Summary

In Teach the Torches to Burn, a breathlessly romantic remix of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet and seventh book in the Remixed Classics series, a queer teen boy discovers first love amid a bloody, centuries-old feud.

Verona, Italy. Seventeen-year-old aspiring artist Romeo dreams of a quiet life with someone who loves him just as he is. But as the heir to the Montague family, he is expected to give up his womanly artistic pursuits and uphold the family honor–particularly in their centuries-old blood feud with a rival family, the Capulets. Worse still, he is also expected to marry a well-bred girl approved by his parents and produce heirs. But the more Romeo is forced to mingle with eligible maidens, the harder it is to keep his deepest secret: He only feels attracted to other boys.

In an attempt to forget his troubles for just one night, Romeo joins his cousin in sneaking into a Capulet party. During a fateful encounter in the garden, he meets the kindest, most beautiful boy he’s ever encountered and is shocked to learn he’s Valentine, the younger brother of one of his closest friends. He is even more shocked to discover that Valentine is just as enamored with Romeo as Romeo is with him.

So begins a tender romance that the boys must hide from their families and friends, each of them longing for a world where they could be together without fear. And as the conflict between the Montagues and Capulets escalates out of control, Romeo and Valentine find themselves in danger of losing each other forever–if not by society’s scorn, then by the edge of a blade.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Teach the Torches to Burn honors the themes from the original – the pressure of a name, of a legacy, and the intensity of the family conflict – while exploring new interpretations and layers. Roehrig examines the pressures we feel to “be” something, to have an identity that has been thrust upon us and is not ours. All the labels and stereotypes that are heaped upon us limiting the potential of our expression, of being who we truly are.

Teach the Torches to Burn explores the openness we have, opportunities not open to us, and queer futures we chase. I loved that the extent of the retelling went deeper than just our two main characters and permeates the entire story. The masks we wear and whether they become pieces of us or only chafe more and more. Teach the Torches to Burn is like sinking into our favorites, while also giving it new light.

Roehrig explores fate and social cages. All the ways we are trapped. This is one of my favorites of this new remixed classics series in its inventiveness and heart from start to finish.

Book Links

Goodreads

Storygraph

Blackwells

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Bookshop US

Other Retailers

Tour Schedule

August 21st 

Utopia State of Mind – Review

@booksfilmsandtea – Review

August 22nd

@read_with_kate.16 – Review & Aesthetic

@gingerly_reading – Review

August 23rd

pluvioreads – Review 

Ofbooksandromance – Review

August 24th

Moyashi_girl – Review 

@firestorm_of_books – Review & Book Look

August 25th

Yourlocalbookreader – Review 

Mythicmelancholy – Review

August 26th

@thereadingchemist – Review 

@Naturally.caffeinated.reader  – Review

August 27th

@melaniereadsbooks – Review

@annas_sweets_and_stories – Review & Favorite Quote

About the Author

Caleb Roehrig is a former actor and television producer who cannot seem to live in one place. Currently dividing his time between Chicago and Helsinki, he is an expert at writing on planes and recovering from jet lag. His young adult titles include Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix; the acclaimed thrillers Last Seen Leaving, White Rabbit, Death Prefers Blondes, and The Fell of Dark; and The Poison Pen—a tie-in to the CW’s popular Riverdale television series—and the Archie Horror original novel A Werewolf in Riverdale. Wherever he’s living at the moment, he’s there with his husband and an overabundance of books.

Author Links: 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13552274.Caleb_Roehrig

Website: http://calebroehrig.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calebroehrig/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MikalebRoehrig

Discussion

Do you have a favorite remixed classic?

The post Book Tour: Book Review: Teach the Torches to Burn by Caleb Roehrig appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.

Summary

You must work twice as hard to get half as much.

