ARC Review: First Meet Foul by Jaqueline Snowe

May 1, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Special thanks to Jaqueline Snowe for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

First Meet Foul
Publication Date: 2 May 2022
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance

Panda Rating:

_{(4.5 pandas)}

📖 SYNOPSIS

Lorelei Romano thought junior year would be spent living with her best friend, having the best season of her life on the girls’ soccer team and enjoying time with her boyfriend. Instead, she was suddenly single and stuck living with her brother in the football house across the hall from the grumpiest football player on campus. The tight end might be easy on the eyes with his tree-trunk thighs and gorgeous thick hair, but the guy hates her on sight.

Luca Monroe doesn’t have time for feelings in his plan to get to the NFL to financially take care of his grandma. He had a rough life and can’t afford to veer off track—no matter how much his teammate’s sister tempts him. She’s a weakness he refuses to indulge, so keeping his distance is the only solution. He’d never betray his quarterback like that, and plus, every second of his day is focused on football.

But when Lorelei ends up in a fight for an internship with the guy who broke her heart, she teams up with Luca to wow her professor. The project brings the two together, and with that, their chemistry implodes. They agree to a friends-with-benefits arrangement. The rules are simple: no feelings and no one ever finds out.

Despite their own rules, feelings get involved. Lorelei refuses to be kept secret, and Luca always puts the football team first. However, when she walks away, Luca’s on defense. He either risks it all for the girl who’s become his everything or miss a chance of scoring real love.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Childhood abandonment, cheating (recounted), on-page sex, MCs almost get into a car accident

TL;DR: Just as I knew I would, I adored First Meet Foul to bits! The forbidden romance, mutual pining, sexual tension, friendships, family dynamics, THE SASSY GRANDMA, and the relatability of the characters combined to make a fun and entertaining sports romance! 😍 I’d highly recommend this if you love: the (anxious) grumpy x (confident) sunshine dynamic, a slow-burn forbidden romance (the MMC is the teammate/housemate of the FMC’s twin) between two athletes (soccer/football), all the pining, *intense* when-will-they tension, and simping. Lots of great simping, lol.

ARC Review: Royal Rebel by Heather Frost

April 20, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads11 Comments

Special thanks to Heather Frost for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Check out my reviews for the previous books in the series:

*Royal Decoy, Royal Spy, Royal Captive – Fate of Eyrinthia Books 1-3 by Heather Frost*

Royal Rebel (Fate of Eyrinthia #4)
Pub Date: 21 April 2023
Genre: Young Adult Romantasy

Panda Rating:

_{(4.5 pandas)}

📖 SYNOPSIS

A PRINCE fighting to save a princess
A SERJAH torn between duty and desire
A PRINCESS willing to sacrifice everything
A DECOY with nothing to lose
A WORLD about to be torn apart

After his father’s latest punishment, Grayson isn’t at his full strength. Trapped in Ryden and surrounded by enemies, he knows escaping with Mia will be more complicated than anticipated. Tyrell is determined to claim Mia for himself, and Henri’s plans for the rest of Eyrinthia are more horrific than Grayson ever imagined. Despite the increased danger, he and Mia must return to Mortise and warn Desfan of what’s coming—even though it may already be too late.

In Mortise, the palace is still reeling from the brutal attack that left many dead and even more wounded. Regardless of the chaos, Desfan is determined to continue with his coronation. As serjan, he hopes to bring stability to his country and solidify the peace with Devendra. But things in Eyrinthia are always complicated. When Prince Liam reveals they may be facing dangers from old enemies, Desfan will have to decide what kind of ruler he will be.

Devastating news from home has left Clare broken. Despite her heartache, she must once again be Serene’s decoy when a terrifying report sends the princess on an unexpected mission to Zennor. Left at the palace, Clare helps Desfan build trust with the elite in Mortise while guarding a treasonous secret. Because as her grief transforms into a burning desire for vengeance, she is finally ready to embrace a new role—rebel.

