Tag Archives: Book Reviews

Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2017

News and Fun, , ,

October 2017 ReviewsThe weather is finally beginning to be almost bearable here in Central Florida as we transition into fall. Well, as much fall as Florida ever really gets. Haha! This month, I was able to fit in a few books which have been on my To Be Read list for a super long time. I hope to add a few more of those over the next few weeks!

If you haven’t done so already, hop over to my review of Mistress of All Evil and enter the giveaway before it closes tonight at midnight! Thanks again to Disney Hyperion for an awesome prize pack!

Here’s what you may have missed in terms of reviews here at The Story Sanctuary. Leave a comment below and let me know if you’ve read any of these books and if not, which you’re adding to your own To Be Read list.

October 2017 Reviews

Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

A totally suspenseful read with the biggest liar of all as narrator.

Love and First Sight by Josh Sundquist

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Gabrielle praised this book because it “tackled some issues that are especially relevant to YA readers, and carried them off beautifully.” She recommends it to fans of Kasie West and Amy Clipston.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

One of the best books I’ve read this year, and one of the best ever in its exploration of faith versus doubt. Fantastic– total must-read, especially for Christian readers.

Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Such a fun read! Loved the crazy antics of the characters and the heartwarming story.

Mistress of All Evil by Serena Valentino

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Want to know more about one of Disney’s classic villains and how she came to curse a princess? Then you don’t want to miss this book. (Or the giveaway ending tonight at midnight!)

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Gabrielle calls this “the perfect creepy fall read for fans of Heather Dixon and Anne Elisabeth Stengl.”

The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

An amazing story based on an impossible-sounding historical place. Fantastic characters, emotive narrative. Not to be missed.

Reign of Outlaws by Kekla Magoon

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

A fresh, fun gender-flipped Robin Hood reboot.

City of Thirst (Map to Everywhere #2) by Carrie Ryan and John Parker Davis

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

The wild, whimsical sequel to The Map to Everywhere, which was one of my favorite books the year it came out.

In a Perfect World by Trish Doller

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

A sweet romance in an exotic setting. One of my favorite books this year.

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What’s on your reading list this fall?

So what about you? What’s on your reading list this fall? Have you read anything amazing lately that I need to add to my list? What books from my review list sound best to you?

Upcoming Reviews: April 2016

Lists, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, ,

I live! Admit it. You were wondering.

Sorry. Between Spring Break (which was lots more SPRING than BREAK, to tell the truth) and Easter and illness in our house, I’ve let blogging fall to the wayside for the last couple of weeks. I’m hoping that this weekend I’ll be able to get caught up on the things I’ve missed and get into reading some of these awesome books– because FOUR of them come out in less than a week!

Not listed here, but on my agenda to review is Life Animated by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Suskind (which I HIGHLY recommend.) As a reminder, I do not accept requests to review non-fiction, but occasionally, I do read and review some non-fiction here.

Now, to business! Here are some of the books you can expect to find here at The Story Sanctuary in April 2016:

Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan

A city divided into Light and Dark. A girl from the Light side, whose boyfriend has a Dark secret. Can’t wait to read this one. I’m new to Sarah Rees Brennan’s work, so I’m eager to check out this book and hopefully add her others to my ever-growing To-Read list.

The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

Suspense. Mystery. World War II Europe. I’m so in. A girl who runs black market items to paying customers receives a request to locate something beyond coffee or meat: a missing Jewish girl.

The Land’s Whisper by Monica Lee Kennedy

Monica Lee Kennedy approached me about reviewing her novel The Land’s Whisper a couple of months ago. In this story, the land is alive, though only a few can communicate with it, a power which proves consuming and dangerous. Such a fascinating premise.

Remember to Forget by Ashley Royer

This book seems to be getting a lot of buzz lately. Ashley Royer gained a lot of notice on Wattpad for this story. I’m always interested in books that deal with grief and emotional trauma (which sounds really dark… I promise I’m a pretty happy person) so I’m eager to get into this one.

Siren’s Song (Storm Siren #3) by Mary Weber

I’ve read the first two books in this series, and at last at last, I’m ready to sit down with the third. CAN’T WAIT to see if Nym is able to wield control over her abilities, defeat her enemies and be with the one she loves. Eee!

King’s Folly by Jill Williamson

As a long-time Jill Williamson fan, I’m super excited about this book. If you read the Blood of Kings books, you’ll recognize this story as taking place in the same story world, but much, much earlier. So it’s like getting to hear all the backstory of a series I really enjoyed already.