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4 Sept 2023

Blog Tour: PRIDE & PREJUDICE & PITTSBURGH by Rachael Lippincott

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 04 September 3 Comments

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND PITTSBURGH by Rachel Lippincott Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours.

Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND PITTSBURGH

Author: Rachael Lippincott

Series: N/A
Source: eARC via Publisher
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: August 29, 2023

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:
Representation: lesbian main character, bisexual main character

Summary:

From the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Five Feet Apart and She Gets the Girl comes a fresh and inventive sapphic romantic comedy that’s What If It’s Us meets Bridgerton.

What if you found a once-in-a-lifetime love…just not in your lifetime?

Audrey Cameron has lost her spark. But after getting dumped by her first love and waitlisted at her dream art school all in one week, she has no intention of putting her heart on the line again to get it back. So when local curmudgeon Mr. Montgomery walks into her family’s Pittsburgh convenience store saying he can help her, Audrey doesn’t know what she’s expecting…but it’s definitely not that she’ll be transported back to 1812 to become a Regency romance heroine.

Lucy Sinclair isn’t expecting to find an oddly dressed girl claiming to be from two hundred years in the future on her family’s estate. But she has to admit it’s a welcome distraction from being courted by a man her father expects her to marry—who offers a future she couldn’t be less interested in. Not that anyone has cared about what or who she’s interested in since her mother died, taking Lucy’s spark with her.

While the two girls try to understand what’s happening and how to send Audrey home, their sparks make a comeback in a most unexpected way. Because as they both try over and over to fall for their suitors and the happily-ever-afters everyone expects of them, they find instead they don’t have to try at all to fall for each other.

But can a most unexpected love story survive even more impossible circumstances?

Purchase:

Amazon (affiliate)

Content Warnings: death of a parent, parental abuse, parental neglect, homophobia (ish), alcohol consumption, abusive relationships, toxic relationships

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.

I will say that I did think a LOT about how I hoped everyone didn't get sick during their time travelling because of germs, but this was DELIGHTFUL.

This time travel book was really well done and I enjoyed seeing how the two characters came to understand one another and grow together. I appreciated Audrey's growth into understanding just how different things were but also how people didn't quite see her how she was in the past and present.

The romance was well developed, and while there was some "insta-love," it had time to come to fruition. I thought there was a good sense of what love meant and how to find it. I thought having three "suitors" was a bit much but it still made for an interesting read.

All the side characters had good depth, but not as much nuance as I would have liked. But this was definitely made up for by Lucy and Audrey! I really liked seeing them develop, learn about themselves, and each other. They brought out the best in one another and I really enjoyed it.

The references might eventually date this book, but it was so cute and I just squealed the whole time! Definitely a pick up if you like time travel and Jane Austen.

Rachael Lippincott is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of

Five Feet Apart. She holds a BA in English writing from the University of Pittsburgh. Originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, she currently resides in Pittsburgh with her wife and their dog, Hank.

Connect with the Author

1 lucky winner will win a finished copy of PRIDE & PREJUDICE & PITTSBURGH, US Only.

Ends September 12 th , midnight EST.

A rafflecopter giveaway

Are you going to pick this one up?

17 Apr 2023

Review: REVELLE by Lyssa Mia Smith

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 17 April 0 Comments

REVELLE

Author: Lyssa Mia Smith

Series: N/A
Source: Indigo
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: February 14, 2023

Overall Rating:
Diversity Rating:
Representation: lesbian side characters, mixed race side characters

Summary:

Inspired by Moulin Rouge! and set on an island in a magical version of Prohibition-era New York, Revelle is a breathtaking YA stand-alone fantasy full of dazzling magic, romance, and mystery from debut author Lyssa Mia Smith.

On the island of Charmant, magic flows like bootlegged champagne, and fantasies can be bought for the price of a gemstone.

Luxe Revelle, star of her family’s fantastical show, knows the splendor is just an illusion. With Prohibition threatening their livelihood, her family struggles to make a living, watering down champagne and patching holes in their sequined costumes. So when the son of Charmant’s wealthiest family makes her an offer—everything the Revelles need to stay in business, in exchange for posing as his girl and helping him become mayor—she can’t refuse.

The moment Jamison Port sets foot in Charmant, he can’t shake the feeling of familiarity. An orphan with as few memories as gemstones, he’s desperate to learn what happened to his parents. But as he delves into the island’s secrets, he risks angering the wrong person and discovering a truth that just might break his heart.

