Tag: 5

Caitsbooks Reviews: Well Met by Jen DeLuca - 5 Stars

Well Met by Jen DeLuca – Not Your Typical Fairytale Romance (ARC Review)

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*Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own. Quotes are from the ARC and are subject to change upon publication.*

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: Well Met is just pure fun. This book is adorable, entertaining, and full of heart. 

“I didn’t choose the wench life. The wench life chose me.”

[ Related: 12 Summer Romances (6 YA + 6 Adult) ]

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// Content Warning: Insecurities around not being enough, depression//

“Birthday wishes were allowed to be lofty. I blew out the candles and let those wishes fly away with the wisps of smoke. The ones that were meant to be would come back.” 

Release Date: 9/3/2019
Publisher: Berkley
Page Count: 336
Premise:

When Emily’s sister got in an accident, she dropped everything to help her and her niece. So when said niece needs an adult to volunteer with her at the Renaissance Faire, she agrees. However, what she didn’t expect was to make an enemy of the man running it, Simon, so quick. He has no patience for Emily and is quick with a critique, but once they get on Faire grounds, he changes completely. He turns into a suave pirate and flirts constantly with Emily’s character, but is it real, or is it just the characters they have to play?

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Caitsbooks Reviews: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson - 5 Stars

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson – Did It Survive the Hype? (Review)

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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: Sorcery of Thorns reminded me why I love standalone fantasies. With a unique world and magic system, great characters, and a fun plot, you won’t want to put this book down.

“It was always wise to be polite to books, whether or not they could hear you.”

[ Related: An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson (Review) ]

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// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Panic Attacks, Imprisonment, Murder, Sexual Assault (Mention), Mental Illness, Forced Hospitalization, PTSD, Misogyny //

“She wasn’t a wielder of chains; she was a breaker of them. She was the library’s will made flesh.”

Release Date: 6/4/2019
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster)
Page Count: 456 
Premise:

Elizabeth is a child of the library. Growing up in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, she has always dreamed of becoming a Warden, guarding the living grimoires that line the shelves and protecting the kingdom from Maleficts- monsters that arise from damaged grimoires. She has also been raised to hate the Sorcerers that use the grimoires. But when the library is sabotaged and Elizabeth tries to save the kingdom from a Malefict, she is accused of being the saboteur. She is sent with Nathaniel Thorn, a sorcerer, and his companion, Silas, to face justice, but instead, she uncovers a conspiracy that only the three of them together can stop.

Read more to see why I gave Sorcery of Thorns 5 Stars!

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We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal. Caitsbooks Review: 5 Stars

We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya #1) by Hafsah Faizal – I’ll Never Recover (Review)

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[ We Hunt the Flame cover (girl with arrows standing on a cliff overlooking a desert ]

Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 4.5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: We Hunt the Flame is a stunning debut. This book is absolutely gorgeous, inside and out. You do not want to miss out on this one of a kind read.

“We hunt the flame, the light in the darkness, the good this world deserves.”

(I know this is the quote everyone is using in their reviews but HOW COULD YOU NOT?? It’s so perfect)

[ Related: Currently Reading – We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal (Thoughts & Predictions) ]

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// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, Torture, Suicide Mention, Child Abuse, Animal Death, War Themes, Murder, Misogyny //

“A life without purpose may be no life, but a life without love is nothing but an existence.”

Release Date: 5/14/2019
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Page Count: 472
Premise:
We Hunt the Flame takes place in Arawiya, a kingdom divided into five caliphates, inspired by ancient Arabia. Zafira is one of the only people able to venture into the Arz, a magical forest, and come back unaffected. Disguised as The Hunter, she uses this ability to feed her village. But when she is told of a way she might be able to get rid of the Arz forever, she travels to the mysterious island of Sharr. Nasir is an assassin, son of the Sultan and Prince of Death. When his father sends him after The Hunter with orders to find what The Hunter is after then kill him, Nasir does not hesitate. But Sharr is full of ancient magic and forgotten powers, and with old threats rising, their quests, and their lives, are in jeopardy.

Read more for all of my thoughts on this amazing book!!

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Caitsbooks Reviews Soul of Stars (Heart of Iron #2( by Ashley Poston - 4.5 Stars

Soul of Stars (Heart of Iron #2) by Ashley Poston – One Of My Most Anticipated 2019 Releases (Review)

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Overall: 4.5/5 Stars
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4.5/5
Review in a Nutshell: Soul of Stars is an out-of-this-world sequel. And I’m not sorry for that pun.

[ Related: Heart of Iron (Heart of Iron #1) by Ashley Poston – Review ]

// Content Warning: Violence, Death //

“Love was stubborn, and love was impatient, and thoughtless and self-centered and vainglorius. It hid in the crevices of your soul when you thought it had run away, and it never left– like a scar: deep and ugly and enduring.”

