My Thoughts: The Blood Spell by C.J. Redwine

The Blood Spell
(Ravenspire #4)
by C.J. Redwine
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Publication Date: February 12th 2019
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 438
ISBN: 9780062653017
Genre: Young Adult | Retelling | Fantasy
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy / Own

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Blue de la Cour has her life planned: hide the magic in her blood and continue trying to turn metal into gold so she can help her city’s homeless. But when her father is murdered and a cruel but powerful woman claims custody of Blue and her property, one wrong move could expose her—and doom her once and for all. The only one who can help? The boy she’s loathed since childhood: Prince Kellan.

Kellan Renard, crown prince of Balavata, is walking a thin line between political success and devastating violence. Newly returned from boarding school, he must find a bride among the kingdom’s head families and announce his betrothal—but escalating tension among the families makes the search nearly impossible. He’s surprised to discover that the one person who makes him feel like he can breathe is Blue, the girl who once ruined all his best adventures.

When mysterious forces lead to disappearances throughout Balavata, Blue and Kellan must work together to find the truth. What they discover will lead them to the darkest reaches of the kingdom, and to the most painful moments of their pasts. When romance is forbidden and evil is rising, can Blue save those she loves, even if it costs her everything? (Goodreads)

I adore the Ravenspire series by C.J. Redwine, and I have been waiting for *the longest* to get my hands on The Blood Spell, the fourth book in this awesome series. This series of retellings has had me hooked from the very first book, and I am always eagerly anticipating when a new book is due to release. The Blood Spell was an excellent addition to this awesome series, and I’m so thrilled to have it in my collection!!

If you haven’t yet read this series, let me quickly fill you in… Every book in this series is a retelling of a popular fairytale. The first book, The Shadow Queen, is a retelling of Snow White. The second and third books, The Wish Granter and The Traitor Prince, are retellings of Rumpelstiltskin and The Prince and the Pauper/The False Prince. And, of course, the fourth book in the series, The Blood Spell, (probably my most anticipated of the series), is a Cinderella retelling! (Up until now The Shadow Queen has been my favorite book in the series, but now The Blood Spell is among my fave as well!)

As I mentioned above, I have been long awaiting this Cinderella retelling, as I can’t seem to get enough of these stories, and I was super curious to see how C.J. would put her spin on this popular tale. I’m thrilled to say that I really loved everything about this book. It has amazing characters, including the main character, Blue de la Cour, (who is awesome, and who I love), A crown prince who was super adorable, and even an evil-stepmother type who you will love to hate, (even when you feel a bit sorry for her). These are just a few of the awesome characters; there are SO many more to love! (And a few to hate as well!)

I also really loved the storyline for the book. Being a retelling, it felt both familiar, yet uniquely new as well. I love the story of Cinderella, and I have only read a handful of retellings of the book so far, and this book is by far one of my favorites. I especially love that the story had a magical feel to it. That gave it such an interesting twist!

Overall; If you haven’t noticed, I really, really enjoyed The Blood Spell! While I love all the books in this series, The Blood Spell and The Shadow Queen are definitely my favorites so far, and I will most definitely be re-reading all of these books soon. I don’t know if The Blood Spell is the last book in the series, but I am really hoping that it’s not, because I would love to see C.J. write even more retellings to add to this collection! If you’ve not yet checked out the books, and are fans of a good retelling, or just fans of awesome stories in general, you should definitely check out The Ravenspire series!!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Bride Test and The Unhoneymooners

The Bride Test
by Helen Hoang
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Publication Date: May 7th 2019
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN: 9780451490827

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Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny, but not big, important emotions—like grief. And love. He thinks he’s defective. His family knows better—that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride.

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love. (Goodreads)

Confession: I've actually already read this book, and it was SUPER cute,

but I still wanted to feature it because I can't *wait* for my finished copy to arrive!
It's going to look so pretty sitting next to The Kiss Quotient on my shelf!

The Unhoneymooners
by Christina Lauren
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Publication Date: May 14th 2019
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 9781501128035

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Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Amy, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of... lucky. (Goodreads)

I absolutely LOVE Christina Lauren, and I have never been disappointed by one of their books!!
I snagged an e-Arc of this a while back, but I'm trying to wait a little longer before I start it.
I just know that I'm going to love it as well, and I can't wait to add it to my collection also!

Those are my picks for this week... Now it's your turn!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody

Sky Without Stars
(System Divine #1)
by Jessica Brody
Website | Twitter | Instagram
& Joanne Rendell
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: March 26th 2019
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 592
ISBN: 9781534410633
Genre: Young Adult | Retelling | Sci-Fi
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

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A thief. An officer. A guardian.

