5 Stars Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager Can Dreams Come True? Is the first book in The Cecily Taylor Series by Krysten Lindsay Hager is a fast paced YA that once you start you won’t want to put it down till you finish. This is a sweet romance and the authors style of writing and attention to detail along with great characters I felt were relatable and fully developed. Cecily dreams of being an actress someday. She also has a crush on Andrew who is a singer and he’s shooting a video for his next video. Cecily gets an opportunity to be apart of that and finds herself working with Andrew. Her boyfriend becomes quite jealous and things for her start to fall apart. I highly recommend reading this and find out what happens next. This is my first book by this author but definitely not my last.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Dawn Daughenbaughhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDawn Daughenbaugh2021-03-26 05:21:282021-03-26 08:43:39Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh
After losing her brothers Titania trained and studied to rule Aubren. But she hadn’t planned on becoming Queen at fifteen. Now with her reign challenged from within the castle walls she must decide what is best for her country. Should another rule in her stead? Or has fate led her to this moment?
Only she can decide a path that becomes littered with choices. Should she marry to shore up her reign? Will naming a successor be enough? And what of the creatures of the deep and a tale of one who can end all evil? Faced with a decision of aiding beings of Upper Earth she must weigh whether to follow her gut or side with tradition.
Can Titania trust that her inner power will be enough to stop the looming evil? Or is she damning them all to a life of darkness?
To Be a Fae Queen is a magical journey into the realm of Middle Earth. If you like fearless heroines you’ll love Tricia Copeland’s tantalizing fantasy.
Download To Be a Fae Queen to descend into a new world today!
Tricia believes in finding magic. She thinks magic infuses every aspect of our lives, whether it is the magic of falling in love, discovering a new passion, a beautiful sunset, or a book that transports us to another world. With two award-winning vampire fictions, she began her career as a scientist. An avid runner and Georgia native, Tricia now lives with her family and four-legged friends in Colorado. Find all her titles from contemporary romance and dystopian fiction, to paranormal and urban fantasy at www.triciacopeland.com.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/To-be-a-Fae-Queen-e-book-cover.jpg1200750itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2021-03-26 00:01:072021-10-30 05:03:34To be a Fae Queen by Tricia Copeland
Daisy’s Darkness (Wheels & Hogs Book 6) by D.M. Earl is a YA story and one full of the usual teenage mean girls, drama and angst and so much more. DM is a new author to me, so I haven’t read the other books in the series, but I didn’t feel like it mattered tall that much in the grand scheme of things. It is an emotional and hard hitting read but DM does not shy away from the telling. The story shares some major issues that YA’s face in today’s world such as bullying and abuse, eating disorders and suicide and other mental health issues so be aware in case of triggers.
You are going to want to hit out at the mean biatches and take them down whilst gathering Daisy and her friends into a safety bubble full of hugs and love.
We are introduced to the character of Red in The Hook’s Little Mermaid. The character of Red comes off as a brave girl, who has just lost her father . She develops a deep bond with Hook in a brief time. In this book, we get to know more about Red ,her encounter with Hook and their journey together into the forest. Red is a fearless girl, who dons a red cloak .She is a hunter who goes into the deep forest to find fur and ash, and trades them to the bartenders and the pirates to get a good price, to feed her family. Red is determined to hunt down her father’s killer , whom the wolves took out. Captain Hook is in search of the Ash, to battle the kraken in the deep seas. Together they journey into the forest and the fairy tale takes a twist such that another fairy tale is introduced in the story. Rapunzel is introduced and their quest together is exciting. Suzanne Lynn has a good knack of creating this fairy tale mashups, each children’s classic blended with another and a fresh perspective given to the characters we have doted since childhood. I have enjoyed reading this Untold Series so far and hope to see more such books in the future.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Anantha Rusumhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAnantha Rusum2021-03-25 22:06:592021-03-26 08:40:14Red’s Tangled Tale (The Untold Stories Book 2) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Anantha Rusum
Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series #1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager
This is the first book I’ve read by the author. Hager makes me want to come back and read more. The Cecily Taylor Series is an amazing way to start a series.
