“Ace of Shades” by Amanda Foody

New release Tuesday! Take a card and stake your soul with Ace of Shades, book 1 in The Shadow Game series.

Enne (pronounced like the letter “N”) has no choice when her mom, Lourdes Alfero, doesn’t come back from her trip. She has to go to New Reynes to find her. With her handy tourist guidebook, she sets off to find Levi Glaisyer, the only name her mother left behind.

New Reynes is called the City of Sin for a reason. The South Side of the city is considered “safer” — this is where rich tourists go to vacation. The North Side, where Levi is the Lord of the gang called the Irons, is dangerous. There’s other gangs (the Scarhands and the Doves), plus notorious mafia casino families. Enne’s guidebook strongly advises not going to the North Side. But she must.

Ace of Shades switches from Enne’s and Levi’s perspectives. While Enne needs Levi to help her find Lourdes, Levi needs Enne to pay him for his help in order to pay off a large debt that if left unpaid, will cost him his life.

Told over the 10 days Levi has to pay back his debtor, we follow him and Enne through this magical, dangerous, Vegas-meets-carnival adventure. If you liked Caraval, and want more of the same, you have to pick this one up.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Buy Ace of Shades here.

I also highly recommend Foody’s debut, Daughter of the Burning City – click this link to buy!

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Links in post are affiliate links whose proceeds go toward the maintenance of this blog.

“I Stop Somewhere” by T.E. Carter

(Content Warning: murder, rape, sexual assault)

New Release Tuesday! I Stop Somewhere is a very emotional, sad, and gripping book. In the vein of novels like The Lovely Bones, we follow Ellie as she watches her murderer from the afterlife as a ghost of sorts. Where it differs, is that this book alternates between the past leading up to Ellie’s murder, and the present as she watches girl after girl be assaulted just like her, unable to do anything to help.

Finally, one of the victims speaks up. It isn’t easy, as the two assailants are the sons of the most powerful man in town, the one buying up all the foreclosed houses and remodeling them to keep the town from shriveling up and dying. Ellie watches as the girls struggle with the repercussions of their attacks, the boys scramble to save themselves from prison, and the police struggle to solve Ellie’s now long-cold case.

This book is very graphic, but it is also very addictive. I flew through it, pausing to reflect on how sad the story was, getting pissed at the bad guys, and wishing I didn’t have to do real life things instead of reading.

Here is an excerpt of the Walt Whitman poem “Song of Myself” that the title was taken from:

I depart as air—I shake my white locks at the runaway sun;
I effuse my flesh in eddies, and drift it in lacy jags.

I bequeathe myself to the dirt, to grow from the grass I love;
If you want me again, look for me under your boot-soles.

You will hardly know who I am, or what I mean;
But I shall be good health to you nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.

Failing to fetch me at first, keep encouraged;
Missing me one place, search another;
I stop somewhere, waiting for you.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Links in post are affiliate links whose proceeds go toward the maintenance of this blog.

April Wrap-Up!

It’s time for the April wrap-up! I read 23 books in April! That makes 87 towards my goal of 200 for this year!

1. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
2. The Sellout by Paul Beatty
3. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
4. Leave Me by Gayle Forman
5. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan*
6. Wires and Nerve by Marissa Meyer
7. Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
8. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher (reread)
9. Saga Vol. 7 by Brian K. Vaughan
10. This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
11. When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
12. Sisters One, Two, Three by Nancy Star*
13. Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig
14. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
15. Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust*
16. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
17. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (reread)
18. Good-bye, Chunky Rice by Craig Thompson
19. Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge
20. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
21. Pop Goes the Weasel by M.J. Arlidge

*Indicates a book not pictured because I read it via library book, ebook, or audiobook.
Does not include 2 books read for work that do not fall in the scope of this blog.

What did you read this month? What are you looking forward to reading in May?

Blog Tour: “The Homecoming” by Stacie Ramey

★★★☆☆

I’m so excited to be hosting a stop on the official blog tour for The Homecoming! I’ve got a synopsis, review, and a giveaway below.

John’s had several hard years: his brother was in a horrific accident leaving him disabled and angry at his situation, John acts out and gets kicked out of the house, and most recently, John’s girlfriend, Leah, committed suicide. Now he is coming home to finish high school, after which he wants to leave and move to California.

John finds himself becoming increasingly angry at his situation and at people around him, and to remedy this, he uses alcohol and marijuana. Then, he meets the girl next door, Emily. And after a while, John realizes that he must do better, for himself, for Emily, and for his family.

I reviewed Stacey Ramey’s last book, The Sister Pact, and I really enjoyed it, so I knew I should grab this one when I had the chance. The Homecoming is an important novel that touches on several important issues: disabilities, anger issues, drug and alcohol abuse, family dynamics, suicide, and more. Ramey does a good job of taking on some serious issues facing teens, which I think is really important in YA books these days. Overall it’s an easy read with some heavy topics, but definitely worth picking up!

Feeling lucky? Sourcebooks is hosting a giveaway for 3 copies of The Homecoming. Enter here!

You can also purchase the book here.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy to review. All opinions in this review are my own.

“It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover

★★★★☆ New release Tuesday!

This was my first Colleen Hoover book, and I have to say, I can see why she appeals to so many readers.

Lily Bloom is a twenty-something living in Boston, working at a marketing job. By complete chance, she meets Ryle Kincaid, a neurosurgeon who tries to convince her to follow her dreams, her instincts — and to have a one-night-stand (which sounds sleazy in this context, but in the story it has some background to it). She declines and moves on with her life.

Six months later, she is following her dream of finally opening her own flower shop. A woman enters the space the day Lily buys it and offers to help her set it up and run it, for something to do. It just so happens that this woman, Alyssa Kincaid (you can see where this is going), is Ryle’s sister and temporary roommate!

So Lily and Ryle are pursuing the possibilities of a relationship (monogamous or otherwise), and meanwhile, we are getting flashbacks via Lily’s diaries from when she was a teenager. They mainly feature two things: (1) her budding friendship with the homeless boy that lives in the abandoned house behind hers, Atlas Corrigan, and (2) her parents’ abusive marriage. One day, Lily and Ryle run into Atlas, whom Lily hasn’t seen in about a decade. Thus begins a scary, confusing part of all three characters’ lives.

This book covers an important topic: abusive relationships. This is such a great look at these relationships, how they affect all in and around the relationship, and what can be done about them. Relationships (whether romantic, friendly, or familial) are almost always not black and white, but instead very gray. It Ends With Us shows how real, raw, and confusing life and relationships can truly be. Even if new adult, contemporary romance isn’t your thing, I think this book would still be enjoyable and informative for all to read.

Purchase the book here.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.