Book Review: Kiss of the Royal

Title: Kiss of the Royal
Author: Lindsey Duga
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Romance
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: July 3, 2018
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC

In the war against the Forces of Darkness, the Royals are losing. Princess Ivy is determined to end this centuries-long conflict once and for all, so her new battle partner must succeed where the others failed. Prince Zach’s unparalleled skill with a sword, enhanced by Ivy’s magic Kiss, should make them an unstoppable pair—but try convincing Zach of that.
Prince Zach has spent his life preparing for battle, but he would rather be branded a heretic than use his lips as nothing more than a way to transfer magic. A kiss is a symbol of love, and love is the most powerful weapon they have—but try convincing Ivy of that.
With the fate of their world on the line, the battlefield has become a testing ground, and only one of them can be right. Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan—but try convincing their hearts of that (goodreads).

Kiss of the Royal was a fun read!

First Thoughts [#171]

First Thoughts is a feature where I give my initial impression of my current read.

Book Review: Bring Me Their Hearts

Title: Bring Me Their Hearts (Untitled #1)
Author: Sara Wolf
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Magic | Romance
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: June 5, 2018
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.
Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.
Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.
So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.
Winner takes the loser’s heart.
Literally (goodreads). 

Bring Me Their Hearts was unexpected but fun. 

Book Review: Lost Girls

Title: Lost Girls

Author: Merrie Destefano

Genre: Young Adult | Mystery

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Publication Date: January 3, 2017

Format: eARC

Source: Publisher

Yesterday, Rachel went to sleep listening to Taylor Swift, curled up in her grammy’s quilt, worrying about geometry. Today, she woke up in a ditch, bloodied, bruised, and missing a year of her life. 
She doesn’t recognize the person she’s become: she’s popular. She wears nothing but black. 
Black to cover the blood. 
And she can fight. 
Tell no one.
She’s not the only girl to go missing within the last year…but she’s the only girl to come back. She desperately wants to unravel what happened to her, to try and recover the rest of the Lost Girls. 
But the more she discovers, the more her memories return. And as much as her new life scares her, it calls to her. Seductively. The good girl gone bad, sex, drugs, and raves, and something darker…something she still craves—the rush of the fight, the thrill of the win—something she can’t resist, that might still get her killed…
The only rule is: There are no rules (goodreads). 

Lost Girls is an unexpected novel of friendship and the underbelly. 

[Meme]Waiting on Wednesday [#78]

Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: The Foxglove Killings

Author: Tara Kelly
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date:  September 1, 2015

Gramps always said that when the crickets were quiet, something bad was coming. And the crickets have been as silent as the dead. It started with the murdered deer in the playground with the unmistakable purple of a foxglove in its mouth. But in the dying boondock town of Emerald Cove, life goes on.
I work at Gramps's diner, and the cakes―the entitled rich kids who vacation here―make our lives hell. My best friend, Alex Pace, is the one person who gets me. Only Alex has changed. He's almost like a stranger now. I can't figure it out...or why I'm having distinctly more-than-friend feelings for him. Ones I shouldn't be having.
Then one of the cakes disappears.
When she turns up murdered, a foxglove in her mouth, a rumor goes around that Alex was the last person seen with her—and everyone but me believes it. Well, everyone except my worst enemy, Jenika Shaw. When Alex goes missing, it's up to us to prove his innocence and uncover the true killer. But the truth will shatter everything I've ever known about myself — and Alex.

It's (basically) Fall and I just want to read books about ghosts and murder. 

Book Review: The Book of Ivy

Title: The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1)
Author: Amy Engel
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Publication Date: November 11, 2014
Genre: Young Adult // Romance // Dystopia
Format: eBook
Source:  Purchased (Amazon)

After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual. 
This year, it is my turn. 
My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power. 
But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.
Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…(goodreads)

A pretty girl with a deadly plan of deception? Count me in! While I did enjoy The Book of Ivy, there were a few things that nagged at me while reading. 

[Meme] Waiting on Wednesday [#45]

Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1)
Author:  Amy Engel
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Expected Publication Date: November 4, 2014 

After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.
This year, it is my turn.
My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.
But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy (goodreads). 

I love a good "I'm here to kill oh wait, I think I love you" set up! What are you waiting on?