The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker - This book is about a world where if you're dabbling in any sort of witch craft you can be arrested and killed. It follows a girl named Elizabeth Grey who is the King's best witch hunter until she is herself accused of witch craft. She escapes by the help of a wizard who takes her to their hideout. They don't know she is a witch hunter. The book wasn't complete boring, but wasn't interesting either. The main character was annoying in quiet a bit of the book and a hypocrite. The romance was soo underdeveloped. This has been my problem with a few books. Look the romance doesn't have to be the main focus, I'm totally okay with it, but at least put some effort into it, in the moments that they do have, so I can care about it. The main story just didn't capture me, the other characters were just alright, and I wished there was more development. **

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk - This book is about a 12 year old girl named Crow who landed a tiny island in the Elizabeths in a small boat when she was only a few hours old. She raised by Osh, who found her, and their friend Miss Maggie.

A fire on a different island starts events where she wants to explore her own history/where she came from.

I loved this author's first book. It was one of my favorites last year, so I was excited to read this one, but it felt like she was trying to hard to duplicate the success of her first book. It feels like an echo of it and not really to it benefit. For instance the main girl reminds me of a water-down Annabelle even though she's a sweet girl. The relationship between Osh and Crow, not in the dynamic itself, but it reminds me of a relationship a bit in her other book too.

They had a side plot that wasn't necessary, didn't add anything, when the could have explored or flesh out the other relationships and the main plot. None of the characters grabbed my heart the way it did in her book either. Osh got on my nerves A Lot throughout the book. The ending was a bit of a letdown too. I get what she was trying to say, what message she was trying highlight, but after building up to something and it not go anywhere it was a bit of a bummer. It might seem like I completely didn't like it, but it's not the case because she does write well and the main storyline was so interesting that it kept me reading. That's what edge it out of being a ** to a ** 1/2.

The One Thing by Marci Lyn Curtis - The way I found about this book was through exploring the books that are coming out this year. I wanted to know about the writing style of this author. The book premise is so interesting too. It's about a girl named Maggie who one day at her probation officer's office, she did a prank at school, bumps into a 10 year old named Ben. The shocking part is that she can see him because seven month ago she became blind. She can only see him and about a foot around him. While that is a huge part the story is also about her coming to terms with her new life and her relationship with that kid. I really, really liked the book. I loved the writing it was witty and emotional. The story was interesting, and Ben is such a sweet lovable character. He was my favorite. I liked the dynamic between him and Maggie.
There was some flaws to it. Again a romance that didn't get enough development. It didn't bother me at first, but it became more in the front later in the book and it wasn't that great. It was slow at times throughout the book and the last chapter or so felt a bit rushed. There were some relationships that should been explored more and had more focus. I had a hard time rating this because it more than *** and 1/2 stars, but didn't quite make it to four. So I ended up giving it a *** 2/3 . lol I have never done that before, but it feels right. I'm definitely going to read her next book.

You're welcome guys. I always feel kind of bad because a lot of my reviews are low scoring lol That's why I like doing one big post. lol


Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood - This story is about a girl named Grace Lafferty, who is a wing walker. She's trying to save up to enter a contest that would giver her and her team a stable income. It about those relationships and the community of wing walkers.
It had some nice main characters (The side characters could have been fleshed out more.) a sweet romance, though it starts really rough, and the writer is great with action. The book was slow at times. I pretty much figured out the mystery pretty early on in the book, so reveal wasn't a surprise and made it boring to some degree. While It was a fun read it didn’t really capture me. ***


Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch - This story is about girl named Lina, who spends her time in Italy with a father she never knew because it was her Mother's dying wish. It's about her life there.
I really wanted to like this book, and I think partly why I didn't is because I'm figuring out that I don't like fluff books. I wasn't a fan of the writing, some of it made me cringe. The prologue felt slapped on to get to the main point. I mean I've read other books who have done that and there is nothing wrong with it (Some them are good.), but this came off sloppy. There wasn't any real emotional impact. Any time they tried to have those kind of moments didn't feel earned and fell flat. The characters were cheesy, the romance was eh. There is a relationship between a Dad and a daughter that were supposed to care about, but the writer didn't put in the effort. I also figure out pretty early on the whole mystery there were setting up. Why I am giving it ** instead of * is because I didn't hate it. It just wasn't good. Side note there was quite a few grammar errors.

More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer - This a story has two POVs. One is about a boy named Rev, who was a side character from Letters to the Lost, and the other is a girl named Emma. It's about them dealing with their demons whether past or present and the somewhat relationship they form.
I was so excited when I read that she was writing a companion novel to Letters to the Lost. I loved all the characters, so having one of the side character get their own story was great. For the most part I loved the book. I really enjoy Brigid Kemmerer's writing. She knows how to write characters that grow and are flawed. When they do something that crappy there are consequences and they're called out for their behavior. I really enjoy that kind of writing. Seeing Rev's journey throughout the book was both heartbreaking and frustrating because he does things you wish he won't do, but it makes complete sense. I had a harder time with the other POV of Emma. While I said wonderful things about this author I do think she missed the mark quite a bit with this character. It some cases I felt for her, but in others I didn't at all. Maybe that was the point because other characters do call her out for it. The whole cyber bullying I felt for her. The way she treated her Mom, her friend, and Rev was beyond ridiculous sometimes. She was close to being added to one of my least favorite character list. When she was great she was great, but when she was bad she annoyed the crap out of me.I feel like it's combo of the writing and me not being a fan of this kind of character.
The author also kind of tried to duplicate the romance in the first book at it didn't work. I didn't feel the connection that she was presenting at all.
I also agreed with some reviewers that Rev's adopted parents were a bit to perfect. There is a sort of mystery to the cyber bullying that I thought was handled well. Having Declan and Juliet (Only small scenes with her.) was a real joy. It made me want to re-read Letters to the Lost. Overall I really enjoyed the book and this author's writing, but because of Emma, who is a huge chunk of the book, I have to give it *** 2/3

