Pink Book Covers | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday | 2/11/25

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 week’s topic is: love freebie

Pink Book Covers

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by. Sarah Adams

Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in this rivals-to-lovers romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Rule Book and Practice Makes Perfect.

Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He’s the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year, with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor.

Jackson Bennett is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited for—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.

With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, Jack agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?

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Royal Heirs Academy by. Lindsey Duga

American Royals meets Elite in this contemporary YA set in a glamorous boarding school where four teens compete to inherit a European kingdom.

For fifty years, King Leander Eldana has ruled Ashland without naming an heir to the crown. After sending away his grandchildren to be raised out of the public eye, it’s finally time to secure his nation’s future by appointing one definitive heir. The best way to appraise his successor? In the halls of Almus Terra Academy, a boarding school infamous for breeding the world’s next generation of leaders—and liars.

Titus Eldana has always known he’d inherit Ashland’s future. Now he must prove he has what it takes. Alaric Eldana was not raised with a silver spoon. His secondhand clothes might not be fit for a king, but he knows how to rule: with his fist. Emmeline Eldana only wants to please her neglectful parents. If that means securing the crown, she won’t hesitate to destroy anyone in her way. Sadie Aurelia has no idea why she’s been given a chance to bring new blood to the throne. With nothing left to lose back home, she’s ready to take it.

Filled with competition, secret alliances, enemies-to-lovers romance, and cunning revenge, Royal Heirs Academy is a breathless, entertaining read set in modern-day. This gossip-filled school for the global elite is inspired by UWC of the Atlantic, which Vanity Fair has described as “Hippie Hogwarts.”

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Love Unmasked by. Becky Dean

From the author of Hearts Overboard comes a swoony mystery-filled romance in which a girl on a school trip to Venice gets swept off her feet by a mask-wearing stranger…but does she know him already? Lose yourself in the masquerade—because sometimes, the greatest adventure begins when you unmask your heart.

People pleaser Evie Whitmore can’t believe her art and architecture class trip has brought her to Venice—home of gondolas and crumbling palazzos, and the inspiration for both her art and her hidden passion, Elven Realms, a series of novels set in the very city she’s about to explore.

Rumors about an underground Elven Realms fan club swirl, and Evie, wearing a costume and mask, sneaks out at night to find it. There’s no way she can tell anyone what she’s doing—not her friends, and certainly not Gabriel Martinez, the bad boy loner she’s been partnered with on the trip.

But Evie’s not the only one on this clandestine quest. She collides with someone else in disguise—a stranger whose eyes hold secrets. He calls himself Angelo, and he too loves the novels. Venice is a labyrinth, and as they unravel clues together, their connection deepens. Who is Angelo, really? And who does Evie want him to be?

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The Rose Bargain by. Sasha Peyton Smith

The Cruel Prince meets The Selection in this captivating duology opener brimming with heart-pounding romance, vicious competition, and beautiful, cruel fae, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Haven, Sasha Peyton Smith.

Every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen.

High society girls are expected to bargain for qualities that will win them suitors: a rare talent for piano in exchange for one’s happiest childhood memory. A perfect smile for one’s ability to taste.

But Ivy Benton’s debut season arrives with a shocking twist: a competition to secure the heart of the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. A prize that could save Ivy’s family from ruin… and free her sister from the bargain that destroyed her.

Yet every glittering fae deal has a rotting heart—and at the center of this contest is a dark plot that could destroy everything Ivy knows.

Sweepingly romantic and deceptively enchanting, this alternate history romantasy will enthrall readers of Holly Black, Stephanie Garber, and Adalyn Grace.

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Everything I Promised You by. Katy Upperman

An emotionally raw and romantic YA novel perfect for fans of Laura Nowlin’s If He Had Been with Me.

Their love was written in the stars, but how is Lia to move on when death trumps fate?

When Lia’s mom was 17, she had her fortune told and learned her only daughter was fated to fall in love with her best friend’s son. Life unfolded exactly as predicted, and despite the army-brat lifestyle bringing them in and out of each other’s orbit, Lia and Beckett were meant to be. Or so they thought.

When a freak heart attack steals Beck’s life, Lia is devastated and unmoored. She lived her life by her mom’s old fortune; if she was fated to be with Beck, and Beck is gone, who is she supposed to be? And is there room in her broken heart for life, let alone another love?

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Better Than Revenge by. Kasie West

A swoony new romance from the author of Sunkissed! When her football-player boyfriend and now ex lands the podcast job she’s been dreaming of, a girl takes matters into her own hands by enlisting the help of his nemesis to get revenge.

Seventeen-year-old Finley has only ever had one to become a famous podcaster. This includes coming up with the perfect pitch to land her on her school’s podcast team. But when her football-obsessed boyfriend, Jensen, decides to also try out—and uses her idea—she’s left confused and betrayed.