Adina Walker has known this the entire time she’s been on scholarship at the prestigious Edgewater Academy—a school for the rich (and mostly white) upper class of New England. It’s why she works so hard to be perfect and above reproach, no matter what she must force beneath the surface. Even one slip can cost you everything.

And it does. One fight, one moment of lost control, leaves Adina blacklisted from her top choice Ivy League college and any other. Her only chance to regain the future she’s sacrificed everything for is the Finish, a high-stakes contest sponsored by Edgewater’s founding family in which twelve young, ambitious women with exceptional promise are selected to compete in three mysterious the Ride, the Raid, and the Royale. The winner will be granted entry into the fold of the Remington family, whose wealth and power can open any door.

But when she arrives at the Finish, Adina quickly gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right with both the Remingtons and her competition, and soon it becomes clear that this larger-than-life prize can only come at an even greater cost. Because the Finish’s stakes aren’t just make or break…they’re life and death.

Adina knows the deck is stacked against her—it always has been—so maybe the only way to survive their vicious games is for her to change the rules.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Their Vicious Games is indescribable. It is like part competition book, part examination of our future, and part a pointed glance at racism and elitism. About the ways our future can feel decided, the rules of the game set, but how everything can change if we will it to be so. If we are strong enough, clever enough, to see the way to turn the tables.

Their Vicious Games is all about our definition of success and what it means to fall. To fail. To succeed. It is about how we fight back when we lose, when everyone counts us out. Full of deadly betrayals, Their Vicious Games immediately hits the ground running with action. With stakes higher than we ever thought before to gain rewards which we think will set us up for life.

For each of the characters, Their Vicious Games asks them what they would sacrifice and who. Who will they become on the other side? If they sacrifice friendship, loyalty, honor, what do they have left? Family? Legacy? And what do we make of those who watch on the sidelines? Their Vicious Games balances a character study of motivation with a captivating competition with thorns.

Book links:  

Goodreads

Storygraph

Blackwells

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Bookshop US

About Joelle Wellington

Joelle Wellington is the author of Their Vicious Games. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where her childhood was spent wandering the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. When she isn’t writing, she’s reading and when she’s not doing that, she’s attempting to bake bread with varying degrees of success or strengthening her encyclopedia-like pop culture knowledge.

Author Links: 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22575762.Joelle_Wellington

Website: https://www.joellewellington.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jowellington

Twitter: https://twitter.com/joelle_welling

Book Tour Schedule

August 14th

@antonique_reads – Review 

August 15th

@firestorm_of_books – Review & Book Look 

August 16th

Shereadytoread – Review & aesthetic 

Utopia State of Mind – Review 

August 17th

Booksartj – Review

August 18th

@allielovestoread – Review

August 19th

Conjuringliteracy – Review

August 20th

@monikasbookblog – Review 

August 21st 

Kaythebookworm__ – Review & Moodboard

August 22nd 

Stephsbooktalk – Review 

August 23rd

Fatgirlreads_ – Review

August 24th

BookinItWithAhtiya – Review & Moodboard

August 25th

@mothereader – Review 

August 26th

Starred Pages – Review 

August 27th

@WomanistDreamer – Review & Playlist

Musingsbymichelle – Review 

August 28th

ToBeReadShelf – Review

Discussion

What is your favorite deadly competition in a book?

The post Book Tour: Review: Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.

Summary

Eleven Mayweathers went on vacation. Ten came home.

It’s been years since the fragmented Mayweather clan was all in one place, but the engagement of Addison and Mason’s mom to the dad of their future stepbrother, Theo, brings the whole family to sunny Cancún, Mexico, for winter break. Add cousin Natalia to the mix, and it doesn’t take long for tempers to fray and tensions to rise. A week of forced family “fun” reveals that everyone has something to hide, and as secrets bubble to the surface, no one is safe from the fallout. By the end of the week, one member of the reunion party will be dead—and everyone’s a suspect:

The peacekeeper: Addison needs a better hiding place.

The outsider: Theo just wants to mend fences.

