Meet Cute {anthology}

Title: Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet
Author: anthology
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Contemporary
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: NetGalley

Whether or not you believe in fate, or luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere. MEET CUTE is an anthology of original short stories featuring tales of "how they first met" from some of today’s most popular YA authors. 


I loved this anthology. It was so cute and fun, and honestly just adorable. I'm usually not sure how to review anthologies, but I think I can honestly say there was not a story in here that I didn't like. I enjoyed all of them.

I absolutely loved the diversity and representation. All different couples were included. The stories were short, but sweet. Exactly as the title says - a meet cute. The stories ranged all sorts of different topics, and a lot of them left me yearning for more.

My top favorites, if I had to choose, would be:

• Click by Katharine McGee
• The Dictionary of You and Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout
• The Unlikely Likelihood of Falling in Love by Jocelyn Davies
• The Department of Dead Love by Nicola Yoon

If you are looking for something short and sweet, this is perfect.

Prince in Disguise {by Stephanie Kate Strohm}

Title: Prince in Disguise
Author: Stephanie Kate Strohm
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Contemporary
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: NetGalley

Life is real enough for Dylan—especially as the ordinary younger sister of Dusty, former Miss Mississippi and the most perfect, popular girl in Tupelo. But when Dusty wins the hand of the handsome Scottish laird-to-be Ronan on the TRC television network’s crown jewel, Prince in Disguise, Dylan has to face a different kind of reality: reality TV.
As the camera crew whisks them off to Scotland to film the lead-up to the wedding, camera-shy Dylan is front and center as Dusty’s maid of honor. The producers are full of surprises—including old family secrets, long-lost relatives, and a hostile future mother-in-law who thinks Dusty and Dylan’s family isn’t good enough for her only son. At least there’s Jamie, an adorably bookish groomsman who might just be the perfect antidote to all Dylan’s stress . . . if she just can keep TRC from turning her into the next reality show sensation.


You guys, I just loved this one. It was SO cute and fun, and just fluffy and I loved every minute of it.

I loved our characters. Dylan and Jamie were so adorable and fun. They were witty and nerdy and just super cute as friends, and I loved seeing it then turn into something more. Their banter had me goofy-grinning on more than one occasion. But they were always down-to-earth and a lot of fun. Also I'm a sucker for any book that takes place in Scotland. I loved how the author set the setting, which made this a perfect wintertime read.

I'm not sure what else to say. If you are looking for a fluffy, adorable read that will give you all the feels while still being super fun, this is exactly that. It was perfect and I loved it and I can't wait for more from this author.

Stephanie Kate Strohm

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Artemis by Andy Weir {DNF Review}

Title: Artemis
Author: Andy Weir
Genre: Science Fiction
source: NetGalley

Jazz Bashara is a criminal.
Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent.
Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down. But pulling off the impossible is just the start of her problems, as she learns that she's stepped square into a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself—and that now, her only chance at survival lies in a gambit even riskier than the first. 

So I have never read The Martian, but I've heard so many good things about it that when I heard Andy Weir was coming out with a new book, I was very excited. I love all things space and so was very intrigued by the idea of a colony on the moon.

Unfortunately, I could not get into this one at all. I did not even make it to the customary 25% that I try to give a book before marking it a DNF. While I did enjoy the moon colony and the background of it, the writing was stilted. Our main character Jazz, despite being a grown woman, was written like a 15-year-old dude. Frankly, I am sick and tired of men acting like they are unable to write a decent female character without making them overly sexual, or weird, or fetishized in some way.

While I love the concept of Weir's books, I am not sure that I really care to read them.

Andy Weir

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Rosemarked {by Livia Blackburne}

Title: Rosemarked
Author: Livia Blackburne
Series: Rosemarked #1
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars 
Genre: YA Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: NetGalley

When Zivah falls prey to the deadly rose plague, she knows it’s only a matter of time before she fully succumbs. Now she’s destined to live her last days in isolation, cut off from her people and unable to practice her art—until a threat to her village creates a need that only she can fill.
A soldier shattered by war . . .
Broken by torture at the hands of the Amparan Empire, Dineas thirsts for revenge against his captors. Now escaped and reunited with his tribe, he’ll do anything to free them from Amparan rule—even if it means undertaking a plan that risks not only his life but his very self.
Thrust together on a high-stakes mission to spy on the capital, the two couldn’t be more different: Zivah, deeply committed to her vow of healing, and Dineas, yearning for vengeance. But as they grow closer, they must find common ground to protect those they love. And amidst the constant fear of discovery, the two grapple with a mutual attraction that could break both of their carefully guarded hearts.

