Author: Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books

My name is Rosina and I love talking about and reviewing books!
Review, ARC, books, Young Adult

Book Review: This Book Kills by Ravena Guron

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Book Review: This Book Kills by Ravena Guron

Earlier this year I did a Will I Like This Book post on This Book Kills. It was a book that I was curious about, though I wasn’t hugely excited. But when I saw it available to review on NetGalley… Well, I just had to, didn’t I? I knew I wanted to read it for certain, and I wanted to see whether I was right about my opinions.

Jess Choudhary is a scholarship student at a well-esteemed boarding school and is under strict rules to behave herself. Jess always has, but one day when Hugh Henry Van Boren winds up dead, she receives a text message thanking her for the inspiration for how he was murdered. Jess knows she didn’t do it, but she also knows that if she wants to live, she needs to solve this mystery herself.

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Reading, Update

The Netgalley Shelf App Updated???

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The Netgalley Shelf App Updated???

Yep, you read that right. The Netgalley Shelf app has been updated. You might have noticed it yourself, but after using it for a few days, I want to talk about it.

The Netgalley Shelf app is one that’s had plenty of complaints. I know many people have problems with the audio pausing – though I never had that issue – and the general accessibility wasn’t that great. Was it a helpful app before anyway? Yeah. I’d been reading e-books on it and requesting audiobooks for a reason.

But this recent update has made some steps forward in accessibility, and since Netgalley really need to take that further? So I thought, why not highlight the positives so those can be improved upon?

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Adult, books, Will I Like This Book?

Will I Like This Book? – A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid

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Will I Like This Book? – A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid

Okay, so the title of this book isn’t very me, but when I saw Ava Reid, I knew I had to check this preview out. This is the final sample from my YALC selection, and it’s definitely one that I’m excited about, even though it’s coming out very late next year. Specifically, A Study in Drowning is coming out from Del Rey on 5th September 2023.

I can’t provide preorder links for this book yet as the book isn’t online yet. But I’ll definitely be shouting on social media for people to preorder this one when they can.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: A Game Of Life Or Death by Triona Campbell

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Book Review: A Game Of Life Or Death by Triona Campbell

I think everyone knows that I love video games by now. I love playing them, and books that feature video games as a plot point are definitely a highlight for me. I’ve definitely had my eye on A Game of Life or Death for that very reason. I’m loving that we’re getting more video game-inspired sci-fi thrillers. Hell yes!

I was lucky enough to be sent an early copy of this book from Scholastic. It was a surprise for sure, and I certainly appreciated it.

A Game of Life Or Death follows 16-year-old Asha Kennedy as she discovers her older sister’s dead body in their flat, and her entire life falls apart. Asha is certain that something suspicious is going on, and with the help of her hacker friends, she begins to look into the hit video games studio Zu Tech where her sister worked. She infiltrates the company through the e-sports tournament for their new game SHACKLE, and through her investigation, she discovers that the game hides a monstrous secret.

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Adult, ARC, books, Review

Book Review: How (Not) To Marry A Duke by Felicia Kingsley

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Book Review: How (Not) To Marry A Duke by Felicia Kingsley

Every now and then, I stumble across a romance novel on NetGalley that I’ve never heard of but sounds a lot of fun. How (Not) To Marry A Duke was one such book. This was an audiobook that I was happy to get through super quickly, but I will admit…I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped in the end.

Jemma is a struggling makeup artist who, after losing her Grandma, discovers that she could inherit a family fortune. The only problem is she has to marry someone with a title to do so. She’s certain this will never happen as she wants romance. But then she meets Ashford, a duke with no money who Jemma’s lawyer suggests she marry. Eventually, she agrees, but when it gets out to the public that they’re married, they have to pretend to be in love for a year to keep their money.

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ARC, books, new adult, Review

Book Review: You’re A Mean One Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky

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Book Review: You’re A Mean One Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky

We love a cheesy queer rom-com in this house, and after reading Never Been Kissed earlier this year, I’ve been desperate to get my hands on this one. I was lucky to get a physical ARC from Martina Pennetta and Sourcebooks Casablanca. I was expecting an e-copy through Netgalley, so that was a very pleasant surprise. This book was filled with queer joy and Hallmark cheese, but it also features a realistic depiction of anxiety, and that makes this a book that can’t be beaten.

