delacorte press – Book Dust Magic

One sunny title: Sunkissed by Kasie West @PRHGlobal #partner #BookReview #Sunkissed

GIFTED / Today I bring you my review for a book that I have read twice already. Once before it was released, and second time recently (read: this summer). I enjoyed it both times which is not surprise since Kasie West is one of my all time favourite authors.

Sunkissed was published on May 4th 2021 by Delacorte Press and it has 304 pages. I want to say thank you to Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

Avery has always used music as an escape. But after her best friend betrays her, even her perfectly curated playlists can’t help her forget what happened. To make matters worse, her parents have dragged her and her social-media-obsessed sister to a remote family camp for two months of “fun.” Just when Avery is ready to give up on the summer altogether, she meets Brooks—mysterious, frustratingly charming Brooks—who just happens to be on staff—which means he’s off-limits.

What starts as a disaster turns into . . . something else. As the outside world falls away, Avery embarks on a journey of self-discovery. And when Brooks offers her the chance of a lifetime, she must figure out how far is she willing to go to find out what she wants and who she wants to be.

Review:

Kasie West is my go to author when it comes to ya contemporaries. For years she’s been my favourite and by now I know with her books I can’t go wrong.

Sunkissed was entertaining, fun, fluffy at times and perfect pick to spend a relaxing day with.
I read it twice and enjoyed it both times.

The book was written in first person which made it so easy to flew through. Avery was a good narrator to follow and I have to say, she has good sense of humour.
You know who has even better sense of humour? Her sister. I enjoyed conversations between them and liked their relationship even more than Avery’s and Brooks (who is the love interest).

If you like music and happen to like music making, this story could be the one for you because it features the band and all the things that go along with it: writing, rehearsals, member fights, live gigs…

I wish we got to see more of family camp Avery visited with her family, and if the author decided to include at least one or two camp visitors as well, but overall it was a good book that I would recommend to ya contemporary summer reads.

The First book I read in 2022: It Will End Like This by Kyra Leigh @PRHGlobal #partner #BookReview

It will end like this by Kyra Leigh book cover US edition, delacorte press

GIFTED / Today I decided to post my first book review, and I think it is fair to talk about the very first book I have finished this year. Since I didn’t have much time to read and only managed to finish 4 books in January, I think there are chances I’ll cross/post on Book Dust Magic every review I write this year.

It Will End Like This was okay book to pass time, and I will leave you to decide whether you should pick it or not, based on my, and also on other people’s reviews.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS /

For fans of The Cheerleaders and Sadie comes a psychological thriller that reminds us that in real life, endings are rarely as neat as happily ever after. A contemporay take on the Lizzie Borden story that explores how grief can cut deep.

Charlotte lost her mother six months ago, and still no one will tell her exactly what happened the day she mysteriously died. They say her heart stopped, but Charlotte knows deep down that there’s more to the story.

The only person who gets it is Charlotte’s sister, Maddi. Maddi agrees—people’s hearts don’t just stop. There are too many questions left unanswered for the girls to move on.

But their father is moving on. With their mother’s personal assistant. And both girls are sure that she’s determined to take everything that’s theirs away for herself.

Now the only way to get their lives back is for Charlotte and Maddi to decide how this story ends, themselves.

Review:

It Will End Like This is the first book I finished in 2022, but also the one I ended 2021 with.
I know, totally not important information, but still I look at it as fun fact (feel free to call me a loser if you want).

The book started good, with a tone that was so easy and also intriguing to follow.
Short chapters have the ability to make book seem like it reads faster, and the first person pulls the reader in characters’ heads immediately.

To make things clear, I was thrilled with the way the book started, and the atmosphere the author described through monologues and happenings reminded me of a brilliant novel called We Have Always Lived in a Castle.

However, the more I read, the more I despised Charlie’s inner thoughts, and since we are what we think, I liked her less and less, until I found her just… not my cup of tea.

Still, I could understand how all the things that happened could spin her head and awoke the anger and even madness inside her.

