Category: ARC

ARC, books, middlegrade, Review

Book Review: The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books1 Comment on Book Review: The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton
Book Review: The Marvellers by Dhonielle Clayton

You might not see many middle-grade reviews on my blog, but this year I’ve decided to finally start picking up some of the kids’ books I’m interested in. Having read some of Dhonielle Clayton’s YA books, I’ve been interested in this one since I first heard about it last year. It’s a fun magical school book filled with adorable friendships, fascinating world-building and plenty of black girl magic.

Ella Durand is the first conjurer to attend the Arcanum training institute. The magic school in the clouds had been closed to her people up until now. The other students think she’s weird and fitting in isn’t easy, but she makes friends with fellow misfits Brigit and Jason. But when the Ace of Anarchy breaks out of prison, the conjurers are blamed. Suddenly, school becomes even harder for Ella. Especially when her favourite teacher disappears shortly after. If Ella is going to clear her family’s name, she needs to start by exploring her powers.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

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Book Review: The Black Queen by Jumata Emill

You know when you start a book, and you’re not sure if it’s for you, but you can’t put it down within a few chapters? That was me with The Black Queen. This was a book that I was lucky enough to be sent an early finished copy of by Scholastic. The summary sounded fascinating, but the murder doesn’t happen for a few chapters. Once Nova is found dead, you’re stuck in the web that Emill has created, but you won’t want to be free until the final page.

Lovett High is a school where segregation is key, and the white students rule all. They’ve never had a black homecoming queen until Nova Albright. But Tinsley McArthur wants her to step down. When Nova refuses, Tinsley is caught threatening to kill her the night she’s murdered. All fingers point to the killer being Tinsley, including that of Nova’s best friend, Duchess. The only way for Duchess to find out what really happened to Nova is to work with Tinsley to find proof. As they do, they reveal secrets about their town that they never expected.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books1 Comment on Book Review: City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer
Book Review: City of Nightmares by Rebecca Schaeffer

I love good sci-fi and fantasy novels, especially those that blend those aspects into something new and exciting. And superhero stories can be a great example of that. But what if we have a superhero-like story and world without actual heroes? That’s what we’ve got here with City of Nightmares. I was lucky to be sent a proof copy of this book to review, thanks to Kate at Hodderscape. So thank you so much!

In City of Nightmares, we follow 19-year-old Ness, a young woman terrified of nightmares since her big sister transformed into a giant spider and ate their father. Now she lives in Newham with a charity or cult that helps protect people from those Nightmares. But Ness can’t do much to help, so when she takes on a new job hoping to find a reason that she should be able to stay, it blows up in her face? It’s a big problem. The only person around to help her is a nightmare boy she’s terrified of eating her. But as they find their way back to the city, Ness begins to learn that maybe not all Nightmares are what she thought they were.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: The Agency for Scandal by Laura Wood

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books1 Comment on Book Review: The Agency for Scandal by Laura Wood
Book Review: The Agency for Scandal by Laura Wood

I took a bit of a break from my blog with the end of the year being so busy, but now we’re into January and have a new year of books ahead! I’m happy to start the year off with a post on a book I was so excited to read. I requested an ARC of this from Scholastic, but I didn’t think I’d be getting a copy. However, I was lucky enough to be sent an early finished copy after all, and this book is stunning. The cover art is pretty, and the spine?! I love it so much. It looks so cute sitting on my shelves.

I should probably stop gushing about the design now and actually tell you about the book! But wait until you see it~

This is actually my second time talking about this book on my blog. This was the first book I did a mini review on in my series Will I Like This Book? I was intrigued by the small sample, and I just knew I had to read on. We all know I’m not the biggest fan of historical fiction, but this is one that sparked my curiosity.

The Agency for Scandal follows eighteen-year-old Isobel, a young woman trying hard to hide from society that her family is penniless. She works with a women’s detective agency to right wrongs and digs up scandals about the powerful men who deserve to be bought down. What she doesn’t expect is that one day a case will tangle her up with the Duke she’s been nursing a crush on, who doesn’t seem to know she exists. 

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Adult, ARC, books, Review

Book Review: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett
Book Review: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

As someone forever in search of those rare amazing faerie novels and who has enjoyed Heather Fawcett’s YA and middle grade, I knew I had to pick this one up. I was lucky enough to get an early copy thanks to Orbit books and I know that I’ll be getting as many copies as possible. Yeah, I loved this book that much.

This book follows Emily Wilde, a scholar in a version of early 20th century Cambridge who spends her life travelling and studying the fae. Her plan is to put together an encyclopedia of faeries and to finish it off she needs to meet the hidden ones living in the cold North. But her plans to keep to herself are thrown aside as she winds up having to befriend the locals and help them with their problems and go even further awry after her rival and co-worker Wendell Bambleby turns up.

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ARC, books, Review, Young Adult

Book Review: This Book Kills by Ravena Guron

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books2 Comments on Book Review: This Book Kills by Ravena Guron
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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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

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger BooksLeave a Comment on Book Review: How (Not) To Marry A Duke by Felicia Kingsley
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

by Rosina @ Lace and Dagger Books1 Comment on Book Review: You’re A Mean One Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky
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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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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