Three strangers, one shared destiny . . .

When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. A new life for a wealthy French family and their descendants. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing.

Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…

Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spy on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.

Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a renowned traitor. In training to take command of the military, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when his father dies and leaves behind a cryptic message that only one person can read: a girl named Alouette.

Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.

All three have a role to play in a dangerous game of revolution—and together they will shape the future of a planet.

Power, romance, and destiny collide in this sweeping reimagining of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Les Misérables. (Goodreads)

I was very much intrigued by Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell, partially because of the interesting cover, and partially because it was co-written by Jessica Brody. I’ve read a few books that I enjoyed by Jessica so far, so of course I wanted to check out this new book by her. Sky Without Stars was definitely an interesting read.

Let me start by saying that Sky Without Stars is a retelling of Les Misérables, a story which I know absolutely nothing about. (I have not read the book, nor watched the movies, or anything else. I know next to nothing about the story, expect that Anne Hathaway was in the movie.) That being said, I was still pretty excited to start the story, AND as I read it, I found myself getting more and more curious about the original, and how this retelling compared. (I doubt that I will read the original anytime soon, but we’ll see…).

So even though I didn’t know anything about the original story, I still thought this retelling was very interesting. I especially enjoyed the sci-fi aspect to the storyline. I’ve just recently started reading more and more sci-fi, and I always enjoy an author’s take on the genre. The world-building was very interesting, as were the characters in the story. (Of course I had to stop reading the story multiple times to look up who was who, and though the characters have different (yet similar) names to the original cast, I still managed to figure out who was who.) The book ends with a pretty big cliffhanger, and I’m pretty curious to know what’s going to happen next.

Overall; Sky Without Stars was a really interesting read. It did take me a while to get through the book, as it was pretty massive, but I did enjoy the story, and I’m curious to see what will happen next. (I assume this will be a series, but I do not know if it will be a duology or a trilogy.) Fans of Les Misérables will probably appreciate the retelling parts more than I could, having not read the original. I hope you all enjoy the book if you decide to read it!

My April '19 TBR!

Happy First Day of April, Bookworms!!

Do you have an awesome TBR picked out for this month??
I do! And I'm hoping that I can actually stick with it,

and also get caught up this month on my reading! (And blogging.)
(I. Am. So. Behind!)

Here's what I plan to read in April!!

Books I'm Reading:

The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare & Wesley Chu
Fire with Fire by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian
Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett
Fumbled & Intercepted by Alexa Martin
The One, The Heir, The Crown by Kiera Cass
Defy the Stars by Claudia Grey
A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas
The Kiss of Deception & The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson
Soldier & Legion by Julie Kagawa

•    •    •

E-Books I'm Reading:
Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly
One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan
Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi

•    •    •

I also have a few books from last month that I'm hoping to catch up on,

and a few pre-orders that I'll be reading as well!

•    •    •

That's all for me for April... What's on your April TBR??

April #Bookstagram Challenge: #AlltheBooksApril19

Are you in search of a fun Book Challenge for April??
If so, head over to Instagram and join Lori (loriimagination) and I 

#AlltheBooksApril19, our April Book Challenge!!

Why should you join along?

1. It's a lot of fun!

2. You get to see awesome book photos ALL DAY LONG!!

3. It's great way to discover new books, and meet new people!

4. Did I mention that you get to see photos of books all day?
(It's seriously the best!)

Sound like fun? It is! Head over to Instagram and check it out!!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvedx-BHE0c/

My Thoughts: Sherwood by Meagan Spooner

Sherwood
by Meagan Spooner
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: March 19th 2019
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 467
ISBN: 9780062422316
Genre: Young Adult | Retelling | Historical Fiction
Source: Edelweiss / Copy from Publisher

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Robin of Locksley is dead.

Maid Marian doesn’t know how she’ll go on, but the people of Locksley town, persecuted by the Sheriff of Nottingham, need a protector. And the dreadful Guy of Gisborne, the Sheriff’s right hand, wishes to step into Robin’s shoes as Lord of Locksley and Marian’s fiancé.

Who is there to stop them?