The romantic: Natalia doesn’t want to talk about the past.

The hothead: Mason needs to keep his temper under control.

It started as a week in paradise meant to bring them together. But the Mayweathers are about to learn the hard way that family bonding can be deadly.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Told in multiple POV, The Reunion is a testament to never knowing the secrets of our family. We can think we know everything about our parents, our sister, the ones we see every day. But The Reunion calls everything into question. All the secrets turn sinister. Every mistake, harsh word, or chilling silence turn into accusations against us. I finished The Reunion in three days because I had to know what happens.

Frick does this fantastic writing trick where we are given snippets of the future reports, witness statements, and news posts. The tension keeps building and we don’t know who to turn to. What new clue will be revealed which will call everything into question. Frick takes this normally idyllic setting – a resort – and infuses tension and suspension in every word. The distance between who we show ourselves to be and who we are grows with shadows in the night and secretive moments.

(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)

Nothing is as it seems and red herrings swim across the pages. If you’re a fan of YA thrillers, this has to be on your TBR. It merely solidifies Frick’s place in the genre as an author who continually delivers captivating story lines full of secrets. Grounded in characters, The Reunion asks us what secrets we are willing to do anything to keep. With our own motivations, how will we keep the peace with skeletons banging on our closet doors, screaming for release. Secrets buried so deep, they’ve rotted the foundation. The ones we try to bury, to keep hidden, and the more dirt we shovel, the larger our own grave is.

Find The Reunion on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

Discussion

Who is your favorite YA thriller author?

The post Review: The Reunion by Kit Frick appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.

Summary

Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that’s always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it’s ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it’s a fun place to work, even if “fun” isn’t exactly Lauren’s middle name.

Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World–whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (anything, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn’t know how to enjoy herself, he’s surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn’t serious about anything, she’s surprised by how seriously he seems to take her.

As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

With Love, from Cold World is a book I thoroughly loved from beginning to end. With a workplace rivals to romance – the tension! – Thompson’s sophomore book is about seeing someone. The joy and fulfillment we get from being with someone who supports us and sees us for who we are. For Lauren, she’s grown so used to her isolation and is experiencing this deep longing for a sense of place, of belonging, of a soft place to land. Through each other, they find that this life of uncertainty, cruelty from others, and difficult days can be made a little less lonely together.

There’s a delightful sense of tension, of amazing banter, and the characters jump off the page. We witness them from the beginning with their weariness all the way to seeing them open up to each other. They realize that everything they thought they knew, just might not be true. That they cannot just solve their problems by trying to be someone else. We can become so focused on who we think someone is, we miss who they actually are.

(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)

With Love, from Cold World is steamy, but it also made me cry. There’s such a relatable sense of fear of vulnerability, of openness. The banter is chef’s kiss so this book truly touches all of these human emotions within the span of its pages. This romance is one of those that I want to recommend to everyone and immediately re-read. Find With Love, from Cold World on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

Discussion

Who is your favorite auto-buy romance author?

The post Review: With Love, from Cold World by Alicia Thompson appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.

(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)

And Break the Pretty Kings by Lena Jeong

A crown princess. A monster the gods fear. A destiny no one can outrun. Inspired by Korean history and myths, the first book in the Sacred Bone series is a rich and evocative high-stakes fantasy that is perfect for fans of Gallant and Six Crimson Cranes . Mirae was meant to save her queendom, but the ceremony before her coronation ends in terror and death, unlocking a strange new power within her and foretelling the return of a monster even the gods fear. Amid the chaos, Mirae’s beloved older brother is taken—threatening the peninsula’s already tenuous truce. Desperate to save her brother and defeat this ancient enemy before the queendom is beset by war, Mirae sets out on a journey with an unlikely group of companions while her unpredictable magic gives her terrifying visions of a future she must stop at any cost.  