Determined to get back at him, Finley and her friends try to find the perfect revenge scheme, but quickly discover that Jensen is almost-impossible to best. Keyword, almost.

By chance, Finley discovers a knack for kicking and decides to take Jensen’s spot on the football team. To help her train, she recruits Jensen’s cute but conceited nemeses, Theo. Soon the two discover that their connection runs deeper than football. But Finley can’t let herself get distracted, and Theo has secrets of his own. Is true love really better than the perfect revenge?

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Is She Really Going Out With Him? by. Sophie Cousens

A hilarious love story about a disillusioned divorcée who agrees to let her children play matchmaker.

Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs a man when she has two kids, a cat, and uncontested control of the TV remote? Besides, she’d rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating. But her office rival is vying for her column, and no column means no stable source of income. In a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique angle: seven dates, all found offline, chosen by her children.

From awkward encounters to unexpected connections, Anna gamely begins to put herself out there, asking out waiters, the mailman, and even her celebrity crush. But when a romantic connection appears where she least expected it, will she be brave enough to take another chance on love?

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I Was Told There Would Be Romance by. Marie Arnold

For fans of Never Have I Ever and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before comes a hilarious and heartfelt YA contemporary about a young Haitian girl navigating high school, friendship, and crushes. Fifteen-year-old Fancy Augustine is a Haitian American girl with simple desires. She’d like to trade in her floppy, oversize boobs for cute, perky ones. She’d love a boyfriend. And she’s desperate for an invite to the biggest event of the school Imani Park’s birthday party. When Fancy learns her BFF, Tilly, has received a coveted invite and has a secret boyfriend, she is (understandably) devastated and wholeheartedly determined to do whatever it takes to get her own happily ever after.

So what if she makes a deal with the devil (Imani) that guarantees her an invite—but only if she can bring a boyfriend? And what’s so bad about letting her crush, Rahim, believe that she can create a voodoo potion for him in exchange for him posing as her boyfriend? And, yeah, maybe she’s destroying her friendship with Tilly and falling hopelessly behind in her schoolwork, but Fancy knows it’ll all be worth it in the end. Plus, it’s not like Fancy’s parents would really make good on their threats of sending her back to Haiti…right?

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Check & Mate by. Ali Hazelwood

Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays. After the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning bad boy of chess.

Nolan’s loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone—especially Mallory. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash prizes and, despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist….

As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren’t only on the board, the spotlight is hotter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce(-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating…)

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Dungeons and Drama by. Kristy Boyce

When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!

Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she’s grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

Riley can’t waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn’t require as much acting as she would’ve thought…

What’s on your TTT?

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What’s New This Month? February 2025 New Book Releases

I’m late on this one! You can tell me head has been out of it lately…anyway…

What’s coming out this month? Here are some books that are releasing this month! And there is a lot…

February 4, 2025:

Deep End by. Ali Hazelwood

A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.

Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water…

Goodreads | Amazon

The Rose Bargain by. Sasha Peyton Smith

Every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen.

Yet every glittering fae deal has a rotting heart—and at the center of this contest is a dark plot that could destroy everything Ivy knows.

Sweepingly romantic and deceptively enchanting, this alternate history romantasy will enthrall readers of Holly Black, Stephanie Garber, and Adalyn Grace.

Goodreads | Amazon

Everything I Promised You by. Katy Upperman

An emotionally raw and romantic YA novel perfect for fans of Laura Nowlin’s If He Had Been with Me.

Their love was written in the stars, but how is Lia to move on when death trumps fate?

Goodreads | Amazon

Dating and Dragons by. Kristy Boyce

From the author of the nationally bestselling Dungeons and Drama comes another gaming romance that’s sure to win you over!

Quinn Norton is starting over at a new high school and hopes that joining a D&D game will be the trick to making friends. The plan sounds even better when she’s invited into a group that includes Logan Weber, the cute and charming guy she met on her first day of class. But this isn’t your average D&D campaign— this group livestreams their games and enforces strict rules: no phones allowed, and no dating other group members.

Quinn is willing to accept the rules, even if it makes Logan off-limits. And she quickly learns that doing so won’t be a problem, since Logan goes from charismatic to insufferable as soon as she agrees to join. As their bickering—and bantering—intensifies inside and outside the game, Quinn can’t help wondering: Is Logan’s infuriating behavior a smokescreen for hidden feelings? Quinn is risking it all, and the twenty-sided dice are rolling!

Goodreads | Amazon

Under the Same Stars by. Libba Bray

It was said that if you write to the Bridegroom’s Oak, the love of your life will answer back. Now, the tree is giving up its secrets at last.

In 1940s Germany, Sophie is excited to discover a message waiting for her in the Bridegroom’s Oak from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, her best friend, Hanna, is sending messages too—but not to find love. As World War II unfolds in their small town of Kleinwald, the oak may hold the key to resistance against the Nazis.