Cecily is the shy girl next door type. She wants to be an actress, but isn’t trained. Getting the chance to star in a music video with her popstar crush is amazing. The quote I chose for Cecily is: “Musicians have a way of doing that. I’d probably forget my own name if I met Andrew Holiday. I just hope she stops making passive aggressive comments.”
Andrew is a famous musician. When he auditions in a small town he gets something he’s been looking for. Enter Cecily and he finds what he’s looking for in a girl. The quote I chose for Andrew is: “Maybe that’s why it worked so well. You weren’t trying too hard. I dunno. It just worked for some reason, you know? Like you were meant to be in it.”
Highly recommended for YA Contemporary Romance lovers.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Amanda Kimblehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAmanda Kimble2021-03-25 20:54:502021-03-25 21:58:36Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Amanda Kimble
Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Krista Vaughan
Cecily has loved musician Andrew Holiday FOREVER. Have you ever had a song speak to you? The artist just seemed to understand how you felt? Andrew just seems to “get” her. Cecily auditions to be in his next music video and she catches Andrew’s eye. Her current boyfriend certainly thinks something is up. Is there a chance her dreams of Andrew could become reality? A beautiful story of what could happen if you just believe.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kricket4078https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKricket40782021-03-25 20:34:362021-03-25 21:57:35Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Krista Vaughan
Cecily Taylor is your typical seventeen year old girl, she has a close group of friends and a cute boyfriend who she loves, she also has a crush on the popstar Andrew Holiday and has for years, but it isn’t all sunshine and she has had people close to her leave and then not talk to her again, so she has some insecurities around it and a bit of a lack of self esteem, but which teenagers don’t have something like that?
Her boyfriend is in love with her, but he isn’t very romantic, but her best friend helps him out when needed and although it is sweet, Cecily would rather he thinks of these things himself on occasion, but he likes to spend time with her, be that on a coffee date at the library, or watching sports with her at home, even if she does fall asleep and misses the whole thing. However, when one of her friends gets an audition to be in the music video which is being filmed in their home town and Andrew Holiday is the one whose video it will be, Cecily is shocked when she asks her to go as moral support and her parents let her, as long as there is an adult chaperone there as well, but if not, then she would have asked to go to the open auditions with her friends anyway, it would be good practice if she wanted to pursue her career as an actress after all.
The next day, Cecily gets ready for school after she finds out that the private audition with her friend has been moved up, the video said they were looking for the “Girl next door” and that is how she looked normally, then she shows up at school and sees what her friend is wearing and she is not so sure what exactly that means anymore, but hopefully her anxiety wouldn’t get the better of her. As the day goes on all the school is talking about is the auditions, all too soon the day was over and they were heading to the playhouse where the audition was going to be held, her friends mum filled out the paperwork and then her name is called, but as she is going through the door, Andrew himself walks out asking about getting some coffee, walks straight past her and makes a beeline for Cecily, much to her amazement and asks he if she is auditioning too, when she replies in the negative, he asks her to reconsider and come in onto the set anyway. All of a sudden Cecily is being asked to be an extra by the director, saying that she has the “ethereal” look he is going for, he then hands her some forms to fill in and asks her and her friend to come back at 4am on Saturday for the shoot.
As she fills in her family, best friend and boyfriend about the turn of events, they are all surprised but really happy for her, however, her boyfriend starts to act weirdly, but blames it on his mum’s health and says nothing is wrong. The next day Cecily asks his what is going on when she eventually sees him, but he is talking to his ex and seems distracted, this continues the next couple of days, it turns out that he has been seeing more of his ex than normal, although the reason is because she has just broken up with her boyfriend and was upset, but Cecily can’t understand it and feels a little upset and betrayed herself, this feeling continues when the same thing happens and they end up arguing. As Saturday turns up and the filming day arrives, Cecily hasn’t slept well and has no idea what to expect, but Andrew puts her at ease and seems to be as nice as he projects, there is something there and their connection seems more than just superficial, but will Cecily follow her dreams of being with Andrew, or will she stick to her loving boyfriend and the small town familiarity he exudes? This is a sweet romance which will pull you along with Cecily as she figures out what her heart desires and makes the choices she needs to.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Roxsanne Lesieurhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRoxsanne Lesieur2021-03-25 19:45:542021-03-25 21:56:16Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.
