Author: Yolanda @ Past Midnight

I've been addicted to books for about thirty plus years! Too bad I didn't track all the books I've read. ๐Ÿ˜ฌ Follow me on Twitter: @ylmpastmidnight , Instagram: @ylmpastmidnight and Facebook: ylmpastmidnight

The Last Legacy by. Adrienne Young | Book Review

My Rating: โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ

Title: The Last Legacy

Author: Adrienne Young

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 322

Publication Date: 9/6/21

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Fantasy, Spin Off/Standalone, Romance, Family

When a letter from her uncle Henrik arrives on Bryn Roth’s eighteenth birthday, summoning her back to Bastian, Bryn is eager to prove herself and finally take her place in her long-lost family.

Henrik has plans for Bryn, but she must win everyoneโ€™s trust if she wants to hold any power in the delicate architecture of the family. It doesnโ€™t take long for her to see that the Roths are entangled in shadows. Despite their growing influence in upscale Bastian, their hands are still in the kind of dirty business that got Brynโ€™s parents killed years ago. With a forbidden romance to contend with and dangerous work ahead, the cost of being accepted into the Roths may be more than Bryn can pay.

New York Timesย bestselling author Adrienne Young returns withย The Last Legacy, a captivating standalone about family and blood ties, reinventing yourself, and controlling your own destiny.

Content Warning: violence, abuse

This book is set in the world of the Fable series – which I loved and honestly I feel like this could have been a new duology or trilogy but it is a standalone. Not gonna lie – I love this world of merchants, pirates, traders – it’s so intense and gritty. Let’s take a look at what I thought of the book:

+ I love that this is set in the same world as the last series, Fable. It has the same intensity – the feeling that everyone is playing a dangerous game and it’s not clear who to trust. Since this is a standalone spin-off I felt like it was more high stakes because the story was going to have an ending.

+ Bryn Roth – she’s on the outside looking in and she wants to belong. She’s been waiting all her life to be worthy of the Roth name, but when she finally gets her chance it isn’t as easy as it seems. And she has to make a hard choice at the end…

+ Ezra and Bryn are electric. It’s an attraction that becomes a forbidden love scenario. I wish we had more time for their relationship to grow but it’s a standalone. I just wanted more of them together on the page.

~ I really liked how Bryn is so determined to belong and become a Roth but she isn’t going to take the way how the kids are treated and trained in this family. Her uncle is their leader, and he rules the family with an iron first – and yet the family bond is strong but all around its toxic. Bryn knows she can’t change it though she tries but I’m glad she stands up for herself and others.

Tropes: forbidden love

Spice Level: ๐ŸŒถ

Why you should read it:

  • You liked the Fable series – this is set in the same world but instead of pirates we learn more about the merchants, trades and guilds.
  • it’s intense, a quick read with a strong female lead

Why you might not want to read it:

  • it’s a standalone and I wish there was maybe one more book so that we get more of Bryn and Ezra.

My Thoughts:

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book but I loved the Fable duology so much that it felt great being back in this world with a new family and new characters to root for. Definitely read it if you are a fan of this author’s works. I look forward to reading more from her!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Here are other books by this author that I have reviewed on this blog and books I have read but never reviewed:

Back to School ~ Dark Academia Books

Since Back to School is the theme for me this month, why not showcase some dark academia books? Dark academia is a genre I’ve only started reading since it was getting popular the past few years. I haven’t read a lot of it but I am always trying to expand my reading list. I’m definitely looking forward to reading Babel when it releases this month! Do you like dark academia books?

Back to School ~ Dark Academia Books

I’ve only read two from this list: A Lesson in Vengeance and A Deadly Education! Everything else is on my TBR but I did honestly try to read Ninth House and just wasn’t in the mood for some reason. Will eventually pick it up again, I think. Anyway let me know any dark academia books that you would recommend in the comments below.

It’s Not Summer Without You by. Jenny Han | Book Review | Re-Read

My Rating: โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ

Title: It’s Not Summer Without You (#2)

Author: Jenny Han

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 275

Publication Date: 4/26/10

Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Romance, Teen, Young Adult, Coming of Age, Contemporary

Belly finds out what comes after falling in love in this follow-up to The Summer I Turned Pretty from the New York Times bestselling author of To All the Boys Iโ€™ve Loved Before (soon to be a major motion picture!), Jenny Han.