In 1980s West Germany, American teen transplant Jenny feels suffocated by her strict parents and is struggling to fit in. Until she finds herself falling for Lena, a punk-rock girl hell-bent on tearing down the wall separating West Germany from East Germany, and meeting Frau Hermann, a kind old lady with secrets of her own.

In Spring 2020, New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe are in the first weeks of COVID lockdown and hating Zoom school, when an unexpected package from Chloe’s grandmother leads them to investigate a cold case about two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom’s Oak eighty years ago.

Goodreads | Amazon

February 11, 2025:

Something Like Fate by. Amy Lea

During a summer in Italy, two best friends discover whether true love is up to destiny or free will in this winning romantic comedy by the international bestselling author of Woke Up Like This.

For generations, the fortune-telling women in Lo Zhao-Jensen’s family have foreseen The One—the great loves of their lives—before ever meeting them. Except for Lo, who has zero psychic abilities. Just memories of old rom-coms and a lot of poor judgment when it comes to love.

Until now.

When Lo finally has the vision she’s been waiting for, her delighted aunties are convinced she’ll meet The One on her backpacking trip in Italy. Vero amore, here she comes.

Along for the summer is Lo’s best friend and confidant, Teller Owens, her opposite in every way. Upon arrival in Venice, Lo is saved from a runaway trolley by Caleb, a fellow backpacker. It’s a meet-cute so swoony, it has to be fate. But with each destination, Lo’s complicated feelings for Teller are becoming harder to ignore. From the cobblestone streets of Rome to the rocky cliffs of Amalfi, Lo begins to wonder if fate has other plans.

Goodreads | Amazon

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by. Heather Fawcett

Emily Wilde has spent her life studying faeries. A renowned dryadologist, she has documented hundreds of species of Folk in her Encyclopaedia of Faeries. Now she is about to embark on her most dangerous academic project studying the inner workings of a faerie realm-as its queen.

Along with her former academic rival-now fiancé-the dashing and mercurial Wendell Bambleby, Emily is immediately thrust into the deadly intrigues of Faerie as the two of them seize the throne of Wendell’s long-lost kingdom, which Emily finds a beautiful nightmare, filled with scholarly treasures.

Emily has been obsessed with faerie stories her entire life, but at first she feels as ill-suited to Faerie as she did to the mortal world-how could an unassuming scholar like herself pass for a queen? Yet there is little time to settle in-Wendell’s murderous stepmother has placed a deadly curse upon the land before vanishing without a trace. It will take all of Wendell’s magic-and Emily’s knowledge of stories-to unravel the mystery before they lose everything they hold dear.

Goodreads | Amazon

Scythe & Sparrow by. Brynne Weaver

God, I want to kiss her. I want to feel the heat of her lips against mine. Would she want that? Would she melt against me if she did? Or would the tension I feel between us snap and release something feral inside her? Inside me?

From the #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird and Leather & Lark comes the final book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy—a friends-with-benefits dark romantic comedy packed with murder, mayhem, and spice.

Doctor Fionn Kane is running from a broken heart, one he hopes to mend in small-town Nebraska, far away from his almost-fiancé and his derailed surgical career. It’s a simpler head down, hard work, and absolutely no romantic relationships. He wants none of the circus he left behind in Boston.

But then the real circus finds him.

Motorcycle performer Rose Evans has spent a decade on the road with the Silveria Circus, and it suits her just fine, especially when she has the urge to indulge in a little murder when she’s not in the spotlight. But when a kill goes awry and she ends up with an injured leg, Rose finds herself stuck in Nebraska, at the home of the adorably nerdy town doctor.

The problem is, not every broken heart can be sewn back together.

. . . And the longer you stay in one place, the more likely your ghosts are to catch up.

Goodreads | Amazon

Get Lost with You by. Sophie Sullivan

A second chance at love, small-town romance that’s all sweet with just a hint of heat from the “queen of sweet romance” (Falon Ballard) Sophie Sullivan.

Jillian Keller took the long route to her best life, but is now happily settled in her hometown of Smile, raising her little girl alone while helping her brother run Get Lost Lodge. A lover of structure and routine, she doesn’t need anything, or anyone, disrupting her carefully curated life.

After chasing and achieving his culinary dreams, Levi Bright realizes he’s still missing something. Something he can’t find in a big city. Returning home to Smile, he intends to build a different future for himself that includes mending fences with his dad, reconnecting with friends, and creating elevated comfort food for a town he loves.

