Sophie Reads YA: September 2019

September Summary

10:00

What I've read this month:

The Governess Game
Series: Girl Meets Duke #2
Author: Tessa Dare
Published August 20th 2018 by HQ Fiction - GB
Read: September 4-5 2019
My Rating: 4 Stars
Challenge: 2019 Beat the Backlist Challenge

Earls Just Want to Have Fun
Series: Covent Garden Cubs #1
Author: Shana Galen
Published February 3rd 2015 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Read: September 7-8 2019
My Rating: 4 Stars
Challenge: 2019 Beat the Backlist Challenge

The Rogue You Know
Series: Covent Garden Cubs #2
Author: Shana Galen
Published September 1st 2015 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Read: September 10-13 2019
My Rating: 4 Stars
Challenge: 2019 Beat the Backlist Challenge

I Kissed a Rogue
Series: Covent Garden Cubs #3
Author: Shana Galen
Published March 1st 2016 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Read: September 14-15 2019
My Rating: 4 Stars
Challenge: 2019 Beat the Backlist Challenge

Capturing the Devil
Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper #4
Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Published September 10th 2019 by JIMMY Patterson
Read: September 14-15 2019
My Rating: 5 Stars
Challenge: 2019 New Release Challenge

Heir to the Duke
Series: The Duke's Sons #1
Author: Jane Ashford
Published January 5th 2016 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Read: September 15 2019
My Rating: 4 Stars
Challenge: 2019 Beat the Backlist Challenge

These Divided Shores
Series: Stream Raiders #2
Author: Sara Raasch
Published August 27th 2019 by Balzer + Bray
Read: September 19-23 2019
My Rating: 5 Stars
Challenge: 2019 New Release Challenge

Little White Lies
Series: Debutantes #1
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published November 6th 2018 by Freeform
Read: September 28-29 2019
My Rating: 4 Stars
Challenge: Beat the Backlist Challenge

Challenges Update:
2019 Contemporary Romance Challenge: 0 (26 total)
2019 New Release Challenge: 2 (31 total)
2019 Beat the Backlist Challenge: 6 (20 total)

Summary:

September has mainly been getting back to school/work, and remembering just how to actually teach, but I still think I had a pretty decent month, book wise!

How have you done this month? Let me know below.

September

Stacking the Shelves: September 28th 2019

10:00

#RockMyTBR 2016 Challenge

Review: Strange and Ever After (Something Strange and Deadly #3) by Susan Dennard

10:00

Strange and Ever After
Series: Something Strange and Deadly #3
Author: Susan Dennard
Published June 23rd 2015 by HarperTeen

Goodreads Synopsis
Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices series, this is the explosive conclusion to Susan Dennard's trilogy, which started with Something Strange and Deadly and continued with A Darkness Strange and Lovely. With supernatural forces, epic romance, and a mysterious Egyptian city, Eleanor and her team are set for an adventure they will never forget.

It has been a tumultuous time for Eleanor Fitt since life as she knew it in Philadelphia came abruptly to an end. Although the Spirit-Hunters—Joseph, Jie, and Daniel—have helped her survive, Eleanor has lost just about everything.

And now, Jie is missing—taken by the evil necromancer Marcus. Eleanor is determined not only to get her back but to finally end this nightmare. To do so, she must navigate the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt amid the rising Dead, her unresolved feelings for Daniel, and her volatile relationships with Joseph and Oliver, her demon. And it won't be easy. Because Allison, her friend from Philadelphia, has tagged along, becoming strangely entangled in Eleanor's mission.

It will take all of Eleanor's powers of black magic, and all of Daniel's and Joseph's trust, to succeed. But there will be a price.
Goodreads

Review
This book was everything I wanted in the finale to this series. I wanted to savour the book so much, and one of the things I remember the most while reading this was how much I didn't want the book to end, but I knew I needed to get to the ending, and my god, did that ending kill me!

In Strange and Ever After, our gang of heroes are still searching for the Necromancer at the heart of the zombie uprising, Marcus. Jie has been kidnapped, and they are heading to Egypt to stop Marcus from gaining even more power. Eleanor is struggling with her abilities, and is trying to control them because she knows how important they will be when it comes to defeating Marcus. The other Spirit Hunters disagree, especially Daniel who wants to protect Eleanor as much as possible. They relationship definitely develops, for the better, and I just love these two together. From the first meeting in Something Strange and Deadly, I wanted them together, because the chemistry was just off the charts.