Eyrinthia is consumed by uncertainty. Duty. Desire. Sacrifice. Every rebellion has its cost.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Graphic: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Torture, Murder, Physical abuse, and War
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, and Drug use

**Note: as this is the fourth in a series where you must read the previous books to understand what’s going on, this review may contain mild spoilers for certain parts of the previous books, but I’ll try to keep it as vague and contained as possible!**

TL;DR: Royal Rebel was a great addition to the Fate of Erynthia series. The story continues to be action-packed, politically charged, and in this book, a new mystery full of sinister undertones is introduced and I absolutely cannot wait to know what happens next. It was a treat to reunite with the huge cast of characters and I loved how their relationships evolved—there are so many ships to ship! One thing is for sure: I’m ready for more!

ARC Review: Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee

April 12, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads15 Comments

🦅 HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY!!! 🦅

Special thanks to Tordotcom for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Untethered Sky
Publisher: Tordotcom
Publication Date: 11 April 2023
Genre: Adult Fantasy

Panda Rating:

_{(5 pandas)}

📖 SYNOPSIS

From World Fantasy Award-winning author Fonda Lee comes Untethered Sky , an epic fantasy fable about the pursuit of obsession at all costs.

A Most Anticipated in 2023 Pick for Polygon | Book Riot | Paste Magazine

Ester’s family was torn apart when a manticore killed her mother and baby brother, leaving her with nothing but her father’s painful silence and a single, overwhelming need to kill the monsters that took her family.

Ester’s path leads her to the King’s Royal Mews, where the giant rocs of legend are flown to hunt manticores by their brave and dedicated ruhkers. Paired with a fledgling roc named Zahra, Ester finds purpose and acclaim by devoting herself to a calling that demands absolute sacrifice and a creature that will never return her love. The terrifying partnership between woman and roc leads Ester not only on the empire’s most dangerous manticore hunt, but on a journey of perseverance and acceptance.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Animal death, death of family, child death, violence, graphic descriptions, gore, dismemberment

TL;DR: This was a complete departure from her famous Green Bone Saga trilogy but it was no less fantastic. Lee’s ability to pull readers into a story and wholly immerse them into a new world with vivid descriptions and detailed but not overwhelming world-building is, in my humble opinion, unmatched. Don’t expect a fast-paced story as this wasn’t action-packed, but it has more of a quiet ‘slice-of-life’ quality to it that I personally enjoyed. I loved following Ester’s journey as she trains to become a rukher with her roc, Zahra, and the friendships and life lessons she experiences over the course of several years; all culminating in a heartbreaking yet hopeful ending that had me all up in my feels. Pick it up if you love Lee’s work but also pick it up if you want a small taste of how amazing her work is!

ARC Review: Romancing the Heiress by Darcy Burke

April 8, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads10 Comments

Special thanks to Zealous Quill Press for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Romancing the Heiress (Lords in Love #3)
Publisher: Zealous Quill Press
Publication Date: 04 April 2023
Genre: Historical Romance

Panda Rating:

_{(2.5 pandas)}

📖 SYNOPSIS

Thanks to his profligate father, Phineas Radford is in dire straits. His estate verges on bankruptcy, and he doesn’t have the funds to maintain his family’s botanical gardens–an intrinsic part of Marrywell’s annual May Day Matchmaking Festival. He prays no one learns of his secret desperation or there will be a panic about the future of the festival, which everyone relies on to fill their own coffers. The only way to save his estate and the town is to find an heiress to wed before time runs out.