Marian never meant to tread in Robin’s footsteps—never intended to stand as a beacon of hope to those awaiting his triumphant return. But with a sweep of his green cloak and the flash of her sword, Marian makes the choice to become her own hero: Robin Hood. (Goodreads)

I was super excited when a copy of Sherwood by Meagan Spooner arrived on my doorstep a few weeks back, and I absolutely couldn’t wait to devour this book! I am a big fan of Meagan’s writing, and I really enjoyed the last book I read by her, Hunted, which was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I couldn’t wait to get started on Sherwood to see what Meagan had in store for us in this new book!

I am a pretty huge fan of fairytale retellings, as I love when an author takes an old story, puts their own twist on it, and makes it something completely new. I always find these stories familiar, yet unique, and I am always looking for new ones to read. Sherwood is a retelling of Robin Hood, and a really enjoyed Meagan’s version of this classic story. Everyone knows the story of Robin Hood, I know I read the children’s version of the story a million times growing up, and I appreciated the familiarity in this book. That being said, I really loved the twist in the story as well!

First off, the main character, Maid Marian, is the hero in the story, and I really love the it’s a girl that saves the day. Though I can’t even imagine living in this time period, and trying to do the things that she did throughout the story. (This time period was not kind to women.) But good for Marian for taking charge! I love that! (I’m not going to say much more on that, so read the book if you want to know more!) Just rest assured, she is awesome. Also, there are also a lot of other familiar characters in the book that you’ll remember from the original story as well!

I have to say that the storyline for the book kind of caught me by surprise! Obviously I knew it was a retelling, but it went in a completely different direction from what I was expecting. The first chapter was a bit of a shocker, and was not at all what I expected. While I enjoyed reading this book, I did have a few small issues with it, two being that it was a bit slow at times, and it seemed to end a bit abruptly as well. I also didn’t really buy the relationship between Marian and Guy, despite how hard I tried to like it. Otherwise, this was a really interesting read.

Overall; If you’re a fan of retellings, especially those of Robin Hood, you should definitely add Sherwood to your TBR! I’m really glad to have read the book, and it’s a welcome addition to my shelf along with Hunted, which is also by Meagan Spooner! Check them out, and I hope you love them!

My Thoughts: The Light Over London by Julie Kelly

The Light Over London
by Julia Kelly
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Publication Date: January 8th 2019
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9781501196416
Genre: Adult Fiction | Historical Fiction
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy

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Reminiscent of Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls and Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale, this sweeping, entrancing story is a must-read for fans of remarkable women rising to challenges they could never have predicted.

It’s always been easier for Cara Hargraves to bury herself in the past than confront the present, which is why working with a gruff but brilliant antiques dealer is perfect. While clearing out an estate, she pries open an old tin that holds the relics of a lost relationship: among the treasures, a World War II-era diary and a photograph of a young woman in uniform. Eager to find the author of the hauntingly beautiful, unfinished diary, Cara digs into this soldier’s life, but soon realizes she may not have been ready for the stark reality of wartime London she finds within the pages.

In 1941, nineteen-year-old Louise Keene’s life had been decided for her—she’ll wait at home in her Cornish village until her wealthy suitor returns from war to ask for her hand. But when Louise unexpectedly meets Flight Lieutenant Paul Bolton, a dashing RAF pilot stationed at a local base, everything changes. And changes again when Paul’s unit is deployed without warning.

Desperate for a larger life, Louise joins the women’s branch of the British Army in the anti-aircraft gun unit as a Gunner Girl. As bombs fall on London, she and the other Gunner Girls relish in their duties to be exact in their calculations, and quick in their identification of enemy planes during air raids. The only thing that gets Louise through those dark, bullet-filled nights is knowing she and Paul will be together when the war is over. But when a bundle of her letters to him are returned unanswered, she learns that wartime romance can have a much darker side.

Illuminating the story of these two women separated by generations and experience, Julia Kelly transports us to World War II London in this heartbreakingly beautiful novel through forgotten antique treasures, remembered triumphs, and fierce family ties. (Goodreads)

This year I am on a mission to read more historical fiction novels, and The Light Over London by Julia Kelly was one of books I was most excited to check out this season. This is the very first book I’ve read by this author, and I was super curious to check it out. It did not disappoint!!

I have to say that the storyline for this book was very interesting. The story is set during World War II, and is told in both past and present narrative. The past parts of the book are told via an old World War II diary that the main character, Cara, discovers while working her job as an antiques dealer. The more she reads the diary, the more curious she becomes about its author, Louise, and the life that she had lead. Determined to find the author of the diary, Cara sets out with the help of her new neighbor, in hopes of returning it to its original owner once again.

