Books I'm Dying to Read: February Edition

With cooler weather, I'm looking forward to reading these books on the longer nights inside, maybe in front of the fire with some adult hot chocolate and a snuggling dog.

 

Friday with the Wizards: I can't wait to see what happens next to Celie

Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den: Simon isn't normal. When his mother is kidnapped - his powers of changing into animals kicks in. 

Pilfer Academy: Boarding school for thieves in training

Lincoln Project: Traveling back in time to document the past - what could possibly go wrong?

Beatrix Potter: Based on a true episode of the author's life.

Burning Midnight: Four teens - an evil billionaire - and a race to uncover and protect priceless artifacts

Assassin's Heart: A family of assassins murderer except for one - who seeks Revenge

Rebel, Bully, Geek, Pariah: Breakfast Club inspired: 1 night + 4 unlikely friends

The Word for Yes:  Three sisters and the one night that changed everything

The Last Place on Earth: Daisy and Henry are best friends - until he mysteriously disappears leaving just a note. Now Daisy's on a mission to save him

Reign of Shadows: A tale of Rapunzel - complete with forbidden love

Shadow Queen: A Snow White retelling - with the Huntsman and Snow White form an attaachment

Forbidden Wish: Aladdin retelling where your heart could be your greatest enemy 

Kingdom of Ashes: Sequel to a Wicked Things where Aurora breaks the Sleeping Beauty mold

Forbidden Orchid: Elodie has never left her village, but now she's going on a quest to save her family

Vicious Masks: Jane Austen meets X-men in Victorian London

For Cheddar or Worse: A festival brings murder to town and a friend into trouble

A Disguise to Die For: A new series start off with a killer party

Wedding Cake Murder: Hannah's getting married and attending a killer reality dessert chef contest.

Fogged Inn: A strange turns up - murdered in the center of Julia's life.

Remembrance: Susannah graduated from college  but her past come back to haunt her. Part of the Mediator series!

Review: Wild Hearts

* Book 4 in the If Only... series *

Brie's lived all over the world because of her father's business. Usually settling into a new town and seeing the sights is fun, but not when the whole town hates your father without meeting him.

They think Mr. Carter's going to destroy the town with the new hotel he's planning to develop. Plus wild mustangs roam on the land to be developed. Now the town's protesting his arrival outside his new house. Her father's a workaholic who's not going to stop because of some protesters.

Brie, on the other hand, starts talking to Logan - the boy she met on the first day into town. He's a protester, but he's not the jerk she imagined him to be. As they get closer, the tension between their fathers heats up. How can think about a possible romance when their families are enemies?

My Thoughts: While it's technically Book 4 in the series - this series isn't connected except in the concept of contemporary romance - so it's basically a stand-alone novel. But that isn't to say you won't enjoy the other books in the If Only line.

I like how the romance started out snarky but grew into something much more. I loved how it built slowly and then burned brightly. 

I loved how Logan and Brie (and others) worked together to save the mustangs. It's amazing how they pulled things together.

I felt horrible for Logan - taking on so many responsibilities with his mom leaving, the economy, and this dad's health. I loved the moments between Logan and Holden.

I loved Amy. I loved her room and her mindset towards Southern charm. I like how she and Brie overcame their first meeting to become friends. I love how she goes after what she wants - on eBay and it's afraid to show off her style. She's a really great friend.

I loved the Brie wanted to find something she was passionate about - and not something that she was doing because of someone else. This had to be something for her. 

Cover Thoughts: Amazing - I love the pop of the colors against the black and white sketch.
Source: Sent for review

Final Thoughts: I loved Jessica Burkhart's middle grade series Canterwood Crest, so I was super excited to hear about her debut YA novel - and it's everything I wanted: great romance, great friendship, a fantastic main character, drama, and of course more horses. If you like forbidden love stories, then this is the perfect read for summer.

Review: Runaways

No one understands Kaylee and Mason's relationship - she's a girl from a wealthy and powerful family and he's from the wrong sides of the tracks.  But they love each other.

One day, they don't show up for school. It's also the same day that Kaylee's father's body is found.

As the police question her closet friends as school, it's clear that something major happened at the party last night. Could one of them have murdered Mr. Abernathy?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book and here's why
1. Multiple Perspectives
2. Short chapters
3. Relationships - friends, dating, enemies - it all comes out.
4. Flashbacks: how everything started
5. Blackmail: learning secrets and spying on people
6. Rich kids who felt entitled (doesn't everyone want to see them fall?)
7. Forbidden romance
8. Sisters
9. Smart characters - especially the kind that everyone overlooks
10. A Murder mystery

All these things kept me turning the pages to figure out what happened.

Cover Thoughts: Not a huge fan
Source: Sent for review

Review: Let the Sky Fall

Vane's had a tragic life - one no normal child should ever have survived. He can't remember anything about the tornado that claimed his parents' lives and almost killed him.

He's been able to move on, mostly. He has a new family, friends, and even a potential girlfriend. Except, there's one mystery girl he can't stop thinking about. Vane doesn't know if she's real, but she's wrapped up in his past.

He's dumbfounded when she sneaks into his bedroom at night. At first, he's overjoyed, but then confused as she starts talking. She tells him she's not human, and neither is he. Instead, they're sylphs, beings who can control the wind.

Audra accidentally sent their location into the winds. Now their enemies are coming for them. She's hoping to stall them, but she needs Vane to start training. She needs to show him just how much power he has and she desperately hopes to unlock his past. Buried deep in his past might be the only change for their survive, if she can help him unlock it, they might stand a chance.

My Thoughts: I loved this start to a new series for the forbidden romance, the danger, and the slow reveal of what happened in the past to these two families. I liked Vane's snark and sarcasm - he lightening the mood at times.  I like how Audra sends the wind to keep Vane from kissing the wrong girl - setting everything in motion. My heart broke for her -her guilt over her past. I hated her mother! I really liked the concept of controlling the wind. I found in unique and intriguing. Despite the size, I tore through this book, not wanting to put it down and I'm eager for more in the story.

Cover Thoughts: Great
Source: My Library