year-old Callie Canter knows all about screwing up—and being screwed over. After her so-called boyfriend publicly humiliated her senior year, taking a fifth year of high school at Beaufort Hills Academy is her second chance to leave behind a painful past. But her need for social acceptance follows, and going along with the in-crowd is the difference between survival and becoming a target. Staying off the radar is top priority. So, falling for an outsider is the last thing on Callie’s “to-do” list. Too bad her heart didn’t get the memo.

With his strict, religious upbringing and former identity far away in Florida, Jayden Morrissey can finally be true to himself at Beaufort Hills Academy. But life as a trans man means keeping secrets, and keeping secrets means not getting too close to anyone. If he can just get through his fifth year unnoticed, maybe a future living as the person he was born to be is possible. Yet love is love, and when you fall hard enough, intentions crumble, plans detour, and secrets are revealed.
​
From multi-award-winning author Mia Kerick, comes a powerful, timely, and life-changing novel, which follows two teenagers nursing broken hearts and seeking acceptance, and who together realize running away isn’t always the answer.

TW: Transphobia, sexual abuse, humiliation, mental health, bullying

I have to start by saying that (as you can see from the trigger warnings above) Mia Kerick has written a book that is full of pain and that was very difficult to read - but that's by no means a bad thing. Now, I'm not the best person to say whether this book dealt with the subject matter in the ‘right’ way necessarily but it was a powerful and enlightening read.

One of the reasons I read so many different genres is to find as many different stories and voices as possible and All Boy does not disappoint. 

I'd braced myself somewhat for this book after reading The Princess of Baker Street earlier this year but it's still not easy to digest what the characters have to face and overcome. 
 
For the most part, I found Callie’s character really difficult to bear, I almost hated her at times and some of that was due to seeing parts of myself reflected in her (self-hatred is anything but a breeze) but also at her ignorance and self-destructive nature but (without giving too much away) her development arc is something to be admired. 
 
Jayden is a stunning character with so much strength and heart and I would have preferred to read more chapters from his POV. It's Jayden who broke my heart in this book, the truth and reality of his story and his pain bleeding from the pages was almost unbearable at times and my heart ached for him.
 
Callie and Jayden’s stories, both together and as individuals, are very compelling to read, everything they have to face and overcome and the story as a whole gives a very powerful insight into life as a trans man.
 
At times I felt that some of the dialogue was a bit too scripted, too formal and not realistic for the age group but the pacing of the story was good and the themes tackled well, at least in my opinion.

One of the shining characters for me in this book was Lauren who's almost the personification of acceptance. She delivers some beautiful truths to Callie and is a great friend and ally. 

Overall, this was a really powerful and painful read that deals with sensitive topics and delivers important messages of self-acceptance, doing what's right and above all, that love is love. 

Click the cover photo above to add the book to your Goodreads TBR and enter below for your chance to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card! The giveaway is open internationally so everyone can enter and it's hosted by Xpresso Book Tours. 

Don't forget to click the banner at the top to follow the rest of the tour and feel free to leave your comments below :) ​

And finally, for something a little different, why not check out the book trailer below:

Welcome to my stop on the Within Ash and Stardust book tour. This is the third book in the Xenith Trilogy by Chani Lynn Feener. 

Huge thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for the review copy and for including My Endless Shelf in the blog tour!

​Before I get into the full review, if you want to avoid spoilers and haven't read the first two books in the series, feel free to check those out at the following links - Book 1: Amid Stars and Darkness and Book 2: Between Frost and Fury. 

Rating: 4 STARS

Genre: Sci-Fi/YA/Romance
Series/Standalone: The Xenith Trilogy #3
How I got this book: ARC from Xpresso Book Tours

Having gone from kidnapped faux princess to the legitimate heir to an intergalactic throne, an impulsive, sarcastic teen must take charge of her own destiny in this epic YA novel.

On Earth, Delaney is a normal teenager who recently graduated high school with a fantastic best friend and a loving boyfriend.

But Delaney isn’t on Earth. She’s on Xenith, a war-torn planet half a galaxy away. Originally mistaken for an alien princess, Delaney has gone from kidnapped imposter to the recognized heir to an alien throne. Oh, and she’s engaged to the prince of an enemy nation whose ruthless father is on the warpath.

Torn between two planets, two fates, and two loves, Delaney is finally ready to choose her own destiny in Within Ash and Stardust, the stunning conclusion to Chani Lynn Feener’s Xenith Trilogy.

I can't believe it's finally here! The last instalment of a series that I fell in love with back in 2017 and have been desperately waiting for since the cliffhanger that left me absolutely reeling at the end of book two - honestly it was one of the most heart-wrenching cliffhangers ever and gave me ALL THE FEELS!!

I love this author's writing style, I've read a lot of her other books and her writing style is so easy to fall into, her characters are relatable and likeable and her world building is fantastic. She does seem to enjoy writing love triangles and for the most part, I do enjoy the complicated relationships. 

I've been following the journey of Delaney from out-of-place Earth girl to the heir of an alien planet with rapture. Delaney is completely relatable, in book one she was frightened, in book two she was angry and in book three she's determined to make her own choices and forge her own path. 

Some parts of the plot in this book did give me moments of deja-vu, especially in terms of Delaney being put into corners she can't get out of but there were plenty of new elements too with new character revelations, plot twists and more alien culture. 