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it startedโ€”at Cousins Beach.

Content Warning: death of parent, underage drinking

I read this series long ago but decided to do a re-read because it’s now on screen! It’s been interesting re-reading this series as an older person for sure. Here’s what I thought:

+ {spoiler} The boy’s mom was ill in book one and passes but they have no scenes of the actual moment it happens. This sequel is told in memories, whether it’s about Belly and Conrad memories, or one that included Susannah. We see everyone handling their grief in very different ways but for sure they are broken and trying to hang on to one another.

+ No matter the romance drama between Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah – I do love that they have the bond because of how close their families are and the memories they made at the beach house.

+ Belly’s mom is awesome and is handling so much – but Belly being a teenager, doesn’t know how much she is handling. But she really is awesome and loves these kids, hers and Susannah’s.

~ Even though I know this book is about a love triangle, I just cannot believe how Belly goes back and forth between the brothers. I’m just sad they all have to go through this drama while grieving Susannah. It’s messy and it’s the worst kind of love triangle because it’s between brothers.

~ This is all teen drama so Belly comes off as a brat at times.

Tropes: love triangle

Spice Level: ๐ŸŒถ (there is kissing)

Why you should read it:

  • You love the first book and want to know what happens next.
  • you like stories about first loves, first crushes, a love triangle

Why you might not want to read it:

  • you’re not into teenage romance love triangles
  • Belly can get annoying

My Thoughts:

The books in this series are really quick reads! It’s mainly about Belly and the two brothers she loves in different ways but it’s definitely not a book for someone who hates love triangles. I don’t mind love triangles but I hate when it’s between two brothers. It’s messy and even more so because it’s young love with so many feelings involved, feelings that hurt easy, intertwined with grief. In my opinion, Belly should lay off dating these guys until she’s older and has a clear head haha…but that’s just me! It’s just full on romance, back and forth drama.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Summer I Turned Pretty by. Jenny Han | Book Review |ย Re-read โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ

How do you regret one of the best nights of your entire life? You don’t. You remember every word, every look. Even when it hurts, you still remember.

Jenny Han, It’s Not Summer Without You

WWW Wednesday | 8/17/22

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three Wโ€™s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?

I’ve been trying to balance out reading my arcs and my library books so I can finish both on time and I think I’m doing pretty good so far.

What are you reading right now?

Happy Reading!!

Happy Book Birthday | New Releases | 8/16/22

Happy book birthday to these new releases!

A desperate pirate crew. An abducted captain. Can they save him before he faces the bloodthirsty sirens or will other dangers of the sea claim them first?

The crew of the Siren’s Song race to catch up with the ruthless pirate who has captured their captain. But a sudden storm forces them to choose a perilous route. Desperate to save their captain and retrieve the enchanted dagger, the crew argues over how to survive the waters and what lies beneath.

Declan finds himself in the hands of a cruel and ambitious pirate with no desire to listen to reason or the truth. With no chance to escape, he must buy his crew time to reach him before he falls victim to his captor’s deadly scheme.

In a world of myths and mystery, a captain’s life hangs in the balance. But it will take more than skill and magic to save him. Can a crew come together to free their captain-or will their stubborn hearts sacrifice him instead?

Black Sails meets Throne of Glass in this captivating second installment of the Aisling Sea trilogy with higher stakes, new dangers, and more swoon-worthy romance that is sure to create fans of insta-love. Perfect for readers who don’t mind steam on the page, but prefer it not be on every page. 

Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid โ€œMerโ€ is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the princeโ€™s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Merโ€™s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.

The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the princeโ€™s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thingโ€ฆ but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.

The Drowned Woodsโ€”set in the same world as The Bone Houses but with a whole new, unforgettable cast of charactersโ€”is part heist novel, part dark fairy tale. 

A king with a score to settle.
A demon driven to rebel.
A girl who holds the power of the gods.