I loved Blackburne's Midnight Thief, so when I heard about this one and read the synopsis, I was so excited. I love Blackburne's writing and the worlds she creates, and she definitely did not disappoint with this one.

One of the things I love best about Blackburne is her writing. She pulls you into the story. That, paired with her ability to worldbuild, means you never want to leave. I loved learning about this new world. It's very political, but not in a way that dragged down the story.

I loved our characters. They are very different, but forced to work together. I thought the amnesia aspect was very intriguing and I liked how the idea played out. (Was it a little too perfectly convenient? Yes, but hey. It worked.)

Honestly, the only negative thing I have to say is probably the pacing. It started off well, but lagged in the middle, which made the ending seem too rushed. Also, for some reason I thought it was a stand-alone, so I was very happy to hear that there is a sequel. I can't wait to read more about Zivah and Dineas.

Livia Blackburne:

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The Tiger's Daughter {DNF Review}

Title: The Tiger's Daughter
Author: K. Arsenault Rivera
Series: Their Bright Ascendency #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: NetGalley

The Hokkaran empire has conquered every land within their bold reach―but failed to notice a lurking darkness festering within the people. Now, their border walls begin to crumble, and villages fall to demons swarming out of the forests.
Away on the silver steppes, the remaining tribes of nomadic Qorin retreat and protect their own, having bartered a treaty with the empire, exchanging inheritance through the dynasties. It is up to two young warriors, raised together across borders since their prophesied birth, to save the world from the encroaching demons.
This is the story of an infamous Qorin warrior, Barsalayaa Shefali, a spoiled divine warrior empress, O-Shizuka, and a power that can reach through time and space to save a land from a truly insidious evil.

I wanted to love this book so, so bad. It was loved by all the people I trust, it was blurbed by my favorite author. But I just couldn't. I DNF'd around 30% and let me tell you, it took WAY too long to even get that far. I like to give books a good chance before setting them down, but that 30% took me almost a month to read.

First, it was just...boring? I had heard all of this talk of warriors and empresses and saving the world, but apparently I just couldn't wait long enough to get there. The story is told mostly in letter form from one of the girls to the other. While the letter is in interesting aspect, I think it ultimately detracted from its intended purpose. (Also, it didn't really make sense? It seems odd to go into this much detail in a letter to someone who was also there.)

Also, the world-building was mostly built through dumps of information throughout the letter. It was obviously based on Asian cultures, but very badly done. While I can't speak to the racism and appropriation of Japanese and Chinese culture in this novel, this review can. I encourage you to read it.

All in all, just highly disappointed.

K. Arsenault Rivera

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Beasts Made of Night {by Tochi Onyebuchi}

Title: Beasts Made of Night
Author: Tochi Onyebuchi
Series: Beasts Made of Night #1
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: First to Read

In the walled city of Kos, corrupt mages can magically call forth sin from a sinner in the form of sin-beasts – lethal creatures spawned from feelings of guilt. 
Taj is the most talented of the aki, young sin-eaters indentured by the mages to slay the sin-beasts. But Taj’s livelihood comes at a terrible cost. When he kills a sin-beast, a tattoo of the beast appears on his skin while the guilt of committing the sin appears on his mind. Most aki are driven mad by the process, but 17-year-old Taj is cocky and desperate to provide for his family. 
When Taj is called to eat a sin of a royal, he’s suddenly thrust into the center of a dark conspiracy to destroy Kos. Now Taj must fight to save the princess that he loves – and his own life. 
A gritty Nigerian-influenced fantasy.

I loved the idea for this story, and I was very excited for the Nigerian-inspired elements. But I don't think it quite lived up to my expectations.

Pros:
-The Nigerian elements. This world was very rich and full, both the setting and the folklore and the characters. I thought that it was such an eye-opening look into another culture and its people.
-The characters. I loved our main character, Taj, but also his friends and the others in this story. While I didn't feel that they were so fully fleshed out, I loved them.
-The plot. This idea that sins are manifested and "eaten" was super interested and very well executed.