Her sister Maddie seemed like the stronger one, but on the other hand the author decided to focus mostly on Charlie, and explore her character and her inner self more, even if the book follows two POVs.

In the end, I just want to state that I hated not only one, but three side characters: the father, his new girlfriend and the new friend.
Books usually have one or two characters readers like to hate, so kudos to Kyra Leigh for creating not one, not two, but three of them, and if we include Charlie among them, we have a band of unlikeable personas.

A start of a new, compelling series: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna @PRHGlobal #partner #fantasy #BookLovers

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna book cover US edition 2021

GIFTED / Hi guys, today I wanted to introduce you to a series I started this year, and plan to continue. Maybe you’ve already heard about it, as it was hyped around it’s release, and if you ask me, it was hyped for a reason.
Unfortunately, I feel like the talk is not so loud anymore, so I wanted to give it a shout.

The Gilded Ones was published this year on February 9th and it has 432 pages. I want to thank Penguin Global and Delacorte Press for inviting me to read and review this title.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS/

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.

Review:

I feel like the cover for The Gilded Ones is everywhere lately. Every day I see it on my Goodreads feed, booktubers and bookstagrammers promote it, twitter, blogs, you name it…so… I also wanted to be part of that train gang.

I can proudly say that the hype surrounding this novel is well deserved. This was really good story, with good representation and message, that was also very enjoyable and entertaining.

If you know me, you know that the most important things to me, when it comes to books and stories, are characters.
The Gilded Ones has variety of interesting characters that I got to know through a story and by the end of the novel, I found myself truly caring about them, so I am really looking forward to read about them in future installments.

The world building was done great. It was so easy for me to imagine all the palces, jungles and deserts in the story.
I like to read fantasy from time to time, but I don’t consider myself an expert in this genre, however, I do feel like I can say that the author did a good job introducing this world, with all the history and present events.

The story was easy to read, thanks to a good, simple but rich writing style.

The end was good, and even better introduction to next book in the series.

I was really fascinated with one event that was mentioned closer to the end of the book, when one character described what happened in the past. I won’t say more about it bc it would be a spoiler, but I will stress out that it impacted me the most, because I never came across to something similar in my reading life.

I also want to quickly mention how the main event or purpose in the story passed so quickly and after so much preparation surrounding it, it was resolved so easily and I expected more obstacles.

The Gilded Ones is good book about feminism, impacted by author’s own experience and authenticity.
It also represented diversity, the are POC characters, lqbtq+ characters (I should stress out that for now only sapphic relationship was mentioned, but I feel there’s space for more representations in sequels).

There are also some references and mentions of sexual abuse, so be aware of that.

I also want to emphasize how The Gilded Ones can provoke great discussion, so I encourage you to reading in book clubs.
Of course, reading it in your own company has it’s benefits too.

To make it short, I recommend you to read it.

Witchy with great sense of humour: The Babysitters Coven by Kate Williams (Book Review) @PRHGlobal #partner #Halloween #paranormal

GIFTED / Today I want to talk about the only book I read during spookathon. It has been a while since I finished it, but my thoughts about it are still pretty fresh.
The Babysitters Coven was published on Septebmer 17th 2019 by Delacorte Press. It has 368 pages.
I want to thank the team from Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS / Seventeen-year-old Esme Pearl has a babysitters club. She knows it’s kinda lame, but what else is she supposed to do? Get a job? Gross. Besides, Esme likes babysitting, and she’s good at it.

And lately Esme needs all the cash she can get, because it seems like destruction follows her wherever she goes. Let’s just say she owes some people a new tree.

Enter Cassandra Heaven. She’s Instagram-model hot, dresses like she found her clothes in a dumpster, and has a rebellious streak as gnarly as the cafeteria food. So why is Cassandra willing to do anything, even take on a potty-training two-year-old, to join Esme’s babysitters club?

The answer lies in a mysterious note Cassandra’s mother left her: “Find the babysitters. Love, Mom.”