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

What I loved about And Break the Pretty Kings is the family. There’s immediately such a sense of love, loyalty, and conflict all at once. The ways she wants to rely on her mother, but the curse which takes her mother away. Or the way she is willing to go to the ends of the Earth for her brother. Its the backbone of And Break the Pretty Kings and it’s my favorite element of this series opener. If you also love magical trials combined with time jumps, then you have to check this one out.

Full of some time magic, there’s a conflict of fate. How much can we change our fate? What would knowing the future achieve? This is probably my second favorite element in And Break the Pretty Kings. The world quickly opens up with the rules crumbling to dust. And Mirae has to figure out who she can trust and what her future will be. The rippling consequences of her actions unfold and Mirae as a main character is one to watch!

Find And Break the Pretty Kings on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

Promises Stronger Than Darkness by Charlie Jane Anders

When Elza became a space princess, she thought she’d be spending her time at the palace, wearing gorgeous couture and soaking up everything there is to know—but instead, she’s on the run, with everyone hunting for her and her friends.

Rachael followed her best friend Tina on the adventure of a lifetime—but now Tina’s gone, and Rachael’s the only one keeping her friends together, as they go on a desperate quest to save everyone from an ancient curse.

Rachael, Elza and their friends have found one clue, one shining mysterious chance to stop the end of the world. And that takes them back to the second-to-last place they’d want to be: enlisting the aid of Captain Thaoh Argentian, the woman who stole Tina’s body (and who now seems to be relishing a second chance at teenage chaos and drama, instead of living up to her legacy of an intrepid heroic commander).

With only a ragtag band of misfits, crewmates, earthlings, friends, lovers (and one annoying frenemy), the Unstoppable Crew are up against the universe–and they soon find that in order to survive, they may have to cross a line they vowed never to cross.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Promises Stronger Than Darkness is a moving series finale. I love this queer inclusive science fiction all about compassion and trying to do the right thing. This is such a breath of fresh air. It has some timely themes that we all could use like to try to learn about others instead of assuming we are the status quo. It builds on themes the entire Unstoppable series has been exploring and resolves these threads. I just couldn’t stop thinking about how impactful this trilogy has been for SF that deals with who we will be in the future.

With great crew dynamics, Promises Stronger Than Darkness is kind, unique, and moving all at once. I listened to this on audiobook, just like I’ve done for the whole series, and I’d highly recommend. Imani Jade Powers, Marcella Lentz-Pope & Sena Bryer do an amazing job at infusing this book with emotion and grief, love and kindness. I love multiple audiobook narrators and this is one of the best!

Find Promises Stronger Than Darkness on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, Libro.fm, and Google Play.

The Jasad Heir by Sarah Hashem

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

The Jasad Heir is a promising debut series opener with a deadly competition, rivals, and hidden magic. There are complex politics at work as Sylvia figures out who is on her side and what she wants to stand for. Exposed by mistake, Sylvia is always engaged in a trust dilemma. Who can she trust? By the end I was also intrigued by Sylvia’s magic and specifically what it says about memories and power.

The Jasad Heir examines what we are taught and not wanting to accept our powers, the burden of that responsibility. Are we cruel by nature or by what we are taught? Find The Jasad Heir on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

Forged By Blood by Ehigbor Okosun

In the midst of a tyrannical regime and political invasion, Dèmi just wants to survive: to avoid the suspicion of the nonmagical Ajes who occupy her ancestral homeland of Ife; to escape the King’s brutal genocide of her people—the darker skinned, magic wielding Oluso; and to live peacefully with her secretive mother while learning to control the terrifying blood magic that is her birthright.

But when Dèmi’s misplaced trust costs her mother’s life, survival gives way to vengeance. She bides her time until the devious Lord Ekwensi grants her the perfect opportunity—kidnap the Aje prince, Jonas, and bargain with his life to save the remaining Oluso. With the help of her reckless childhood friend Colin, Dèmi succeeds, but discovers that she and Jonas share more than deadly secrets; every moment tangles them further into a forbidden, unmistakable attraction, much to Colin’s—and Dèmi’s—distress.