I haven’t read very many historical fiction novels set in WWII, but I’m definitely trying to read more, and the more I read them, the more I want to read MORE of them. Of the ones I have read so far, this book is definitely one of the lighter reads. While it did talk about things that happened during the war, that wasn’t the main focus of the book. (That did not make the story any less enjoyable, I should add.) I loved reading the historical parts of the story, (I seriously can’t get enough of them), and reading about all the things Louise went through during her time in the women’s branch of the army was really interesting. I can't imagine doing all the things that she did, but it was definitely fascinating to read about. And, oh did she definitely have an interesting story to tell.

I also enjoyed Cara’s part of the story as well, including her discovery of the diary, and all that she had been through as well. The relationship growth between her and her new neighbor was super cute, and I really enjoyed those parts of the story as well.

Overall; The Light Over London was a quick, interesting World War II era read! I really enjoyed the lightness of the story, and I flew through the pages faster than I expected to. I definitely need more books like this in my collection, and I’m hoping to read more soon! I will definitely keep my eye out for more books by this author as well.

My Thoughts: Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye

Circle of Shadows
(Circle of Shadows #1)
by Evelyn Skye
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: January 22nd 2019
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 454
ISBN: 9780062643728
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Own

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A thrilling new fantasy series full of magic and betrayal—from Evelyn Skye, New York Times bestselling author of the Crown’s Game series.

Sora can move as silently as a ghost and hurl throwing stars with lethal accuracy. Her gemina, Daemon, can win any physical fight blindfolded and with an arm tied around his back. They are apprentice warriors of the Society of Taigas—marked by the gods to be trained in magic and the fighting arts to protect the kingdom of Kichona.

As their graduation approaches, Sora and Daemon look forward to proving themselves worthy of belonging in the elite group—but in a kingdom free of violence since the Blood Rift Rebellion many years ago, it’s been difficult to make their mark.

So when Sora and Daemon encounter a strange camp of mysterious soldiers while on a standard scouting mission, they decide the only thing to do to help their kingdom is to infiltrate the group. Taking this risk will change Sora’s life forever—and lead her on a mission of deception that may fool everyone she’s ever loved.

Love, spies, and adventure abound as Sora and Daemon unravel a complex web of magic and secrets that might tear them—and the entire kingdom—apart forever. (Goodreads)

Circle of Shadows is the first book in a brand new fantasy series by Evelyn Skye, and this book is a MUST READ! I read the first book in Evelyn’s previous series, The Crown’s Game, a while back and very much enjoyed it, so of course I was super excited to check out this new book. I’m happy to say that this book did not disappoint!!

I don’t often read fantasy novels as much as I used to, but after reading Circle of Shadows, I definitely want to read more. The storyline for this book was super addictive, and I absolutely couldn’t get enough of it. There’s action and suspense, and MAGIC, which was probably one of my most favorite things in the story. I don’t want to go too in-depth and accidentally ruin anything, because reading this book is an experience in itself, so I’ll just say if you’re a fan of magical fantasy novels, you will most definitely want to check this out.

I should also mention that this story has a pretty awesome cast of characters as well! The story is told from two different viewpoints, both from the two main characters, Sora, and her gemina, Daemon, who are both apprentice warriors of the Society of Taigas. What does that mean, you ask? It means that they are both “marked by the gods to be trained in magic and the fighting arts to protect the kingdom of Kichona”. (Sounds interesting, right?! It is!!) I love both of these characters so much, and I’m super curious to see what will be next for them in as the series moves along. There are also a lot of interesting secondary characters to love as well!

Overall; fans of the fantasy genre will definitely want to check out Circle of Shadows! I very much enjoyed the book, and I’m very curious to see what’s going to happen next in the story. I’m not sure at the moment if this series is a duology or a trilogy, but I do know that the second book, Cloak of Night, is currently set to release in 2020, and I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on it ASAP! If you do read the book, I hope that you enjoy it just as much as I did!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Red Scrolls of Magic & Sky Without Stars

The Red Scrolls of Magic
by Cassandra Clare
Website | Twitter | Instagram
& Wesley Chu
Website

Publication Date: April 2nd 2019
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
ISBN: 9781481495080

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From #1 New York Times bestseller Cassandra Clare and award-winner Wesley Chu comes the first book in a new series that follows High Warlock Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood as they tour the world after the Mortal War. The Red Scrolls of Magic is a Shadowhunters novel.

All Magnus Bane wanted was a vacation—a lavish trip across Europe with Alec Lightwood, the Shadowhunter who against all odds is finally his boyfriend. But as soon as the pair settles in Paris, an old friend arrives with news about a demon-worshipping cult called the Crimson Hand that is bent on causing chaos around the world. A cult that was apparently founded by Magnus himself. Years ago. As a joke.