When Levi and Jilly run into each other one day in Smile, once requited feelings that never had a chance to bloom as teens flare between them immediately. Jaded from her past, Jilly is cautious and convinced that she can handle being just friends, as the two have to work closely together to prepare for Get Lost’s official summer opening, spending time together, camping, laughing, kayaking, and reminiscing. But when her brother hires sweet, funny, ridiculously hot Levi as the new chef at the lodge, and she and Ollie are getting more attached, things are moving more quickly than she anticipated–and Jilly has been hurt before. If she wants to be head over heels in love, she’ll have to learn that the past doesn’t always repeat itself. Sometimes, it just leads you where you’re meant to be.

Goodreads | Amazon

The Forest King’s Daughter by. Elly Blake

For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black, The Forest King’s Daughter is an enemies-to-forbidden-lovers romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Frostblood.

Once upon a time, among the bloodred trees of Thirstwood, a young forest princess became friends with a lonely demon boy. He gifted her an amber ring, a worthless trinket…or so he thought…because no sooner did he slide it onto her finger than the demon queen and forest king declared war.

Years later, Cassia is a crucial force in her father’s army, wielding her ring of light that can blind and disorient hundreds of demons at a time. Then battle-hardened Zeru abducts her, planning to steal the ring back to fix his costly childhood mistake. Exhausted, terrified, and more than a little mistrusting, Cassia is forced to travel with Zeru to a place they both believed only existed in storybooks, one where their childhood friendship slowly rekindles into something much more. But it’s only a matter of time before the war they’ve escaped comes for them, and a hidden threat to forest folk and demons alike grows in the shadows.

From the author of the Frostblood Saga comes the first book in an enchanting, adventure-filled fantasy series about the daughters of the powerful forest king, sure to leave readers breathless and desperate for more.

Goodreads | Amazon

Charming Devil by. Rebecca Kenney

The painting that has kept Dorian Gray flawless for over a century is beginning to fall apart, saturated and rotted by his life of reckless decadence. Desperate, he seeks out the only person who might be able to save Baz Allard. She’s a talented young painter who just inherited her aunt’s house and studio in Charleston—and she happens to be a direct descendant of Basil Hallward, Dorian’s first love, and the man who created the magical portrait. Baz has the same gift as her ancestor, but for deeply personal reasons, she has vowed never to paint anyone’s likeness, and she refuses Dorian’s commission.

As Dorian tries to persuade Baz that the money and prestige he offers are worth breaking her vow, he and Baz become aware of something else awakening in the coastal city. Dangerous forces, long dormant, have been stirred up by Baz herself…and perhaps by some mutual enemy hiding in the shadows. As tensions rise and desire flares ever-hotter, Baz and Dorian become enmeshed in a complex net of conflicting motives, messy mistakes, and a growing, desperate passion, with only one question burning between Does anyone, even the love seared deep into your very soul, deserve the burden of eternal life?

Goodreads | Amazon

February 18, 2025:

Rebel Witch by. Kristen Ciccarelli

The stakes are even higher in this epic, romantic conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Crimson Moth duology.

A WITCH…
Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.

A WITCH HUNTER…
Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE…
When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible choice: sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

In Kristen Ciccarelli’s Rebel Witch, the exciting conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology, love has never been so deadly.

Goodreads | Amazon

The Girl Most Likely To by. Julie Tieu

A frenemies-to-lovers contemporary romance by Julie Tieu which takes place over the course of one make-or-break evening, almost entirely at a high school reunion….

“For the rom-com fans, you can never go wrong with a Julie Tieu book.”— Buzzfeed

Rachel Dang, once voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in high school, is funemployed for the first time. After years of doing everything her boss asked, it’s time to say yes to new opportunities. So when she gets invited to her twentieth high school reunion by none other than her former frenemy, Danny Phan, Rachel agrees despite their unresolved past.

As a teenager, Danny was seen as smart, but unfocused. Teachers often paired him with Rachel, hoping her work ethic would rub off on him. Though Danny and Rachel weren’t exactly friends, she had seen a different side of him, one that only existed online over intimate late-night AIM chats that never translated into real life. When they meet again, Rachel discovers their roles have reversed. Danny is thriving in his career while she’s the one flailing.

The reunion takes an unexpected turn when a simple errand takes them into town for a night of mishaps and misadventure where they run into a colorful cast of characters from their childhood. Rachel and Danny soon rediscover the feelings they once shared and must decide if this is only a quick trip down memory lane or a second chance for their happily ever after.

Goodreads | Amazon

Unhallowed Halls by. Lili Wilkinson

A teen girl travels to an exclusive boarding school located deep within the Scottish moorlands after a deadly incident at her old school, but the wood-paneled halls of Agathion are built over centuries of secrets—including an ancient society which may have ties to demonic magic—in this dark academia fantasy perfect for fans of Curious Tides.

Page Whittaker has always been an outcast. And after the deadly incident that destroyed her single friendship at her old school, she needs a fresh start. Which is why when she receives a scholarship offer from Agathion College, an elite boarding school folded deep within the moors of Scotland, she doesn’t even consider turning it down.