Cons:
-The writing. There was never really a point where the writing sucked me in. While I was interested in the story, sometimes the flow of the writing just sucked me out of the story.
-The plot. I know I listed it above as a pro, but hear me out. While I enjoyed the story and what was happening, I also feel that it jumped around way too much. Certain things weren't explained well, which added to the feeling of not being fully invested.

In the end, while I loved the idea of this book, it did not live up to its full potential. However, it was still a very enjoyable read, and I am looking forward to picking up more of Onyebuchi's writing in the future.

Tochi Onyebuchi

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Dare Mighty Things {by Heather Kaczynski}

Title: Dare Mighty Things
Author: Heather Kaczynski
Series: Dare Mighty Things #1
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA SciFi
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: Edelweiss

THE RULES ARE SIMPLE: You must be gifted. You must be younger than twenty-five. You must be willing to accept the dangers that you will face if you win.
Seventeen-year-old Cassandra Gupta’s entire life has been leading up to this—the opportunity to travel to space. But to secure a spot on this classified mission, she must first compete against the best and brightest people on the planet. People who are as determined as she to win a place on a journey to the farthest reaches of the universe. 
Cassie is ready for the toll that the competition will take; the rigorous mental and physical tests designed to push her to the brink of her endurance. But nothing could have prepared her for the bonds she would form with the very people she hopes to beat. Or that with each passing day it would be more and more difficult to ignore the feeling that the true objective of the mission is being kept from her.
As the days until the launch tick down and the stakes rise higher than ever before, only one thing is clear to Cassie: she’ll never back down . . . even if it costs her everything.

Okay. Um, wow. That's kind of where I'm at upon completing this novel. I knew I was going to love it (I mean, space!!) but I don't think I was quite prepared for HOW much I ended up loving it.

Okay, first Cassandra is (half) Indian-American, which pushed this to the top of my TBR when I realized it (if you didn't know, I am also Indian-American). Second, she comes out as asexual, which DO YOU KNOW HOW HAPPY THAT MADE ME I honestly almost cried. Cassandra herself is a very hard-working, motivated individual. She maybe isn't the greatest at social interactions and having friends, though. Cassandra starts off pretty judgmental and self-righteous, thinking she's better than most of the candidates. But wow does she grow and learn throughout the story.

I also loved our secondary characters. Even though the competition was serious, they were fun and humorous together. I also loved the competition itself, as I love space and tech and so that was a fun look inside what it takes to actually go into space.

The book did take a little while for me to get into, and I felt the ending was way rushed. I will say, I did not expect what happened there at the end, but it was all so rushed I think it took a little while for me to comprehend what had happened. Those two reasons are why it wasn't a full 5 stars, but I really did love this one and will be eagerly anticipating the sequel.

Heather Kaczynski:

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Among the Red Stars {by Gwen C. Katz}

Title: Among the Red Stars
Author: Gwen C. Katz
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: Edelweiss

World War Two has shattered Valka’s homeland of Russia, and Valka is determined to help the effort. She knows her skills as a pilot rival the best of the men, so when an all-female aviation group forms, Valka is the first to sign up.
Flying has always meant freedom and exhilaration for Valka, but dropping bombs on German soldiers from a fragile canvas biplane is no joyride. The war is taking its toll on everyone, including the boy Valka grew up with, who is fighting for his life on the front lines. 
As the war intensifies and those around her fall, Valka must decide how much she is willing to risk to defend the skies she once called home.
Inspired by the true story of the airwomen the Nazis called Night Witches, Gwen C. Katz weaves a tale of strength and sacrifice, learning to fight for yourself, and the perils of a world at war.

When I heard about a book based off the true story of the Night Witches, I was super excited. And this one lived up to my excitement.

Valka is a pilot, desperate to help the war efforts with her skills. She and her cousin fight for a place in the first all-female aviation group, and Valka finally gets her wish. I loved Valka. She was strong and fierce and loyal to her country. She was flawed, sure, but you were rooting for her the entire time. She and the other girls had to fight to be taken even half as seriously as the men, and they were not going down easily. I also loved the camaraderie between the girls. This would have been such an easy opportunity for girl-on-girl hate (something I feel is too prevalent in YA), and while there were some disagreements, I loved seeing them support each other and become like family.

This story is told from Valka's POV as well as letters between Valka and Pasha. Pasha was just a sweet boy who was not cut out for war at all. I loved getting his point of view, so different from Valka's. I did feel that the story took a little while to get into, and sometimes I felt that the letters were a bit too much, but once I got into the story, I was hooked.

