The Caffeinated Book Nerd

Afternoon, book nerds! Well, May was a decent reading month for me. I didn’t read everything on my TBR, but I managed to squeeze 4 reads in and keep myself 4 books ahead on my reading goal.

• I read an e-ARC of Aurora Burning (courtesy of Penguin Random House Children’s Books) and absolutely adored it! I loved reentering this world and hanging out with my favorite squad! No question, this was 5 stars for me! Full review to come.
• I also listened to Queen of Shadows on audiobook this month as part of my Throne of Glass series reread. I loved it just as much as the first time I read it! I’m excited to continue on with Empire of Storms soon! Five stars both rounds!
• Then I read a physical copy of Josh + Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, which o absolutely adored! It was hilarious and just solidified my love of their writing and makes me want to read all of their works ASAP! I gave this lighthearted romance 4.5 stars!
• Finally, I read a physical copy of Stars Above, which is a collection of short stories in The Lunar Chronicles universe. I’ve read the quartet, but I had never read the novellas and they were a pleasant read! I really enjoyed them. Some stories I enjoyed more than others, but overall I gave this collection 3.5 stars!

Tell me what you all read this month! Did you enjoy all your reads? Did you DNF anything? Were there any disappointments in your wrap up? Let me know down in the comments!

This was such a cute and diverse story! I really loved the slow-burn romance and I loved the snippets of Korean-American culture that we got with Nate’s family. I’ve never done an escape room before, but they sound like so much fun! Add zombies to the mix and I’m there! I also love that we got to see each of the MC’s relationships with their parent(s) and that added another element to the story. Overall, super fun and cute and I wouldn’t say no to a continuation of these characters’ story!

What are some of your favorite books with Korean or Korean-American culture threaded throughout? I’d love to read more!

This is your classic enemies to lovers romance…with a few bumps, twists and turns to get there. Ok, maybe more than a few, but you have to make it interesting, right? So, you all know I love a good enemies-to-lovers story and this one was no exception, but honestly, I loved some of the side characters more than I did the main characters at times. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the MC’s story, but I loved the parts of the story when she was with her friends or it talked about their relationships. There was so much drama going down during each year’s school trip and I was totally trash for it haha! I would never act like these kids, but I love to watch it all go down! If you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced story with characters you love to hate and just some good ol’ drama, definitely check this one out! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I was provided an ARC of this book from Bloomsbury Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy!

3.5 Stars — Havenfall by Sara Holland was a fun escape from reality. It was different than what I was expecting and mostly took place in this “between” world that was a portal to many different fantastical worlds as well as the real world. It almost reads like a modern fairytale! Although the beginning was a bit slow for me, as we were learning all about the different realms and magic, the last third of the book really picked up and piqued my interest! I do wish we had a little more character development because I didn’t feel that I connected with any one of the characters very well, but not because they just didn’t mesh well with me. It was more because I didn’t feel I got enough of a feel for who they really were. I am definitely interested in seeing what happens next in this story and hope that we see some growth from our main characters! This is unlike anything I’ve read before and I can’t wait to see what happens in book 2!

Have you read this one yet? Is it on your TBR? What did you think? Are you going to read book 2? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!

Thank you so much to Putnam Books for a free copy of this book for review.

Such a Fun Age is a glimpse into the lives of two women whose paths cross, twist, intertwine and eventually snap into a million pieces. The voice of Emira is raw, relatable and full of emotion. The relationship between the two women starts off somewhat innocently enough, but then it twists into something savage and off-putting. The turns this book takes had me crying out “WTF?”. This was a real page turner that housed relevant and real topics that I think a lot of society turns a blind eye towards and just sweeps it under the rug. Highly recommend that you add this one to the top of your 2020 TBR pile!

Have you read this one yet? What did you think? I’m curious of your thoughts on this one!

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me an e-arc or this title for an honest review!

All the stars sounds about right! I was so in love with this story of princesses, pirates and mermaids! I was really wanting a story that gave me all the seafaring, magical adventures my heart desired and I was not let down! The magic system was beautifully layered and the characters are what really drew me into this story. Bastian!!! Can I say, all the stars and hearts? 😂 The twists at the end had me reeling! I simply cannot wait to read the next installment!

If you get the chance to pre-order this one, I highly recommend it! There is also a really cool preorder pin incentive for this title! This book will release February 4th!

I was provided an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

All the stars!! If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would. This book was absolutely amazing! I love the whole idea of a society that has already broken and rebelled essentially and the rebellion is now trying to rebuild. And the hidden identities! I like reading about people that infiltrate communities under a guise, when they are not actually the “enemy”. I really enjoyed reading this from the two POVs we were given as well. It really gave us, the readers, a great view of the world from two different mindsets. And dragons!! How can I not mention the dragons! I loved all the dragon-riding scenes and I really hope we get more of that in book 2n There is so much action and political intrigue in this story and it really kept the pace going! I am eagerly anticipating the next installment in this series. I have now found a new favorite author for sure!

Have you read this one yet? What were your thoughts? Leave me a comment below!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

5 ⭐️: OMG…This book blew me away! About 20-30 pages in, I was feeling pretty “meh” about it. I thought this one was going to be a dry, detailed political high fantasy and that it was going to pull me into a reading slump. I was SO wrong about that! About 50 pages in, I was really getting invested in the characters and in the whole prophecy/chosen one ordeal. The “Chosen One” trope is one of my favorite to read about! This book had so many twists and turns that I never knew what was going to happen! I kept trying to guess what would happen next, why someone was doing something or who could they possibly be talking about and I was nearly always wrong. I quickly became invested in each of the character’s arcs and I didn’t want harm to come to any of my babies! The romances were done so subtly and so well in this book in my opinion. Katy Rose Pool has now become a new favorite author and I can’t wait to read the next book!

Have you read this one yet? Let me know your thoughts below!

I received an e-ARC of this book for free from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

People have always had a fascination with royal families. What if America had a royal family instead of a President? This book had all the glitz and glam I was hoping for! It was part Gossip Girl, part Crazy Rich Asians and I loved every second of it!

I was immediately intrigued by Daphne’s character and the crazy ambitious nature of her personality. She has no concerns for anyone or anything, but her own social status. This girl is cray-cray!

I also really enjoyed all the blossoming and crumbling romances. There were so many feelings being thrown around and the bombshell that is dropped on us midway through the story was the icing on the cake. I admit getting a bit teary eyed at the end there.

I really can’t wait to read the next book and see how these socially elite characters take on the new challenges that they are facing. Also, I really want to see what happens with the romances I’m rooting for! I am so here for all the royal mischief and can’t wait to be immersed in this alternate history again!

American Royals is out now! Go pick up a copy! You won’t regret it! If you’ve read this one, let me know your thoughts in a comment below! I’m curious what everyone else thought of this one!