Open Earth

Title: Open Earth
Author: Sarah Mirk
Rating:5/5

Reviewed for NG : Will be Published Sept 25th 2018

Description:
A heartfelt, positive, and erotic look at one woman's adventure in love and sex, as a new generation learns to make their own rules and follow their own hearts aboard an orbiting space station. 

Rigo is a young woman of her time: specifically, the time just after the collapse of Earth. After living her whole life on a small space station orbiting the planet, the cultural norms and rules of her Californian parents are just history to her. In between work shifts at the station air farm, Rigo explores her own desires, developing openly polyamorous relationships with her friends and crewmates. When she starts to feel one of those relationships change, however, Rigo must balance her new feelings with the stability of her other relationships, as well as the hard-earned camaraderie of a small crew floating in the vastness of space. But, as the ship motto goes, "Honesty keeps us alive." 

My Review: In a world where a group of scientists decided to leave Earth behind because of dangerous changes on the planet. This book is about a group of younglings... well the first generation born on their space home. We follow them and their sexual encounters with others and their point of thought that no one should be pinned down to one person. I thought the story was interesting and the characters were horny rabbits LOL. Silly story!

Catalina

Title: Catalina and the King's Wall
Author: Patty Costello
Rating: 4/5

Sent to me for an honest review.

My Review: Oh this story is cute, and the artwork is interesting. A story about a girl that misses her family and a king who doesn't like people from the other town but his stomach turns the table in the end... I mean who doesn't love cookies! Pretty cute story in which I'll pass it to a friend who has a child. :)

The Prince and the Dressmaker

Title: The Prince and the Dressmaker
Author: Jen Wang
Rating: 5/5

Description:
Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.

My Review: I loved the ending, this is a lovely and beautiful story about how oneself should not hide who they are on the inside and embrace who you are. And there are people out there that love you for who you are. The story was lovely just as the artwork and the characters are those who anyone would love! Love this!

The Grey Bastards

Title: The Grey Bastards
Author: Jonathan French
Reviewing for: First to Read
Rating: 1/5 DNFed

Description:

BRING ON THE ORCS . . .

Jackal is proud to be a Grey Bastard, member of a sworn brotherhood of half-orcs. Unloved and unwanted in civilized society, the Bastards eke out a hard life in the desolate no-man's-land called the Lots, protecting frail and noble human civilization from invading bands of vicious full-blooded orcs.

But as Jackal is soon to learn, his pride may be misplaced. Because a dark secret lies at the heart of the Bastards' existence - one that reveals a horrifying truth behind humanity's tenuous peace with the orcs, and exposes a grave danger on the horizon.

On the heels of the ultimate betrayal, Jackal must scramble to stop a devastating invasion - even as he wonders where his true loyalties lie.

My Review: Not much to say, I couldn't get into the book at all, and sorry to first to read because I requested it!

Shadowsong

Title: Shadowsong
Author: S. Jae-Jones
Rating: 1/5

Description:
Six months after the end of Wintersong, Liesl is working toward furthering both her brother’s and her own musical careers. Although she is determined to look forward and not behind, life in the world above is not as easy as Liesl had hoped. Her younger brother Josef is cold, distant, and withdrawn, while Liesl can’t forget the austere young man she left beneath the earth, and the music he inspired in her.

When troubling signs arise that the barrier between worlds is crumbling, Liesl must return to the Underground to unravel the mystery of life, death, and the Goblin King—who he was, who he is, and who he will be. What will it take to break the old laws once and for all? What is the true meaning of sacrifice when the fate of the world—or the ones Liesl loves—is in her hands?

My Review: I've tried several times to get into this book, but alas its lost its power over me! Nothing like the first book!

AMAL UNBOUND

Title: Amal Unbound
Author: Aisha Saeed
Rating:  4/5

Sent a copy for the blog tour... such a pretty cover for a beautiful story!

Description: 
Life is quiet and ordinary in Amal's Pakistani village, but she had no complaints, and besides, she's busy pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher one day. Her dreams are temporarily dashed when--as the eldest daughter--she must stay home from school to take care of her siblings. Amal is upset, but she doesn't lose hope and finds ways to continue learning. Then the unimaginable happens--after an accidental run-in with the son of her village's corrupt landlord, Amal must work as his family's servant to pay off her own family's debt. 

Life at the opulent Khan estate is full of heartbreak and struggle for Amal--especially when she inadvertently makes an enemy of a girl named Nabila. Most troubling, though, is Amal's growing awareness of the Khans' nefarious dealings. When it becomes clear just how far they will go to protect their interests, Amal realizes she will have to find a way to work with others if they are ever to exact change in a cruel status quo, and if Amal is ever to achieve her dreams.

My Review:
This book was just wow... it's about a girl who wants to be a teacher but standing up for herself takes her dreams away... and she has to learn the hard way that nothing goes as plan but to have hope will help her in the future and to be strong.
I connected a bit to the character in the way she loves books and everything that was so wonderful! The book is as beautiful as the cover is! Will make more people read this book! MUST!

Info about the Author:
Aisha Saeed also wrote Written in the Stars, and is a Pakistani-American writer, teacher, and attorney. She has been featured on MTV, the Huffington Post, NBC and the BBC, and her writings have appeared in publications including the journal ALAN and the Orlando Sentinel. As one of the founding members of the much talked about We Need Diverse Books Campaign, she is helping change the conversation about diverse books. Aisha lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and sons.