I also just loved the story in general. The strength and resilience of these girls, to fight in a war because they loved their country. They definitely start the story with a romanticized view of war, but even when they realize it wasn't quite what they thought, they were still determined. Even when they weren't given a fair chance. And yet they turned it around to become some of the best there were. I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction, and I loved this one.

Gwen C. Katz

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Doctor Who: Myths and Legends {by Richard Dinnick}

Title: Doctor Who: Myths and Legends
Author: Richard Dinnick
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Media Tie-In
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: NetGalley

For thousands of years, epic stories have been passed down from Time Lord to student, generation to generation. The truth of these tales was lost millennia ago, but the myths and legends themselves are timeless.
These are the most enduring of those tales. From the princess Manussa and her giant snake Mara, to the Vardon Horse of Xeriphin, these stories shed light on the universe around us and the beings from other worlds that we meet. Myths hold up a mirror to our past, present and future, explaining our culture, our history, our hopes and fears.
A collection of epic adventures from the Time Lords’ mist-covered past, Myths and Legends is an unforgettable gallery of heroes and villains, gods and monsters. 

Doctor Who? Um yes please. I loved this one. Getting stories from all different worlds and planets in the Doctor Who galaxy was so much fun. These stories were based off of myths and legends that we already know, and it was easy to see which one they were based off of most of the time.

Some of the places/characters are ones that we see a lot throughout the show, and some are from ones that are just mentioned (I could be wrong, I'm not completely caught up on the show). However, you don't need any background information to read these stories. And a familiar Time Lord just might pop up here and there throughout some of the stories...

The only negative I have was the writing style. It was a little hard to get into, and sometimes disrupted the flow of the story. But other than that, I really enjoyed this collection.

Richard Dinnick:

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The Girl with the Red Balloon {by Katherine Locke}

Title: The Girl with the Red Balloon
Author: Katherine Locke
Series: The Balloonmakers #1
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: NetGalley

When sixteen-year-old Ellie Baum accidentally time-travels via red balloon to 1988 East Berlin, she’s caught up in a conspiracy of history and magic. She meets members of an underground guild in East Berlin who use balloons and magic to help people escape over the Wall—but even to the balloon makers, Ellie’s time travel is a mystery. When it becomes clear that someone is using dark magic to change history, Ellie must risk everything—including her only way home—to stop the process.

This book took awhile for me to get into. I don't know if it was the writing style, or Ellie's narration, but after I got into the story, I was drawn into the story.

The story is told in three POV's: Ellie, Kai, and Benno. Honestly, I probably liked Kai's the least. His seemed more like info dumps, and not things that actually moved the plot along. I think I liked Benno's the best, although his were also the saddest.

I liked our characters, but still felt meh. I didn't feel that I really connected with any of them. I think they could have been written to be a bit more complex. There seemed to be a lot more telling than showing. I wasn't really drawn into the story through the characters, if that makes sense.

The plot had me intrigued and is what kept me interested throughout the story. The magic system of the balloons, although at times a bit confusing, kept me intrigued. I wouldn't say this was so suspenseful or anything, but I liked it.

In general, I felt a little mediocre about this book as a whole. It definitely has captured my interest, so I will probably pick up the second one. It has potential, and I'm curious to see if that potential is fulfilled.

More books by this author:

Katherine Locke:

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Welcome Home {anthology}

Title: Welcome Home: An Anthology on Love and Adoption
Edited By: Eric Smith
Genre: Young Adult
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: NetGalley

Welcome Home collects a number of adoption-themed fictional short stories, and brings them together in one anthology from a diverse range of celebrated Young Adult authors. The all-star roster includes Edgar-award winner Mindy McGinnis, New York Times bestselling authors C.J. Redwine (The Shadow Queen) and William Ritter (Jackaby), and acclaimed YA authors across all genres, like Adi Alsaid, Lauren Gibaldi, Sangu Mandanna, Karen Akins, and many more.

As always, it's very hard for me to review an anthology. Of course there are stories that I liked, and some that I didn't. I think this is an important one, with stories that are very needed in YA, especially.

In general, I think this anthology had a good mix, both in genre of stories and voice. Some will be good for younger audiences, and I think some will speak to older audiences. The running theme of adoption is such an important one.

Ultimately I felt that as a whole, this book fell a little flat. There were stories that I liked, but none that I truly loved, and I was left feeling a little disappointed.