The kidnapping is now a joint mission: to return to the King, help get Lord Ekwensi on the council, and bolster the voice of the Oluso in a system designed to silence them. But the way is dangerous, Dèmi’s magic is growing yet uncertain, and it’s not clear if she can trust the two men at her side.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Forged by Blood is a stunning series opener. Beginning with an unlikely friendship that might just turn around and bite down, this series opener is action packed. It’s a book that asks you from page one if you can trust anyone. Okosun weaves a rich multi-layered world full of tension, love triangles, and trust which erodes and secrets which fester. Who will sacrifice in the end? Will it be the ones making the decisions or the ones on the ground?

Forged by Blood examines the choices we make for, or against, the blood in our veins. Our very natures and our family trees. There’s almost non-stop betrayal and I am already looking forward to the sequel. I love a good rebellion and Forged by Blood examines the cruelty of rulership, of executions, of tyranny. What happens if we retalliate in violence? Do we become just like the very ones who oppress us? I like Dèmi’s character journey and the ways she opens up, and gets burned, in Forged by Blood. How do we fight for peace in a system that wants to twist our weapons, our abilities, against us?

Forged by Blood should be on your most anticipated lists and certainly for the sequel! Find Forged by Blood on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson

Tomorrow, on the beach, Baru Cormorant will look up from the sand of her home and see red sails on the horizon.

The Empire of Masks is coming, armed with coin and ink, doctrine and compass, soap and lies. They’ll conquer Baru’s island, rewrite her culture, criminalize her customs, and dispose of one of her fathers. But Baru is patient. She’ll swallow her hate, prove her talent, and join the Masquerade. She will learn the secrets of empire. She’ll be exactly what they need. And she’ll claw her way high enough up the rungs of power to set her people free.

In a final test of her loyalty, the Masquerade will send Baru to bring order to distant Aurdwynn, a snakepit of rebels, informants, and seditious dukes. Aurdwynn kills everyone who tries to rule it. To survive, Baru will need to untangle this land’s intricate web of treachery – and conceal her attraction to the dangerously fascinating Duchess Tain Hu.

But Baru is a savant in games of power, as ruthless in her tactics as she is fixated on her goals. In the calculus of her schemes, all ledgers must be balanced, and the price of liberation paid in full.

Review

I finally caved to the hype and read The Traitor Baru Cormorant and it’s everything I expected. There is some serious level of politics and I went into this book knowing nothing. But I know can say it’s like an accountant bent on revenge to take a colonial empire down with loads of politics. It evolves into more – and the sequels will certainly continue the action – but wow! I really enjoyed Baru’s character especially her origin story. But even more so, gotta love a money savvy individual whose main area of expertise is seeing patterns in the numbers.

Thrown into a lions pit, Baru is forced to figure out the price of peace and whose blood will pay it. I loved how calculating Baru is and there were some scenes with the colonialism that were chilling – especially at the beginning. Economic subterfuge is the name of the game and overall The Tratior Baru Cormorant examines how we fight and make space in what we have – while also tearing the system down. Find The Traitor Baru Cormorant on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz

Destry is a top network analyst with the Environmental Rescue Team, an ancient organization devoted to preventing ecosystem collapse. On the planet Sask-E, her mission is to terraform an Earthlike world, with the help of her taciturn moose, Whistle. But then she discovers a city that isn’t supposed to exist, hidden inside a massive volcano. Torn between loyalty to the ERT and the truth of the planet’s history, Destry makes a decision that echoes down the generations.