Release Date: 7/23/2019
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Page Count: 400 pages
Premise:
Soul of Stars takes place several months after the heartbreaking events of Heart of Iron. Our main characters are still trying to deal with what happened (honestly, so am I), all while trying to save their friend and the kingdom. 

Read more for all of my thoughts on this book!

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these broken stars review amie kaufman meagan spooner caitsbooks 5 stars

These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner – A 5 (Unbroken) Star Read!

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I’m sorry for that title. The pun was just there and I had no choice.

Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4/5
Review in a Nutshell: These Broken Stars was the first Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner book I ever read, and it made me fall in love with this author duo. It’s funny, adorable, heartbreaking, and slightly ominous- basically everything you could ask for in a book.

“But who names a starship the Icarus? What kind of man possess that much hubris, that he dares it to fall?” 

[Related: Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Review)]

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// Content Warning: Violence, Death, PTSD //

“You don’t mention death when it’s hovering near someone you love. You don’t want to attract the reaper’s attention.”

Release Date: 12/10/2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Page Count: 384
Premise:

These Broken Stars is what you would get if you put Titanic in space (except, with a lot more Man vs. Wild in there too). Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen are from two different worlds. Lilac has lived in luxury her whole life, as the daughter of the richest man in the galaxy. Meanwhile, Tarver is a soldier who came from nothing. But their two worlds collide on the Icarus, a luxury space-liner. However, the Icarus itself then collides with a planet in the middle of nowhere. Lilac and Tarver are lucky to survive the crash, but can they stay alive on this mysterious planet?

Read more for all of my thoughts on this book!

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My Lady Jane (The Lady Janies #1) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows – Hilarious, Witty, and Fun (Review)

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Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 4.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: My Lady Jane is the perfect fun, lighthearted comedy, filled with plenty of references and jokes that will actually make you laugh out loud.

“Through books she could see the world.” 

[Related: My Plain Jane (The Lady Janies #2) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows (Review)]

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“Dedication
For everyone who knows there was enough room for Leonardo DiCaprio on that door.
And for England. We’re really sorry for what we’re about to do to your history.”

Release Date: 6/7/2016
Publisher: HarperTeen
Page Count: 491
Premise:

My Lady Jane is a fun, happy retelling of the story of Lady Jane Grey. You might wonder how that’s possible, considering Jane Grey was queen for only nine days before she was beheaded, so how can her story be happy? That, you’ll have to find out for yourself. 

Read more for all of my thoughts!

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Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim 5 Star Review Caitsbooks

Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars #1) by Elizabeth Lim – A Fantastic Fairytale (Review)

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*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.*

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: Spin The Dawn is a fun, fast paced fantasy. It was pitched to me as Mulan, Project Runway, and a hint of Aladdin, and honestly, that is the best way to describe it. 

“Artisans such as you are soldiers in times of war.”

[Related: Interview with Elizabeth Lim, Author of Spin the Dawn]

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// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, Alcoholism, Animal Death, War Themes, Murder //

Release Date: 7/9/2019
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 387
Premise:

Spin the Dawn follows Maia, the only daughter of a skilled tailor. When her father is summoned to compete in a competition to become to Imperial Tailor, she disguises herself as a boy and takes his place. However, winning the title of Imperial Tailor is harder than she could imagine, as she must balance her secret, sabotaging competitors, and the impossible task granted to her. 

“‘I, too, once journeyed beyond the stars’ 
‘What did you find?’ 
His voice turned lethally soft. ‘That it’s just the beginning.'”

Read more for my thoughts on Spin the Dawn!

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Caitsbooks Reviews: Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, 5 Stars

Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston – The Perfect Read for Pride Month (Review)

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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: I spent 95% of my time reading this book smiling. I’m sure I terrified some people, but oh god was it worth it. (Side note: The other 5% was happy crying)

“Thinking about history makes me wonder how I’ll fit into it one day, I guess. And you too. I kinda wish people still wrote like that. History, huh? Bet we could make some.” 

Read more for all of my incoherent ramblings on a book that completely destroyed me!

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The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren – The Perfect Start to Summer! (Review)

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Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Plot and Themes: 5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4/5
Review in a Nutshell: The Unhoneymooners is the perfect romance to get you ready for summer, with great chemistry, and tropical paradise, and memorable characters.

“That’s the whole point of luck, isn’t it? You have to trust that it’s not fleeting.”

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The Tiger At Midnight by Swati Teerdhala – ARC Review

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The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala

(All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change)
Quick Stats:
Overall: 4.5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 3.5/5
Awesomeness Factor: 4/5
Review in a Nutshell: The Tiger At Midnight is a captivating novel, focusing mostly on the physical and mental journey of two fascinating characters.

“Never greet a tiger at midnight, for they are the manifestations of your past misdeeds.”

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