The World Beyond the Walls is the third book in Jean Gill’s Natural Forces series. The series juxtaposes the sterile and highly regulated Citadel with the wild and free Forest beyond – an enticing and thought-provoking fantasy setting. It was great to catch up with familiar characters and meet some new ones as well – I particularly like Jeanette whose curiosity and determination get her into trouble and who knows the value of stories. I really like how this series focuses on bees in the fantasy narrative. It’s very current, with concerns about bee populations dwindling, and also lends itself to an interesting perspective on society and loyalties. This is the third book in the series, and I would definitely recommend starting at the beginning to enjoy the story in order. Gill does recap some important events of the earlier books so it makes sense on its own but the books are all so good you’ll want to read them all! For me, this is a five-star read. I would recommend it to confident teen and young adult readers who enjoy fantasy and nature, particularly those involved in activism.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Francis O'Sullivanhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngFrancis O'Sullivan2021-03-25 16:26:402021-03-25 18:32:53The World Beyond the Walls: epic dystopian eco-fantasy (Natural Forces Book 3) by Jean Gill – Review by Francis O’Sullivan
Mielitta Queen Of The Warrior Bees and Mage-Smith Kermon are back living in the Forest and the Citadel respectively, Kermon is trying to teach the children magecraft while also keeping his dual role as a spy between the two parties, as he is carrying out his plans for the transition test where the children go into the world beyond the walls, the children he is testing are also trying to push the boundaries set by their genders, but they don’t fully know why those boundaries are there, in fact, only two people know that at all and Mage-Smith Kermon is one of them.
When Mage Smith Kermon is disturbed in his forge with news that one of his students has gone into the world beyond the walls and not returned, he is frustrated and annoyed, but he is also worried because of the evil which lies within them, he sends the young student away and has to attend a Council meeting to request permission to do this, however as they took the time to listen to all the opposing viewpoints and make a decision which appeals to all, he finds out afterwards that the other student has gone ahead alone, so now he has to go after both of the students with another mage at his side to be his anchor.
Mage-Smith Kermon gathers the children who have spoken to the two missing students to find out any information about what they had gone into the wall to decide, based on the little he is able to gather, he has a starting point for when he takes his turn to enter the mysterious world, he takes the time to gather provisions and goes to the water gate to connect with Mielitta to inform her of the situation and what he is about to do, including that the student was possibly following the story of Mielitta, however, he speaks to someone unknown instead and they say that they will pass on the message to her, when the connection is cut off, Mage-Smith Kermon is surprised to find where he had thrown some boots containing seeds into the mud at the base of the gate, now there are plants forcing their way through to the Forest, with this new knowledge, he sets off to find his students. Meanwhile, Mielitta and her two friends are being woken up after a long winter hibernation, but the news they receive on awakening is not what they had hoped and it means they need to return to aid another of their friends and the bees who rely on them, in this Mielitta shifts from bee to human and back to help the bees and the humans to communicate while the others help her, while the one with the nature of a bear replenishes his reserves in the way he needs to, but while he is resting in the cave, he has a vision which leads to a way to get back into the Citadel to help Mage-Smith Kermon.
When they follow the vision, two of them can enter the walls, however, Mielitta is not able to, so she decides to find another way in which she can help, but is distracted by her heart and the hurt the walls just caused her, she is prompted by her bees to think of and return to the homestead, however, her steps lead her to the water gate instead and she goes in to help the others in bee form, but she has no idea of the danger leaving the Citadel and heading in the opposite direction to her.
Will the four friends be able to solve the mystery of Mielitta’s history, find and protect the missing students from the evil within the walls and come out of the other end unscathed, or will the duplicity within the Citadel lead to their demise? This is a thrilling final installment to the series and you will not be able to put the book down until it is finished and you know how it ends.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Roxsanne Lesieurhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRoxsanne Lesieur2021-03-25 16:07:302021-03-25 18:31:54World Beyond The Walls (Natural Forces Book 3) by Jean Gill – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.