The Space Between the Stars {by Anne Corlett}

Title: The Space Between the Stars
Author: Anne Corlett
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: First to Read

All Jamie Allenby ever wanted was space. Even though she wasn’t forced to emigrate from Earth, she willingly left the overpopulated, claustrophobic planet. And when a long relationship devolved into silence and suffocating sadness, she found work on a frontier world on the edges of civilization. Then the virus hit...
Now Jamie finds herself dreadfully alone, with all that’s left of the dead. Until a garbled message from Earth gives her hope that someone from her past might still be alive. 
Soon Jamie finds other survivors, and their ragtag group will travel through the vast reaches of space, drawn to the promise of a new beginning on Earth. But their dream will pit them against those desperately clinging to the old ways. And Jamie’s own journey home will help her close the distance between who she has become and who she is meant to be... 

I loved this one. I will say, it wasn't quite what I was expecting. I was so excited for this one, and I think I hyped it up too much. But it didn't disappoint. I still ended up loving it, even though it was different than I thought. If you're not into super "sci-fi"-type books, I think you would still like this one. It reads more as literary fiction...just set in space.

Characters: Jamie is a mess. She was before, and you can imagine how she was after. And that's not a bad thing. I can't imagine being in this position and I think it was portrayed very well. How you would feel, how you would act, how scary it would be. I also liked all the other characters. This sort of "ragtag" group of people thrown together is one of my favorites to read about when well done, and this one was. We got so many different personalities -- the cold, gruff captain; a special needs teenager; a former priest; an older woman who may be losing her mind, etc. Not everyone gets along with everyone else, and I liked that aspect too. Everyone is going to have different thoughts on the world ending, and I just loved reading about all of them.

Setting: I think the world could have been more fleshed out, but it was also fleshed out perfectly enough for the story (if that even makes sense). There wasn't an info-dump, but things were explained as they needed to be, which worked for the story.

Plot: While there was a plot (this group trying to get to earth), I also feel that this was more character based. I also feel like this was heavier on the "deep questions" side of the world ending. From social class, to religion, to who deserves to live in this new world. It wasn't so very fast-paced, but it wasn't slow either.

So if you couldn't tell, I loved this one. The characters, the world, the overall feel and mood of this story. (If you loved Station Eleven, I think you would also love this one.)

Anne Corlett:

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Branded {by Eric Smith}

Title: Branded
Author: Eric Smith
Series: Inked #2
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: NetGalley

Eric Smith returns to the world of Inked in this adventurous new sequel. No longer a sheltered farmboy, Caenum is caught in the crossfire of the rebellion he ignited. As the final battle with the Citadel approaches, he must choose his own destiny one last time…or let the Citadel choose it for him.

I loved Inked, so when I heard there was a sequel I was very excited to continue this story. Unfortunately, this story fell way flat for me. Although it kept me interested enough at the time to continue reading it, even now trying to write this review I find that I'm having a hard time even remembering what happened.

The story starts a few months after the ending of the first. Caenum is leading the rebellion, and they are going from town to town, spreading the rebellion and freeing the conduits. Unfortunately, nothing really happened? Inked set up for some great worldbuilding, but that wasn't really expanded on in this one, which was some really wasted potential.

The other thing was that I was kind of confused on the rebels and what was going on with them. I kind of felt like no one was really...doing anything? Also the prejudice against Inked/unInked/whatever was really confusing. They hated you if you had Ink, but they also hated you if you didn't?? Huh?? Whatever the difference may have been, it wasn't explained well.

While this was a quick read, it ultimately felt like a let down. Although I will continue to read more of Eric's work, as I think he has potential and a great writing style, this one was a no from me.

Other books in this series:

Eric Smith:

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The Names They Gave Us {by Emery Lord}

Title: The Names They Gave Us
Author: Emery Lord
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Genre: YA Contemporary
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: NetGalley

Lucy Hansson was ready for a perfect summer with her boyfriend, working at her childhood Bible camp on the lake. But when her mom’s cancer reappears, Lucy falters—in faith, in love, and in her ability to cope. When her boyfriend “pauses” their relationship and her summer job switches to a different camp—one for troubled kids—Lucy isn’t sure how much more she can handle. Attempting to accept a new normal, Lucy slowly regains footing among her vibrant, diverse coworkers, Sundays with her mom, and a crush on a fellow counselor. But when long-hidden family secrets emerge, can Lucy set aside her problems and discover what grace really means?

