REVIEW: The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

**I received an ARC from Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**

The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

Release Date: August 6, 2019

My Rating: 5 stars

Summary: The searing follow-up to 2018’s most celebrated fantasy debut – THE POPPY WAR.

In the aftermath of the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is on the run: haunted by the atrocity she committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the murderous commands of her vengeful god, the fiery Phoenix. Her only reason for living is to get revenge on the traitorous Empress who sold out Nikan to their enemies.

With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.

But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance.

The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect.

MINI-REVIEW: Unsung Heroine by Sarah Kuhn

**I received an ARC from Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**

Unsung Heroine by Sarah Kuhn

Release Date: July 2, 2019

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Summary: This new installment in the smart, snarky, and action-packed Heroine series follows personal superhero trainer Lucy Valdez and friends Aveda Jupiter and Bea and Evie Tanaka as they combat a new supernatural threat.

Lucy Valdez is many things: fight trainer/bodyguard to superheroines, fabulous vintage fashion plate, undisputed karaoke queen at local joint, The Gutter. She is also one of the toughest fighters in all of San Francisco without superpowers. So why can't she seem to confess her feelings to her longtime crush Rose Rorick, head of the San Francisco Police Department's Demon Unit?

Well.... actually, she knows why. She's afraid Rose won't like the real Lucy, the Lucy underneath all the fabulous bravado. (She is still fabulous underneath that bravado--just in a different way.)

When a mysterious new karaoke star rises up at The Gutter and eclipses her, Lucy finds her confidence further shaken--and when strange, seemingly supernatural happenings threaten both this new star and The Gutter's very existence, she must rise to the challenge and investigate alongside Rose. Will Lucy be able to vanquish the demonic threat to her beloved karaoke haven, confess her true feelings to Rose, and reclaim her karaoke throne?

SUMMARY: june

June was a weirdly productive month for me, reading- and blogging-wise. I really should be doing anything more productive, but sometimes you just need a break honestly. Anyways, I've (very belatedly) decided to bring back my monthly summaries so I can keep you all up-to-date with what I've been reading! Although if you actually want to keep up with all this, I would recommend friending me on goodreads.

I somehow managed to read 33 books this month? It's all because of a combination of library holds coming through, actually feeling like reading my ARCs, and having Kindle Unlimited for a month. Trust me, this reading spurt will not last.

Don't forget to check out the second half of my most anticipated 2019 releases! And check out this post for information on how to win exclusive street team swag packs for The Gilded Wolves!

DISCUSSION: we need to talk about these iconic ya movie soundtracks (part 1)

Hello, I am back to say that we need to talk about these iconic YA movie soundtracks. And yes, this is a part one because I had to split the post in half. YA adaption soundtracks just go too hard!! Anyways this started because I had Thoughts on Twitter (apparently a lot of my discussion post ideas come from some random thing I tweet . . . sorry about that), and thought, THAT, that right there is a post in and of itself.

LIST: most anticipated 2019 releases (pt. 2)

As we're approaching the middle of the year, I thought it was time to (finally) do a part two to the list of my most anticipated 2019 releases. Of course, these aren't all of the releases for the rest of the year; rather, these are just the ones I'm looking forward to! Now, only to catch up on my tbr lists before all these great releases come out . . .

REVIEW: Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

**I received an ARC from a giveaway (thank you BookishHQ and PenguinTeen!). These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Release Date: June 25, 2019

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Summary: A fresh and addictive fantasy-romance set in modern-day Seoul.

Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret--she's a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt.

But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead--her gumiho soul--in the process.

Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl--he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to humans. He's drawn to her anyway.

With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her bead, the consequences are disastrous . . . forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon's.

TOUR / REVIEW: Screen Queens by Lori Goldstein

**I received an ARC for this tour. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**

Screen Queens by Lori Goldstein

Release Date: June 11, 2019

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Summary: The Bold Type meets The Social Network when three girls vying for prestigious summer internships through a startup incubator program uncover the truth about what it means to succeed in the male-dominated world of tech.

This summer Silicon Valley is a girls' club.

Three thousand applicants. An acceptance rate of two percent. A dream internship for the winning team. ValleyStart is the most prestigious high school tech incubator competition in the country. Lucy Katz, Maddie Li, and Delia Meyer have secured their spots. And they've come to win.

Meet the Screen Queens.

Lucy Katz was born and raised in Palo Alto, so tech, well, it runs in her blood. A social butterfly and CEO in-the-making, Lucy is ready to win and party.

East Coast designer, Maddie Li left her home and small business behind for a summer at ValleyStart. Maddie thinks she's only there to bolster her graphic design portfolio, not to make friends.

Delia Meyer taught herself how to code on a hand-me-down computer in her tiny Midwestern town. Now, it's time for the big leagues--ValleyStart--but super shy Delia isn't sure if she can hack it (pun intended).

When the competition kicks off, Lucy, Maddie, and Delia realize just how challenging the next five weeks will be. As if there wasn't enough pressure already, the girls learn that they would be the only all-female team to win ever. Add in one first love, a two-faced mentor, and an ex-boyfriend turned nemesis and things get...complicated.

Filled with humor, heart, and a whole lot of girl power, Screen Queens is perfect for fans of Morgan Matson, Jenny Han, and The Bold Type.