June Wrap Up
hey lovelies! it's been a while :) sorry for being MIA, but senior year has been quite a ride! i've been reading quite a bit lately, but i just had no time to blog, nor did i have the creativity to think of anything to write about :/ BUT! my term break is just around the corner and i have several blog post ideas - so keep a look out for them! i will make good use of my two week break to try and update bookishsmaug as much as possible! but first of all, i want to share with you guys the books i read in june! i read some AMAZING ones!
Trick by Natalia Jaster - 4/5 :star:
Synopsis:
There is a rule amongst his kind: A jester doesn’t lie.
In the kingdom of Whimtany, Poet is renowned. He’s young and pretty, a lover of men and women. He performs for the court, kisses like a scoundrel, and mocks with a silver tongue.Yet allow him this: It’s only the most cunning, most manipulative soul who can play the fool. For Poet guards a secret. One the Crown would shackle him for. One that he’ll risk everything to protect.Alas, it will take more than clever words to deceive Princess Briar. Convinced that he’s juggling lies as well as verse, this righteous nuisance of a girl is determined to expose him.But not all falsehoods are fiendish. Poet’s secret is delicate, binding the jester to the princess in an unlikely alliance . . . and kindling a breathless attraction, as alluring as it is forbidden.
Thoughts:
this was such a refreshing read! princess x jester romance should be a more common trope in both YA and NA! *3* they're my favorite kind of forbidden love <3 the writing in this book is very beautiful. lyrical and witty. the perfect kind!! the story is a delight. sweet and sensual. i highly recommend it!
City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson - 4.5/5 :star:
Synopsis:
Street-thief Tina breaks in to the luxurious house where her mother was killed to steal from Mr. Greyhill and nail him for her mother’s murder. She is caught red-handed.
Saved by Mr. Greyhill’s gorgeous son, Michael, the pair set in motion a cascade of dangerous events that lead them deeper into the mystery, and reveal dark and shocking secrets from Tina’s past.
Tina and her mother fled the Congo years ago as refugees, trading the uncertain danger of their besieged village for a new, safer life in the bustling Kenyan metropolis. The corruption and politics of the Congo, and the gangster world of Sangui City, are behind Tina’s mother’s downfall. Is Tina tough enough to find the truth and bring the killer to justice?
Thoughts:
this book is all kinds of exciting! the characters are definitely the highlight of the book. it's a fast-paced mystery, and when i say fast pace, i mean the suspenseful, jittery, oh-my-goodness-get-out-of-there-QUICK kind. i love those kinds of mysteries. it features a kickass PoC main character along with funny side characters. gah! love it!
The Hot Shot by Kristen Callihan - 5/5 :star:
Synopsis:
First we were friends. Then we were roommates. Now I want more…What can I say about Chess Copper? The woman is capable of bringing me to my knees. I know this about five minutes after getting naked for her.No one is more surprised than me. The prickly photographer my team hired to shoot our annual charity calendar isn’t my usual type. She’s defense to my offense, a challenge at every turn. But when I’m with her, all the regrets and darkness goes away. She makes life fun.
I want to know Chess, be close to her. Which is a bad idea.Chess is looking for a relationship. I’ve never given a woman more than one night. But when fate leaves Chess without a home, I step up and offer her mine. We’re roommates now. Friends without benefits. But it’s getting harder to keep our hands off each other. And the longer we live together the more I realize she’s becoming my everything.Trick is… Now that I’ve made her believe I’m a bad bet, how do I convince her to give this player a true shot at forever?
Thoughts:
i can't truly express how much i adore this book in words. it's heartbreaking, sad, and real. i especially love the reference to the song Can't Help Falling In Love With You. i adore the song with a passion, and the author associates the book with it brilliantly. when i listen to the song, i smile and feel all tingly on the inside, thinking of this book. yet, at the same time, i feel sad because of Elvis' desperate, longing tone. this book will give you all the F E E L S. *ugly cry*
Flame In The Mist by Renee Ahdieh - 4/5 :star:
Synopsis:
The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor's favorite consort—a political marriage that will elevate her family's standing. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.
Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the ranks of the Black Clan, determined to track down the person responsible for the target on her back. But she's quickly captured and taken to the Black Clan’s secret hideout, where she meets their leader, the rebel ronin Takeda Ranmaru, and his second-in-command, his best friend Okami. Still believing her to be a boy, Ranmaru and Okami eventually warm to Mariko, impressed by her intellect and ingenuity. As Mariko gets closer to the Black Clan, she uncovers a dark history of secrets, of betrayal and murder, which will force her to question everything she's ever known.