Agathion is everything Page has ever a safe haven full of dusty books, steaming cups of tea and rigorous intellectual debate. And for the first time in her life, Page has even managed to become part of a close group of friends. Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey and Oak help her feel at home in Agathion’s halls–the only problem is, they’re all keeping secrets from her.

Page doesn’t know it yet, but her perfect new school has dark roots–roots that stretch back to its crooked foundation, and an ancient clandestine society with rumored ties to demonic magic. Soon, Page will be forced to learn that not everyone at Agathion is who they say they are. Least of all, her friends.

Agathion claims to teach its students history…but some histories should stay buried.

Goodreads | Amazon

A Court Bright and Broken by. Amy Patrick

Captivating and deeply romantic, a new slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, LJ Andrews, Penn Cole, and Stacia Stark.

A dangerous bargain. An obsessed prince. A forbidden love that could split the Fae court… and break the world.

Thanks to the Fae king’s heartless tithe, my family is starving. If I don’t do something soon, my war-wounded father and two little sisters won’t last much longer.

So I make a desperate deal with our village mother–she’ll save my family, and in return, I’ll attend the royal ball in disguise and perform an unnamed task.

She won’t say what it is, but it doesn’t really matter. Whatever it turns out to be, it’s worth it to protect the people I love.
All I have to do is get in, do the mysterious deed, and get out without attracting the notice of the cruel royal family.

But somehow, I manage to catch the attention of not one, but *both* wicked Fae princes.

The Crown Prince acts possessive and won’t let me out of his sight.
His growly, bad-tempered brother is another matter.

His beautiful exterior is in complete contrast to the darkness inside him, and I have the terrifying feeling he can see right through me.

Which is a very bad thing once I learn the task I’m bound to fulfill–or else face unthinkable consequences.

If I fail, my family will die. If I succeed… I might not be able to live with myself.

A Court Bright and Broken is a gripping romantic fantasy novel set in the beautiful and dangerous world of the High Fae where magic rules, secrets abound, and true love will not be denied. It’s an enemies-to-lovers, hidden identity, slow-burn Romantasy with Cinderella vibes and will enchant readers who crave delicious romantic banter, toe-curling tension and sizzling chemistry, immersive world-building, magic, angst, and royal Fae intrigue.

Goodreads | Amazon

February 25, 2025:

Unlock the Dark by. Sasa Hawk

Perfect for fans of Brigid Kemmerer and Lexi Ryan, this debut romantasy stand-alone novel blends an immersive world, unique magic system, and swoon-worthy romance to create an unputdownable read that explores the great and terrible lengths to which love compels us to go.

Elia Tallis’s key conjuring abilities, when used with her father’s magic, allow her to open a path to any location. But Papa is dying, and Elia has been forced to painfully tether him to life so she can siphon his magic to provide for her siblings. The god of death, angry to be denied his due, punishes her by claiming her youngest brother as a servant.

Desperate to save her brother, Elia accepts a potentially deadly commission from Trys, a kindhearted prince with his nose stuck in a book. Trys wants Elia to help him find a legendary scroll. In exchange, he’ll give her his hand in marriage, securing her and her siblings’ futures and allowing her to release Papa to the afterlife.

Despite the danger of their quest, Elia and Trys find themselves increasingly drawn to each other. But when Trys finally reads the scroll, it transforms him into a monster beyond comprehension. Elia will have to wield her power in ways she never thought possible, braving a world of endless darkness and the nightmares dwelling within it to bring home the prince she’s growing to love.

Goodreads | Amazon

The Wildest Things by. Andrea Hannah

In this sapphic Snow White retelling, if Snow is to save her kingdom from being ravaged by the Blight, she’ll have to kill the Evil Queen’s daughter…if she doesn’t fall in love with her first.

When her glass coffin unexpectedly shatters, Snow White awakens to anything but a dream. The land is rotting. The animals have mutated. In the twenty years that have passed since Snow bit into the poisoned apple, the kingdom of Roanfrost has transformed from a luscious wild land to a blight-ravaged nightmare. In search of answers and a way to restore her kingdom to its former glory, Snow sets out on a dangerous journey that will test the strength she never knew she had.

Friends will become foes.

New alliances will form.

The Queen with the blood red lips will stop at nothing to seize her power as well as her heart.

If Snow has any chance to survive and restore not only her kingdom, but all of Garedenne, her only option is to become the Seasonkeeper and access the life-giving magic that will heal the plague. But the path to becoming the Seasonkeeper is more treacherous than she could ever imagine—because the wild things have awakened and Snow’s darker impulses yearn to set them free.

Goodreads | Amazon

Are you getting any new books this month?

Happy Reading!

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Goodreads Monday: Everything I Promised You by. Katy Upperman

Happy Monday!

