Book Review :: Lord of the Butterflies

Book: Lord of the Butterflies by Andrea Gibson
Series: N/A
Genre: Spoken Word Poetry
Publisher: Button Poetry
Source: NetGalley.com (Review copy)


“[Andrea Gibson’s poetry] will change the way you think about gender.” —Buzzfeed

“They seamlessly spin hopelessness into hope, fire back at social norms, and challenge what it means to be alive and to be human.” —THEM

“Andrea Gibson is an amazing queer, spoken-word poet who can make you weep with a heart-wrenching love poem and then swiftly inspire you to action with a powerful political poem.” —Seventeen

Where to Buy: Shop local! Available at your closest Barnes and Noble and BN.com

Goodreads Summary: 
Andrea Gibson’s latest collection is a masterful showcase from the poet whose writing and performances have captured the hearts of millions. With artful and nuanced looks at gender, romance, loss, and family, Lord of the Butterflies is a new peak in Gibson’s career. Each emotion here is deft and delicate, resting inside of imagery heavy enough to sink the heart, while giving the body wings to soar.

My Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Skincare Review :: GLAMGLOW :: SUPERCLEANSE

Brand: GLAMGLOW
Product: SUPERCLEANSE Clearing Cream to Foam Cleanser
Price: $32.00
Available at: Sephora, Nordstrom. GLAMGLOW.com

From the website: Formulated with powerful actives for super-clean, glowing skin, this must-have creamy cleanser transforms into a luxurious foam to blast away impurities and remove pore-clogging debris. The pore refining triple charcoal complex contains three charcoals—coconut, ubame white oak, and gray bamboo—to detox skin, while botanical ingredients like TEAOXI® eucalyptus leaf, licorice root, and cumin seed purify. Skin-refining, powerful AHAs support natural cell turnover and renewal, while K17 and Mediterranean clays absorb oils to mattify skin and restore balance to your complexion. Skin is visibly improved after each cleanse, with a diminished appearance of pores and a refined texture and tone.

Which skin type is it good for?
✔ Normal
✔ Oily
✔ Combination
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

To see my review on this product, click "read more" below!

Book Review (Reread) :: SHADOW AND BONE

Book: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Series: GrishaVerse #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Teen // Harper Collins
Source: Owned, AudioBook via Audible


Enter the Grishaverse with Book One of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy by the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent book store at IndieBound!

Goodreads Summary: 
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.
My Review: 4 out of 5 stars!

Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

Book Review:: The Caged Queen

Book: The Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli
Series: Iskari #2
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Harper Teen // Harper Collins
Source: Aurora Public Library


Kristen Ciccarelli’s distinct brand of lyrical, haunting fantasy continues in the companion to her bestselling debut, The Last Namsara. Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and Renee Ahdieh.

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent book store at IndieBound!

Goodreads Summary: 
Once there were two sisters born with a bond so strong that it forged them together forever. Roa and Essie called it the hum. It was a magic they cherished—until the day a terrible accident took Essie’s life and trapped her soul in this world.

Dax—the heir to Firgaard’s throne—was responsible for the accident. Roa swore to hate him forever. But eight years later he returned, begging for her help. He was determined to dethrone his cruel father, under whose oppressive reign Roa’s people had suffered.

Roa made him a deal: she’d give him the army he needed if he made her queen. Only as queen could she save her people from Firgaard’s rule.

Then a chance arises to right every wrong—an opportunity for Roa to rid herself of this enemy king and rescue her beloved sister. During the Relinquishing, when the spirits of the dead are said to return, Roa discovers she can reclaim her sister for good.

All she has to do is kill the king.
My Review: 5 out of 5 stars!

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Book Review:: Wildcard

Book: Wildcard by Marie Lu
Series: Warcross #2
Publisher: GP Putnam Sons // Penguin
Source: Audiobook via Libby

Return to the immersive, action-packed world of Warcross in this thrilling sequel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent book store at IndieBound!

Goodreads Summary: 
Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems--and his protection comes at a price.

Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?

In this explosive sequel to the New York Times bestselling Warcross, Marie Lu delivers an addictive finale that will hold you captive till the very last page.

My Review: 4 out of 5 stars!

Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue!

Book Review :: WHAT IF ITS US

Book: What if it's Us by Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli
Series: N/A
Publisher: Harper Teen // Harper Collins
Source: Audiobook via Libby


Critically acclaimed and bestselling authors Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera combine their talents in this smart, funny, heartfelt collaboration about two very different boys who can’t decide if the universe is pushing them together—or pulling them apart.

Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent book store at IndieBound!

Goodreads Summary: 

ARTHUR is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.
BEN thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.
But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them . . . ?
Maybe nothing. After all, they get separated.
Maybe everything. After all, they get reunited.
But what if they can’t nail a first date even after three do-overs?
What if Arthur tries too hard to make it work and Ben doesn’t try hard enough?
What if life really isn’t like a Broadway play?
But what if it is?
What if it’s us?

My Review: 5 out of 5 stars!

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Book Review :: Escaping From Houdini

Book: Escaping From Houdini by Kerri Maniscalco
Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper #3
Publisher: James Patterson Presents by Jimmy Patterson Books
Source: Audiobook via Libby
Where to Buy: Shop local! Find your local independent book store at IndieBound!

Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell find themselves aboard a luxurious ocean liner that becomes a floating prison of horror when passengers are murdered one by one...with nowhere to run from the killer.

Goodreads Summary: 
The #1 bestselling series that started with Stalking Jack the Ripper and Hunting Prince Dracula continues its streak in this third bloody installment.... Embarking on a week-long voyage across the Atlantic on the opulent RMS Etruria, Audrey Rose Wadsworth and her partner-in-crime-investigation, Thomas Cresswell, are delighted to discover a traveling troupe of circus performers, fortune tellers, and a certain charismatic young escape artist entertaining the first-class passengers nightly.

But privileged young women begin to go missing without explanation, and a series of brutal slayings shocks the entire ship. The strange and disturbing influence of the Moonlight Carnival pervades the decks as the murders grow more and more bizarre. It's up to Audrey Rose and Thomas to piece together the gruesome investigation before more passengers die before reaching their destination. But with clues to the next victim pointing to someone she loves, can Audrey Rose unravel the mystery before the killer's horrifying finale?

My Review: 4 out of 5 Stars!

Check out my full review after the jump! Click "Read More" below to continue! Caution: There may be spoilers ahead, please read at your own risk.