Disclaimer: Whilst these books were provided by publishers as NetGalley E-ARCs, all opinions remain solely my own.
Fantasy
Now I Rise ★★★★
Conqueror’s Saga #2
Kiersten White
I really enjoyed this sequel. Without giving anything away, I found it to be more political, with a pinch of deception and stabby-ness (is that a word? If not, it should be).
Lada really comes into her own, becoming even more independent and kick ass. She definitely becomes wiser and more mature as she explores the world.
Radu is the bigger focus of this book, or he felt like it, anyways. He becomes smarter with his emotions and decisions, and I cannot wait to see him develop more in book 3.
A fast paced, action filled sequel which I loved.
Unraveling ★★★★
Unblemished #2
Sara Ella
Unraveling started slowly but the pace quickly improved and kept me moving through the story. The plot is full of adventure, twists and turns, and I really loved where the story went,
It still has that fairytale feel but I definitely felt that this sequel was more action packed than book 1. We see El develop and grow into her new role, but we also see her doubts and struggles.
I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives of this book as it really opened my eyes to the events surrounding other characters.
The world is expanded in this book and I can’t wait to see where they go in book 3.
Daughter of the Burning City ★★★★
Amanda Foody
Whilst this novel started slow, the evocative language and intriguing characters soon sucked me into a whirlwind of flipping pages.
Throughout the entirety of the book I was drooling over liquorice cherries and kettle corn, and picturing every aspect of the burning city in detail.
Every plot twist had me absolutely shocked and I definitely didn’t see the end coming.
This is like Caraval, but infinitely more unique and captivating. 4.5/5 stars.
Sovereign ★★★
Nemesis #2
April Daniels
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first in the series, Dreadnought. However it was still a satisfying sequel and I’m excited to continue with this series.
The pacing was a little slow and inconsistent, and made the reading experience a little bit more tedious. In saying that, I loved seeing Danny’s character development and that alone made me want to keep reading.
The way that the plot is set out is layered and there were definitely a few twists that I didn’t see coming.
All in all this sequel was good but I hope that book 3 improves upon the story even more.
Dystopian
True North ★★
True Born #2
L.E Sterling
After reading and loving the first book in this series, the sequel was a bit of a let down.
It had a strong beginning which recapped book 1 and helped you get settled back into the world. After that however, I felt that everything went downhill. The pacing was incredibly slow, and there was no real character development that I could tell. The plot of the novel hinged on one small event, which we didn’t see until the very end, and the other ‘events’ in the plot made it feel as if virtually nothing happened. Even the romance, which I hoped would develop more, didn’t.
Overall I wasn’t impressed by this sequel, and it just wasn’t for me. 2/5 stars.
Contemporary
180 Seconds ★★★★★
Jessica Park
This book shattered my heart and made it whole again.
I was delighted by the romance in this novel, entranced by Allison’s story and her personal development, and ripped to shreds by the ending.
I went into this novel blind, for some reason expecting it to be a cute fluffy romance. And I’m not denying that it had cute and fluffy moments, but 180 Seconds was so much more than that. The characters were fleshed out, real and relatable, and Allison’s introversion was deftly explored, explained, and eventually overcome.
The main couple in this book is so perfect and amazing, and I’d love to see more of them.
It’s the perfect exploration of family, friendship, trust and opening up.
Moonrise ★★★★
Sarah Crossan
Heart-breaking, insightful and brilliantly executed.
I went into this novel completely blind, knowing only that it was written by Sarah Crossan. Sarah Crossan is an author that I trust wholly, who never neglects to make my heart ache and my tears flow. In Moonrise, her writing is unfailingly beautiful, and her story told through a cast of unusually lovable characters.
Every aspect of this novel appealed to me, As a highly opinionated individual with eyes open to the world around me, I really appreciated Sarah’s exploration of the American justice system and its failings. I enjoyed seeing a family dynamic where all the family were present in the narrative, if not directly on the page. Joe’s family has fallen apart around him, and still he persists in trying his hardest and not giving up. I loved Joe, and I would love to see more of him in the future (as unlikely as that is).
I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves Sarah Crossan and fast, intoxicating reads.
The Names They Gave Us ★★★★
Emery Lord
The Names They Gave Us is a genuine, heartfelt novel about faith, family, friendship and grief. Beautifully written with an amazing cast of characters, I enjoyed every single page of this novel.
The writing and story was easy to slide into, and our main character is super easy to love and follow.
I gave this one 4.25 stars, with my only problem being the open ending.
Soph Reads Books 