'Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra' by Amy Noelle Parks

4 magical stars

Book Blurb:

“A star-crossed YA rom-com that has the charm of Maureen Johnson’s 13 Little Blue Envelopes and the magic of Now You See Me

Seventeen-year-old Lia Sawyer is thrilled to get a mysterious invitation from her grandmother to compete in a stage magic contest––even though her parents object. But she’s going to be judged by a bunch of old-school magicians who think that because she’s a girl, her only magical talents lie in wearing sparkly dresses, providing distractions, and getting sawed, crushed, or stretched. And Lia can’t ask her grandmother for help because she’s disappeared, leaving behind only her best magic tricks, a few obscure clues, and an order to stay away from Blackwell boys, the latest generation of a rival magic family. Lia totally plans to follow her grandmother’s rule––until the cute boy she meets on the beach turns out to be Beckett Blackwell, son of the biggest old guard magical family there is. Witty and romantic, Lia and Beckett’s Abracadabra is a YA rom-com with a magical twist!”

My Review:

This adorable YA rom-com was lots of fun. The plot centers around a few families of stage magicians and we follow our main character and narrator, Lia, as she attempts to solve a mystery. Her relationship with star-crossed love interest, Beckett, starts off slowly, as there is great distrust between the ladies of her family and the men of his.

Come for the stage magic, stay for the witty banter and teenage summer shenanigans.  Available on July 5^th.

#LiaAndBeckett #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. 

'Castles in Their Bones' (Castles in their Bones #1) by Laura Sebastian

 5 stars!

Book Blurb:

"A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.

Empress Margaraux has had plans for her daughters since the day they were born. Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz will be queens. And now, age sixteen, they each must leave their homeland and marry their princes.

Beautiful, smart, and demure, the triplets appear to be the perfect brides—because Margaraux knows there is one common truth: everyone underestimates a girl. Which is a grave mistake. Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are no innocents. They have been trained since birth in the arts of deception, seduction, and violence with a singular goal—to bring down monarchies— and their marriages are merely the first stage of their mother’s grand vision: to one day reign over the entire continent of Vesteria.

The princesses have spent their lives preparing, and now they are ready, each with her own secret skill, and each with a single wish, pulled from the stars. Only, the stars have their own plans—and their mother hasn’t told them all of hers.

Life abroad is a test. Will their loyalties stay true? Or will they learn that they can’t trust anyone—not even each other?"

My Review:

I greatly enjoyed this magical tale. I'm so glad readers can see inside the thoughts of each sister, as they alternate narrating chapters. I love how different each triplet's personality is, and how their betrothals sent them each into such different royal courts. It was great fun to watch how their training led them to maneuver the various obstacles and challenging people in their way.

Author Laura Sebastian keeps readers captivated with twists and surprises and some light romance with fairly fleshed-out supporting characters.

Highly recommended for fans of YA Fantasy books with magic, royals and court intrigue.  Grab 'Castles in Their Bones' on February 1st!

#CastlesinTheirBones #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.