Book Review - The Song of Blood and Stone

Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this one and felt it wasn't like anything I've read lately. It was a very easy read, fast paced and intriguing. I finished it within a day. I definitely felt that this book was hitting on a lot of different major issues all at once. It hits racism, refugees, interracial couples, f/f couples, sexual assault, political conflict, and moral dilemmas just to name a few. Race/cultural differences between the opposing sides plays a huge role in this book. I really enjoyed reading how there were good and bad on both sides and not singling one side out as good/evil. One could definitely take this book with a political view but I read for entertainment so I leave politics out of it.
I loved the characters. I found myself rooting for both main characters and connected with them each in different ways. I would loved to have read about Jasminda's life with her family before. I loved her connection to them, but some added memories of her twin brothers or her parents would have really brought them to life. I really liked how independent she was, how she was terrified and strong at the same time. I loved Jack. His identity wasn't a complete surprise by the time it is made known but it didn't detract from the story. I really enjoyed Nash and Usher and hope they make more appearances and perhaps some more depth in the future.
I would not classify this as a YA but more NA. It has some pretty descriptive sex scenes for YA, not too detailed, but way more than I would feel comfortable sharing with my teenager. There are also scenes of attempted rape that are pretty descriptive. There wasn't any language and in between these scenes, it was YA suitable.
The fantasy in this one was light and easy. It didn't get too complicated when speaking of magic, which makes it a fast read. Sometimes too much fantasy can weigh a book down and make it work to get through. This was not one of those. I really loved how the magic is connected to each other, to the earth.
This was a great and easy read and I am glad I was given the opportunity to review it. I will definitely follow the author and I'm eager to read what comes next!

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Undead Girl Gang - Sneak Peek

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was just a sneak peek, so I can't review the entire book. I did enjoy the first glimpse I got. We are introduced to Riley, recently deceased, by her best friend Mila. I enjoyed Mila as a character. I like how she wasn't content to just let things lie when she was not satisfied that her best friend had committed suicide. I like that she's a girl of action and isn't afraid. It felt like most of the other high school characters are going to be stereotypical cliches, so she will be mostly on her own. However, Riley's brother Xander seems like a promising character and possibly a future romance? There was a bit of language, quite a few F bombs. I can't give much more of a review since it was just a sneak peek.

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