I did have a pretty big problem with Ruckus in this book. If you've read my other reviews, you'll know that I've been Team Trystan from book 1, so it's no shock that Ruckus isn't my favourite character. Trystan is a big, sullen sweetheart with a cheeky side that's just irresistible. Ruckus was a solid character for me in book 1, who I did like, but who, in book 2, was so clearly not the one for Delaney. Whilst reading Within Ash and Stardust I felt as though Ruckus's character just disappeared in terms of depth, he was pretty pathetic, trailing after Delaney like a puppy dog and with seemingly no personality at all. I mean, at one point the book reads:

"He didn't want to be an Ander anymore, he realised with a start. He just wanted to be Ruckus Wux. Boyfriend of Delaney Grace." 

Which is pretty pathetic really, especially for someone who in the first book was portrayed as a tough-as-nails soldier. 

The romance in this book is also a little off compared to the last book, where things between Trystan and Delaney had started to heat up despite the frigid ending. In this book, Delaney is all over the place trying to choose between Ruckus and Trystan (when the choice was clear from the start!) and it felt a little awkward, with the ending seeming a little too clean-cut. It had lost some of the sizzle that I'd enjoyed in Between Frost and Fury. 

However, there is plenty of action in this book and the pace is great, I didn't want to put the book down at all. There's also more culture and world-building, especially in terms of the Dust Market which is both strange and wonderful. 

I like that Delaney finally manages to break free of her chains in this book, to some extent, and can make her own choices and do what she believes is right instead of what's already been decided for her. 

Overall, this was a nice end to what I feel is a very underrated YA series and one that opened the gates to sci-fi for me, but with the romance toned down, it felt as though it was suddenly aimed at a slightly younger audience. 

My favourite book of the series has to be Between Frost and Fury, with Amid Stars and Darkness coming in at a close second. 

I've truly enjoyed following Delaney's journey, exploring these new worlds, meeting interesting new characters and falling in love with Trystan's sweet, cinnamon centre along the way. 

I can't wait to see what this author does next! 

As always, you can add the book to your Goodreads TBR by clicking on the book cover above and feel free to let me know what you think in the comments below!

​To win a print copy of Within Ash and Stardust enter the giveaway below (US/CAN only). 

Genre: LGBT/Paranormal/Romance/YA
Series/Standalone: Standalone
How I got this book: Read for free on Wattpad.com

​They were naturally disposed to hate each other. And for a while, they did.

Bite Me is a YA, m/m paranormal romance that's currently available for free on Wattpad.com (just click the image to read!) 

If you read my last blog post, you'll know that I've been spending a fair amount of my time discovering Wattpad. For those of you that don't know, Wattpad is a social storytelling community made up of readers and writers. Writers post stories for free on Wattpad for anyone to enjoy, vote and comment on - and it's completely free to join!

Bite Me is the first story that I've read via Wattpad and I truly enjoyed it! 

It's full of vampires, werewolves, teen angst, insta-hate and an enemies-to-lovers style slow-burn romance that's packed to the brim with drama and lust. 

​There were a few problematic things about the book in terms of editing (i.e spelling and grammar and a couple of sections that were a little confusing) and there was a fairly big issue with the way that one character described another (that a lot of readers picked up) so (as is the beauty of Wattpad's edit functionality), I'm hoping the author will change this in future. 

Other than that, I truly enjoyed my first Wattpad read. There were moments of humour, tension and plenty of chemistry between the two main characters. 

I enjoyed the author's new take on Vampires even though I felt that the concept of 'trading your immortality' could have benefited from a little more development and backstory. '

I particularly liked Kieran who, despite being a grade A jerk from the offset is likeable, relatable and witty. Mason is a sweet, puppy dog with the best intentions even if he comes across a little strong and makes so many bad, impulsive decisions. 

The book contains a nice mixture of contemporary/paranormal and, whilst I would have liked to see a little more paranormal 'stuff', the romance was sweet and kept the story moving. 

Have you read any stories on Wattpad? What would you recommend?

Genre: YA/Fantasy 
Series/Standalone: The Folk of the Air #2
How I got this book: Bought

If you haven't already read the first book in The Folk of the Air series, feel free to check out my review of The Cruel Prince and stop reading to avoid potential spoilers from book one. 

This book is complicated. 

I don't know if I've ever read a book before where I've absolutely hated 99% of all the characters but still loved just how vile and repulsive they are. 

They're so evil. ALL OF THEM ARE EVIL. Including the author because that ending was not fair! 

The two characters I hate the most are Taryn and Locke, which makes them pretty well suited to each other. I love how at the beginning of book one we were presented with this meek, gentle and docile image of Taryn but as the book progressed she turned out to be the worst sister in the world. 

Jude is fantastic. I love her ferocity even in the face of impossible odds and certain defeat. She's cunning, clever and complex and yet still manages to be blindsided by others (don't worry Jude, you're not alone!) 

Cardan is still a, well, there aren't really words for what/how he is and I still have some huge problems about their relationship dynamic but the chemistry and tension between the two are so palpable that it seeps from the pages. 

The plot twists in this book are EPIC! If you were shocked by The Cruel Prince trust me when I say that you won't even know what to make of The Wicked King. My jaw is still somewhere on the floor where it dropped whilst reading that ending...

The storytelling is compulsive. This book is filled with more politics than the first, which I thoroughly enjoyed and I was so excited to see new places and more backstory from several characters. 

If you love fantasy with a dark, foreboding edge, an unpredictable plot line and characters you love to hate, you'll love The Wicked King.