When Luxe and Jamison accidentally meet, the sparks that fly are more than her magical enchantments. But keeping secrets from powerful people is a dangerous game . . . one that could destroy them both.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters

Content Warning: Alcohol, Manipulation, Deception, Magical Manipulation, Death, Gun Use, Fire, Pain Depictions, Discussions around Racism

While this gave me a mixture of Caraval and Moulin Rouge vibes, I really enjoyed this novel! I loved the magical depictions, the setting, and the lushness of the world that Smith created. I connected with the characters immediately and loved the shenanigans, magic aspect, and the way that it resolved.

I loved the mystery element that highlighted the behind the scenes and the charm of learning about different elements as the story went on. I thought it was so well done and kept me guessing the whole time.

I laughed, I cried, I gasped. I genuinely had a good time reading this book!! And the cover is gorgeous on top of that.

In my opinion, this is what I wanted Caraval to be - a magical world with characters I could actually stand to be around and stakes high enough that made sense to me.

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24 Mar 2016

REVIEW: GATHERING DARKNESS by Morgan Rhodes

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 24 March 0 Comments

GATHERING DARKNESS

Author: Morgan Rhodes
Series: Falling Kingdoms #3
Source: Digital Copy Purchased from Kobo
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: December 9, 2014
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary:
In GATHERING DARKNESS, book three of the New York Times bestselling Falling Kingdoms series, the stakes have never been higher as three teams push forward on a race to find the Kindred, the four elemental crystals possessing ancient all-powerful magic, first:

Prince Magnus has just witnessed torture, death, and miracles during the bloody confrontation that decimated the rebel forces. Now he must choose between family and justice as his father, the cruel King Gaius, sets out to conquer all of Mytica. All Gaius needs now are the Kindred - the four elemental crystals that give godlike powers to their owner. But the King of Blood is not the only one hunting for this ancient, storied magic...

THE KRAESHIANS join the hunt. Ashur and Amara, the royal siblings from the wealthy kingdom across the Silver Sea, charm and manipulate their way to the Kindred, proving to be more ruthless than perhaps even the King of Blood himself.

THE REBELS forge ahead. Princess Cleo and vengeful Jonas lead them, slaying with sweetness, skill, and a secret that can control Lucia's overpowering magic - all so they can use the Kindred to win back their fallen kingdoms.

THE WATCHERS follow Melenia out of the Sanctuary. They ally in the flesh with King Gaius, who vows to use Lucia's powers to unveil the Kindred.

The only certainty in the dark times is that whoever finds the magic first will control the fate of Mytica... but fate can be fickle when magic is involved.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

The story gets even more intricate with each book. There are layers upon layers to this story and people and past events that are influencing and affecting the current story that the main characters aren't even aware of. I love how much detail and complexity Rhodes weaves into this story and I am always left in awe when I read this series because there is such good world building, relationship building, and threats that it makes it such a GOOD read. This is honestly such a good example of amazing fantasy in YA and I wish more people had read this series.

8 Mar 2016

BLOG TOUR: HOLDING COURT by K.C. Held || Review + #GIVEAWAY

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 08 March 1 Comments

Hello and welcome to my tour stop for

HOLDING COURT by K.C. Held

as hosted by Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours and Entangled: Teen!

I have a review of the novel for you today, plus there is a tour wide giveaway for a swag pack for the novel, so be sure to keep scrolling to enter to win!

But first, let's learn more about the novel...

HOLDING COURT

Author: K.C. Held

Source: eARC via the Publisher

Publisher: Entangled: Teen

Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Jules Verity knows exactly what's in store at her new job at castle-turned-dinner-theater Tudor Times. Some extra cash, wearing a fancy-pants dress, and plenty of time to secretly drool over the ever-so-tasty--and completely unavailable--Grayson Chandler. Except that it's not quite what she imagined.

For one, the costume Jules has to wear is awful. Then there's the dead body she finds that just kind of...well, disappears. Oh, and there's the small issue of Jules and her episodes of what her best friend calls "Psychic Tourette's Syndrome"--spontaneous and uncontrollable outbursts of seemingly absurd prophecies.

The only bright side? This whole dead body thing seems to have gotten Grayson's attention. Except that the more Jules investigates, the more she discovers that Grayson's interest might not be as courtly as she thought. In fact, it's starting to look suspicious...

Purchase:

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Let me start off by saying, if you are on the fence about this one, but like a good mystery and a girl who randomly blurts out the future: this one is for you. I really enjoyed this one and found myself giggling like a madwoman at some points because it was too true and too hilarious. There were even some points where I felt such second hand embarrassment for Jules that I had to put the book down and wait a couple minutes before continuing. This is such a fun read and I recommend it!