Oh man, I loved this one. Now I haven't read all of her other books (only 1 1/2 others) so this may be premature, but it is probably my favorite of hers. I flew through it, that's how invested in it I was.

I loved Lucy. Emery Lord does such an amazing job of crafting such complex, deep characters. They are flawed, but real. Lord isn't concerned with making them "likable" per se, but allowed to be deeply human and complicated. Lucy was strong, even when she didn't think she was or could be, and I think she is a character so many girls can relate to.

Also, we definitely need more YA that talks about religion. Teens are religious too and it was SO great seeing that on page. Lucy is figuring out what she believes in vs. what she has always been told to believe in and I think that is such a huge part of life for a lot of teens. Lord shows it in a nonjudgmental way; what and how you choose to believe is up to you and there's nothing wrong with that. I loved how she showcased that throughout the story. Not a religious book, but a book about a girl, who is also religious. Definitely something that we need more of.

As with any Emery Lord book, it will also give you all the feels. It is very much a character-driven book, so the plot does fall a little flat. I also felt that there were maybe too many secondary characters in that they didn't really get fleshed out the way that they deserved, just existing to move along Lucy's story. But I did still enjoy them and what they brought to the story.

Of course there is a romance, although that is not the main focus. I felt it was there in the right amount, not taking away from the focus of Lucy and her story. Lord also writes grief really well; although Lucy's mother has cancer, it isn't a "cancer book", but does bring in those themes of Lucy having to learn to deal with her mother's diagnosis.

I feel like there was a lot that happened at the end too quickly, and it does end a bit open-ended if that's not your thing, but I did really enjoy this one.

Other books by this author:

Emery Lord:

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The Noble Servant {by Melanie Dickerson}

Title: The Noble Servant
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Series: Thornbeck #3
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Genre: Christian YA Fiction
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
source: publisher

She lost everything to an evil conspiracy . . . but that loss may just give her all she ever wanted.
Since meeting Steffan, the Duke of Wolfberg, at Thornbeck Castle, Lady Magdalen has not been able to stop thinking about him. She knows—as a penniless lady with little to offer in terms of a dowry—she has no real hope of marrying such a highly titled man, so it comes as a great surprise when she receives a letter from him, asking for her hand in marriage.
But all is not what it seems at Wolfberg Castle. Steffan has been evicted by his scheming uncle, and his cousin has taken over the title of duke. Left for dead, Steffan is able to escape, and disguised as a shepherd, hopes to gain entry to the castle to claim the items that will prove he is the true Duke of Wolfberg.
Journeying to the castle, Magdalen has no idea what awaits her, but she certainly did not expect her loyal maidservant to turn on her. Forcing Magdalen to trade places with her, the servant plans to marry the duke and force Magdalen to tend the geese.
Without their respective titles—and the privileges that came with them—Steffan and Magdalen are reunited in the shepherd’s field. Together they conspire to get back their rightful titles. But they must hurry . . . or else they risk losing it all to the uncle’s evil plan.

If you've been here long enough, you know that I love my Melanie Dickerson books. They're fun, easy to fly through, and I love anything fairy-tale related. This one was based off of The Goose Girl, which I don't think I've seen done all that much, so I was interested to see how she would take this one.

We first met Magdalen in The Beautiful Pretender. She had Steffan had hit it off, but she hasn't heard from him in the few years since. Until, one day, she randomly gets a marriage proposal from him. While Magdalen thinks it is a bit suspicious, she will do anything to help save her people from poverty (not like her mother would give her a choice anyway). Until she is thwarted by her maid, and forced to tend to the geese. Only to discover that the man posing as the shepherd is none other than the Duke himself. They work together to be restored to their rightful positions.

Honestly, this was probably one of my favorites of her books. I had been feeling...less than excited about some of her newer ones, so it was great to find what I loved about her books again in this one. The characters themselves, however, were nothing really special. They were the typical for this genre: sweet, perfect "good girl" heroine; supposedly masculine love interest with a hero complex. Honestly, I'm tired of reading the same characters over and over again.

But I did enjoy the story. Like I said, The Goose Girl was a fun one to base it off of and the story was fun and easy to read. It kept me engaged the whole time, and seemed a little more exciting plot-wise than some of her others. All in all, it was just a fun story that I enjoyed reading.

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