Eleanor really comes into her own in this final instalment. A character I've always loved, she now has come to terms with her 'strangeness' and is using it, rather than hiding away from her power. She uses her snark and her intelligence to help her get out of sticky situations, though sometimes I wanted to throttle her for getting into those situations to begin with. She's much more mature than the naive Miss Fitt we met on the first pages of Something Strange and Deadly.

Again, the change of scenery and secondary characters showed the amount of planning and research Sooz did while writing these books, and I've never been to Egypt, but this has made me want to go even more. Everything was done for a reason, and the plot was definitely tying everything up for the ending. Like I said, the ending killed me, and I don't want to give anything away, but I think it was the right thing, with hindsight. At the time, I was angry, but nothing was done in this book that wasn't necessary, and definitely not that. Sooz is such an amazing author, and I'm eternally grateful I discover these books - I just now wish there were UK publishers for them.

Dates Read:
September 18-22, 2016

Rating
5 Stars

Serpent & Dove

Waiting on Wednesday: Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin

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2019 New Release challenge

ARC Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

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A Curse So Dark and Lonely
Series: Cursebreakers #1
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Published January 29th 2019 by Bloomsbury YA

Goodreads Synopsis
Fall in love, break the curse.

It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper Lacy. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s instead somehow sucked into Rhen’s cursed world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

I don't know why I waited so long to read this book, but boy do I wish I'd picked it up as soon as I got it. In one word, fantastic! As a Beauty and the Beast retelling, A Curse So Dark and Lonely has it all - we have a beast, a handsome prince, darkness and anguish, and a feisty heroine. When Harper sees a girl being kidnapped, she tries to intervene and soon finds herself in a mysterious castle, with two guys there, and no one else. Her phone won't work, and there's a whole load of magic, like musical instruments playing by themselves, a bath being perpetually hot, and a fully stocked kitchen, with food all ready to eat, at any time. She soon learns that Prince Rhen and Grey, his sole guard, are all that are left in the castle at Emberfall, and that a monstrous beast ravages the kingdom, and has killed the rest of the royal family. The kingdom is suffering, and rather than lying down and taking what is coming, she fights to get home, and in turn helps to reclaim the kingdom as an enemy nation plots to invade. She is told of the curse, but can't be forced to fall in love to break it, though she is intrigued by Rhen, and slowly falling for him. As the beast, he can't imagine anyone would ever love him, and blames himself for the mistake that led to he and the kingdom being cursed. He'll do anything to break the curse, even killing himself if that would work, but after every 'season' he reappears, good as new, and nothing can hurt him - a fact the sorceress uses to her advantage to torture him whenever she wants.

I loved Harper. She was so feisty and fun, and her character growth within the book was astronomical. She suffers from Cerebral Palsy, which leaves her with a noticeable limp, and she believes this is a failing of hers, but won't let it stop her when others are in danger. She often jumps in the way of others who are suffering, which works to the advantage of her and Rhen when she masquerades as a Princess from an unknown kingdom, engaged to Rhen, and helps to bolster and boost the morale of the whole kingdom, who have been left feeling forgotten and abandoned by their monarchs. From the girl at the beginning of the book who only wanted to get home to her brother and sick mother, she finds herself really caring for the people, and even would give up seeing her family for the last time, if it would help everyone she's come to care about.

Rhen was such a conflicted character, broken inside and at a loss of what to do. After killing his family - not his fault, he was the beast at the point - he closes down the borders to the kingdom, hoping it would protect everyone. Instead, it leads to five years of hard struggles, and when he realises that was his fault too, he sort of wants to curl up and scream. He only has Grey as his companion, even then he doesn't understand why Grey remains, but he does. His growth was amazing throughout this book too, going from a scared young prince, who made the mistake of sleeping with the wrong women, to a strong and just ruler, was phenomenal. I found him the better love interest for Harper, though I know some reviewers like Grey more. I did like Grey's character, and as we learnt more of his back story, he did grow on me, but not as much as Rhen.

The plot was amazing, with a 500 page book feeling like nothing as I flew through it. The one reason I'm glad I've waited until now to read the book is that I haven't got as long a wait for book 2 as I would've had, because that ending killed me, and I need more now! Definitely a book I'd recommend, and I'm in the process of getting Brigid's other books now.