Centuries later, Destry’s protege, Misha, is building a planetwide transit system when his worldview is turned upside-down by Sulfur, a brilliant engineer from the volcano city. Together, they uncover a dark secret about the real estate company that’s buying up huge swaths of the planet―a secret that could destroy the lives of everyone who isn’t Homo sapiens. Working with a team of robots, naked mole rats, and a very angry cyborg cow, they quietly sow seeds of subversion. But when they’re threatened with violent diaspora, Misha and Sulfur’s very unusual child faces a stark choice: deploy a planet-altering weapon, or watch their people lose everything they’ve built on Sask-E.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

So while I love Annalee Newitz and the concepts in The Terraformers are amazing, I’m just not sure about this one. I adored the world building from the first lines. The ways that The Terraformers examines environmental conservation and human intelligence – what makes a ‘being – were fascinating. And thematically this one is a gold star. It’s perfect for readers looking to examine what the future could be like. But at the same time, the time jumps and sections lost me a bit.

At the beginning it was always a bit of a hurdle to get back in and the world – while unique – could be a bit tricky sometimes with the amount of new. In the end, I still enjoyed The Terraformers just felt I had to work a bit harder to stay immersed which wasn’t the case with some of Newitz’s past works. It should still be on your list if you love the exploration of the environment in the future though! Find The Terraformers on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon (US) (UK), Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming

When I was a little girl, my Ma used to read me stories every night. Some were epic adventures with high stakes and exciting twists while others were of princesses trapped in towers guarded by fierce dragons. The pitiful princess would be stuck inside all day pining for her prince charming to come and rescue her. I always hated those stories. I couldn’t imagine why the lazy thing didn’t just get up and leave. Ironic since I was now stuck in that same situation. Turns out, when a dragon holds you hostage, he doesn’t just let you get up and leave.

Who knew?

When I thought I saw hope on the horizon, that hope was smashed to bits by – you guessed it – another damn dragon.

Review

So I accidentally read book three before book two, but that’s totally okay! You can do that. I think it’s probably best to read the second, but I got confused! Anyway, That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human is predictably fun and steamy just like how I felt reading the first, That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon. I am not normally a fan of fated mates so there’s always a bit of an adjustment here, but I enjoyed Dante and Cherry’s chemistry especially Dante. I wasn’t expecting to love his protective nature, his “do not care about my room of treasure” attitude, and his needing to get coached.

That being said, so far, the first one is still my favorite. I just wish we got a bit more of their chemistry and the ending felt a bit abrupt for me. I was actually not even sure that it had ended and had to double check? But overall, this was oodles of fun to read before bed and the spice was pretty delicious! Find That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon.

Discussion

What book here is on your TBR?

The post June Mini Review Wrap Up appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.

Summary

Montserrat has always been overlooked. She’s a talented sound editor, but she’s left out of the boys’ club running the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. And she’s all but invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a charming if faded soap opera star, though she’s been in love with him since childhood.

Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—even if his tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock sounds like sheer fantasy. The magic film was never finished, which is why, Urueta swears, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed.

Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and lift the curse . . . but Montserrat soon notices a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend.

As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only the stuff of movies.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

In Silver Nitrate I immediately loved the Old Hollywood vibes. There’s a distinct grittiness, a feeling of nostalgia wrapped in these pages. Early on this setting is established and serves as the backbone for the tension and supernatural in Silver Nitrate. Because of how immersive it is, you sink into tiled bathroom shivers, old movie theater chairs, and sound editing offices. Another element introduced early on is the tension and horror touches.

(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)

We know from the first quarter that something spooky is going to happen and Garcia only heightens that tension. The horror touches, mentions of the occult, and the fear only continue to develop and we aren’t sure what we will see once it does. If you love the idea of film noir, hauntings and the supernatural, and friendship this is for you! Silver Nitrate is my favorite of all the Silvia Moreno Garcia books I’ve read and I’ve read almost all of them! It’s fast paced, intriguing, and haunting.

Find Silver Nitrate on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

Discussion

What is your favorite SMG book?

The post Review: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.

