May has been such a busy month. Between moving, starting new work projects, and adjusting to living in a new area, it feels like I haven’t taken a break to fully relax in weeks. So here we are going into June, and I’m just now going through April and May reads. I figured we might as well lump the two together since I’m so behind. I’m hoping to get into a better routine so that I can get back into blogging regularly again as I miss writing and creating just for fun.
In April, I finally finished the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, and I’m so sad that the series is over! When I first picked up Cinder, I didn’t have high hopes that the author was going to be able to pull off a cyborg mechanic Cinderella storyline, but she DID THAT and so much more! I also read Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller, which was also a winner for the month.
The Storyteller
Rating: 4/5
Description: It’s not every day you discover you might be related to Anastasia…or that the tragic princess actually survived her assassination attempt and has been living as the woman you know as Aunt Anna.
For Jess Morgan, who is growing tired of living her life to please everyone else, discovering her late aunt’s diaries shows her she’s not the only one struggling to hide who she really is. But was her aunt truly a Romanov princess? Or is this some elaborate hoax?
With the help of a supremely dorky, but undeniably cute, local college student named Evan, Jess digs into the century-old mystery.
But soon Jess realizes there’s another, bigger truth waiting to be revealed: Jess Morgan. Because if she’s learned anything from Aunt Anna, it’s that only you can write your own story.
My Thoughts: Wow, this book by Kathryn Williams did a fantastic job of blending mystery, romance, and historical fiction mixed in with a relatable story of self-discovery and finding where you fit into the world. I love that we get to Jess come out of her make-believe shell that she put on for the world to finally being comfortable with sharing her true self. Let me just say that I had no idea the historical context, and I had no idea that Anastasia Romanov was a real person. But I did enjoy the history context in the book, which was a surprise for me as I normally don’t. It was a well-thought story that you could not love.
A Forgery of Roses
Rating: 4/5
Description: She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.
But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.
Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.
Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.
My Thoughts: Honestly, I was so upset that there wasn’t a second book! I wanted more after the story ended, but I did enjoy the little morsel that I got. I loved the blend of mystery, romance, and of course a good old fashion mystery to boot. While at times, the details of the book were a little gross. I think it fit really well with the gothic, dark fantasy vibe that I think that the author was going for. I can’t wait to read the other books by this author.
Daughter of the Pirate King
Rating: 4/5
Description: Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map—the key to a legendary treasure trove—seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.
More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the map: her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate, Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
My Thoughts: Obsessed! Princess Alosa was truly a queen, bad to the bone, and her character definitely kept me captivated. This series came and delivered everything that it needed too. At the beginning of the story, you’re immediately dropped into the middle of the story. With the pirate concept, it does give a little bit of Pirates of the Caribbean vibes but a women’s twist on it. I honestly couldn’t put the book down, and I was so sad that the story was over after two books. Tricia has my vote to keep going with this series as I would love to see what Alosa and Riden are up to now.
Second book in the duo is Daughter of the Siren Queen.
Curses
Rating: 3.5/5
Description: Merit Cravan refused to fulfill her obligation to marry a prince, leading to a fairy godling’s curse. She will be forced to live as a beast forever, unless she agrees to marry a man of her mother’s choosing before her eighteenth birthday.
Tevin Dumont has always been a pawn in his family’s cons. The prettiest boy in a big family, his job is to tempt naïve rich girls to abandon their engagements, unless their parents agree to pay him off. But after his mother runs afoul of the beast, she decides to trade Tevin for her own freedom.
Now, Tevin and Merit have agreed that he can pay off his mother’s debt by using his con-artist skills to help Merit find the best match . . . but what if the best match is Tevin himself?
My Thoughts: To be honest when I picked up this book, I had no idea that it was a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast. I did notice it once I started reading the book. While I thought it was a cute retelling and the characters were quite fun, I do wish that there was more character development and world building. The author mentions a bunch of different “faerie” types but never fully explains what they are. They just seemed like fairies that could curse people when they got upset and were quite finicky creatures. The only other issue that I had was the lack of development of the characters, especially Merit. I feel like she was very surface level, and we didn’t get a chance to really see your as her own person. Tevin was by far my favorite, and the story very much seemed more focused on him than Merit and her curse.
Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles)
Rating: 5/5
Description: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless Lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg.
She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
My Thoughts: I have no idea what has gotten into me, but I have been picking up so many retellings lately. When I first cracked open the book, I was quite skeptical on whether or not the author was going to be able to pull off this story. I mean a cyberg Cinderella living in Beijing, China in the future? At first glance, it’s a lot, but Marissa Meyer truly pulled it off. I loved it, and I binged the entire series basically within a few days because I couldn’t put it down. It starts off kind of slow, but it slowly builds into something magical. Throughout the series, I was rooting for Cinder and her friends and loved the growth that I saw within the series.
Other books in the series: Scarlet, Cress, and Winter.
The Paris Library
Rating: 3/5
Description: Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is an unforgettable story of romance, friendship, family, and the power of literature to bring us together, perfect for fans of The Lilac Girls and The Paris Wife.
Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.
Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.
A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.
My Thoughts: While I’m not usually big on history-related stories, this one was a pleasant read (well as pleasant as the history of WWI and the Holocaust can be). I like how the story telling flips between present day and the past to intertwine a story of love, lost, grief, and growth. If you’re looking for a happy ending though, you won’t find that here. The book focuses on WWII, the Holocaust, and the American Library. You’ll get a glimpse into what life was like when the Nazis invaded France. Many of the characters in the book are based off real people, which was refreshing.
The Overnight Guest
Rating: 3/5 
Description: She thought she was alone…
True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace.
As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. After bringing the child inside for warmth and safety, she begins to search for answers. But soon it becomes clear that the farmhouse isn’t as isolated as she thought, and someone is willing to do anything to find them.
My Thoughts: Now don’t get me wrong, I did really enjoy this book, but it was very predictable for a mystery, thriller book. If you read a bunch, you won’t be shocked or surprised with how this book unfolds unfortunately. I did enjoy the world building and the setting of a winter wonderland isolated from the city. It added another layer of creepiness to the storyline. Other than the predictable storyline, the story also flips between three different viewpoints: two from the present and one from the past. It was a lot to keep up with plus the number of characters were also hard to follow.
