Legendary (Caraval, #2) by Stephanie Garber Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Caraval on my blog, here.

It has been eight years since I read the ARC of Caraval, and I thought now was as good a time as any to finally keep pushing through this series and see it to the end. To be completely honest, I literally forgot who every single character was which the exception of maybe three people -- but my memory continues to serve me and everything started to fall back into place once I was a few chapters into this second installment.

Dante was an absolute rizz master throughout this book, and I was honestly surprised about just how great he was with his words to Tella and how he was able to take control of any scene he was in. There were a few times that I was not pleased with how he was acting, but since everything is a game during Caraval, I was letting it slide. Scarlett's scarce appearances and mentions throughout this book were essentially operating as reminders that she still existed, and were truly there for me to remember how ridiculous she acted in the first book. I was hoping to see some more character growth on her part, but she was present so infrequently in this book, it was hard to expect anything more from her.

Any instance in which Jacks showed up on the page, I was immediately locked in until the moment he exited. With his affinity for apples, I found myself constantly chanting "applejacks, applejacks, applejacks" every single time he showed up in this story. Tella's interactions with him were some of my favorite scenes in the entire book, and he is such an engaging character that pulls the reader in. I found myself constantly comparing his scenes with Dante's scenes, and to be completely truthful, Dante was really starting to get on my nerves the more the story progressed.

I fear that I would end up unknowingly join the Church of Legend without realizing it, because every time that Tella would mention something from his backstory or we would learn more about him, I was honestly on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed the obstacles that Tella encountered throughout her run through Caraval, and considering the multiple plots that plagued her as she fought to uncover the truth laid right in front of her the entire time. The side characters were interesting and benefitted the story's true nature, and made Tella's journey even more memorable.

Scarlett's brief appearances continued to prove to me that Tella is the superior sister in the sense that she is able to more maturely handle tough situations. She may not be the brightest bulb in the bunch but she has hustle and I have to respect it. The big twists were a little predictable in my opinion, but the author does a great job incorporating the storylines together in order to bring that big finale all together and set up the final book.

For readers looking for fantasy with a hint of romance, and for fans of Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody, Stephanie Garber brings this series to life as Tella works to solve secrets kept and to unveil Legend's true name in order to save her fate.

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My Life with the Walter Boys (My Life with the Walter Boys, #1) by Ali Novak Review

This is a spoiler-free review! My Life with the Walter Boys is now available to stream on Netflix.

To be completely honest, I watched the Netflix adaptation prior to reading this book, and when I found out that the author is officially writing a sequel, I knew I had to jump on this book before season two or the sequel were available. After Jackie's parents and sister tragically pass away in a car accident, she is forced to move in with her mother's friend and her literal soccer team of boys on a farm. True to my nature, I automatically started rooting for the older, more mysterious brother that is essentially a Conrad Fisher variant living in Colorado. I will always support the older brother in literally any scenario, especially when they are introduced in what is essentially a slow-motion realization.

When Jackie discovers the exact details of her new life -- living with twelve boys -- she is understandably shocked and has a rough introduction to the family. Many of the boys do not give her the warmest welcome, and some are downright wild in their treatment of her, especially Isaac, who is borderline sexually harassing her for a decent portion of the book. If I was her, I would literally lock myself in my room if I had to move from New York to Colorado. The number of twins in this family is absolute insanity -- there is not one, not two, but three sets of twins in this family and I was left just as confused as Jackie when learning everyone's names.

I cannot truly believe Jackie does not own a pair of jeans... surely there was a pair she needed for something... at least a themed party. There are fifteen people in this house now that Jackie has arrived, and yet this entire sports team of a family seems to only have two bathrooms, which is absolutely diabolical -- please build more bathrooms! Jackie does not catch a single break for almost the entire book as this gang of boys literally commit war crimes against her from the second she steps foot on their property. She lost her entire family in one second and they cannot even give her time to settle in before they are torturing her on a daily basis.

Cole... the boy who can do no wrong in my eyes. He is brooding, he is older, and he is absolutely the correct choice for Jackie, no matter how many people insist that Alex is the boy she should choose. Much like Jeremiah from The Summer I Turned Pretty, Alex throws tantrums like no tomorrow when he does not get his way, and is clearly jealous that Cole attracts a lot of attention from everyone, but especially from Jackie. There is quite literally a point in the book where Jackie compares Alex to a puppy... take that as you will.

This book was honestly a blast to read -- as a young adult romance, it keeps the reader entertained while still touching on more serious topics without allowing them to overtake the narrative. I have been in a bit of a reading slump, and this book truly had me getting back into the groove of things with its wholesome story and a fun love triangle. All of the characters acted their ages and the author did not make literal high schoolers act like mature thirty-year-olds, which was refreshing because you expect teenagers to act like teenagers. One thing that did tend to get to me was the fake cursing the brothers would do -- aka "What the fudge" and other childish replacements -- considering multiple characters do not censor themselves.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Netflix adaptation was pretty spot on with the plot and events that occurred in the book when translating it to the screen -- there are obviously some differences and not everything is able to fit in, but the essence of the story is definitely present in the show. Some scenes in the book that I loved did not make the cut in the show, and I can only hope that in season two, they revisit some of these scenes and work them into the plot.

If you are looking for a quick romance read that is a mix of much-loved classic cliches and self discovery, My Life with the Walter Boys is just the book for you. For fans of Float by Kate Marchant, readers will be thrown into a story that is more than romance.

You can add My Life with the Walter Boys on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

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The Witch Collector (Witch Walker, #1) by Charissa Weaks Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

Yet another free iBook that has proven itself to me... love a good fantasy read, and the dynamic between Raina and Alexus was exactly what I was looking for in my next read. The premise reminded me a lot of The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh in the sense of an unexpected bond. I absolutely loved the use of sign language throughout this book, and the author did a great job incorporating Raina's use of signs and her perspective in communicating with others who do not know the language.

A decent amount of this book spends its time with Raina and Alexus riding throughout the forest and hiding away from attackers, while building upon their relationship as they began to get to know one another. There were times where this began to make the story seem to lag, but I was personally so invested in their dynamic that I was able to push through and read through those sections relatively quickly.

The magic and lore in this series seems very interesting -- I only wish that the author spent more time diving into the background of it in order to expand upon its importance. Raina would touch upon the basics as she expanded her abilities, but I felt as though we could have been provided with more information. Especially considering that we really do not start learning about the specifics until we are well into the story -- at least at the halfway mark. That being said, the integration of gods, magic, and tales grabbed my attention and kept me inclined to see this story through.

Side characters provided important discoveries and developments as Raina and Alexus became more acquainted with each other. Nephele, Raina's older sister, was a major plot device for her initial distain of the Witch Collector we grew to love, and the Prince of the East had a similar aura comparable to The Darkling from The Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo. The other side characters played some important roles, but I found myself wanting more of the romance in those instances. I definitely believe they added a lot to the story, but they were not drawing my attention as much I had hoped.

As far as world-building goes, this first installment certainly sets up the relationships and introduced readers to the lore of the land. My hope would be that the second book dives much deeper into the magic, as this book did a great job diving into the background of the gods and their intricate involvement with each other. I can see the potential that this series has, and I look forward to continuing on with Alexus and Raina's story.

I would recommend this series to those looking to fill the void that Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor has left, and to readers searching for a gateway entrance to the fantasy genre.

You can add The Witch Collector on Goodreads now, and follow the authors to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!