Finale by Stephanie Garber | It's The END!!!

Title: Finale

Author: Stephanie Garber

Publication: May 7th, 2019

GENRE: YA, Fantasy, Romance

Series: Caraval (1st book), Legendary (2nd book) [Click on titles for a link to reviews!]

AMAZON | GOODREADS


  Synopsis:  A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time—only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end…

 In this finale to the Caraval series, we get points of view of both sisters Tella and Scarlett (which I relaly liked). Though I wished the rumors had been true that there'd been chapters with Legend's pov, there sadly wasn't :(

 While we're on the topics of characters...

• I loved Jacks 😍

• I was more disappointed and irritated with Legend in this book though in the previous books I'd liked him

• I was still rooting for Scarlett and Julian

• Gotta say I have mixed feelings about Paradise though...

The plot was wonderful and the world was just as inviting and clever as before!

 My only probably with this book (besides how cold Legend felt), was more of that I had a ton of questions to do with Legend's backstory, the world and such- and they were left unanswered. While things were tied up yes, I wanted to know a lot more than what we were given.
Did anyone else have that?


Especially with the ending- which I loved, don't get me wrong- but I NEED TO KNOW MORE!!!


Overall though: it was mostly satisfying, I loved the heart-fluttering moments with the romance even the love triangle between Jacks-Tella-Legend, and I liked seeing how both sisters had progressed!


[My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟[[4.5 stars!]


Have any of you read this book or the series yet??
What did you think??


Have a lovely day!! <3
~Books with Noel

One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake | When the Sequel is Better Than the Original

Title: One Dark Throne

Author: Kendare Blake

Published: September 19th, 2017

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Book 2 to Three Dark Crowns (review here)

AMAZON | GOODREADS


Synopsis: The battle for the Crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favor without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before—ones that put those around her in danger she can’t seem to prevent.

In this enthralling sequel to Kendare Blake’s New York Times bestselling Three Dark Crowns, Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must face the one thing standing in their way of the crown: each other.

     This is the sequel to Blake's Three Dark Crowns, which had been riveting and presented the author's writing style very well, but I did not care for the first book very much.
 There had been for numerous reasons for why that you can find in that review (linked above), but I had been ready to not finish the series and just dive into another.

  However, I picked up this one One Dark Throne, because a fellow bookish friend told me that if I wanted to DNF the series I needed to get further in first.
 And heck, am I glad I listened to them!

This is one of those rare cases where the sequel was infinitely better than the first book!


I was already head-over-heels for the scary-to-think-about plot and world, and I already had favorite characters from when I read the first book.
My favorite characters stayed the same, and a few characters were actually redeemed for me too!

 Katherine and Arisnoe are my absolute favorite girls! Mirabella I still can not stand, even though her character did get better in this one. Joseph was... I suppose redeemed for some, but I still hated him.
 We actually had a few character deaths that both surprised me and made me sad, and reappearances of others that had me cheering and beyond excited to see what chaos they would bring!

As a darker YA fantasy, this book's elements and characters have different depths and stakes- but it was impossible for me to put down this time!


 The plot takes place not long after the first book ends, so we see how each sister is adjusting and preparing to kill the other- as well as how our side characters are dealing with how much each queen has changed. (Changed for the better in Mirabella's case, changed but still the same for Arisnoe, and changed where I want to cry but I still love her for Katherine.)
 
  The side characters have changed themselves in terms of priorities and in some cases which sister they support, but otherwise, it's now an intense battle to the death.


There are some creepy tones that fit well for the spooky season- so if you've read the first book already definitely pick this up this fall!!


[My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟] [4 stars!]


Have any of you read this series yet?? Where did you get to in the series and what did you think??

Is this on your TBR or have you heard of it at all??


Thanks for reading!! <3
~Books with Noel

All of Me by Emily Duvall | A Book of Romantic Fiction

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts and opinions are my own!*

All of Me by Emily Duvall 
Publication date: May 29th, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
AMAZON | GOODREADS 

Synopsis: Maren Cole survived adolescence by relying on her intellect, but has never felt more different as an adult. The diagnosis she received as a person with Autism makes functioning in a fast-paced city with bright lights and big sounds a challenge. Forget about dating. Forget marriage. She would like to survive the conversation. Independence has never been more isolating or confusing and is complicated by a situation that puts her directly in the path of arrogant lawyer Caleb Allan.

Caleb isn’t interested in anyone except himself and his legal career. The one person he doesn’t need to spend time with is the awkward Maren Cole, but their interactions are unavoidable when she has the potential to push his career ahead. Forced to confront the fact that she’s unlike anyone he’s ever met, Caleb knows to fall for her will destroy his work. He may also lose his heart to a woman who may never fully love him back.

 This book overall I really enjoyed; I loved Maren's character and her developments- I loved almost everything! Guys I'm having such a hard time with this review right now!

 There was one reason I couldn't rate this book 5 stars, and that was because of Caleb and the romance (so technically two reasons).


