Sophie Reads YA: November 2021

November Summary

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2021 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Defy the Night (Defy the Night #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

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Defy the Night
Series: Defy the Night #1
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Published September 14th 2021 by Bloomsbury YA

Goodreads Synopsis
A spark of rebellion is all it takes to DEFY THE NIGHT.

In a kingdom where sickness stalks the streets and only the richest can afford a cure, King Harristan and his brother Prince Corrick are forced to rule with an iron fist.

Tessa Cade is a masked outlaw marked for death, but she likes it that way. Together with the mysterious, handsome Weston, she robs from the rich to help the poor, distributing food and medicine to those who need it most.

As it becomes clear that the only way to save her people is to assassinate the King, Tessa must face a deadly mission that will take her to the dark heart of the kingdom . and force her to work with the very people she intended to destroy.

From New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer comes a brand-new blockbuster fantasy series about a corrupt kingdom, a star-crossed romance and a girl who will do anything for justice.
Goodreads

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

Life in Kandala has changed ever since the king and queen were assassinated, plague and illness came to the kingdom, and the new King Harristan, and his brother, the King's Justice, Prince Corrick, rule with an iron fist. Only one flower, the Moonflower, can save those with the sickness, and it's tightly rationed by the crown and the two consuls who run the sectors which grow it. Tessa Cade hates the inequality, and so she, along with the mysterious Weston, steal petals from the rich, to make elixirs to help the poor. But it's a dangerous role to play, and Tessa knows that with the patrols stepping up, and the mysterious Benefactors pulling the strings, she's risking everything, even her life.

I fell in love with Brigid's writing when I came across A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and since then I've been hooked. I couldn't wait to start Defy the Night, and once I opened it, I could barely put it down. The characters in this book, from the main ones - Tessa and Corrick - to the secondary roles, were all fantastic. I love books like this that are full of plot lines, characters, mystery, and fantasy, especially when we have multiple POV's, and we see the characters as they truly are. I had guessed at Wes' identity extremely early on, but that didn't detract from the story at all. There's a hint of romance here, but Tessa's love for her country, and wish to help others, was the main part of the story, and seeing her strength, and power which she never realised she had, was glorious. Honestly, I think Brigid has blown it out the park again, and this series is on track to be even better than Cursebreakers! I need book 2, ASAP!!

Dates Read:
November 15-18, 2021

Rating
4 Stars

2022 New Release challenge

ARC Review: Never Trust an Earl (Never #3) by Maggi Andersen

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Never Trust an Earl
Series: Never #3
Author: Maggi Andersen
Published June 17th 2022 by Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis
Redcliffe Park, Northumberland, 1819

Dominic Thorne, the Earl of Redcliffe, arrives in Redcliffe village in the far north of England, to view his inheritance. The estate, Redcliffe Park, is miles from a decent town, and in need of extensive renovation.

A rake, says the squire’s wife, who heard all about him from her aunt in London. Rumors of Dominic’s scandalous lifestyle have quickly spread. His uncle, the former earl, was disliked. He failed to pay his debts. And it’s assumed his nephew is cut from the same cloth, or even worse, will ravage all the ladies in the village. It’s suspected his uncle distrusted banks, and stashed his wealth in a secret place somewhere on the estate.

Dominic wants to restore order to the estate to lease or sell it, then return to London. But his extremely attractive and capable housekeeper, Miss Olivia Jenner, makes him want more than a well-run house. He wants her in his life, in his bed. But she has plans of her own and doesn’t trust him.

Olivia Jenner has her own reasons for becoming the housekeeper, which she is not about to tell the earl. She loathed his uncle who destroyed her father’s life, and is determined to keep the rakish earl at arm’s length. But it becomes difficult for Olivia to hold on to her poor opinion of Dominic, after he toils in the fields with his plowman and works to improve the lives of those on his estate. Intrigued, Olivia can’t seem to stay away from him. She brings them lunch and hovers, admiring his fine physique and his straightforward manner with his workmen. He is not what she expected. But she cannot not lose her focus, she must find what she came for, then execute her plans for her future.

The house is broken into, and it’s believed they search for the money stashed away by his uncle. While Olivia and Dominic work together to discover who is behind it, a further threat appears. Someone wants Dominic dead.

The attraction between them grows to fever pitch. Dominic wants her, but will the independent and practical lady who considers the disparity in their births an impossible hurdle to overcome, ever agree?
Goodreads

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

Inheriting a remote estate in Northumberland was unexpected for Dominic Thorne, the Earl of Redcliffe, and when he arrives to find it run down, without servants, and in need of a lot of TLC, all he wants is to restore it, and sell it off as quickly as possible. But when he arrives in the town, and rumours about his characters, and whether he was like his uncle or not, start to circulate, Dominic realises he needs to stay at Redcliffe, and restore his reputation before it's too late. The beautiful, young housekeeper, Olivia Jenner, complicates matters too, and it seems that she is hiding her own secrets too. As Olivia and Dominic spend more time together, and the sparks fly, will they be able to allow their relationship to flourish, or will the threats against Dominic's life ruin it all?

Never Trust an Earl was a really quick and enjoyable read. I had liked the previous books in the series when I read them, and immediately requested book 3 as soon as it was available, because I needed to know more about this series. The main characters, Dominic and Olivia, have pasts and secrets they want to keep, but it's soon clear that they need to work together, and that their feelings for one another could not be denied. I liked how independent Olivia was, and that she was willing to fight for what she could get, and she believed that was retribution for her father's suffering. The romance was sweet, and they brought out the best in each other, though there were moments where conflict could've just been resolved quicker if they communicated a little more. The mystery was enjoyable, and I feel like this book has tied up all of the loose ends from previous books, and ended the series really well.

Dates Read:
July 10-11, 2022

Rating
3 Stars

2021 New Release challenge