Dates Read:

July 20-22, 2019

Rating
4 Stars

September

Stacking the Shelves: September 21st 2019

10:00

#RockMyTBR 2016 Challenge

Review: A Darkness Strange and Lovely (Something Strange and Deadly #2) by Susan Dennard

10:00

A Darkness Strange and Lovely
Series: Something Strange and Deadly #2
Author: Susan Dennard
Published June 24th 2014 by HarperTeen

Goodreads Synopsis
Perfect for fans of Libba Bray's The Diviners and Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices series, this spellbinding sequel to Something Strange and Deadly delivers a mix of supernatural forces and intense romance, set against the enchanting backdrop of nineteenth-century Paris.

With her brother dead and her mother insane, Eleanor Fitt is alone. Even the Spirit-Hunters—Joseph, Jie, and the handsome Daniel—have fled to Paris. So when Eleanor hears the vicious barking of hounds and sees haunting yellow eyes, she fears that the Dead, and the necromancer Marcus, are after her.

To escape, Eleanor boards a steamer bound for France. There she meets Oliver, a young man who claims to have known her brother. But Oliver harbors a dangerous secret involving necromancy and black magic that entices Eleanor beyond words. If she can resist him, she'll be fine. But when she arrives in Paris, she finds that the Dead have taken over, and there's a whole new evil lurking. And she is forced to make a deadly decision that will go against everything the Spirit-Hunters stand for.

In Paris, there's a price for this darkness strange and lovely, and it may have Eleanor paying with her life.
Goodreads

Review
After finishing book 1, Something Strange and Deadly, I was so happy I had copies of the next two books, because I needed to read them ASAP. As you can see, I read this book all in one day, it was that good. Following her brother's death, and her mother's mental break, Miss Eleanor Fitt is seemingly all alone. Even her friends in the Spirit Hunters have left her, heading to Paris, and she is more than determined than ever to find out the truth, and do what she can to stop the evil Necromancer, Marcus. So, Eleanor boards a steamer ship bound for France, and meets the mysterious Oliver, who claims he knew her brother. Oliver seems to have his own dark powers, which are calling to Eleanor's necromancer skills, which both terrify and entice her. When she reaches Paris, she needs to work together with her friends in the Spirit Hunters, and Daniel Sherridan, once more, to stop Marcus from raising the dead in another city.

Eleanor was as amazing a character in this book as she had been in the previous one. She seems even more determined to stop Marcus, what with what happened to her family in the last book, and doesn't like being treated like a burden, or someone who is weak. When her and Daniel meet once again, the sparks are still flying, and Daniel is as brash as he had been. All of the Spirit Hunters seem to want to keep her away from them, and not use her intelligence or skills to help, like they had before. Oliver was a wonderful new introduction, and though it may be assumed he would be a love interest for Eleanor, he isn't, but is someone who is there for her as a friend, which she sorely needs.

Being in Paris, and the world building of the city was a nice change from Philadelphia. We were fully immersed in the city, with it being described perfectly, and it was almost as if you were actually there witnessing events, rather than just reading about them. Everything about Sooz's writing is perfection, and you need to get a start on her books if you haven't already.

Dates Read:
September 18, 2016

Rating
5 Stars

Adrienne Young

Waiting On Wednesday: The Girl the Sea Gave Back (Sky in the Deep #2) by Adrienne Young

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2019 Contemporary Romance Challenge

ARC Review: Announcing Trouble by Amy Fellner Dominy

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Announcing Trouble
Series: None
Author: Amy Fellner Dominy
Published August 5th 2019 by Entangled Publishing, LLC (Crush)

Goodreads Synopsis
I may know everything there is to know about baseball, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Or like him. Garrett Reeves: sidelined player and the embodiment of everything I’ve learned to hate about baseball. He’s gorgeous, he’s cocky, he’s laser-focused on getting back in the game, no matter the cost.

When he convinces me to call games alongside him, our chemistry heats up the booth. We’re good together, whether I want to admit it or not. I’m finding that I like baseball again, but even worse, I’m liking Garrett. A lot.