After five years away, Leah Webster returns home as the companion to a wealthy young Society lady who is in search of a husband. Her employer quickly captures the attention of Leah’s oldest friend…and longtime secret tendre. Leah is determined to prevent the terrible mismatch between the provincial Phin and the High Society jewel until she discovers Phin’s noble reasons for the courtship. Though her own heart will surely break, Leah hatches an imprudent plan to save her town and the man she still loves.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Child abuse (recounted-emotional, verbal, physical), death of parent (recounted), murder (recounted), gambling debts, on-page sex, gaslighting

TL;DR: I’ve enjoyed quite a few of Darcy Burke’s books, most recently her Phoenix Club series. so I was looking forward to trying one of her stories from a different series. Sadly, I didn’t end up enjoying this at all. My biggest issue is that I didn’t feel the chemistry between Phin and Leah, and I found that there was too much “telling” and not nearly enough “showing”, which left the characters and romance feeling shallow. That said, I know I’m very much in the minority with my feelings if the other reviews and ratings are anything to go by, so I have no doubt that others could end up loving this more than I did!

ARC Review: Hollow by Shannon Watters

April 8, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads13 Comments

Special thanks to BOOM! Studios for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Hollow
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Publication Date: 04 October 2022
Genre: YA Paranormal Graphic Novel

Panda Rating:

_{(4 pandas)}

📖 SYNOPSIS

From Shannon Watters, the co-creator of the bestselling worldwide phenomenon Lumberjanes, and co-writer debut author Branden Boyer-White, rising star artist Berenice Nelle (Wanderlicht), and colorist Kaitlyn Musto (Specter Inspectors), comes a supernatural queer romance and adventure set in the infamous town of Sleepy Hollow, available in September 2022.

Isabel “Izzy” Crane and her family have just relocated to Sleepy Hollow, the town made famous by—and obsessed with—Washington Irving’s legend of the Headless Horseman. But city slicker-skeptic Izzy has no time for superstition as she navigates life at a new address, a new school, and, with any luck, with new friends. Ghost stories aren’t real, after all….

Then Izzy is pulled into the orbit of the town’s teen royalty, Vicky Van Tassel (yes, that Van Tassel) and loveable varsity-level prankster Croc Byun. Vicky’s weariness with her family connection to the legend turns to terror when the trio begins to be haunted by the Horseman himself, uncovering a curse set on destroying the Van Tassel line. Now, they have only until Halloween night to break it—meaning it’s a totally inconvenient time for Izzy to develop a massive crush on the enigmatic Vicky.

Can Izzy’s practical nature help her face the unknown—or only trip her up? As the calendar runs down to the 31st, Izzy will have to use all of her wits and work with her new friends to save Vicky and uncover the mystery of the legendary Horseman of Sleepy Hollow—before it’s too late.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Attempted murder, violence

TL;DR: I knew I was going to enjoy this graphic novel the minute I started reading it! You’d think a story about the legend of sleepy hollow would not be my jam (as a notorious scaredy) and normally, you’d be right, but this had a cosy mystery + modern take to it that made it more fun than scary. It would be the perfect addition to your spooky season reading lists!

ARC Review: Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

April 3, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads6 Comments

Special thanks to Page Street Kids for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Last Sunrise in Eterna
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: 28 March 2023
Genre: YA Fantasy
Rep: Puerto Rican

Panda Rating:

_{(2.75 pandas)}

📖 SYNOPSIS

Three teenagers are invited to spend seven days on the secluded island floating off the coast of Puerto Rico to learn the magic of the elves.

All they have to do is give up their dreams.

Seventeen-year-old goth Sevim Burgos hates elves. Everyone else on earth loves the elves (especially their handsome princes) and would give anything to participate in Eterna’s annual Exchange, where three teens can trade their dreams for a week of elven magic.

But Sevim knows things most people don’t. She can see through the illusions the elves use to conceal their crimes. Ever since elves killed her father, Sevim has longed for revenge. So to help support her single mother, she has been selling abandoned elf corpses on the black market.

But it turns out that the elf prince Aro has noticed Sevim bodysnatching, so he kidnaps her mother in retaliation. To get her mother back, Sevim must participate in the Exchange.