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme where you chose a random book from your Goodreads TBR and show it off. This meme is hosted by Budget Tales Book Blog.

Title: Everything I Promised

Author: Katy Upperman

Pages: 384

Links: Goodreads | Amazon

Publication Date: 1/28/25

Synopsis:

An emotionally raw and romantic YA novel perfect for fans of Laura Nowlin’s If He Had Been with Me.

Their love was written in the stars, but how is Lia to move on when death trumps fate?

Do you have plans to read this book? Let me know in the comments below!

Beneath These Cursed Stars by. Lexi Ryan | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Beneath These Cursed Stars

Author: Lexi Ryan

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 422

Publication Date: 7/30/24

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Young Adult

Princess Jasalyn has a secret. Armed with an enchanted ring that gives her death’s kiss, Jas has been sneaking away from the palace at night to assassinate her enemies.

Shape-shifter Felicity needs a miracle. Fated to kill her magical father, she’s been using her unique ability to evade a fatal prophecy.

When rumors of evil king Mordeus’s resurrection spread through the shadow court, Jasalyn decides to end him once and for all. Felicity agrees to take the form of the princess, allowing Jas to covertly hunt Mordeus—and starting Felicity on the path that could finally take her home.

While Jasalyn teams up with the charming and handsome Kendrick, Felicity sets out to get closer to the Wild Fae king, Misha. Kendrick helps Jasalyn feel something other than anger for the first time in three years, and Misha makes Felicity wish for a world where she’s free to be her true self. Soon, the girls’ missions are at risk right alongside their hearts.

The future of the human and fae realms hangs in the balance as fates intertwine. Between perilous tasks, grim secrets, and forbidden romances, Jasalyn and Felicity find that perhaps their stars are the most cursed of all.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lexi Ryan comes a romantic fantasy in which a human princess armed with death’s kiss and a fae shifter on the run become unlikely allies when a mission to assassinate an evil king collides with a fatal prophecy.

So I was approved for the arc for the fourth book of this series without having read this third one, and I had to fix that – thank goodness my library had it!

I read the first two books of this series but vaguely remember what happened, but my reviews on my blogs helped me refresh my memory and I guess I didn’t totally love Brie, and the love triangle? Which is fine because this story is about her sister, Jasalyn! Brie of course makes appearances here and there but this is about Jas, and another girl, Felicity.

This story is told between two POVs because Jas, is with a a group trying to get back to Elora and restore the kingdom. Whereas Felicity, has the power to impersonate Jas, so she goes to the Wild Fae kingdom with Misha in order to look for a portal that will help them get to Elora to complete their task.

Jas has gone through some trauma when she was Mordeus’ captive and she’s filled with anger and hate for him. I liked seeing her with Kendrick’s group and almost having a found family with them. It was interesting to see how her torture still tied her up with Mordeus even though he supposedly died in book two.

As for Felicity, she’s doing such a good job at playing Jas, that she forgets that this all has to come to an end. Both girls, have their own romance stories but with whatever is going on right now with Mordeus, the mission has to be the number one priority over love. Which means, there are a few broken hearts in this story.

I like how quickly the story moved and I enjoyed both POVs. I like the world building too with the Fae, Elves, goblins and humans. But what kind of ending was that?! It was definitely a cliffhanger but wow, so abrupt! Good thing I have the next book on hand.

Final Thoughts:

Book two in this series came out 2 years ago, so I didn’t remember much but I felt like that didn’t hinder my reading experience. I got to know Jas and Felicity and enjoyed both their challenges and journeys and will promptly be reading the next book to see what happens next because that abrupt, cliffhanger ending is not it!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

These Twisted Bonds by. Lexi Ryan | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

These Hollow Vows | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Weekly Wrap Up | 2/9/25

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ Today is the Super Bowl and my team is in it (The Philadelphia Eagles)…so I can’t watch! 🫠 I don’t think my blood pressure can handle it so I have a plan to not watch? Or sneak in looks? Or listen to my husband yelling or not? lol…I hope they win but I already saw the lose 2 years ago to the Chiefs and I can’t watch another loss – but if they win, oh it will be the best thing ever.

+ More national news – but I hate the news right now.

+ My husband’s furniture from Okinawa came in so we have new couches downstairs, and new mattresses (he had to buy them there for when we visited him back in 2023). We had to move some stuff around so that wasn’t fun.

I hope you all have a great week!

Blog Posts:

I must be stressed out – I barely had any posts this week. 😒

The Exception to the Rule by. Christina Lauren | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Goodreads Monday: The Rose Bargain by. Sasha Peyton Smith
2024 Releases I Was Excited to Read but Still Haven’t Gotten To | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday | 2/4/25
Top 5 Tuesday | Top 5 series I will start in 2025 | 2/4/25
The Rose Bargain by. Sasha Peyton Smith | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
WWW Wednesday | 2/5/25
Get Lost with you by. Sophie Sullivan | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️💫
Let’s Talk Bookish: Reading Challenges: Do we love them or hate them? | 2/7/25
A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by. Adriana Herrera | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Books I Read:

Currently Reading:

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

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!