Turns out, Esme and Cassandra have more in common than they think, and they’re about to discover what being a babysitter really means: a heroic lineage of superpowers, magic rituals, and saving the innocent from seriously terrifying evil. And all before the parents get home.

Review:

The Babysitters Coven was my first pick to read during spookathon. I received this book during September, but wanted to save it for that readathon.
In the end, I suffered from major reading slump and this novel ended up being the only book I finished that week.
However, when I look objectively, this book was pretty fun and enjoyable, I just wish I read it when I was in a better place.

This paranormal young adult was pitched as Buffy meets The Babysitters Club. Therefore, I assumed there would be vampires in the book.
Oh, how wrong was I!
Vampires were not part of this story, but the similarity with Buffy is undeniable, and if you decide to give it a try, you will know exactly why.
It had the similar polity with chosen girls to protect the world and their teacher to guide them.
It really reminded me of the season where Buffy was not the only Vampire slayer in the show.

The writing style is really good, with lots of humour. It is really easy to read and I believe that, if I wasn’t in a reading slump, I would finish it in a day or two.
The story is written in first person, from Esme’s POV.

I liked Esme, she was great narrator to follow, and since I enjoyed all the characters, I hope to get even more attached to them in the second installment.

Since I can’t consider this book a master piece, I think good character development and thrive would take this series on another level.

Still, I very much enjoyed The Babysitters Coven and will gladly continue with the series.

The one that hits hard: How to Make Friends with the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow (Book Review) @PRHGlobal #partner #BookLovers

GIFTED / Today I want to talk about a book that really made me emotional, and was not an easy read, but at the same time it was comforting in a way.
How to Make Friends with the Dark was published by Delacorte Press on April 9th 2019 and it has 421 pages.
I want to thank the team from Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS / Here is what happens when your mother dies.

It’s the brightest day of summer and it’s dark outside. It’s dark in your house, dark in your room, and dark in your heart. You feel like the darkness is going to split you apart.

That’s how it feels for Tiger. It’s always been Tiger and her mother against the world. Then, on a day like any other, Tiger’s mother dies. And now it’s Tiger, alone.

Here is how you learn to make friends with the dark.

Review:

Going into How to Make Friends with the Dark I knew I was dealing with heart hitting, emotional prose that will leave me feel low, but nothing prepared me for the amount of emotions I feltl.
This book was heart wrenching in all it means!

I picked this book during a readathon, which was a HUGE mistake. You see, because so many bad things happened to our main character Tiger, it was really hard for me to speed through the story.
So I failed the readathon, but I got so much from this novel, that I’m not even sorry.
Some book just take time, and this is one of those books.
I wouldn’t have it any other way, because even though it was emotionally hard for me to process everything, by taking my time I think I got the most out of it.

The story follows Tiger who’s mother died suddenly. There were only two of them, so without the other parent, Tiger became the property of state, and not only does she grive her mother, but her life also completely changed.

The story talks about grief, friendships, family relationships, foster care and all kinds of domestic violence.
It is really an eye opening book and it makes reader question the system and justice.

The writing style is beautiful. There are many quotes I saved in my notes, that I’ll reread from time to time.
It is written in first person, following Tiger’s POV.

There is no romance in this young adult contemporary, so be aware of that (some readers will be happy about it I guess)!

In the end, I want to recommend How to Make Friends with the Dark to ya contemporary lovers who are looking for an emotional story without romance in it.

The one that gets darker with every page: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig (Book Review) @PRHGlobal #partner #Fantasy

GIFTED / I am so happy to bring you my review for the book that blew my mind with it’s originality.
The House of Salt and Sorrows was published on August 6th 2019 by Delacorte Press and it has 416 pages.
I want to thank the team from Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).

About the book:

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

Review:

House of Salt and Sorrows is a hot topic ever since it came out, and it was hyped for months before it’s release.
I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to read it via Netgalley and I can tell you, I completely understand where the hype comes from.