“Red’s Tangled Tale” (Book #2 of “The Untold Stories” series) by Suzanna Lynn is a new look at the old tale of “Red Riding Hood,” and flips the fairy tale on its ear. “Red” is NOT a victim of the Big Bad Wolf in this tale; she is a strong, fierce heroine who helps feed her local village by entering the spooky Blakx Forest and hunting, including killing any of the ginormous wolves that inhabit the Forest, one of whom killed her father. “Red’s” friend, Captain Jameson Shaw – aka “Captain Hook” – arrives in her village, apparently on a mission to find any aid possible in rescuing his friend, the Little Mermaid, from an evil witch, apparently a sister of King Neptune? He needs some ever-burning ash from the Blakx Forest – the very quest in which Red’s father died. Red leads Hook and some of his pirate companions into the Forest, but what does she find there? Do they succeed in their quest? What else does Red find in the Forest besides the “ash?” Is the white wolf more than it seems? I’d love to tell you, because I LOVED the addition of other fairy tale folks into the mix, but that would spoil a surprising twist in the tale, and I don’t want to include any spoilers. Again, I loved the re-framing of the old fairy tale. I loved that Red was a strong heroine and that a pirate needed HER help, instead of HIS rescuing HER. There were a couple of things I didn’t “love:” This book can definitely be read as a stand-alone, but I feel I would have understood more of the story if I had read Book #1 first, as it addresses how the Little Mermaid was captured. I also didn’t love the overuse of the verb “hissed.” Red and Captain Hook “hissed” a lot of their dialogue to one another, and in a couple of spots it was just glaringly misused. So since I liked the book a LOT, I’ll give it 4.4 stars, which unfortunately rounds down to 4.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Sherry Sharpnackhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngSherry Sharpnack2021-03-25 15:06:432021-03-25 15:06:43Red’s Tangled Tale (The Untold Stories Book 2) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Sherry Sharpnack
This is the 3rd book in The Untold Stories series. This is a Young Adult Fantasy novel and is 207 pages. This story follows Lycus. He was cursed to run through Blakx Forest in wolf form. Rapunzel sets him free and he finds out her and Red will be journeying into the forest and joins them. They hear word of a lost princess and Lycus is forced to hunt and kill the beast. But he is captured by the beast and now must make a choice.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Heidi Schoolmanhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngHeidi Schoolman2021-03-25 14:47:382021-03-25 18:28:57Wolf’s Beautiful Beast (The Untold Stories Book 3) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Heidi Schoolman
This is the 2nd book in The Untold Stories series. This is a Young Adult novel and is 220 pages. This story follows Red as she hunts her father’s killer. Her father was the only one brave enough to enter Blakx Forest. The wolves took him out and now Red is going after them. Enter Captain Hook. He is in search of a rare burning ash but must go through the forest to get it. Together, they make the journey into the forest. This is a great series that intertwines all the well-known fairy tales, but with a twist!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Heidi Schoolmanhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngHeidi Schoolman2021-03-25 14:44:122021-03-25 18:28:26Red’s Tangled Tale (The Untold Stories Book 2) by Suzanna Lynn – Review by Heidi Schoolman
I’ve read the other two books and was in love, this one was fantastic. I can’t say enough about Melitta’s story. You really do need to read these in order, so if you haven’t go start book 1! This one focuses a lot on the walls and everyone around her, which rounds out the stories very well. I love each character, even the bad ones. They play a great role and are important for each little situation that helps the greater plot. Some of my favorite characters is Verity, and I can’t get into details but she’s boss lol. Please read these in order, if you don’t, you won’t understand everything you need to. It’s fantastic and elegantly written.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Meg Tyrrellhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngMeg Tyrrell2021-03-25 09:25:002021-03-25 09:38:14The World Beyond the Walls: epic dystopian eco-fantasy (Natural Forces Book 3) by Jean Gill – Review by Meg Tyrrell
Mielitta is now the Queen of the Warrior bees after the battle for the Forest and she and her bees are settling to their new life with two of her friends as the other settles back into life in the Citadel, meanwhile the Council are reporting what happened to the rest of those living within it, while also spinning it in the light of their victory and the fact that those they paint as traitors are still alive, as well as the noble sacrifice of their Chief Mage, what they don’t say is how he died Mage-Smith Kermon is adjusting to life back within the Citadel and he is missing it and his friends greatly, but he spends his first few days back creating the system he needs to connect with them again and while he is completing this task, he learns about the old transition test from childhood to adulthood as he does this.