Matthew has been exiled to his grandparents’ place with no cards, and no social media. After he bought an island with his parent’s money, he’s told he needs to learn a lesson. But he needs to get back before NYE for his party. He hatches a plan to get out of there but to succeed he’ll need to work with his handsome roommate Hector. But the holiday and town work their magic, and soon even a grinch like Matthew sees the good.

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Uncategorized

Book Review: Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

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Book Review: Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

Cosy fantasy as a genre is something that’s really starting to catch on. Though it isn’t something that always works for me, the idea of Legends and Lattes is one that intrigued me. A story of a woman wanting to start a coffee shop in a fantasy world? Great! I was hoping for something that could almost be a mix between chick-lit and fantasy. And even though it wasn’t exactly that, it was still super enjoyable and the perfect read for me.

Thanks so much to Black Crow PR and Tor for my copy of this. I’m pleased to be on this tour. This is the perfect pick if you’re looking for a comfortable read to enjoy whilst curled up with a hot chocolate or in your favourite coffee shop.

Viv is an orc barbarian tired of the adventurer’s life. After finding an ancient artefact that she hopes could bring her luck, she decides to settle down in the city of Thune to start a coffee shop. But the citizens there have never heard of coffee, and Viv will have to work hard to make this venture work. But with old and new friends both, Viv is sure she can achieve her dreams.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky

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Book Review: Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky

Goldy Moldavsky is an author whose books are usually pretty wild, and Lord of the Fly Fest was no exception. Once I started reading this book, I couldn’t stop. It was like a trainwreck but in a strangely enjoyable way. This book is out now, so you can buy or borrow a copy from wherever you like. But I personally got my audiobook through the publishers and NetGalley. So thanks for that.

Rafi is a podcaster desperate to make it the big time. She plans to do that by finding out what happened to the missing girlfriend of the famous musician, River Stone. To get that opportunity, she spent all her money on a ticket for Fly Fest, the exclusive music festival on a Caribbean island. But when they get there, the festival is nonexistent, and the guests are stranded. Rafi is okay with this if she can get that interview. But as things take a dangerous turn, she realises they need to get off the island if they wish to survive.

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books, Will I Like This Book?, Young Adult

Will I Like This Book? – Let’s Play Murder by Kesia Lupo

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Will I Like This Book? – Let’s Play Murder by Kesia Lupo

We’re onto the second to last sampler I got from YALC and another book that sounds right up my alley. I love video games though I’ve not got the money for VR and a thriller involving those sorts of things? Yeah, I’m definitely about that.

This book is being published by Bloomsbury and is due on the 13th of April 2023. It’s one I’ll definitely be preordering and reading pretty soon after I get it.

These samplers don’t have a summary on the back, so as I type this up, this is the first time I’ve read this book. But this book follows Veronica as she wakes up trapped with four strangers in a VR world. They’ve all been brought into The Game, a black market competition where they could win millions if they’re the first to solve a murder mystery. But when strange things start happening, and the players themselves start to die in both the game and the real world, Veronica has to decide whether to solve the mystery or whether she wants to win the game.

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Manga, Review

Manga Review: White of a Wedding Ceremony by Takayama Shinobu

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Manga Review: White of a Wedding Ceremony by Takayama Shinobu

It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a manga volume and this one is a little different. While I usually read and review English translations, this volume is one that I read in Japanese. Well, I used a translation app on a Japanese volume. But this stunning manga book is a series that I’ve been wanting to start for a while. I don’t think it’ll be getting an official translation any time soon, so here we go.

A mysterious disease has been killing people and bringing some back to life. The tell is the flowers on the body and newspaper reporter Kiso has been sent to investigate. During his research, he meets Shiraume, a tempting young woman who calls herself a “Demon’s Burning Light”. Fascinated by her, the two of them start looking more into these strange cases.

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