Author and Book Recs

What kinds of books will you find here?
First and foremost-clean reads. For me, that means no sex scenes, little-to-no profanity, and no graphic violence. (I don't shy away from violence, but I don't want it to be glorified and I don't like when it gets too gruesome.)
Fantasy and historical fiction are my favorites, but I do enjoy a variety of genres, so you'll find a diverse selection of books here.
I'm not a professional reviewer. My reviews will not always be cleverly written, and I may ramble at times. But they will be honest and hopefully introduce some readers to some new books.
So let's find your next read!

Book Reviews

The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella

Okay, I have a confession. I've never been a big Alice in Wonderland fan. (Although I adored the 1985 2-part TV movie as a child. And still do.)
So, when I found out Sara Ella's newest book would be an Alice in Wonderland retelling, I wasn't TOO interested at first. But, that feels so long ago, back before I even really knew much about Sara, the author. Since then, I've watched her elective classes from the 2020 Realm Makers conferences, followed her on Instagram, watch her monthly webinars From Head to Tome (co-hosted with fellow author, Nadine Brandes), and met her in person at the 2021 Realm Makers conference. I found her to be a delightful person and thus my interest in the story grew for her sake, more than the story's. But it didn't hurt that the story is a young adult dystopian, which I will never outgrow.
And then I get my hands on an advanced reader's copy and devoured the book in a few days' times. (The only reason it took that long is because life and sleep and adulting and unimportant things like that.) The Wonderland Trials was such a delightful surprise that I find myself still thinking about, weeks later. It quickly became one of my favorite reads of the year.
So, what made it so great?
First of all, the characters. Alice Liddell was so relatable--flawed, yet likable. Her struggle to trust comes into play several times throughout the story, but it was all very believable so I never got annoyed with her ups and downs. And I love that she wore glasses. You'd be surprised how few main characters actually do.
And then there was Chess Shire. (Can I just say that I love his name?) To be honest, at first I found him obnoxious and over-confident. But I quickly warmed up to him and found him to be adorable in his quirkiness.
But oh my goodness, the twists and turns!! This story was full of them! Just when I thought I knew where it was going, another plot twist left me guessing what would happen next. Therefore I was forced to keep reading. (Even after midnight.)
And I know I said I wasn't a big Alice in Wonderland fan, but I ended up having so much fun finding all the similarities between The Wonderland Trials and the original story. Sara was so creative in how she tied the two together, honoring the original, yet creating her own, very unique version.

Solve the clues. Face your fears. Survive the Trials.
All Alice Liddell wants is to escape her Normal life in Oxford and find the parents who abandoned her ten years ago. But she gets more than she bargained for when her older sister Charlotte is arrested for having the infamous Wonder Gene—the key to unlocking the curious Wonderland Reality.
Soon, Alice receives a rather cryptic invitation to play for Team Heart in this year’s annual—and often deadly—Wonderland Trials. Now she has less than twenty-four hours to find her way into Wonderland where nothing is impossible . . . or what it seems.
The stakes are raised when she discovers players go missing during the Trials each year. Will she and her team solve the clues and find the missing players? Or will betrayal and distrust win, leaving Alice alone in a world of her own? Follow the White Rabbit into this topsy-turvy fantasy where players become prey, a sip of the wrong tea might as well be poison, and a queen’s ways do not always lead one where they ought to go.

Preorder here! saraella.com/book/the-wonderland-trials

One thing I look for in every book I read--Christian or not--is a deeper message that the readers can take away from the story. Something that brings a little light and hope into their lives and hearts.
The Wonderland Trials is about a girl who doesn't know how to trust people with her heart. It's about a girl who struggles with her relationship with her sister. It's about a girl who feels out of place and alone. All of these are issues that so many of us deal with in the real world. But Alice learns some hard lessons about what's really important and she grows in the process. She doesn't make every right decision, but she learns from her mistakes and keeps going. She doesn't give up, even when she's facing her biggest fears.
And in reading this awkward girl's brave journey, it just might inspire someone to do the same.
That's a pretty big takeaway for an Alice in Wonderland story.
So, in conclusion, this was definitely a 5-star read for me. And if you like stories with a lot of heart, twists and turns galore, heart-pounding adventures, a touch of romance, and a huge dose of wonder, (and just for fun, I'll throw in some strong vibes of Harry Potter and Hunger Games) then I highly recommend The Wonderland Trials!
(I received an advance copy from the publisher; all thoughts are my own.)

Traitor

I was excited to be a part of this cover reveal for Laurie Lucking's newest book. I read the first in this series, Common, and it was such a sweet Cinderella retelling! Traitor is the sequel, and I am super excited for it to be in my hands! (Release date: April 27th)

Princess Penelope has finally found a way to redeem her past mistakes—if only it didn’t require betraying her new fiancé.
Princess Penelope has been the object of gossip and ridicule ever since she returned home in disgrace following her failed engagement to the Crown Prince of Imperia. When her father offers a new start in a country far across the sea, she has no choice but to accept.
Even if it means another betrothal, this time to a total stranger.
Penelope arrives in Delunia determined to avoid bringing further shame upon her family. But her devoted, caring fiancé makes it harder to guard her heart than she anticipated, and rumors of dark magic haunt her with memories she’d rather keep buried far beneath her pristine exterior.
When a poverty-stricken village outside the palace gates looks to her as their hope for a brighter future, Penelope embraces the opportunity to make amends for her transgressions. But in order to help, she must manipulate her new fiancé, putting her reputation on the line once more. And her heart.
Can Penelope rise above the failures of her past, or will she forever be branded a traitor?

Azriel

I've been looking forward to this one! It released June 15th and I was fortunate enough to get an e-ARC from the publishers and it's SO good! (Check it out the review on my blog! Archived-June 2021) And this cover is just breathtaking!