Category: YA Review

Caitsbooks Reviews The Queens Assassin 2.5 stars

The Queen's Assassin (The Queen's Secret #1) by Melissa de la Cruz – My Expectations Were Way Too High (ARC Review)

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All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change.

Overall: 2.5/5 Stars
Characters: 2/5
Setting: 2/5
Writing: 3/5
Plot and Themes: 2.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 2/5
Review in a Nutshell: This was… disappointing. I had such high hopes- which might have been my own fault- that this book failed to meet. Or really come near.

”Just because it’s a story doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

[ Related: 20 Most Anticipated Releases of 2020 (Plus 120+ More)(Recommendation Nation)]

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, War Themes, Murder, Imprisonment //

Release Date: 2/4/2020
Publisher: G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Page Count: 384
Premise:

The Queen’s Assassin is the first book in a new fantasy duology by Melissa de la Cruz. It follows two protagonists, one being Caledon Holt, the Queen’s personal assassin, who inherited a blood vow from his father to find a lost magic scroll. The other protagonist is Shadow, a girl who dreams of being an assassin herself, and a member of the Guild like her family. When the two team up on a mission in a neighboring country to root out a plot against the Queen, they find themselves fighting a growing attraction.

“He is the Queen’s Assassin. And no one is safe from his blade.”

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Caitsbooks Reviews The Stars We Steal

The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne – All Drama, Not Much Plot (ARC Review)

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All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change

Overall: 3.25/5 Stars
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 3.5/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 3/5
Awesomeness Factor: 3/5
Review in a Nutshell: The Stars We Steal is a fun, enjoyable book with plenty of drama, easy to read in one sitting (which I might have done).

“I was chasing dreams like starlight.”

[ Related: Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne (Review) ]

// Content Warning: Assault, Torture Mention, Phobia, Murder Mention, Homphobic Comments, Illness //

Release Date: 2/4/2020
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Page Count: 400
Premise:

This book is really The Bachelor/Bachelorette but in space. Okay, well it’s actually a retelling of Persuasion, but I know almost nothing about Persuasion (I know- sacrilege) so I can’t speak to how good of a retelling it is. But instead of talking about the stories and ideas this book is inspired by, let’s talk about the story this book is really about.

The Stars We Steal follows Princess Leonie (who prefers to be called Leo) who is entering the Valg, where the wealthiest bachelors and bachelorettes enjoy a month on a luxury spaceship and try to find their future spouse. Leo knows she needs to marry someone wealthy enough to save her family from financial ruin, but she would prefer to not marry anyone. At least, that’s the case until her first love, Elliot- now a successful captain- returns to join the Valg.

“Like a compass aligning itself. He was my true north.”

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Below (North #1) by Alexandria Warwick – This Book Is Gorgeous (ARC Review)

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Thank you to the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change.

Overall: 4/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 3.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4/5
Review in a Nutshell: Below is cold and dark, a story rich with culture and told in beautiful prose.

“The night is long, but the sun will soon greet you.”

[ Related: 20 Most Anticipated Book Releases of 2020 (and 120+ More)(Recommendation Nation) ]

// Content Warning: Violence, Torture, Animal Death, Suicide Mention //

Release Date: 2/4/2020
Publisher: Wolf Publishing
Page Count: 308
Premise:

When Apaay’s sister, Eska’s face is stolen by the legendary creature known as the Face Stealer, she travels to where no one dares to go, the Face Stealers lair, to take it back. But her journey does not go as planned, and she finds herself trapped in a labyrinth by a girl, Yuki. Yuki promises her freedom if only Apaay can find Eska’s face, and a face Yuki is searching for. But the labyrinth, and those inside, are not what they seem. Including the Face Stealer himself.

“Does one crush a flower in winter?”

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Caitsbooks Reviews: Tweet Cute by Emma Lord (5 Stars)

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord – This Book Is Too Good (ARC Review)

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change.

Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: Tweet Cute is the perfect YA contemporary- it’s cute, it’s funny, and it’s got heart.

“Apparently in the vast arsenal of useless talents that aren’t going to help me get into college, I am really good at being snarky on Twitter.”

[ Related: 20 Most Anticipated Book Releases of 2020 (Plus 120+ More)(Recommendation Station)]

Release Date: 1/21/2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Page Count: 368
Premise:
Tweet Cute follows two high schoolers, Pepper and Jack. Pepper is a perfectionist. While her family life isn’t going great, their fast-food business, Big League Burger, is, due to Pepper running their massive Twitter. Jack is a class clown who keeps himself busy helping out in his family’s deli. When he discovers that Big League Burger stole one of their recipes, he goes after them on the deli’s twitter. What starts as one small tweet turns into a viral battle, but while their fighting on twitter, they’re falling for each other on an anonymous app and in real life.

“[…] the issue isn’t so much what I want to be, but whether or not I can be it without hurting everyone else in the process.”

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Caitsbooks Reviews: A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer (4 Stars)

A Heart So Fierce and Broken (Cursebreakers #2) by Brigid Kemmerer – I Dont Know If Im Happy or Scared (Probably Both) (ARC Review)

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*I received an ARC at BookCon. All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change.*

Overall: 4/5 Stars
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Awesomeness Factor: 3/5
Review in a Nutshell: A Heart So Fierce and Broken is, overall, a great read, but some aspects left me conflicted.

“There is no path here. I feel as though the curse never ended. The players simply changed.”

[ Related: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer- I’m So Glad I Finally Read It!! (Review) ]

// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Torture, Anxiety, Suicide Mention, Self Harm Mention, Rape Mention, Animal Death, War Themes, Mental Illness, PTSD //

Release Date: 1/7/2020
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 491
A Heart So Fierce and Broken is the sequel to A Curse So Dark and Lonely, this focusing on Grey, Rhen’s loyal guard who is on the run, and Lia Mara, the daughter of the queen of a rival kingdom.

“Choices are never easy. There are good or bad options, but the most dangerous is not to make any choice at all.”

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