 Don't get me wrong, I loved it and was rooting for them.
BUT Caleb just kept going back and forth, they'd have a fight that they never mentioned again and acted like didn't happen- but it was a seriously huge fight!
 It's like the author forgot about it or changed her mind. 

 In the end, I obviously wanted them together, but I couldn't help but think that Caleb deserved being without Maren and that she deserved so much better and should've kept walking away.
 It would've helped had there been some more apologizing and begging on his part, but there wasn't as much redeeming him as I'd hoped. 
Not after what he put Maren through- multiple times!

 Was it too much to ask for a little more redemption for the love interest that went so well with her? Instead, he made us hate him and want him to die. -_-
 And Maren was on my nerves every time she ran back to him and stuff, which really did not help at all. 

 So on one hand- I loved it and I wish I could overlook these things so badly, but I really can't. If it had gone about a different way it would be a favorite and I'd re-read it again! So on the other hand: I suggest this book if you're craving a romance and a new adult read, and can overlook these things. 



   My Rating: [🌟🌟🌟] [3 stars!]



Have any of you heard of this book?? What are you willing to overlook in a romantic read, and what are you not?


Thanks for reading!!
~Books with Noel

Re-reads, Reading Plans, & Retellings ~ Noel likes the letter ''R''

It's been a while loves!


 I've posted a book tour or a book review once in a while, but that's been it for a bit... for those of you wondering why I moved last weekend and have been settling in!
 Now I'm having to get used to busier mornings, and sometimes busy evenings as well- my schedule is definitely getting fuller. 😅


How have you all been doing??


I've been stopping by to check your posts when I can also please keep Grace's family in your prayers, for those who don't know she was a lovely and kind blogger who passed away recently.

I figured I'd share some things to keep you guys updated! 💛 It seems I've been liking the letter ''R'' lately...

I've been re-reading quite a bit this year, and I made plans to re-read some more books soon as well! 

- Enchanted Forest by Emory R. Frie (the next in the series is out, so I need to recap)

- Lovestruck by Kate Watson (this one isn't technically as re-read as I never finished, but it's on the list)

- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (I FINALLY read Siege and Storm this past month for a buddy read, and discovered that I just wanted to go back to book one where we had more of the Darkling *sighs*)

- Dream A Little Dream by Kiersten Gier (I actually hope to re-read this whole series, but we're starting with a small goal lol)

  I realized it's been for-bloody-ever since I shared any Reading Plans with you guys!!

So in August, I finished:

And My Reading Plans for the Fall are:

- Read as many retellings as I can (scroll down)

- Read as many sequels as I can

- Finish as many series or get as far in as I can


September ~ October ~ November TBR:

These are all reads I plan to get into for the fall!! I'll have a different TBR for winter though ;)

My List of Retellings to read by the end of 2019!!


What's I've read so far and progress for the 2019 Retelling Reading Challenge_

𝕭𝖊𝖆𝖚𝖙𝖞 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖙 A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
𝕾𝖊𝖙 𝖎𝖓 𝖆 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖎𝖌𝖓 𝕮𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖗𝖞 Bewitched In Oz by Laura J. Burns
𝖂𝖔𝖓𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉 Through The Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
𝕾𝖙𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖆𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖊 The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest by Melanie Dickerson
𝕬𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖉-𝖜𝖎𝖓𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌
𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖜𝖔𝖗𝖉 𝖙𝖎𝖙𝖑𝖊
𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖊 𝖔𝖗 𝕬𝖚𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓 Austenland by Shannon Hale
𝕹𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖛𝖊 𝕬𝖒𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖓
2019 𝕽𝖊𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖊
𝕰𝖌𝖞𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖆𝖓
𝕲𝖗𝖊𝖊𝖐
𝕯𝖊𝖇𝖚𝖙
𝕹𝖔𝖗𝖘𝖊
𝕬𝖘𝖎𝖆𝖓
𝕴𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖊 Enchanted Forest by Emory R. Frie
𝕾𝖍𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖊
𝕽𝖚𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖆𝖓
𝖂𝖊𝖆𝖕𝖓 𝖔𝖓 𝖈𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗
𝕻𝖊𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕻𝖆𝖓 Wendy Darling Vol. 1 Stars by Colleen Oakes
500+ 𝖕𝖆𝖌𝖊𝖘
𝖘𝖊𝖙 𝖎𝖓 𝖘𝖕𝖆𝖈𝖊
𝖒𝖎𝖉𝖉𝖑𝖊 𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖓 The Wrath and The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
10+ 𝖞𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖘 𝖔𝖑𝖉 Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕲𝖗𝖎𝖒𝖒 The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

Other Retellings Read So Far:

Heir by Addison Carmichael

Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler

Never Ever by Sara Saedi

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson

The Princess Spy by Melanie Dickerson

The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Total Progress: _16/22

 So this was my kind-of wrap up to let you guys know what I recently read and I'm doing next!

 And I have several book reviews I need to get out for you guys lol 😅😬




How has your August been? Are you excited for the fall months to finally be here??


Have a lovely day and thanks for reading loves!!
~Books with Noel