Arrah has paid many prices in her battle against the Demon King. Now, she must decipher the legacy of her past and weave an uneasy alliance between her beloved Rudjek, the Demon King, and the remaining orishas, hoping to restore peace to all their worlds. But as Arrahโ€™s half-demon sister regains her strength and resumes her quest for destruction, peace may require the ultimate sacrifice. 



From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.

Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline’s radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who’d grown tragically distant.

Mars’s genderfluidity means he’s often excluded from the traditions — and expectations — of his politically-connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place.

What Mars finds is a bucolic fairytale not meant for him. Folksy charm and sun-drenched festivities camouflage old-fashioned gender roles and a toxic preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister’s old friends: a group of girls dubbed the Honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. They are beautiful and terrifying — and Mars is certain they’re connected to Caroline’s death.

But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to hints of decay. Marsโ€™s memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can’t find it soon, it will eat him alive.

Are you getting any new books this week? Happy Reading!

Books I Love That Were Written Over Ten Years Ago | Top Ten Tuesday | 8/16/22

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!

This weekโ€™s topic is:

Books I Love That Were Written Over Ten Years Ago

Wow, I had to look back in my Goodreads list for this one!

This titles are in no particular order but some of the first books I added to Goodreads. Apparently I had a Goodreads account back in 2012 and a lot of these books were published way before that so yeah…these titles definitely took me back in time!

What’s on your TTT?

My Favorite Book Cover Color of the Year – Purple

I’ve noticed so many books this year have purple book covers and they are really beautiful. I’ve been loving them and wish I could have all of them on my book shelf. Here are some 2022 books with purple book covers!

My Favorite Book Cover Color of the Year – Purple



It is such a beautiful color! ๐Ÿ’œ

Weekly Wrap Up | 8/14/22

Aloha friends!

I don’t know how I feel more tired with my kids in school?! I think because drop off and pick up is me leaving the house early in the morning and then waiting awhile in the car in the afternoon – why is school pick up always chaos?! My daughter loves school so much! So her sunburn on her nose is peeling – I’m curious to see how school pictures look – they were taken on Tuesday and I tried my hardest to cover it up with concealer and powder lol. Oh well, it is what it is! At least we’ll look at the picture and remember the weekend before picture taking and her skin is peeling now so it’s healing at least.

Our dog Atlas, has been getting more cuddle times with me and walks too. But he misses the kids, at night he plops right on top of my daughter’s legs to go to sleep.

Today we have another birthday party at an outdoor location – and I’m making her wear a hat! It is just too hot to be outside right now, and I need her skin to heal. Other than that, I’m just trying my best to keep chugging along. ๐Ÿ˜ฉ Our fridge stopped cooling down so I had to buy a mini fridge and I turned it off to defrost the whole thing (you know a restart lol) so let’s hope that works because it’s hard trying to find a repairman lately. Other things happened but I’m tired of the negative, so I’ll end it here.

Hope you all had a good week!

Blog Posts:

Books I Read:

Currently Reading:

Shows/Movies I Watched:

Never Have I Ever (Season 3/Netflix) – I wish the episodes weren’t so short!!! ๐Ÿ˜ญ I love this show and it made me laugh a lot – I needed laughs this week. And Devi has another hot boy to crush on? I don’t blame her, Des is a cutie!๐Ÿ˜ I found myself saying omg…why is he so handsome?! lol…but okay how about that cliffhanger?!!!

Games I Played:

  • My Singing Monsters
  • Cooking Dash – still grinding!

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

Hook, Line and Sinker by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review

My Rating: โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ

Title: Hook, Line and Sinker (Bellinger Sisters, #2)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 385

Publication Date: 3/1/22

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Romance, Friends to Lovers, Rom Com

King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he’s a guaranteed good time–in bed and out–and that’s exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. She’s immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his… personality? And wants to be friends? Bizarre. But he likes her too much to risk a fling, so platonic pals it is.

Now, Hannah’s in town for work, crashing in Fox’s spare bedroom. She knows he’s a notorious ladies’ man, but they’re definitely just friends. In fact, she’s nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport’s resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker’s eye… yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can’t deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.

Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she’s walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and… and… man overboard! He’s fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he’s all in, she’ll choose him instead?