When Mage-Smith Kermon successfully contacts Mielitta, he is feeling a barrage of emotions and finds it hard to concentrate on the words being said, even though there isn’t much to report this first time, so when a messenger announces that his presence has been requested at a meeting, they cut off the call and he agrees to contact them again when he has more news. Life in the forest continues as they learn the ways of the Forest and its inhabitants, they decide what tasks they need to complete first with guidance from the bees and go out to forage and hunt before finding somewhere they will feel safe as a home base, that is until Mielitta is summoned by her bees to help the hive, but when she arrives, she realises that it is her that needs the helps and so she experiences life as a worker bee to help her to recover from the battle. As the Council meet to replenish their numbers and choose those to replace the ones they lost, they have to adhere to the blood made in the Forest with Mielitta, even though they don’t necessarily agree with it, so they elect people who they feel will fit with the demands, yet still bend to their will, as well as how to commemorate the Chief Mage’s father with an award for going into the walls and helping Perfection to continue with what they find. After that has all been decided, the Chief Mage announces that Mage-Smith Kermon will devise the new transition test and that to do this, he will be going into the walls and at the same time, be the first recipient of the newly created award.
As their lives continue and they all adjust to their new roles, Mage-Smith Kermon enters the wall, but as well as finding the information needed for the new test, he also discovers the more malevolent side to them and when he returns to complete his reports, both for the Council and for Mielitta, something has changed, even though he cannot put his finger on what it is. Will Mage-Smith Kermon be able to continue his double life and still keep his sanity and loyalty intact, or will the web of lies, subterfuge and this mysterious malevolence destroy everything that he, Mielitta and the rest of their group have worked for? This is another journey of secrets, discovery and balance, which propels you along as the revelations come in thick and fast.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Roxsanne Lesieurhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRoxsanne Lesieur2021-03-25 08:30:142021-03-25 09:35:30Arrows Tipped With Honey (Natural Forces Book 2) by Jean Gill – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.
This story follows Seth to Edenia where he meets Miriam. All Seth wants to do is save his sister and Miriam just wants out. Neither one knows what’s in store for them and where their choices will take them. Is Seth making the right choice to save his sister? Is Miriam willing to stay to protect what’s sacred? Read this story to find out where their paths take them!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Carlahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngCarla2021-03-24 23:34:572021-03-25 06:42:32Guardians of the Garden by Theresa Pocock – Review by Carla Clemmons
Daisy’s Darkness by D.M. Earl is the sixth book in the Wheels and Hogs series. This is such an emotional and difficult book but it is one of those books that everyone who help read. The author dives right into tackling such difficult and heart wrenching subjects and yet they are ones that are so prevalent in today’s world. The author has done such a good job of writing this book that you feel everything right alongside Daisy – her pain, her anguish, her isolation. It really does feel like there is just no way forward for her. And yet the author shows how it is possible to turn things around, no matter how hard or impossible it seems to be at first. This is a story that I knew I would enjoy but never quite expected to be drawn into it the way I was. This book really is one that needs to be read by everyone!
This is the 3rd book in the Natural Forces series and wow what a book. It grips you and drives you right into the action from the first page so you really need to read them in order to understand the story.
The main character is Mielitta the Queen of the warrior bees. With her future in the forest protecting her bees she seems content until things start to change.
Her man inside the Citadel Kermon is at risk for being exposed as the traitor he is. When two of his students go through the wall and get lost he has to find them but things aren’t that straight forward. With evil forces working within the walls could this be a mission no one can win.
Also when Mielitta’s husband and friend also disappear through the wall she ends up on her own quest to save them returning the the Citadel.
Can everyone make it out of this story alive? Will we now learn the full story of Mielitta’s birth? And can Mielitta save her friends, her bees and teach the people of Citadel that perfection isn’t the only way of living?