Summary

Ready your blade. Defeat the undead.

In the Dominions, the dead linger, violent and unpredictable, unless a bonesmith severs the ghost from its earthly remains. For bonesmith Wren, becoming a valkyr—a ghost-fighting warrior—is a chance to solidify her place in the noble House of Bone and impress her frequently absent father. But when sabotage causes Wren to fail her qualifying trial, she is banished to the Border Wall, the last line of defense against a wasteland called the Breach where the vicious dead roam unchecked.

Determined to reclaim her family’s respect, Wren gets her chance when a House of Gold prince is kidnapped and taken beyond the Wall. To prove she has what it takes to be a valkyr, Wren vows to cross the Breach and rescue the prince. But to do so, she’s forced into an uneasy alliance with one of the kidnappers—a fierce ironsmith called Julian from the exiled House of Iron, the very people who caused the Breach in the first place…and the House of Bone’s sworn enemy.

As they travel, Wren and Julian spend as much time fighting each other as they do the undead, but when they discover there’s more behind the kidnapping than either of them knew, they’ll need to work together to combat the real a dark alliance that is brewing between the living and the undead.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Bonesmith should be on your TBR if you love enemies to lovers, necromancy world building, and tons of betrayal. It’s a gripping read which will have you second guessing everything you’ve come to know. Did I mention it has necromancy and ghosts? I loved the world building not only the magic itself – who doesn’t love ghosts who can kill you – but also the world building of the history and the Dominions.

Wren is a fabulous character – perfect for fans of Pau Preto’s previous work – who is trying so desperately to win approval and acceptance. I loved her immediately. Throughout Bonesmith Wren has to figure out who to trust and what this approval is worth to her. Sometimes we can see things more clearly when we aren’t in the throes and for Wren she has to make her own mistakes and discoveries. The enemies to lovers element was so good here as we see these characters opening up to each other, their misconceptions.

(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)

Bonesmith explores what the price of knowledge and history are. How we can be taught what is right when it’s only what can be controlled. There’s a distinct element of chaotic group dynamics – and we love a good kidnapped prince – so it’s an utter win all around. Find Bonesmith on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

Discussion

What is your favorite book with necromancy?

The post Review: Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.

Summary

Reina is desperate.

Stuck living on the edges of society, her only salvation lies in an invitation from a grandmother she’s never known. But the journey is dangerous, and prayer can’t always avert disaster.

Attacked by creatures that stalk the region, Reina is on the verge of death until her grandmother, a dark sorceress, intervenes. Now dependent on the Doña’s magic for her life, Reina will do anything to earn—and keep—her favor. Even the bidding of an ancient god who whispers to her at night.

Eva Kesare is unwanted.

Illegitimate and of mixed heritage, Eva is her family’s shame. She tries her best to be perfect and to hide her oddities. But Eva is hiding a secret: magic calls to her.

Eva knows she should fight the temptation. Magic is the sign of the dark god, and using it is punishable by death. Yet, it’s hard to deny power when it has always been denied to you. Eva is walking a dangerous path, one that gets stranger every day. And, in the end, she’ll become something she never imagined.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

The Sun and the Void is all about what we need to do to get what we want. All the sacrifices, the compromises, and negotiations. The past is present. The core of colonization, family decade long secrets, and the pain we inflict on others all festering. It’s a story about the push and pull with magic and those who refuse to acknowledge it. One element I loved in The Sun and the Void was the way it examines the allure of magic, purity, and morality all at once.

The Sun and the Void is full of intrigue and characters who explore what they will do to be powerful. To gain the power we think we are entitled to, the power we think we deserve, and the power we want. In different ways, both Reina and Eva are trying to fight for the future they want, to escape the futures written for them. And The Sun and the Void will demand that they prove their faith, innocence, and capabilities.

