The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye
"Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love . . . or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear . . . the Crown’s Game is not one to lose."- summary from Amazon

This was a fantastic beginning to a new fantasy series- very interesting concept, and I loved the third person omniscient which propelled the story along nicely. Mostly it just went back and forth between Vika's and Nikolai's perspectives with the occasional other character. I enjoyed reading from both of their perspectives and learning their backstory, as well as Pasha's. With the way it ended, I'm interested to see where Skye will take the sequel.

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan

Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan
"Raisa was just a child when she was sold into slavery in the kingdom of Qilara. Before she was taken away, her father had been adamant that she learn to read and write. But where she now lives, literacy is a capital offense for all but the nobility. The written language is closely protected, and only the King, Prince, Tutor, and Tutor-in-training are allowed to learn its very highest form. So when she is plucked from her menial labor and selected to replace the last Tutor-in-training who was executed, Raisa knows that betraying any hint of her past could mean death.

Keeping her secret guarded is hard enough, but the romance that's been blossoming between her and Prince Mati isn't helping matters. Then Raisa is approached by the Resistance--an underground rebel army--to help liberate the city's slaves. She wants to free her people, but that would mean aiding a war against Mati. As Raisa struggles with what to do, she discovers a secret that the Qilarites have been hiding for centuries--one that, if uncovered, could bring the kingdom to its knees."- summary from Amazon

This was a fantastic fantasy novel and while it's the start of a series, it definitely reads like a stand-alone (the follow-up will actually be from someone else's perspective, set shortly after the events of this book). I absolutely LOVED this book; it was so hard to put it down sometimes! Raisa's journey is compelling, intriguing, and the romance between her and Mati was a lot of fun to read. MacMillan's world-building in this is done so well and I'm excited to spend more time in this world once the sequel is released. Highly recommended!

FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Tragedy Girl by Christine Hurley Deriso

Tragedy Girl by Christine Hurley Deriso
"Of course Anne would be drawn to Blake. He’s good-looking, he’s friendly, and they both bring sob stories to the table: her parents died in a car wreck; his girlfriend, Cara, drowned. Of course Blake would understand what she’s going through. And of course they can help each other work through the pain. It’s like it was meant to be.

But just as Anne starts to feel like she’s finally found something good in all the tragedy, there are signs she can’t ignore that something’s off. Her friends rarely let her be alone with Blake. Even those closest to Blake seem uneasy around him. And then there are the rumors about the death of Cara, whose body was never recovered. Rumors that suggest Blake’s pain is hiding something darker than Anne can even begin to comprehend . . ."- summary from Amazon

I was really excited to read this book and it was good- a quick, suspenseful, page-turning read! Anne is a great main character and it was interesting to see her slowly burgeoning relationship with Blake and all the red flags surrounding it. The reveal was unexpected and a big twist; there was much more to it than you'd expect. Overall, it was quite a good thriller/mystery and I'm interested to read more from Deriso.

FTC: Received e-galley from Netgalley. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

It Looks Like This by Rafi Mittlefehldt

It Looks Like This by Rafi Mittlefehldt
"A new state, a new city, a new high school. Mike’s father has already found a new evangelical church for the family to attend, even if Mike and his plainspoken little sister, Toby, don’t want to go. Dad wants Mike to ditch art for sports, to toughen up, but there’s something uneasy behind his demands. Then Mike meets Sean, the new kid, and "hey" becomes games of basketball, partnering on a French project, hanging out after school. A night at the beach. The fierce colors of sunrise. But Mike’s father is always watching. And so is Victor from school, cell phone in hand."- summary from Amazon

A fantastic, heartbreaking story of first love, family, discovering who you are, and standing up for yourself and your truth. I've never read a YA novel told like this, in such beautiful yet simple prose; it was honestly a breath of fresh air once I got into the story and became invested in Mike's story. And it really is a heartbreaking novel- there were several times throughout that made me very sad, especially realizing that there are many stories like this in the real world- but ultimately in the end, it's uplifting. The friendship between Sean and Mike that blossoms into something resembling a relationship (albeit a secret one) is extremely sweet and, in a way, uncomplicated. There are definitely factors that keep them from being open about their love for each other, but it seemed like whenever they were together, nothing else seemed to matter and the affection they had for each other showed. I highly recommend this book to pretty much anyone, and I cannot wait to see what Mittlefehldt releases next.


FTC: Received ARC from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Other Broken Things by C. Desir

Other Broken Things by C. Desir
"Natalie’s not an alcoholic. She doesn’t have a problem. Everybody parties, everybody does stupid things, like getting in their car when they can barely see. Still, with six months of court-ordered AA meetings required, her days of vodka-filled water bottles are over.

Unfortunately, her old friends want the party girl or nothing. Even her up-for-anything ex seems more interested in rehashing the past than actually helping Nat.

But then a recovering alcoholic named Joe inserts himself into Nat’s life, and things start looking up. Joe is funny, he’s smart, and he calls her out in a way no one ever has.

He’s also older. A lot older.

Nat’s connection to Joe is overwhelming, but so are her attempts to fit back into her old world, all while battling the constant urge to crack a bottle and blur that one thing she’s been desperate to forget.

Now, in order to make a different kind of life, Nat must pull together her broken parts and learn to fight for herself."- summary from Amazon

I really enjoyed Desir's previous book Bleed Like Me and have been trying to keep up with her other releases, but haven't been successful. But I was able to find time to fit this book in and I was so glad I did. This was such a compelling, insightful and emotional look at teen alcoholism and addiction, among other issues, and I really hope this book finds its way into the hands of teens struggling with this sort of thing. Natalie is a character that teens will be able to relate to, even if it's the smallest thing. Desir writes Natalie's voice so pitch-perfectly and it's a compelling read because of that as well as the forbidden tension between Natalie and Joe, which Desir handles effortlessly and without judgment. Overall, an audacious look at several tough subjects for teenagers that will make readers flock to the rest of Desir's bold oeuvre.

FTC: Received e-galley from Edelweiss. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.