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kerry Carrhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKerry Carr2021-03-24 14:21:132021-03-25 06:30:41The World Beyond the Walls: epic dystopian eco-fantasy (Natural Forces Book 3) by Jean Gill – Review by Kerry Carr
Daisy’s Darkness (Wheels & Hogs Book 6) by D.M. Earl. I LOVED this book. Its a young adult story that is very dark at times. Its the story of Daisy who doesn’t seem to fit in with the cool kids rather she hangs out with her group called “the Queenies”. They have always been very open with each other and are always there for one another. When Daisy starts to get in her own head and pulls away from the group her big brother Jagger see it and brings the problem to the attention of their family. Daisy being bullied and dealing with all the teenage angst along with that just piles more on her than she can handle. When Griffin who has noticed Daisy for a while now but was waiting for her to mature a bit sees she is struggling he jumps in to try to help her. This book is a coming of age story that deals with the very real problems of today. Bullying, social media, hormones and all the other fun stuff of growing up.
Can Dreams Come True? is the first book in the Cecily Taylor series by Krysten Lindsay Hager. Before reading this I had not read any of this author’s work but I was attracted by the blurb and decided to give the book a go. I’m glad that I did as I enjoyed this book. Cecily is the typical girl nest door. She’s sweet, hardworking and loyal to her friends. She also adores her boyfriend Zach. She does however have a major crush on pop star Andrew Holiday. So when her friend gets an audition for Andrew’s next video, Cecily goes along to give her support. Only Cecily is exactly what the video makers are looking for. I really loved reading about Cecily and Andrew. Both are great characters that I could easily identify with. I really enjoyed their interactions with one another, seeing their friendship develop as they both just ‘get’ each other. I have to admit that I was not a fan of Cecily’s friend who she went to the audition with or Cecily’s boyfriend Zach. Andrew understood her better in the space of a few minutes than 2 of her best ‘friends’ ever would. I really enjoyed this book. The main characters are great and the story flows along well, keeping you entertained. I’m looking forward to reading more and Cecily and Andrew’s story.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Karyn Taylorhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKaryn Taylor2021-03-24 12:13:192021-03-25 06:23:45Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Karyn Taylor
This is the third book in this series. The story holds true to the other two. I would recommend reading them to follow along more easily in here. The characters are lively and there seems to be a lot of movement between the Citadel and the Forest. I did struggle with this one a bit. There is a lot of looking into the scenes and not a lot of dialogue. That is the type of story I am not a huge fan of. I enjoyed the discussions the characters had as the story unfolded. I got their meanings and felt their feelings. Panic, fear, loyalty and friendship. Overall while the story is good it’s not my favorite of the series.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Lisa Helmickhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngLisa Helmick2021-03-24 11:04:232021-03-25 06:21:45The World Beyond the Walls: epic dystopian eco-fantasy (Natural Forces Book 3) by Jean Gill – Review by Lisa Helmick
I really enjoyed this story and immediately connected with Cecile and her interaction with Andrew. There felt to be a natural push and pull that I would expect with this type of story. Just an easy and fun read. I’m excited to see how their series progresses.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Heather Lovelacehttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngHeather Lovelace2021-03-24 08:53:462021-03-24 08:53:46Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Heather Lovelace
Mielitta is an eighteen year old girl, she is a servant in the Citadel of Perfection and she is despised by everyone around her and as hard as she tries to be invisible, there are ones who torment her relentlessly, but there are also those who ignore her as if she was never friends with them in the first place, this has led her to a life of loneliness and the only solace she finds is in the archery classes she runs with the children and the skill she has built up in it over the years. She also enjoys reading in the library when she has done her servants work, she is able to absorb the information like a sponge and this has led to a fascination with the Forest outside the Citadel, but whenever she tries to ask about it, she is tongue tied, she also suspects that the Maturity Test which she is not ready to take stops the adults from talking about it as well. Life in the Citadel is bland for Mielitta, just like the food and water they consume, the greylight which changes depending on the time of day and the building materials used to build her home.
When she wakes up on her eighteenth birthday, she receives a mysterious gift with a small phial of liquid and a riddle contained inside, the riddle makes no sense to her, but the liquid is full of scents and she is enthralled by them, but she is shocked to find that when she wears it, nobody around her can smell it. When she is given the task of taking refreshments to the Council Chamber, she discovers that something has happened in the outer defences and that the Forest beyond is gaining strength and preparing to attack Perfection, but when the conversation turns to the Forest and it’s dangers, Mielitta is wondering if the loss she has felt all her life is Nature, then something happens which shocks her to the core and she gains knowledge of how to access it, but as they declare that her mind has to be wiped of this knowledge, she quickly has to store it away somewhere they cannot get to it, but she can.