(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)

I am already so excited for the sequel because of where the end leaves us! If you love characters trying to figure out their own choices in a world of manipulations and power grabs, then you’ll have to check out The Sun and the Void. Find The Sun and the Void on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon (US) (UK), Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

Discussion

Who is your favorite sapphic romance ship?

The post Review: The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero Lacruz appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.

Summary

By the time Effie Galanos starts her senior year, it feels like she’s already been thinking about college applications for an eternity—after all, finding a college that will be the perfect fit and be accessible enough for Effie to navigate in her wheelchair presents a ton of considerations that her friends don’t have to worry about.

What Effie hasn’t told anyone is that she already knows exactly what school she has her heart set on: a college in NYC with a major in Mass Media & Society that will set her up perfectly for her dream job in digital media. She’s never been to New York, but paging through the brochure, she can picture the person she’ll be there, far from the Minneapolis neighborhood where she’s lived her entire life. When she finds out that Wilder (her longtime crush) is applying there too, it seems like one more sign from the universe that it’s the right place for her.

But it turns out that the universe is full of surprises. As Effie navigates her way through a year of admissions visits, senior class traditions, internal and external ableism, and a lot of firsts–and lasts–she starts to learn that sometimes growing up means being open to a world of possibilities you never even dreamed of. And maybe being more than just friends with Wilder is one of those dreams…

Review

Where You See Yourself is a story about Effie and her dreams. All the ones she sets her heart on and the ones she never even thought were a possibility. It’s also a story about both the casual and systemic ableism Effie faces. How people don’t think about their comments all the way to infrastructures which are inaccessible. For Effie it’s not only about her college dreams, but all the dreams she’s had throughout high school from crushes to off campus lunches.

Where You See Yourself is about both the importance seeing the representation we need, as well as the importance of being able to see ourselves. All our dreams and our wants. This book swept me away with Effie and her journey. I was along for each swooning moment, the rage against systematic ableism – the ways people can refuse to give even to help others. Of those afraid of a change coming. It’s also a story that affirms the importance of support systems and community.

(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)

What it would be like to be around people who get it. And what I loved the most is that Where You See Yourself is about the dreams we have versus new dreams we can find. Find Where You See Yourself on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.

Discussion

What is your favorite book with a trip to NYC?

The post Review: Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.

Summary

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

Review

My relationship with Love, Theoretically is a bit of a love hate relationship. At the beginning, I was absolutely smitten. I love Elsie’s narrative voice, how unique and personality driven it is. It is something Hazelwood does a phenomenal job at. The signature charm and personality of not only Elsie, but also the side characters. But then about 20% through, I wasn’t sure if I was going to continue. I know miscommunication is an issue for everyone, but it just seemed like a good conversation would solve it?

It turned into me yelling, “just talk to each other!” There has to be a degree of ballooning in a book, but I just wasn’t sure if the amount of miscommunication – and then for how long it takes – would lose me. I did end up finishing and I’m glad I did. Once I took a few deep breaths, I ended up losing myself in Elsie’s character. Not going to lie, the audiobook narration is basically the reason I got through the rough patch. Thérèse Plummer does an amazing job at infusing Elsie’s narration with personality, fears, and hope.

I ended up kind of relating to Elsie. How deeply she’s people pleasing and has lost all traces of herself. You know that movie where Sandra Bullock doesn’t know how she likes her eggs? If you love that you’ll love Love, Theoretically.

(Disclaimer: Some of the links below are affiliate links. For more information you can look at the Policy page. If you’re uncomfortable with that, know you can look up the book on any of the sites below to avoid the link)

Within there’s rivals to romance, workplace swooning, and a beautiful representation of friendship. At its core, Love, Theoretically is a story about having the bravery to be seen for who we are and to accept only people who see us and love us for that. To know we are worth being seen. Find Love, Theoretically on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, Libro.fm, and Google Play.

Discussion

What is your favorite Ali Hazelwood book?

The post Review: Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood appeared first on Utopia State of Mind.