In the home of the elves, Sevim will have to surrender her dreams and put her trust in the charming prince who took the last family member she has in order to master the art of elf magic. And in working with him, she will discover how the royal elves might be more tied to her own history than she ever suspected.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Trauma, handling corpses, death of parent (recounted), murder, mutilated corpses (elven children), dead bodies (elven children), cannibalism (brief mention)

TL;DR: I’m quite conflicted with my feelings about this book. It’s not terrible and I did enjoy the author’s writing but I found myself wanting more throughout the whole read. Ultimately, I realised that this probably wouldn’t make it on my list of recommendations for readers that want a YA fantasy, no matter how wonderfully diverse it is! I was really hoping to enjoy this more than I did but it just wasn’t the right fit for me as I found the plot and characters to be too surface-level to really engage with.

Blog Tour Spotlight: Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amparo Ortiz

March 27, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads3 Comments

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m shining a spotlight on Last Sunrise in Eterna by Amapro Ortiz. This is the first day of the tour and there are plenty of awesome posts to come so don’t forget to check out the other blogger posts too!

Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!

Last Sunrise in Eterna
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: 28 March 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Rep: Puerto Rican

📖 SYNOPSIS

Three teenagers are invited to spend seven days on the secluded island floating off the coast of Puerto Rico to learn the magic of the elves.

All they have to do is give up their dreams.

Seventeen-year-old goth Sevim Burgos hates elves. Everyone else on earth loves the elves (especially their handsome princes) and would give anything to participate in Eterna’s annual Exchange, where three teens can trade their dreams for a week of elven magic.

But Sevim knows things most people don’t. She can see through the illusions the elves use to conceal their crimes. Ever since elves killed her father, Sevim has longed for revenge. So to help support her single mother, she has been selling abandoned elf corpses on the black market.

But it turns out that the elf prince Aro has noticed Sevim bodysnatching, so he kidnaps her mother in retaliation. To get her mother back, Sevim must participate in the Exchange.

In the home of the elves, Sevim will have to surrender her dreams and put her trust in the charming prince who took the last family member she has in order to master the art of elf magic. And in working with him, she will discover how the royal elves might be more tied to her own history than she ever suspected.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Trauma, handling corpses, death of parent (recounted), murder, mutilated corpses (elven children), dead bodies (elven children), cannibalism (brief mention)

📚 BUY A COPY

Amparo Ortiz is the author of BLAZEWRATH GAMES and
DRAGONBLOOD RING. She was born in San Juan, Puerto
Rico, and currently lives on the island’s northeastern coast.
She’s published short story comics in MARVEL’S VOICES:
COMUNIDADES #1 and in the Eisner-award winning
PUERTO RICO STRONG. She’s also co-editor of the
upcoming OUR SHADOWS HAVE CLAWS, a young adult
horror anthology featuring myths and monsters from Latin
America. When she’s not writing, she teaches ESL as a
college professor and watches a lot of K-pop videos.

Author’s Socials
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Is Last Sunrise in Eterna on your TBR or does it sound like a book you want to read?

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini

Blog Tour Review: Meesh the Bad Demon by Michelle Lam

March 23, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

Hello, friends! I’m back with a blog tour review for Meesh the Bad Demon by Michelle Lam. Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it!

Thanks to Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!

Meesh the Bad Demon
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 21 March 2023
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy Graphic Novel

Panda Rating:

_{(4.5 pandas)}

📖 SYNOPSIS

A tale of unlikely heroes and myths is made real in this debut graphic novel series about a “bad” demon trying to find her place in the underworld. But she’ll have to save it first!

Meesh is a bad demon. “Bad” meaning she always sees the good in those around her–which, strictly speaking, isn’t how a demon is meant to feel or act.

Bullied by the other demons, twelve-year-old Meesh is more likely to be found poring over Fairy World’s magazines and fangirling the fairy princesses. When disaster strikes and her family is threatened, Meesh must journey to the Fairy World to find a healing crystal that can save the underworld. And speak of the devil! She meets a fairy princess right away.

But things in the Fairy World aren’t so perfect either. As Meesh makes surprising new friends and unites a band of outcasts–including her bully–she learns there’s more to being a demon than being bad.

