Danita Reads

Thieves’ Gambit

By Kayvion Lewis

Coming Soon on September 26, 2023

(5 / 5)

After providing a First Impression review through BookishFirst, I was chosen to receive a free advance copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own and this review is voluntary.

This was a really fun book to read, with tons of action and twists along the way that I did not expect at all. The book had me hooked right from the beginning, where Ross, the main character, is in the middle of a heist with her mom. I never expected to like a character who is a thief, but I actually enjoyed Ross and several other characters in this book.

The book is told from the point of view of Ross Quest, who is really going out on her own for the first time, since her family has kept her pretty isolated beyond the heist jobs that they do. When Ross’s mom is kidnapped, Ross joins a competition called the Thieves’ Gambit, where teens compete for the chance to make a wish. Some of the competitors were likable right away, while others were more of a “love to hate”. It was interesting to see Ross’s relationships develop with the various characters.

Through the course of the competition, the contestants participated in multiple heists, so the action and thrills were endless in this book. The book was fast-paced and kept me engaged throughout. There’s some light romance along the way, but it’s really not the focus of the story. There were a few twists that I didn’t see coming at all, so it was fun to get some surprises along the way. It definitely didn’t end how I was expecting.

Overall, this was a well-written book, and I’m glad I had a chance to read it. I would love to see more from this author!

Sneak Peek: I Loved You in Another Life

By David Arnold

Coming soon on October 10, 2023

First Impression: (3 / 5)

Another sneak peek, this time of I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold. I was able to read the first several chapters. Unfortunately it turned out not being my cup of tea.

The writing in this book has a poetic feel to it, though the indirectness makes it feel a bit confusing. Evan’s chapters are in first person while Shosh’s are in third person which was a bit too jarring for my taste. Then there was a chapter about a couple in the past that appears to parallel the main story, but after several chapters the main characters haven’t even met yet. Overall it just had a depressing feel to it. I could see this book being one that some people might love, but it’s just not for me.

July 13, 2023 by danimae1981 eBook Fiction First Impression Young Adult 0

Sneak Peek: A Multitude of Dreams

By Mara Rutherford

Coming soon on August 29, 2023

First Impression: (4 / 5)

I had the chance to read the first three chapters of A Multitude of Dreams, which releases next month. This young adult fantasy has a post-apocalyptic feel since it takes place a few years after a deadly disease broke out.

So far I have found the two main characters likable. I especially like that, even though written in 3rd person, there is a different feel in the writing between the chapters for each character. I’ll admit to feeling a little overwhelmed at all the characters we meet in just the first two chapters, but I think I’ll be able to keep it all straight. I really like the premise behind this book and think I would enjoy reading it.

July 12, 2023 by danimae1981 eBook Fantasy Fiction First Impression Young Adult 0

Give Me a Sign

By Anna Sortino

Released today!

(5 / 5)

I was initially drawn to this book because the main character, Lilah, struggles with being deaf but still having some hearing, which makes her feel like she doesn’t fully belong in either world. It felt similar to my own teen, who is legally blind but still has sight, which is often misunderstood.

This book primarily takes place at a summer camp for deaf and blind children, where Lilah is a Junior Counselor. It was great to see so much representation of both blind and deaf people who were independent and in an environment where they could thrive. It also gave a lot of perspective about misconceptions of these people and the struggles they face in a world that is not accommodating, especially in scenes that take place outside the camp environment.

In the beginning of the book, Lilah wonders if she is “deaf enough” – she wears hearing aids and can lip read, but there’s still a lot she misses out on in conversations. She returns to the summer camp she attended when she was younger, and is able to become immersed in deaf culture, though it’s a struggle when she doesn’t know much ASL, which is how some of the other counselors communicate. With the patience of another counselor, Isaac, who is willing to help her learn, she is able to become more confident and comfortable with who she is.

There’s a romance element throughout this book, which I enjoyed a lot and I think adds to the charm of the story. I really liked the characters and the growth they achieve over the course of the story, even many of the more minor characters.

This book was written well and flowed beautifully. I was drawn in immediately and had a hard time putting it down. I basically read the whole book over the course of a day, I was that immersed in the story.

Overall, I thought this was a great read with a lot of great lessons that anyone, disability or not, can really benefit from what it has to offer. I will never know what it’s like to be like these characters, but I think it gives me a better appreciation for their experiences and ways we can make the world more inclusive.

I received a free advance copy of this book through NetGalley, but my review is voluntary and my own personal opinions.

July 11, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

Sneak Peek: Bittersweet in the Hollow

By Kate Pearsall

Coming soon on October 10, 2023

First Impression: (4 / 5)

I was able to read the first few chapters of the upcoming book, Bittersweet in the Hollow. I was sad to come to the end of the first look, because I would love to continue reading this book. It has a small-town fantasy feel, but it takes place in present-time so it feels very much like it could be taking place in the real modern world. There’s a distinct feel of mystery and unease that made me want to keep reading, with legends of a Moth Man and a child who mysteriously disappeared years ago.

So far I like the main character, Linden – she feels relatable, and her special ability to taste others’ feelings is portrayed well. She is experiencing amnesia about events that happened a year ago, and the flashes of memories she has already have me building my own theories as to what might have happened.