This story really impressed me and even though it is a retelling of a tale of Twelve Dancing Princesses I would say it is one of the most unique books that I have read in the past few months. However, I have to stress out that I am not familiar with the original fairy tale nor did I watch the Barbie movie.

The atmosphere was spooky and I loved it so much. I like how the story became darker and darker as it progressed, that closer to the end it even had some horror elements.
The atmosphere was my favorite part of the novel.

What I found funny was how at some points Highmoor people gave me that Greyjoy vibes (Game of Thrones reference), and it almost felt like they were cousins (their funeral rituals are so similar that I couldn’t help myself but laugh, but in a good way).

The main character Annaleigh was likeable and it was easy to connect with her. I enjoyed following the story from her perspective and I also really liked her relationship with her older sister Camilla.
I was also fascinated with their stepmother and wanted to know more about her.
As for other characters, I have to admit that I wish they had more substance to them, because they felt pretty much dull and I had hard time to recognize one sister from the other.

One of the big reveals (how they went to the dances) blew my mind and in my opinion, it was the best part of the story.

I was also very happy with the way this story ended, including all the dark and spooky elements.

I really enjoyed reading House of Salt and Sorrows and I would like to read other work by Erin A. Craig.

I highly recommend this one to lovers of young adult fantasy and spooky stories.

Genius, gory and unpredictable: Wilder Girls by Rory Power @PRHGlobal #partner #WilderGirls #horror

GIFTED / I am so happy to bring you my review for the horror ya I read recently, and fell absolutely in love with it: Wilder Girls.
I want to thank the team from Penguin Random House Global for sending me an e-galley of this novel (in an exchange for an honest review).
The book was released on July 9th 2019 by Delacorte Press and it has 353 pages.

About the book:

FROM GOODREADS / It’s been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty’s life out from under her.

It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don’t dare wander outside the school’s fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.

But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there’s more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.

Review:

I don’t even know where to start when it comes to reviewing Wilder Girls.
It was gory, detailed and it is definitely not for readers with weak stomach, but at the same time it was brilliant!

I loved almost everything about this novel, from main to side characters, plot and the mystery, but what I liked the most was the creepy atmosphere that felt so real.

The writing style is excellent and I still can’t believe this is Power’s debut novel. I now want to read everything she writes in the future, that’s how impressed I am with her voice.

This book is written in first person, following two perspectives: Hetty’s and Byatt’s. I loved how their voices sound so different, that even if there weren’t note about change of perspective, readers would notice in no time.
Also, when one of the girls was drugged it was obvious in her voice, and I appreciate those little (important) things so much!

As I previously stated, this book is not for everyone. Lovers of gory scenes will love it, but those who are more sensitive will probably want to close their eyes at some scenes (but how can you close your eyes when reading, that is the question!).

I rarely find novels that keep me so invested from start to finish like this one has.
It was entertaining but also so mysterious that I just had to know what will happen’ to our girls and what is behind this Tox that caused all the trouble for them.

I loved how everything in this novel was backed up with logic and science, and how (in the end) it wasn’t too far from our real life.

The only thing I would change was to add an epilogue. You see, Wilder Girls have an open ending, and I usually don’t mind them (in fact, I am pretty fond of them) but this time I would be more happy if we found out what destiny there was for our characters after the point where the story ended.
The only (sort of) explanation that comes to my mind is that even if this was planned to be a standalone, maybe the publisher gave the writer a chance if the sales were good she could write the sequel (which I’ll be happy to read one day).

One more thing I have to mention: this book is the one that represents LGBTQ community, but at the same time it is not a love story and there is no romance. There is some chemistry but it is all we get (which is realistic because it those life conditions I assume love and sex come last to your mind).

Overall, I loved this book and I recommend it to lovers of gory scenes and stories, and to ya lovers with strong stomach.
It is appropriate to read at any time, but I suggest you to read it at night, in the fall or as a Halloween pick.