The next day she accidentally spills the last of the liquid on herself and the scent is overpowering, bus she soon gets lost in her daily activities and it becomes part of the background and while she is doing this, she uses the time to make a decision about her future and when she goes to visit her father and talk to him about it, her hopes of making it happen are dashed when someone takes the place she wanted, she rushes out to escape the sadness this causes her and instead heads to where she stored the memories, not believing that she would really find them, but when she does and it all comes rushing back to her, she is disturbed by her tormentors. They taunt Mielitta and when she dares to fight back, they proceed to chase her, she heads towards the gate where the memories guide her, she says the words and escapes into the Forest. When she gets out there, she feels, sees and experiences things for the first time and is drawn in deeper as she examines everything she sees, when she comes across a beehive and opens it, she is attacked by the bees within it.
When she wakes up after the ordeal, she sees all the dead bees around her, but when they disappear into an ultraviolet light, she discovers that she can also feel them within herself, however, she just ignores the buzzing and changes to her sight and other senses and returns to the citadel so that she isn’t missed. The next day when she discovers that there is an outline of a bee on her thigh, she also realises that she can hear the bees, she decides that this was her Maturity Test and she devises a plan to take the opportunity to become a woman on the outside to match the woman within her, it is after she has done this that she discovers a plot within the Citadel and the dangers associated with it while she is in the library, she also discovers the ability she has to be called to aid the bees in the hive she now belongs to.
Will Mielitta be able to use her new status and the bees help to foil the plot against the Forest, or will those who want to hurt her and the Forest succeed and wipe out everything outside of the Citadel and keep it in the Perfect state they want? This is a brilliant journey of personal discovery, danger and the wonders of nature which keeps you enthralled as plots are discovered and decisions are made which affect more than just Mielitta.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Roxsanne Lesieurhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRoxsanne Lesieur2021-03-24 08:45:042021-03-24 09:32:14Queen Of The Warrior Bees (Natural Forces Book 1) by Jean Gill – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.
Book Review: Can Dreams Come True ( The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) Author: Krysten Lindsay Hager Four Stars This is a teen contemporary romance with an angsty rock/alternative star theme. No sexual encounters. Totally safe for those under 18. Many teens would enjoy this story. Totally Mean Girls meets Hannah Montana but the Male lead is the rock star. Cecily get chosen to be in a music video that is being shot by her favorite musician of all time. Can she do this without making a total fool of herself and without alienating her current boyfriend? This book is good. It has a lot of angst and the characters seem to be what current kids are today. It will definitely be interesting to see where the 2nd book in the series goes. KLH
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kelli Harperhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKelli Harper2021-03-24 05:30:182021-03-24 09:30:32Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Kelli Harper
Who doesn’t love a good romance where the girl gets to mean her rock star crush??? This story was a great clean romance for teens and adults alike. This is my first book by this author and I can’t wait to read more in this series. I absolutely loved the story, the characters and relationships.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00April Smithhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngApril Smith2021-03-23 21:51:522021-03-24 09:27:08Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by April Smith
This story was sadly not my jam. I thought it was very cute and sweet. It was such a wonderful concept, but I think that if a few things were changed, it could be much better. This book is PERFECT for a 12-15 age group, it is a very clean and easy read. Although this story was not for me, I do believe that someone in a younger age group would absolutely love it. With that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the read.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Alexia Scallanhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAlexia Scallan2021-03-23 21:24:272021-03-24 09:26:32Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager- Review by Alexia Scallan
Granted: Curse of the Emerald Jinn by Rachel Huffmire is a YA story where a Jinn (Genie) who wreak havoc on unsuspecting humans. It is a very short coming of age tale where a 16 year old Liam has always had bad luck and is bullied etc and thinks he is cursed but he can also see when trouble is a foot. When he gets three wishes what will he choose? Fantasy meets folklore and myths in this magical tale that will be enjoyed by young and old alike. Reviewed by @jennadb
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jenni Bishophttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJenni Bishop2021-03-23 17:54:532021-03-24 09:21:12Granted: Curse of the Emerald Jinn by Rachel Huffmire – Review by Jenni Bishop
Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager . This is such a good romance. Its the story of Cecily Taylor who is in first real relationship and she thinks Zach may be the one. When she tries out for a part in a music video and gets it she is shocked and her friends are all jealous. Andrew Holiday is a huge star and starring in this video is amazing. The more time she spends with Andrew the more she likes him. Zach is extremely upset about the time she spends with him and becomes more irrational by the minute. He ends up acting like a fool pushing Cecily away. Andrew really likes Cecily and thinks she is so much more than those air headed models he’s been seeing. Will they have a future together? Read this sweet young adult romance to find out!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tausha Treadwayhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTausha Treadway2021-03-23 13:44:562021-03-23 16:54:11Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Tausha Treadway
So, this was a great young adult read and I thoroughly enjoyed every page of it. For me, the best part of this book was that it featured a male as the main character because there are so few books out there now that do. I loved how the story incorporated a single-parent home life, teenage romance, magic, and mystery all together to create such a relatable book. I fell in love with the story immediately and didn’t want it to end. In fact, I am hoping that there is a follow-up to this story because I could certainly see this having several sequels to it. I felt that the author pulled me into the story as I was reading because her writing skills were so keen and informative. This was the first book I have read by this author but I’m going to check out more of her work from the library because if all her books are as good as this one then I’m going to become addicted. If you have a young adult male reader in your household or know someone that does, this will make for a great read for them.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Karen Pearmanhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKaren Pearman2021-03-23 13:30:492021-03-23 16:53:06Granted: Curse Of The Emerald Jinn by Rachel Huffmire – Review by Karen Pearman
Krysten Lindsay Hager is a new author to me. Her writing style gripped me from the first page to the last page. This is a fast paced YA book. It kept me going because I needed to know what was coming up next. The characters were tuned into the story. They were complex and really enhanced the story. I could vision them in my mind’s eye because they were so realistic. Cecily is the lead female character and Andrew is the lead male character. Cecily was doing her friend a favor and accompanied her to a video audition. Cecily did not even want to be in the video but the director did. This put some ill feelings from her friend and with all the attention made her boyfriend become jealous. Andrew being the lead singer of the group has a crush on Cecily. How does Cecily feel about the video? Does Cecily and her boyfriend fall apart? Does Andrew come to help Cecily get through these trying times? Does the small town girl and the big time guy? I highly recommend this book to find out the answers to these questions and more.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Erica Fishhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngErica Fish2021-03-23 13:21:102021-03-23 16:52:27Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Erica Fish
I’m not sure how I would feel if I got the chance to meet a celebrity that I had been a diehard fan of, I don’t really have a celebrity icon that I like that much I don’t think. But Cecily does, and that amaze-balls icon for her is the singer Andrew Holiday. At first, I was a little annoyed, I know other people who have read this didn’t like Zach and his jealousy, and I will admit that he was a tad arsy, but I think I would be a little annoyed if the person I loved was spending a lot of time with a sexy celebrity who was clearly into them. I mean Andrew makes it known that he wants her, if not explicitly but implicitly, and I just thought that Zach got a bad deal. Doesn’t condone what he does, but still, I felt proper sorry for him at first. Cecily was okay, I’m not sure how I felt about her as a protagonist if I’m honest, think this was geared more towards young adults, and as such, the character just didn’t really resonate with me. Still, it had the whole, normal girl being thrust into the sparkly world of stardom and receiving the attention of a hot celebrity who thinks that she is the best thing since sliced bread, vibe. I would have my phases when I was younger, of eating books like this up, and this is one of the better-written ones. Hager has a nice turn of phrase that made me want to keep reading, even if I wasn’t wholly invested in the story. Young adults will love this and anyone else looking for a nice romance that has plenty of feels, and the rosiness of unbelievable dreams coming true.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Danielle Dandohttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDanielle Dando2021-03-23 10:51:332021-03-23 16:50:59Can Dreams Come True? (The Cecily Taylor Series Book 1) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Dani Dando
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