Thoughts:
you can never go wrong with renee ahdieh. her writing never cease to amaze me. the first thing that gripped me was the setting. obviously ~ i'm a major japan enthusiast. also because the main character disguises herself as a boy to seek revenge to a group of bandits who tried to kill her (GIRL POWERRR). amazing character development and plot-twists. bit of a slow burn, though.
Royally Screwed by Emma Chase - 5/5 :star:
Synopsis:
Nicholas Arthur Frederick Edward Pembrook, Crowned Prince of Wessco, aka His Royal Hotness, is wickedly charming, devastatingly handsome, and unabashedly arrogant; hard not to be when people are constantly bowing down to you.
Then, one snowy night in Manhattan, the prince meets a dark haired beauty who doesn't bow down. Instead, she throws a pie in his face.Nicholas wants to find out if she tastes as good as her pie, and this heir apparent is used to getting what he wants.Dating a prince isn't what waitress Olivia Hammond ever imagined it would be.There's a disapproving queen, a wildly inappropriate spare heir, relentless paparazzi, and brutal public scrutiny. While they've traded in horse drawn carriages for Rolls Royces, and haven't chopped anyone's head off lately, the royals are far from accepting of this commoner.But to Olivia, Nicholas is worth it.Nicholas grew up with the whole world watching, and now Marriage Watch is in full force. In the end, Nicholas has to decide who he is and, more importantly, who he wants to be: a King... or the man who gets to love Olivia forever.
Thoughts:
S W O O N. this book was soooo hilarious and sexy. i think i just found a new favorite new adult author! i don't have much to say about this other than how light hearted and sweet this book was. sighhhh. i need more <3
A Court of Wings and Ruins by Sarah J. Maas - 4/5 :star:
*WARNING* SYNOPSIS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS OF ACOTAR 1 & 2
Synopsis:
A nightmare, I’d told Tamlin. I was the nightmare.
Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit—and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords—and hunt for allies in unexpected places.
Thoughts:
really enjoyed this one! the build-up was amazing as always. new characters were introduced, which is always a plus because side characters in SJM's books are always my faves. definitely includes more political intrigue, which made the pacing really slow.also i thought the ending was just okay. BUT that just means that ACOTAR 4 will have more in store for us.
Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven - 2/5 :star:
Synopsis:
When Cassie Taylor met Ethan Holt at acting school, sparks flew. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy about campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing, Cassie and Ethan's romance seemed destined. Until he broke her heart and betrayed her trust. Now the A-list heartthrob is back in her life and turning her world around. One touch at a time.
Cast as romantic leads once again, they're forced to confront raw memories of the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their secret college affair. But they'll also discover that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks.
Thoughts:
there were so many cringe-worthy moments. cassie is crazy hard headed, and ethan is just super complicated and unreasonable. the pacing was all over the place, and the chemistry was alright. not the best new adult book out there in my opinion, but i might still give the sequal a try.
Royally Matched by Emma Chase - 4/5 :star:
Synopsis:
Some men are born responsible, some men have responsibility thrust upon them. Henry John Edgar Thomas Pembrook, Prince of Wessco, just got the motherlode of all responsibility dumped in his regal lap.
He’s not handling it well.Hoping to help her grandson to rise to the occasion, Queen Lenora agrees to give him "space"—but while the Queen’s away, the Prince will play. After a chance meeting with an American television producer, Henry finally makes a decision all on his own:Welcome to Matched: Royal Edition.A reality TV dating game show featuring twenty of the world's most beautiful blue bloods gathered in the same castle. Only one will win the diamond tiara, only one will capture the handsome prince’s heart.While Henry revels in the sexy, raunchy antics of the contestants as they fight, literally, for his affection, it’s the quiet, bespectacled girl in the corner—with the voice of an angel and a body that would tempt a saint—who catches his eye.The more Henry gets to know Sarah Mirabelle Zinnia Von Titebottum, the more enamored he becomes of her simple beauty, her strength, her kind spirit... and her naughty sense of humor.But Rome wasn’t built in a day—and irresponsible royals aren’t reformed overnight.As he endeavors to right his wrongs, old words take on whole new meanings for the dashing Prince. Words like, Duty, Honor and most of all—Love.
Thoughts:
loved it! i didn't like this as much as the first book but it was still a highly enjoyable read. henry is such a sweetheart :') and all the bookish references were great! sarah is such a relatable character. strong, smart, sensitive and caring. their relationship was a bit dramatic and frustrating, but ultimately it was a solid romance. i really recommend this series!