But when he has to decide between our future and a new shot at his dreams, I know baseball will win out every time.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book has tons of hilarious banter, lots of sexual tension, and a hero who will throw a wild pitch right at your heart.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

I've never really been someone who enjoys baseball - it's not really a thing that's played over here - but even so, when I first saw this book online, I was immediately intrigued and dove right in as soon as my request had been approved. Josie has always loved baseball, and knows the sport like the back of her hand. However, when her deadbeat dad left them to and regain some of his old glory as a mid life crisis, Josie was immediately turned off from the sport, and wants nothing to do with it. So when she goes to a game at school, just to support her friend who has a crush on one of the players, she finds herself angry with the announcers, who know nothing, and interrupts the commentary to basically take over, and do a proper job. This soon leads to Josie becoming one of the permanent colour commentators, along with injured pitcher Garrett, and though she doesn't want to get close to him, and be hurt like her mam was by a baseball player, she can't find it in herself to stay away, from him, or from the sport.

I really liked this book, and like I said, I'm a complete baseball novice, but that didn't hinder my enjoyment at all. Josie was one of the best main characters I've ever read, being witty and sarcastic, but also had a softer side, more vulnerable, that we saw come out as we learnt more about her family history. Being just her and her mam, Josie has always had a plan to go into business and stay as far away from baseball as possible, but now with the competition, and her realisation that her love for the game doesn't have to be tainted by her hatred of her father, Josie doesn't know what to do. I felt like this was probably the most realistic part of the book, as a lot of 17/18 year olds question their choices, when it comes to going to university, or getting a job, or something different, and Josie's internal struggles really seemed authentic.

The romance between Josie and Garrett was a nice, slow burn, with the chemistry being off the page from the get go. I loved the banter between them, how they played off each other, and both actively fought their attraction, but it was bound to happen. They really seemed to help each other too, get to grips with what they wanted to do with their lives, and stop lying to themselves about what they want, or what they are capable of doing. All in all, Announcing Trouble was a really cute read, and I look forward to reading more from this author in future.

Dates Read:

June 26-30, 2019

Rating
4 Stars

September

Stacking the Shelves: September 14th 2019

10:00

#RockMyTBR 2016 Challenge

Review: Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1) by Susan Dennard

10:00

Something Strange and Deadly
Series: Something Strange and Deadly #1
Author: Susan Dennard
Published June 25th 2013 by HarperTeen

Goodreads Synopsis
There's something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia. . . .

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about.

Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she's just read in the newspaper:

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor . . . from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she'll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including the maddeningly stubborn yet handsome Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.
Goodreads

Review
I read this book, and it's sequels way back in 2016, and honestly don't know why it's taken me until now to review them, but there we go. I first heard about this series when I was a newbie blogger, and decided to use a gift card I had won to order them, and give them a try, and boy, am I glad I did. For one thing, they're fantastic books in their own right, and for another, it helped me to discover Sooz, and her fabulous writing.

Now, Something Strange and Deadly follows Miss Eleanor Fitt, as she struggles with the disappearance of her brother, the loss of status for her family, her father's death, and the zombie apocalypse apparently occurring in Philadelphia in 1876. One day, there is a zombie attack while Eleanor is out, and one of the zombies happens to hand her a letter from her brother, Elijah. As good as she may be, she can't do anything to help him, or stop the zombies, so much join forces with the Spirit Hunters, headed by Joseph Boyer, and with the working class Daniel Sherridan in tow. Daniel and Eleanor lock heads a lot, what with them being from differing social classes, but they work together to create and design sort of steampunk weapons that can stop the zombies, and the Necromancer who seems to be targeting the high society of Philadelphia.

Eleanor was a wonderful main character. From a high society background, of the Philadelphia Fitts, it might be expected that she wouldn't do anything for herself, and was a damsel in distress type of character, but she really wasn't. She was strong and feisty, and since her family had fallen on hard times, she had had to support herself and learn a bit of truth about the real world. She would do anything to save her brother, especially with her mam trying to marry her off at the young age of sixteen, and she won't go down without a fight. From the first meeting with Daniel, who is brash and someone wholly not of her circle, they butt heads, but there's always a chemistry there, sparks growing and an attraction seeming to develop every time he calls her a princess.

Everything about the plot was so carefully planned out, that I only put this book down to sleep, that's how good it was. I'm not usually one for zombies, but the descriptions aren't graphic in the sense to horrify you. What I loved most about this book was the history of it all. The 19th century has always been a favourite period of mine to read about - the Regency Era or Victorian Era in British History in particular - and although I didn't know much about America at this time (the only American history I've really studied was the Civil War at university, and I've taught Vietnam and Race Relations at school), Sooz made it easy to understand it all, and it clearly was well researched. Because of all of this, I just had to dive into book 2, A Darkness Strange and Lovely, straight away.