Now Magnus and Alec must race across Europe to track down the Crimson Hand and its elusive new leader before the cult can cause any more damage. As if it wasn’t bad enough that their romantic getaway has been sidetracked, demons are now dogging their every step, and it is becoming harder to tell friend from foe. As their quest for answers becomes increasingly dire, Magnus and Alec will have to trust each other more than ever—even if it means revealing the secrets they’ve both been keeping. (Goodreads)

Squuuuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
Is anyone else super excited about this book??
I looooove Magnus Bane, and I can't wait to see what he and Alex are up to in this book!
SOON!

Sky Without Stars
(System Divine #1)
by Jessica Brody
Website | Twitter | Instagram
& Joanne Rendell
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: March 26th 2019
Publisher: Simon Pulse
ISBN: 9781534410633

Add to Goodreads

Available for Pre-Order:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

A thief. An officer. A guardian.

Three strangers, one shared destiny . . .

When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope. A new life for a wealthy French family and their descendants. But five hundred years later, it’s now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme; where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets; where a rebel group, long thought dead, is resurfacing.

Whispers of revolution have begun—a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes…

Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spy on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet.

Marcellus is an officer—and the son of a renowned traitor. In training to take command of the military, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he’s vowed to serve when his father dies and leaves behind a cryptic message that only one person can read: a girl named Alouette.

Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet. But a shocking murder will bring Alouette to the surface for the first time in twelve years…and plunge Laterre into chaos.

All three have a role to play in a dangerous game of revolution—and together they will shape the future of a planet.

Power, romance, and destiny collide in this sweeping reimagining of Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, Les Misérables. (Goodreads)

Ummmm... is it just me....

Or does this book sound AWESOME?!
I am super excited to check it out!!

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (Audiobook)

On the Come Up
by Angie Thomas
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: February 5th 2019
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 464
ISBN: 9780062498564
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | Realistic Fiction
Source: *Finished Copy from Publisher

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Available for Purchase:
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Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least make it out of her neighborhood one day. As the daughter of an underground rap legend who died before he hit big, Bri’s got big shoes to fill. But now that her mom has unexpectedly lost her job, food banks and shutoff notices are as much a part of Bri’s life as beats and rhymes. With bills piling up and homelessness staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it—she has to make it.

On the Come Up is Angie Thomas’s homage to hip-hop, the art that sparked her passion for storytelling and continues to inspire her to this day. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; of the struggle to become who you are and not who everyone expects you to be; and of the desperate realities of poor and working-class black families. (Goodreads)

I was a little late to the party when it came to reading Angie Thomas’s first book, The Hate U Give, but once I finally read the book, I absolutely loved it, and I was determined to read On the Come Up as soon as I possibly could. I am so glad that I dived into this book right away, instead of waiting like I did with the previous book. I definitely enjoyed it, and this will most definitely be another hit for Angie Thomas!

While this book is set around the same neighborhood as The Hate U Give, it’s a brand new story and set of characters to get to know. I really enjoyed all the characters in this novel, including the main character, Bri, who wanted nothing more than to become a famous rapper so she could provide for her family and get them out of their current neighborhood. I love Bri for this, and she definitely has the skills to be a great rapper. I also really love her family and friends as well. They were all so well written.

This book also has a really great storyline, which was not only addictive, but also complete relevant to things that are happening in the world today. As with The Hate U Give, reading On the Come Up was definitely an eye-opening experience, and it made me feel all sorts of feels. It’s rare that I experience such a wide range of emotions when reading a book, yet Angie Thomas has made me feel these things not once but TWICE, and I love her for it.

I also want to add that I started reading the print version of this book at first, but then I opted to listen along with audiobook as I read, which was definitely the best decision ever. The narrator for the audiobook is Bahni Turpin, who also narrated The Hate U Give, and she was definitely the best voice for this novel. She does such an amazing job reading this story to you, and I very much enjoyed every bit of it. (If you haven’t listened to anything narrated by Bahni, I highly recommend you do so. She is the best!)

Overall; It’s pretty obvious that Angie Thomas has yet another hit on her hands with On the Come Up! I loved both this new book and The Hate U Give, and if you haven’t yet picked up either of these books, I definitely recommend them. Angie Thomas is an author that you definitely want to keep your eye out for, as I imagine we will see more and more excellent books from her. She has definitely become an auto-buy author for me.