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi - This book is in a world where there use to be magic. The people who wielded it were killed and those who could, but now can't are now oppressed. All of which was ordered from a ruthless King. This all changed when a chance to bring magic back occurs. It have three POV from different perspective in this society.
This is not going to be a popular opinion because it seems like 99% people loved this book. I wasn't one of them, which is a bummer. It's a book that was a little slow at first, mostly because of new things I need to learn, but the first half was pretty good. I thought it was intriguing, but then the second half came into play.....it really went downhill for me. It felt rushed and things went a complete 180 with some people that I got brain whiplash. Romances that were completely undeveloped, wishy washy plot devices, but mostly the romance that took up a huge junk of the second half of the book. There is also a character who was supposed to come off conflicted, but wasn't written well enough to make me care. That character ended up making another character look stupid because that relationship was rushed. At one point a brother calls his sister a whore. The main character came of childish and stupid at times, and I don't think the author intended for you to feel that about her. One these characters ended up on my least favorite character list. I only really liked one character. She was strong, flawed, but a well-developed character. I really enjoyed reading her character arc. By the time I got to the end of the book I wanted to be over and I had no intention to read the next one, but the the last few chapters, I'll admit, has hooked me. I won't be rushing out to read it, but I am intrigued, which kind of annoys me. lol Overall the first half was good the second not so much. The writing style wasn't bad either. I ended up giving it. ** 1/2


Scythe by Neal Shusterman - This story is about a world where there is no hunger, disease, war or misery and they found way to basically conquer death. Because of that they created this system called the Scythes that decided who will die or not to stop over population. It from the POV of two new apprentices.
I never really had any intention to read this book because the premise didn't sound like something I was interested in....I think I should have heeded to that feeling. I'll get to the good part. I think the writing style was good and it had some good characters. Unfortunately it wasn't the main characters, who were flat and not very interesting. The story itself started strong, but became boring and I knew where some of it was going even when they writer was trying to make it mysterious. The more I got into it the less the world made sense in its rules regarding Scythe and the part they play in it. That the world would accept such a thing ...I would believe in fairies before it. The relationship were're supposed to care about I didn't. They barely had any moments together and when they did they barley talked or bonded. There is a villain in the book and I get what they writer was trying to do with it, but it just came off like a stock villain, a dull villain. Just like the previous book there is one character that I loved, the shining light. I would have loved to read more about that character, but I don't trust the writer. Overall I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it I gave it **. No desire to read the next books.

The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkoski - This about a young girl named Petra Kronos, who lives a simple life until the day her father comes home blind. The Prince has stolen her father's eyes via wizard. She decided to get them back with the help of some friends she meet and with her adorable tin spider. Yes, I wrote that.
It was fun reading it because you can see the progress of her writing. Funny enough I read backwards from new to old. This is her debut novel, from what I gather. It was sweet and charming book, but at the same time very simple, which doesn't completely appeal to me. The writing style was nice and the world was interesting enough to keep my interest. I enjoyed the relationship between two of the bigger characters. It shows character hints that would be in her latter books. I have to mention the spider. I adored him. He was just the sweetest. He was my favorite character. This is neither a good or bad statement. It a middle grade book that will appeal to them, but maybe not to older readers. It sweet straight forward story that can get boring at times and alittle slow. It me not you for this book. I gave it ** 2/3

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly - This is a story about a girl named Jo Montfort, who lives in high society. She's going to finish finishing school and become married like all the other girls, but really she wants to be a reporter. Aside from that she had a pretty good life until the death of her father who accidentally shot himself while cleaning his gun. This is what the police and coroner say, but Jo knows her father and knows he would never do such a thing. She decided to investigate it herself along with a handsome brash reporter from her father's newspaper. The more she digs the more things are uncovered with more questions than answers. The past can never stayed buried especially in shallow graves.
Another book where the first half was really strong, but was weaken in the second half with an unnecessary cliché plot device. The thing that only made it a little okay was that it was called out. It was just not needed though and it was a big part of the story, so it dragged it down a lot. How it was resolved was the best way it could have gone, but overall took some of the enjoyment out of it for me. The main character who lived a pretty shelter life was a bit naive and that was fine, but sometimes the writer went too far and made her look stupid. She was a very frustrating character. There is a lot of mystery and twists, but you realize one or two pretty early on in the book and it shocking that none of the characters speculated about it especially the reporter. The writing style was great and there was moments that kept me on the edge especially those last chapters. I gave it ***