Dates Read:
September 17-18, 2016

Rating
5 Stars

American Royals

Waiting On Wednesday: American Royals (American Royals #1) by Katharine McGee

10:00

2017 Flights of Fantasy Challenge

ARC Review: The Great Pursuit (Eurona Duology #2) by Wendy Higgins

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The Great Pursuit
Series: Eurona Duology #2
Author: Wendy Higgins
Published March 7th 2017 by HarperTeen

Goodreads Synopsis
In The Great Pursuit, the dramatic sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Great Hunt, Wendy Higgins delivers another thrilling fantasy filled with dangerous enemies, political intrigue, searing romance, and a princess who is willing to do everything to protect her kingdom.

One hunt has ended, but the pursuit for love and justice continues.

The kingdom of Lochlanach has traded the great beast that once terrorized the realm of Eurona for something far more dangerous: the ire of powerful Lashed woman Rosaria Rocato. Rosaria demands that Eurona overturn the laws prohibiting magic, or an innocent will be killed each day.

Despite the king’s resistance, Princess Aerity believes they must make peace with the Lashed, and though she’s accepted a betrothal to the man who took down the beast, she cannot help thinking about Paxton, the Lashed man who stole her heart and disappeared.

Aerity soon discovers that Paxton has joined Rosaria’s army in the war against her family. Though her feelings for him are still strong, her duty to her kingdom and her family is stronger—especially when her parents are kidnapped and she has to step up to the throne and once again put aside what’s best for her in order to do what’s best for her people. Paxton and Princess Aerity must fight to see what is more powerful: their love or the impending war between the magical Lashed and the non-magic humans.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so when I was offered the chance to read and review book 2, I jumped at the chance! Now that the beast has been killed, Aerity is engaged to Lord Lief, though her heart belongs to Paxton. She knows the truth about him, and his Lashed powers, but with him disappearing, she's trying to get back to normal. However, Rosaria is not finished with her vengeance, and is planning on gathering an army of Lashed to defeat the kingdom, once and for all, even with her beast gone. Aerity soon has to step up as leader, with her parents being kidnapped, and when it's revealed that Pax may have joined Rosaria, she's distraught, but can't let her emotions overpower her. On the other side, Pax may have joined the army, but he's done so to get a foot in, in order to take down Rosaria from the inside. He loves Aerity, and knows that because of the betrothal, they couldn't be together, but will do anything he can to keep her safe, even if that involves sacrificing himself. All in all, this book was really faced paced, and I saw a lot of character growth in Aerity, especially once she had to assume more power and stress as leader of her nation. The epilogue was really cute, and now I think I'll take another look at Higgins' books in future.

Dates Read:

June 5-26, 2017

Rating
4 Stars

September Summary

Stacking the Shelves: September 28th 2019

Review: Strange and Ever After (Something Strange and Deadly #3) by Susan Dennard

Waiting on Wednesday: Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin

ARC Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Stacking the Shelves: September 21st 2019

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.

This week (September 15th-21st) I received:

For review (via NetGalley):

Love, Secret Santa by S.A. Domingo

What did you receive? Let me know.

Review: A Darkness Strange and Lovely (Something Strange and Deadly #2) by Susan Dennard

Waiting On Wednesday: The Girl the Sea Gave Back (Sky in the Deep #2) by Adrienne Young

ARC Review: Announcing Trouble by Amy Fellner Dominy

Stacking the Shelves: September 14th 2019

Review: Something Strange and Deadly (Something Strange and Deadly #1) by Susan Dennard

Waiting On Wednesday: American Royals (American Royals #1) by Katharine McGee

ARC Review: The Great Pursuit (Eurona Duology #2) by Wendy Higgins

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Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail. This week (September 15th-21st) I received: For review (via NetGalley): Love, Secret Santa by S.A. Domingo What did you receive? Let me know.

Contact Form

About Me

Search

Twitter

Bloglovin'

Reading Challenge

Review Scale

Blog Archive

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.

This week (September 15th-21st) I received:

For review (via NetGalley):

Love, Secret Santa by S.A. Domingo

What did you receive? Let me know.