12 Feb 2016

REVIEW: TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 12 February 4 Comments

TRUTHWITCH

Author: Susan Dennard
Series: Truthwitch #1
Source: Purchased from Chapters
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: January 5, 2016
Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:
On a continent ruled by three empires, some are born with a “witchery”, a magical skill that sets them apart from others.

In the Witchlands, there are almost as many types of magic as there are ways to get in trouble—as two desperate young women know all too well.

Safiya is a Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lie. It’s a powerful magic that many would kill to have on their side, especially amongst the nobility to which Safi was born. So Safi must keep her gift hidden, lest she be used as a pawn in the struggle between empires.

Iseult, a Threadwitch, can see the invisible ties that bind and entangle the lives around her—but she cannot see the bonds that touch her own heart. Her unlikely friendship with Safi has taken her from life as an outcast into one of reckless adventure, where she is a cool, wary balance to Safi’s hotheaded impulsiveness.

Safi and Iseult just want to be free to live their own lives, but war is coming to the Witchlands. With the help of the cunning Prince Merik (a Windwitch and ship’s captain) and the hindrance of a Bloodwitch bent on revenge, the friends must fight emperors, princes, and mercenaries alike, who will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

I went into this one knowing that the hype was probably going to kill it for me. But it wasn't even so much the hype that did me in but the first 65-70% of the book. Sure, I went into this hearing it was going to be the next Holy Grail but I knew that from the depths of the hype monster means that I would probably not enjoy it as much as those who were tweeting about it. I did still expect to thoroughly enjoy it and want to have the next book right away, sadly this was not the case.

Before I get a Bloodwitch on my trail who wants to kill me, let me say that I DID like it. It is a GOOD book. But it is not the be all, end all, especially of the YA Fantasy genre. There were a lot of great things about this one, but there were some instances in this novel that had me not enjoying reading it. I was at the point where I was at 41% and thought about DNF-ing it because I just wasn't getting into it. But I pushed through and the last 30% really wow-ed me, but I am reviewing the whole book so it is a solid 3 stars (with the first 65-70% being 2.5* and the last being 4*, which makes it 3* when you average it out. I can show you the math).

8 Feb 2016

COVER REVEAL: MY SENIOR YEAR OF AWESOME by Jennifer DiGiovanni + #GIVEAWAY

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 08 February 1 Comments

Welcome to the cover reveal for

My Senior Year of Awesome by Jennifer DiGiovanni

presented by Swoon Romance!

Be on the look out for this YA contemporary romance about the awesome not so awesome senior year in high school!

Not much further now!

My Senior Year of Awesome

Author: Jennifer DiGiovanni

Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Publisher: Swoon Romance

Summary:
A girl desperately tries to avoid the boy she was voted most likely to marry by her senior classmates. To prove senior superlative votes are meaningless, she and her best friend create their own list of awesome high school achievements to be completed by graduation.

Purchase:
Amazon

19 Jan 2016

REVIEW: JUST A FEW INCHES by Tara St. Pierre

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 19 January 0 Comments

JUST A FEW INCHES

Author: Tara St. Pierre

Source: Digital Copy via the Author

Publisher: Createspace

Publication Date: May 31, 2015

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:

All Carrie Roberts wants is to be a little bit smaller.

To fit into the perfect dress for the Valentine’s Day Dance. To look beautiful for her boyfriend, the school’s star basketball player. To keep his jealous ex-girlfriend, a rival cheerleader, away from him. And to be noticed by her classmates.

Exercising and dieting don’t work, but an advertisement for weight loss pills promises a quicker solution to her problem. As time runs out, she takes more than the recommended dose until she’s just a few inches slimmer. Heads turn when she arrives at the dance, and the wonderful night with her boyfriend is beyond what she dreamed it would be.

Days later, Carrie discovers that her body is changing in ways that should be impossible. While her doctor searches for a cure, she desperately turns to her friends and family for support. Everyone is noticing her now whether she likes it or not, and even the media is intrigued by her incredible story. Getting everything she once wanted has created new problems—problems that are growing more terrifying every day.

Because Carrie Roberts is shrinking.

Purchase:

Amazon

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this one and the message. Girls shouldn't worry about their size or trying to lose a few pounds or waist inches. And that's awesome. I totally, 100% agree. There is way too much pressure from society for females to look a certain way. I also really liked that we saw how Carrie's family and friends were affected and reacting to her predicament. It gave the book a fullness to have reactions and commentary from everyone who was even remotely involved in Carrie's life to feel the effects of her problem.

