The Dragon’s Promise – blog tour

Author: Elizabeth Lim
Series: Six Crimson Cranes (#2) (review of #1 available here)
Publication date: August 30, 2022
Genre: YA fantasy

After absolutely loving Six Crimson Cranes last year–it was in my top 10 reads of the 2021–I was beyond thrilled to be chosen as part of the blog and Bookstagram tour for the sequel. I haven’t had a chance to read this one yet–back-to-school season caught up with me–but I am so excited for it! My pre-ordered copy from my local indie is currently staring at me from my living room table, begging me to pick it up, so…that will definitely happen soon. In the meantime, here’s some info on the book for you, dear reader:

Violet Made of Thorns – blog tour (ARC review + awesome quotes!)

Author: Gina Chen
Series: Violet Made of Thorns duology (#1)
Publication date: July 26, 2022
Genre: YA fantasy
My rating: 4.5/5 stars

Fantasy politics. Morally questionable main character. Lies and prophecies and the blurry lines between the two. The girl who wants to kill Prince Charming instead of flirt with him. Enemies-to-lovers romance. Have I convinced you yet? Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen was one of my most-anticipated books of 2022, and reader, it delivered. This is the sort of debut that makes me incredibly excited about this author’s future works (and has me chomping at the bit for the sequel!). Read on for my review of this riveting title, along with a (somewhat lengthy) list of quotes I loved from it.

Game of Strength and Storm – blog tour

Author: Rachel Menard
Publication date: June 7, 2022
Genre: YA fantasy

Look, I may not have had time to read this one yet (if you knew how many hours I have spent on editing school- and work-related things this past week, you’d see why), but I am quite excited for when I do get the chance. I mean, come on–it is a gender-bent retelling of the labors of Hercules, featuring badass girls and cool magic. Plus, it has sapphic and demisexual characters (perfect for Pride month!), as well as anxiety rep. I’m tremendously looking forward to it. In the meantime, perhaps my posting here will encourage you to give this one a look as well. Read on for a synopsis and more info on the book!

The Words We Keep – blog tour (ARC review + quotes + mental health rep)

Author: Erin Stewart
Publication date: March 15, 2022
Genre: YA contemporary
My rating: 4.5/5 stars

By turns painfully real and softly hopeful, The Words We Keep is a striking exploration of the effects of mental illness not just on an individual, but on an entire family. It addresses the pervasiveness of mental health struggles across all types of individuals–social butterflies, high-achieving academic types, and nonconformist artists. And it does so through the eyes of anxious girl doing her best not to come unraveled even as her world seems to be falling apart around her. I couldn’t get over how much this story resonated with my own memories of high school and college–through those years of my life, so much of this main character’s experience could have been my own–and I sincerely hope this book is picked up by students working their way through high school today, as the stakes and anxieties have only gotten higher the past few years. Read on for a full review, as well as some quotes from this book that I really appreciated.

Blood, Fire & Mercy – blog tour

Author: Christina Davis
Series: Da’Valia Trilogy (#2)
Publication date: November 10, 2021
Genre: YA fantasy

Hello friends! It’s ya girl, back at it again with another blog tour, this time for Blood, Fire & Mercy by Christina Davis! I’m so happy to be helping the team at TBR and Beyond Tours to promote this indie title. While I haven’t yet had a chance to crack it open yet–gotta love the stress of finals season, right?–it sounds absolutely amazing, featuring some of my favorite things, including a thief-girl main character, dragons, betrayals, and revenge. Several of my friends read and loved the first book in this series, and I’m looking forward to getting to join their love of it soon as well. Now, read on for some more about the book and the author!

Untethered – blog tour (including a giveaway!)

Author: KayLynn Flanders
Series: Shielded #2 (click here for my review of book 1)
Publication date: July 20, 2021
Genre: YA fantasy

Hello, friends! Here we are with another blog tour for the lovely folks at TBR and Beyond Tours! Today’s book: Untethered by KayLynn Flanders, the sequel to Shielded, which was one of those “this is quite good, why is nobody reading it?” kind of books from last year. While Shielded followed the princess Jennesara, this sequel follow’s Jenna’s brother, as well as another kingdom’s princess whom Jenna befriended in book 1. These new main characters are quite different from Jenna, but they are no less lovable, and the back-and-forth of their dual-perspective narration lends a new dynamic to the story. With rogue mages, secret journeys, court intrigue, assassination attempts, and more, this is certainly a worthwhile follow-up. Stick with this post to the end for information on how you can win a copy of this book for yourself, too!

Six Crimson Cranes – blog tour (ARC review + lovely quotes)

Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publication date: July 6, 2021
Genre: YA fantasy
My rating: 5/5 stars

Six Crimson Cranes was one of my most-anticipated reads of this year–and, I am pleased to report, it exceeded my expectations. Taking the bones of Western fairytales (especially “The Wild Swans”) and reshaping them in an Asian-inspired world brimming with its own unique mythologies, Elizabeth Lim has created a tale that feels at once classic and wholly original. Read through for my review, info on the author, and some quotes from the book, as well as my latest Bookstagram post about this beauty!

Sweet & Bitter Magic – blog tour (review, quotes + giveaway!)

Author: Adrienne Tooley
Publication date: March 9, 2021
Genre: YA fantasy
My rating: 4/5 stars

Today is my stop on TBR and Beyond’s blog tour for Sweet & Bitter Magic by Adrienne Tooley, a debut fantasy full of darkness, witchy magic, love bargains, and two girls who are polar opposites learning to work with each other to save their world–and fall for each other in the process. Read on for a brief review and some of my favorite quotes from this lovely slow-burn!

This Golden Flame – blog tour (review + giveaway!)

Author: Emily Victoria
Publication date: February 2, 2021
Genre: young adult fantasy
My rating: 4/5 stars

Self-aware magic-AI-robot-person! A world inspired by ancient Greece! Pirates! Aro-ace protagonist! And so much more! This Golden Flame is a solid debut with adventure, diverse representation, and lots of wholesome character friendships. I’m so happy to be able to bring you this review as part of TBR and Beyond Tours’ blog tour for this book! Read on for my review, some more info about the book, and a chance to win a copy for yourself!

Wench: blog tour (promo + giveaway!)

Author: Maxine Kaplan
Publication date: January 19, 2021
Genre: YA fantasy

Hello, friends! Time for another fun-filled blog tour, this time for a fast-paced, feminist YA fantasy. Huge thanks to the team at TBR and Beyond Tours for allowing me to be a part of this tour! Because my life is chaotic, this is just a promo post, but you should definitely check out the other stops on the tour HERE for reviews, quotes, mood boards, and more!