The Rose & the Dagger – Renée Ahdieh

23308084The Rose & the Dagger by Renée Ahdieh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
First Published: April 26th, 2016
Publisher: Putnam
Recommended Age: 12+
Pacing: Normal
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, War-Setting


BLURB:

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad is forced from the arms of her beloved husband, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once thought Khalid a monster—a merciless killer of wives, responsible for immeasurable heartache and pain—but as she unraveled his secrets, she found instead an extraordinary man and a love she could not deny. Still, a curse threatens to keep Shazi and Khalid apart forever. Now she’s reunited with her family, who have found refuge in the desert, where a deadly force is gathering against Khalid—a force set on destroying his empire and commanded by Shazi’s spurned childhood sweetheart. Trapped between loyalties to those she loves, the only thing Shazi can do is act. Using the burgeoning magic within her as a guide, she strikes out on her own to end both this terrible curse and the brewing war once and for all. But to do it, she must evade enemies of her own to stay alive.

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Just One Day – Gayle Forman

17623975Just One Day by Gayle Forman

My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
First Published: 2013
Publisher: Speak
Recommended Age: 12+
Pacing: Slow
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Coming of Age, College, Summer Fun


BLURB:

When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines. Continue reading