However, I would have really liked this one to have been half the page length. There was way too much of Carrie's mundane life and not enough of the situation or trying to solve the problem. I liked that she was still able to DO things while searching for a cure or a reversal but it felt like too much. And it seemed weird that she was allowed out of the house or at least not under constant supervision when she got extremely tiny. I honestly feel like once they figured out she was shrinking, they would have been monitoring her every second of every day. Let's be real.

I don't have much more to say about this one. I liked it and I do recommend it. Just prepare yourself for a super long book.

20 Nov 2015

BLOG TOUR: THE SISTER PACT by Stacie Ramey || Excerpt + #GIVEAWAY

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 20 November 0 Comments

THE SISTER PACT

Author: Stacie Ramey
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Publication Date: November 3, 2015

Summary:

Who holds your secrets?

Allie is devastated when her older sister commits suicide- and it's not just because she missed her. Allie feels betrayed. The two made a pact that they'd always be together, in life and in death, but Leah broke her promise and Allie needs to know why.

Her parents hover. Her friends try to support her. And Nick, sweet Nick, keeps calling and flirting. Their sympathy only intensifies her grief.

But the more she clings to Leah, the more secrets surface. Allie's not sur which is more distressing: discovering the truth behind her sister's death or facing her new reality without her.

Purchase

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think what I liked about this one was the realness to it. How raw and vulnerable it felt. I liked that it never shied away from the fact that Allie was clearly depressed. She went through all the typical norms that you see: bargaining, denial, finding her vice, etc. I liked that Allie found herself through art but not in a pretentious way. Art was just another tool for her to immerse herself in.

I liked the portrayal of the secondary characters because they felt like people you would know in high school. People suck some times and I felt like Allie's "friends" were nothing more than just people who wanted to be around her.

28 Oct 2015

ARC REVIEW: FIRE FALLING by Elise Kova + #GIVEAWAY

Jamie @ Books and Ladders 28 October 12 Comments

FIRE FALLING

Author: Elise Kova

Series: Air Awakens #2
Source: ARC from the Author
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Publication Date: November 19, 2015
Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary:
Soldier… Sorcerer… Savior… Who is Vhalla Yarl?

Vhalla Yarl marches to war as property of the Solaris Empire. The Emperor counts on her to bring victory, the Senate counts on her death, and the only thing Vhalla can count on is the fight of her life.

As she grapples with the ghosts of her past, new challenges in the present threaten to shatter the remnants of her fragile sanity. Will she maintain her humanity? Or will she truly become the Empire’s monster?

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, okay. I know I fan girl over this series a lot (since I moderate the GR Fan Club group as Baldair's One and Only and am a member of the Street Team), but honestly: SO GOOD. This is high fantasy at it's peak, on par with the likes of Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes.

I am here today to describe to you my feelings for this book in words, which is actually quite difficult since a lot of the time I was just making animal noises to describe my feelings while reading. I also made sure this review stayed under 1500 words! Aren't you proud of me?

First things first, if you haven't read my review of the first book, you can do so here. Second, there are spoilers for said book in this review so take that with a grain of salt. Third, read this one at home or in a place that you're chill with having a lot of feelings on display.

Here's just a general thing I dislike about young adult novels: they never seem to have high stakes -- the main character always makes it out alive and so does literally everyone else, except maybe the bad guy. But not here. Kova takes it up a notch and makes you realize that literally anyone could go at any time. This is war people, and she's not afraid to show what the repercussions of this are. And you can even tell through Vhalla's inner monologue how much she is struggling with the aftermath of the Night of Fire and Wind. She isn't just all sunshine and rainbows, she feels horrible and guilty for what she had to do to survive. Which is SO IMPORTANT to me. A lot of the problems I have with YA books that have death and destruction (especially in fantasy) is that there is no fallout or descriptions of the fallout -- the characters seem to be able to go on living life as is with a couple of kills under their belt. But that's not realistic. This is real, this is raw, this is war. (Also, want to torment yourself? Once you read this book, listen to this song and try to place the characters from this series into each of the categories. Elise told me to do that MONTHS ago and I still obsess over it.)

Aldrik shows even more of this guilt than Vhalla does. He is weighted by it not only for the people he himself has killed but also for those that Vhalla had to. He cares so deeply for Vhalla, even if he does not fully realize that for himself right away. I am becoming more okay with their relationship because it is obvious they love one another. I think there is still so much more to learn about Aldrik though and that is what makes me hesitate before throwing caution to the wind and saying that it doesn't matter what happens or has happened, these two are my OTP. *cough*Dani*cough*

The side characters were fleshed out a lot more -- and a lot better -- in this one. We learned more about Larel and Fritz, and Daniel and Craig were back this time too. Plus we were introduced to Elecia, who was by far my favourite out of the side characters. I think as we start to get deeper into the series, there will be even more to learn about these characters as they have to face even more death and difficult tasks ahead. And the characters were all distinct and had such great personalities. I really enjoyed reading about them. They became like friends to me. They are my friends. I need them to be safe.