The Serpent and the Wolf by. Rebecca Robinson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Serpent and the Wolf (Dark Inheritance Trilogy, #1)

Author: Rebecca Robinson

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 11/19/24

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Romantasy, Slow-Burn, Witches, Magic

Perfect for fans of Raven Kennedy and Thea Guanzon, Rebecca Robinson’s thrilling romantasy debut combines high-stakes political intrigue and a steamy, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance.

All her life, Vaasa Kozár has been sharpened into a blade.

After losing her mother—her only remaining parent—to a mysterious dark magic that has since awakened within her, Vaasa is certain death looms. So is her merciless brother, who aims to eliminate Vaasa as a threat to his crown. In one last political scheme, he marries her off to Reid of Mireh, a ruthless foreign ruler, in hopes that he can use her death as a rallying cry to finally invade Reid’s nation. All Vaasa has to do is die.

But she is desperate to live. Vaasa enters her new marriage with every intent to escape it, wielding the hard-won political prowess and combat abilities her late father instilled in her. But to her surprise, Reid offers her a deal: help him win the votes to rise in power, and she can walk free. In exchange, he will share his knowledge about the dark magic running through her veins—and help keep it at bay.

This proposal may be too good to refuse, yet Vaasa and Reid’s undeniable attraction threatens to break the rules of their arrangement. As her brother’s lethal machinations take form, everything is at stake: Vaasa must learn to trust her new husband, but how can she, especially when their perfect political marriage begins to feel like the real thing?

Content Warning: violence, death, torture

+ I was excited to borrow this one because I heard good things about it and I can see why! It’s got a strong female main character, witches, magic, political intrigue and a simmering slow burn. But before the slow burn, I’d say this book starts off with a bang!

+ My favorite thing about this besides the romance between Vaasa and Reid is the witches! I love how Vaasa is hating everything about herself, hating her magic and power until she meets a coven of witches in Incuria (her new husband’s homeland) and she is accepted into it with open arms. I LOVE how the women were gentle with her but also pushed her to become better at controlling her power and become better at loving herself. I loved the sisterhood and it carried throughout the story.

+ The romance is a slow burner, and I think I would have loved the two of them to have more scenes. I liked how how Reid is the most powerful foreman, who is trying to become a headman, and has a ruthless reputation is anything but with her and he gives Vaasa a lot of distance. Vaasa needs a lot of space to grow and he gives her that which I think is the biggest green flag about him. There are spicy scenes but because these two have taken the time to really get to know one another, I felt like by then we know they are falling in love, even if it doesn’t seem like it because of the space they give one another.

+ Vaasa has experienced a lot of trauma and she grows a lot in this first book, and that was really nice to see.

~ An issue I had with the story was the pacing. It felt choppy. It started off strong, then it got slow then picked up in the end.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a pretty good debut and I really enjoyed the witches and sisterhood in the story. The pacing was an issue for me but I did still find most of the story entertaining.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Birthstone Book Covers: February – Amethyst

The original creator of this book tag is **Leslie @ Books Are The New Black** so go check out her blog!

THE RULES

Mention the creator (Leslie @ Books Are The New Black ) and link back to me so I can see your post!
Pick 5+ book covers that match the current month’s Birthstone.
HAVE FUN!
Nominate people if you want!

Let’s find some book covers in this color:

Sunrise on the Reaping by. Suzanne Collins

*****

The Jasad Crown by. Sara Hashem

*****

Fangs for Nothing by. Steffanie Holmes

*****

The Starlight Heir by. Amalie Howard

*****

The Half King by. Melissa Landers

I nominate everyone! It’s a fun and easy tag to do so try it out. ☺️

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by. Adriana Herrera | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke (Las Leonas, #3)

Author: Adriana Herrera

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 2/4/25

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Categories: Series, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Canary Street Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

He’s not like other dukes…

Paris, 1889

Physician Aurora Montalban Wright takes risks in her career, but never with her heart. Running an underground women’s clinic exposes her to certain dangers, but help arrives in the unexpected form of the infuriating Duke of Annan. Aurora begrudgingly accepts his protection, then promptly finds herself in his bed.

New to his role as a duke, Apollo César Sinclair Robles struggles to embrace his position. With half of society waiting for him to misstep and the other half looking to discredit him, Apollo never imagined that his enthralling bedmate would become his most trusted adviser. Soon, he realizes the rebellious doctor could be the perfect duchess. But Aurora won’t give up her independence, and her secrets make her unsuitable for the aristocracy.