Content Warning:

Life has been so busy for me the past few weeks that this book was exactly what I needed to sweep me away for a little bit, fall in love with the characters falling in love and not think about my problems ๐Ÿ˜…. Let’s get to what I did and didn’t like:

+ I love that we are back in Westport, where the ocean is near, and the Bellinger sisters are together again but this one is all about Hannah, the supporting actress, the one in Piper’s shadow, the sweet sister who has her head all up into music. I loved Hannah from book one because she seems down to earth, she’s more practical about things and even has a normal job. She’s trying to work on being the “leading lady” in certain aspects of her life, like with her job and with Fox.

+ The best part of this whole book was Hannah and Fox’s relationship. They go from friends…and yes I think I can say they are friends even though it’s been only a few months of really texting each other. But it continues when she comes back except the physical attraction is now an issue – they want each other…but the challenge is trying to decide if it’s worth ruining the friendship for and I love that they make it work. I’m more of a lover of the “enemies to lovers” trope…but maybe I’m emotional because of PMS, but this one had me in my feels. I love that they were trying to understand one another, be honest even if it was scary – they listened to one another. Love that because relationships are a long haul and knowing how to get through the bumps are so important. And they have their own way which works for them.

+ Speaking of physical attraction ๐Ÿ”ฅ – these two were definitely hot for one another. But I like how they tried to talk about things before actually getting to the point of acting on it.

~ I felt like book one had more of an emotional connection between Piper and her dad’s memory, the town and the bar. Sadly Hannah doesn’t have that connection because she doesn’t remember him and that is realistic but she was hardly at her grandma’s place, or connecting to anyone really in the book except for with Fox. BUT…I totally get it, some people just need their space and she even said she liked the idea of moving from Westport to be able to work, and have space so they could figure out their relationship with Fox without people always giving their two cents. So I respected that about her. I just felt like there wasn’t much of Piper in the book or anyone else, this really focused on Hannah and Fox relationship.

~ I think some parts about Fox’s commitment issues got a bit repetitive in the middle of the story. I get it that he had to work through these issues though and actually I think it’s relatable (I grew up with a few guys like this.) There are those guys out there and it’s sad that they think their only worth is their looks and being a F-buddy, which is why I thought it was sweet how he connected with Hannah and how Hannah saw who he really was and was patient enough with him.

Tropes: friends to lovers, forced proximity, afraid to commit, small town

Spice Level: ๐ŸŒถ๐ŸŒถ๐ŸŒถ๐ŸŒถ

Why you should read it:

  • Hannah and Fox are perfect for one another, she’s trying to be more confident in her job and he has major insecurities, especially when it comes to his feelings about Hannah – but what I love about them is they try to listen and understand one another. They are each other’s safe space. They grew together which melts my heart!
  • sweet, steamy, and funny

Why you might not want to read it:

  • you didn’t like the first book…OR if you did like the first one, just know this one is different because Piper isn’t Hannah and vice versa. Hannah has a lesser connection to the town and her dad’s memory. Hannah is her own person but it would have been nice to have her reconnect more with her sister too – but that’s just me. I like when Hannah and Piper are together because they are the most loving sisters.

My Thoughts:

Overall, this was the perfect book for my current mood – I just wanted to escape and read a book with a happily ever after. I definitely felt all the emotions while reading Hannah and Fox’s love story. They are the cutest together with their shared love of music and wanting to take care of each other. This one gave me all the feels!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

It Happened One Summer by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ

I just kind of stand around waiting for things to happen, while other people seem to make them happen so easily. I can help othersโ€”I like doing thatโ€”but Iโ€™m a supporting actress, not a leading lady.

Tessa Bailey, Hook, Line and Sinker

Back to School ~ Books with School Uniforms on the Cover

Did you go to private school and wear a uniform? I went to public school so we could wear anything we wanted – well not anything, but you know what I mean. My kids go to public school and they have to wear a t-shirt uniform. I kind of like the idea, since you always know what you will be wearing and cuts down the chances of a wardrobe meltdown lol. Here are book covers with school uniforms on the cover.

Books with School Uniforms on the Cover

I do love a cover with a school uniform on it. I don’t know why, maybe because I never went to private school and it makes me curious what it was like? Not sure, but I keep reading the stories!