Sometimes the secret to real power is in loving yourself, faults and all.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Bullying, bigotry

📚 BUY A COPY!

TL;DR: The minute I finished Meesh the Bad Demon I immediately wanted more! I loved this illustration style so much. All of these characters were ridiculously adorable and it made the story even more fun to read. Meesh was an adorable demon who simply wanted to be good and I loved following her as she journeys beyond her world to save her home, makes unexpected friends along the way, and learns to love who she is. This is a story about being yourself, not judging others based on differences, and most importantly, it’s a story of friendship. It’s a funny, heartwarming and hopeful read!

ARC Review: Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee

March 20, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads29 Comments

Special thanks to the author and Underlined for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Fake Dates and Mooncakes
Publisher: Underlined
Publication Date: 16 May 2023
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

_{(2 pandas)}

📖 SYNOPSIS

Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this heartfelt, joyful paperback original rom-com that follows an aspiring chef who discovers the recipe for love is more complicated than it seems when he starts fake-dating a handsome new customer.

Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn.

Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons.

In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend… but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems.

Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Classism, death of parent (recounted), cancer, alcoholism

TL;DR: Fake Dates and Mooncakes was high up on my list of anticipated YA contemporary romances this year and I was beyond thrilled to get a digital ARC! Sadly though, for various reasons, this book really didn’t work out for me. I loved the cultural and food aspects of the story and Dylan’s family was great as well. That said, the romance was instantaneous and I didn’t really feel their romantic connection. The writing also read on the younger end of YA, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I’m not sure that’s what the author intended and it also clashed with the more sexually suggestive overtones between Dylan and Theo. I wanted to see more of the mooncake competition but that played a woefully small part in the story. Overall, I’m sad that this didn’t end up being what I expected because I was genuinely looking forward to loving it!

Blog Tour Review: The Next New Syrian Girl by Ream Shukairy

March 16, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads13 Comments

Hello, friends! I’m back with a blog tour review for The Next New Syrian Girl by Ream Shukairy. Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it!

Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!

The Next New Syrian Girl
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 14 March 2023
Genre: Young Adult Mystery
Rep: Syrian, Muslim

Panda Rating:

_{(4 pandas)}

📖 SYNOPSIS

Khadija Shaami is a Syrian American boxer fed up with the expectations of being the perfect Syrian daughter. Saddled with a monstrous ego and a mother to test it, she will stop at nothing to leave Detroit and travel the world with her best friend.

Leene Taher is a Syrian refugee enraptured by the lavish lifestyle of the Syrian girls in Detroit. America is her fresh start, if only her haunting past will let her move on.

When their worlds collide, the result is catastrophic: To Khadija, Leene embodies the tame, dutiful Syrian ideal she’s long rebelled against. And to Leene, Khadija is the strong-willed, closed-off American who makes Leene doubt her place in the world.

But as Khadija digs up Leene’s past, a startling discovery brings the two of them closer together. As the girls secretly race to unravel the truth, their blossoming friendship challenges what each knows about the other and herself. And what they find takes them all the way across the world, back to the place of Khadija’s memories and Leene’s nightmares.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Islamophobia, the Syrian Revolution, depression, suicide (off-page), reality of socioeconomic gaps, generational trauma, PTSD, Syrian refugee.

📚 BUY A COPY!

Note: The quotes below are taken from an advanced copy and are subject to change in the final version.

TL;DR: This was a complex and emotional coming-of-age story about family, identity, and belonging. It shines a pointed light on the impact of the Syrian War on the Syrians in Syria, Syrian refugees, and Syrian Americans. This story is rich in culture and is packed with love for Syria as highlighted by the experiences of Khadija and Leene, two Syrian teenagers whose families may come from the same country but have entirely different life experiences. I loved how they learn from each other and grow together and the strength of the friendship that they form was really heartwarming! This took me on a complex journey of emotions and overall, I thought it was a great debut novel!