The writing of the book flows well and kept me engaged and interested in the story. I was able to breeze from page to page, not wanting to put it down until I reached as far as I could go. From what I’ve read so far, this book shows great potential, and I look forward to reading the complete story! I’ve already applied to be an advance reader through NetGalley, so fingers crossed that I get approved!

July 10, 2023 by danimae1981 eBook Fantasy Fiction First Impression Young Adult 0

The Love Proposal

By Camilla Isley

Coming soon on July 22, 2023!

(5 / 5)

The Love Proposal, formerly published as You May Kiss the Bridesmaid, is the 3rd book in Camilla Isley’s rerelease series. Though part of a series, this book can easily be read as a standalone.

This story’s main characters, Summer and Archie, are both from previous books in the series. Before reading, I was a little concerned I might not like Summer since she was more of a villain in the first book. However, I ended up liking her a lot and appreciated seeing the past events from her perspective. Of course, it was also fun to see other characters from the previous books as well.

Most of the book takes place over the course of a week that leads up to the marriage of the previous book’s couple, Winter and Logan. Summer and Archie begin what is meant to be just a week-long fling, but feelings start to develop between the two. I think both characters showed a tremendous amount of growth over the course of the story, which is something I like to see. The story had plenty of comedic moments intertwined with closed-door adult scenes. I really like how things ended in this story.

It sounds like there is at least one more book that will be released in this series, so I’m excited to see what comes next!

I received a free copy of the book, but all opinions are completely my own.

June 30, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Sneak Peek: Thieves’ Gambit

By Kayvion Lewis

Coming Soon on September 26, 2023

First Impression (5 / 5)

I had the opportunity to read a sneak peek (the first 7 chapters) of Thieves’ Gambit, and this is definitely a book I’d like to continue reading!

This book pulled me in from the first chapter, which drops us straight into a heist. I never expected to like a character that’s a thief, but Ross, the protagonist, feels relatable and I really like her so far. This book looks like it will be filled with action and thrills. From what I’ve read so far, this definitely seems like a book I’ll really enjoy.

June 24, 2023 by danimae1981 eBook Fiction First Impression Thriller Young Adult 0

Love Quest

By Camilla Isley

Coming Soon on July 8, 2023!

(4 / 5)

Love Quest is the 2nd book in a series of re-released books by Camilla Isley, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Love Quest was previously released as From Thailand with Love. I haven’t read the previous version, so I’m not sure how many changes were made between releases, but I did enjoy reading this version. I’ll admit, The Love Theorem is still my favorite between the 2 books I’ve read so far in the series, but not every book can be my favorite, right?

I’ll be honest, it took me a bit to warm up to the two main characters in this book, Winter and Logan. I think a lot of that was influenced by the characters’ opinions of each other, as this is an enemies to lovers romance. I definitely took to Winter faster than Logan.

I really enjoyed the exotic setting in the remote jungle of Thailand. Plus, the search for a lost city gave a great sense of adventure. The book ended up with a lot more action than I was expecting which kept things interesting and exciting. It all definitely made this book different from many romance books I’ve read!

I’m happy to see that this series will be continuing, as I’ve enjoyed it so far. I’ve already been approved to receive an advance copy of the next book, The Love Proposal, so I’m excited to continue the series.

I received a free advance copy of this book, but all opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Camilla Isley for the opportunity to read the book early!

June 22, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

The Love Theorem

By Camilla Isley

Coming Soon on June 13, 2023

(5 / 5)

This book was previously published as To the Stars and Back as part of the First Comes Love series. I never read that version, so I don’t know if many changes were made, but I do know I really enjoyed reading The Love Theorem. I’m excited that the series will continue to follow some of the supporting characters we met in this book.

I was pulled into this story from the first chapter, and it kept my interest throughout. I found both main characters felt relatable, even if they were different from me personally. I especially enjoyed the depiction of Lana, an intelligent woman engineering student. The chapters alternated between the points of view of the two main characters (Christian and Lana), and I thought the author did a good job at giving the characters different voices. While this wasn’t one of the most complicated or unpredictable books, it was a great relaxing read that was exactly what I was looking for when I read it. I’m excited that I’ve already been approved to read an advance copy of the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Camilla Isley for the free advance copy of The Love Theorem. My review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

June 10, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

An Egypt Affair

By Will Patching

(3.5 / 5)

I’ve previously read The Hack trilogy by Will Patching and enjoyed it, so I was excited to read his newest book. An Egypt Affair definitely has a different feel to it, but I think that’s at least somewhat expected since it’s a book adaptation of a screenplay. The book is written in the third person and alternates views between several of the main characters. I could quickly pick up that some of the characters’ opinions of each other were not so great. I think that’s why I ended up not feeling strongly attached to most of the characters, which in turn made me not feel as engrossed in the book as I could’ve been. The story definitely had an intricate plot, though I could sense the direction most things were going long before they were officially revealed. All that said, it was still a good read with an interesting setting and complicated relationships. I’m interested in watching the movie to see how it compares and contrasts to the book adaptation.

I received a free review copy of this book directly from the author. My review is voluntary and completely my own.

June 1, 2023 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Thriller 0