The world building is immaculate. There are so many different places and things to see in this one. I can only imagine that as we go farther into this world, there will be even more to know and learn about the Solaris Empire and beyond. I think one of the best parts of high, epic fantasies is the world building and Kova's world is up there with the likes of GRRM for me tbh. There is so much more than what we are seeing happening here. I can feel it in my bones. And that makes me want to read and reread these books so that I get an extra layer of that rich, vast world and pick up on things I didn't recognize the first time around.

One thing I feel the need to mention is pacing. For those of you that have read epic fantasies (such as AsoIaF by GRRM and The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan), you will know that Fire Falling (and Air Awakens for that matters) follows the typical high fantasy pacing. Things don't happen all at once, you have to travel to get to different places and things happen during the course of this travelling. There were still some huge plot points that occurred during this book and you needed the little bit of extra travel and training time to have them feel believable and not rushed. It does *feel* a little slow, but where Kova excels is that her writing doesn't feel bogged down with the travelling -- you can tell that the characters are moving along and making good pace, but they still have to travel to get there.

I thought that the magic in this world was so well developed. Like kudos to Kova for creating a magical system I can actually believe. Because of the Bond and the Joining, it is believable that Vhalla's magic and fighting abilities progressed that quickly. I like that there was more to the Bond than what we were told in Air Awakens. I think since Vhalla is constantly learning about what she can and cannot do, the reader doesn't feel as though there is too much information thrown at us all at once -- as Vhalla learns to do something new, we are seeing something *new*. It makes the story flow and allows Vhalla to develop without the reader feeling as though she is catching up to where we have her abilities placed in our mind.

Another really big thing to me that I want to mention is that while there is romance in this novel, the story and the plot don't move forward based on this romance. There is (much) more to the plot than whether or not Vhalla loves Aldrik or is starting to make eyes at Daniel. Because while this still does happen, it is easy enough to not focus on this aspect because there is literally a war happening. The characters decision about whether or not to be with one person or the other isn't the central plot here. Just thought I'd let you know, friends!

I have a lot more I could say about this one, but this review is already really long. So I am going to end it here. Just know that if you like epic fantasies in which there is always something more happening behind the scenes than what even the main character knows and can see, then this is the book series for you. If you want to chat with me about it, you can find me on Twitter or in the GR group. I am always more than happy to discuss this book with anyone who wants to chat!

Oh, and before I go, there was a prophecy in this one, so watch for it and jot it down because I think in the next novels it is going to become prominent.

Also! Update: Aldrik still does not know that Vhalla thought she was trying to save Baldair's life that night. Still anticipating when this will happen. ~~It has to happen, right?~~

READING PROGRESS
There are 34 (!!!!) status updates on GR. Some of them have quotes from the book and some of them hint that something happens at a specific point in the book. You are MORE THAN WELCOME to view them, but just be warned ahead of time!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

See the other blogs that are reviewing by clicking on the picture below!

4 Sept 2023

Blog Tour: PRIDE & PREJUDICE & PITTSBURGH by Rachael Lippincott

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND PITTSBURGH

Are you going to pick this one up?

17 Apr 2023

Review: REVELLE by Lyssa Mia Smith

REVELLE

Have you read this book? Are you going to pick this up?

24 Mar 2016

REVIEW: GATHERING DARKNESS by Morgan Rhodes

GATHERING DARKNESS

8 Mar 2016

BLOG TOUR: HOLDING COURT by K.C. Held || Review + #GIVEAWAY

HOLDING COURT by K.C. Held

HOLDING COURT

12 Feb 2016

REVIEW: TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard

TRUTHWITCH

8 Feb 2016

COVER REVEAL: MY SENIOR YEAR OF AWESOME by Jennifer DiGiovanni + #GIVEAWAY

My Senior Year of Awesome

19 Jan 2016

REVIEW: JUST A FEW INCHES by Tara St. Pierre

JUST A FEW INCHES

20 Nov 2015

BLOG TOUR: THE SISTER PACT by Stacie Ramey || Excerpt + #GIVEAWAY

THE SISTER PACT

28 Oct 2015

ARC REVIEW: FIRE FALLING by Elise Kova + #GIVEAWAY

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