When a dangerous figure from their past returns to threaten them, Apollo whisks Aurora away to his villa in the French Riviera. Far from the reproachful eye of Parisian society, can Apollo convince Aurora that their bond is stronger than the forces keeping them apart?

Can’t get enough of the Las Leonas?
Book 1: A Caribbean Heiress in Paris
Book 2: An Island Princess Starts a Scandal
Book 3: A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke

+ I was gifted this arc even though I didn’t read any of the two previous books in this series. And I found as I was reading, I didn’t feel lost. It reads as a standalone. which is nice.

+ I love the romance between Aurora and Apollo. The two of them together are spicy and oh so sensual! I love their chemistry. She’s always slapping his arm or nipping him-I love when characters can do that because I feel like it’s playful and they were so fun together.

+ Aurora is an amazing character because she’s a doctor who is providing women’s health! I love that she’s a strong woman in a challenging time. I also love the author’s note in the back explaining her inspiration for the story, the history and challenges of Latina women in the medical field.

Final Thoughts:

I haven’t read a historical romance in a long, long while even though that was my first love that got me into reading books. But this book is exactly how I would want historical romance to be written right now – a strong, female character, and something about history I can learn, plus a spicy, sensual romance! Really enjoyed this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Thriftbooks

Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

BLOG TOUR} Here to Stay by. Adriana Herrera | Review + Excerpt ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Let’s Talk Bookish: Reading Challenges: Do we love them or hate them? | 2/7/25

Let’s Talk Bookish is a weekly bookish meme originally created by Rukky @ Eternity Books and hosted by Aria @ Book Nook Bits, where every Friday, bloggers write discussion posts based on a weekly prompt and Dini @ dinipandareads has cohosted since the beginning of 2025. me since the beginning of 2025.

Let’s Talk Bookish is a meme where participants discuss certain topics, share their opinions, and spread the love by visiting each other’s posts. Topics for each month will be posted a month in advance here on my blog, and will be available in their own posts as well as here in the archive. You can also suggest topics and download the official header images from this page.

This week’s topic is:

Reading Challenges: Do we love them or hate them? (Dini)

What do you think of reading challenges—do they motivate you or do they feel restrictive and end up making reading feel like a chore?

I’m always curious about reading challenges and love seeing the ones that people join. I do think they motivate me but I can’t say I’ve actually completed one yet! I think my fear is it will make reading feel like a chore and I already sorta feel that way with arcs – which is why I have requested less of them.

Are there any challenges you participate in yearly?

I do not but I do take note of challenges other book bloggers join just in case maybe I might do one.

What reading challenges are you joining in 2025?

I’m actually doing a reading challenge that my son dared me to do. I was doing a post for the Spell the Month book meme and he asked me if I would be reading all the books selections I listed on there. I said no, you just post a book photo and it’s synopsis. And he said…why don’t I read all the books I choose for the meme. I thought…hmmm…maybe this is a book challenge I can do! So I credit him for motivating me. 🥰

TOPICS FOR FEBRUARY:

February 7: Reading Challenges: Do we love them or hate them? (Dini)

Prompts: What do you think of reading challenges—do they motivate you or do they feel restrictive and end up making reading feel like a chore? Are there any challenges you participate in yearly? What reading challenges are you joining in 2025?

February 14: Favorite Romance Tropes & Book Recs for them (Aria)

Prompts: Happy Valentine’s Day! What are your favorite romance tropes? What books would you recommend that have those tropes? Are there any books with those tropes on your TBR? Do you have any least favorite romance tropes?

February 21: Non-Romantic Love (Dini)

Prompts: It’s the month of love but it’s not always about romantic love. What are your favourite non-romantic relationships to read about (i.e. siblings, parent-child, etc.) and what do you love most about them? Do you prefer to read about them over romantic relationships? What books would you recommend with your favourite non-romantic relationships?

February 28: How Many Books Do You Read in a Year?
(Jillian @ Jillian the Bookish Butterfly)

Prompts: Prompts: How many books do you typically read in a year? Do you always track your reading? Does keeping track of the books you read motivate you or stress you out? How do you keep track of the books you read? Do you have a 2025 reading goal?

Get Lost with you by. Sophie Sullivan | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Get Lost with You (Rock Bottom Love, #2)

Author: Sophie Sullivan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 2/11/25

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Small Town Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A second chance at love, small-town romance that’s all sweet with just a hint of heat from the “queen of sweet romance” (Falon Ballard) Sophie Sullivan.

Jillian Keller took the long route to her best life, but is now happily settled in her hometown of Smile, raising her little girl alone while helping her brother run Get Lost Lodge. A lover of structure and routine, she doesn’t need anything, or anyone, disrupting her carefully curated life.

After chasing and achieving his culinary dreams, Levi Bright realizes he’s still missing something. Something he can’t find in a big city. Returning home to Smile, he intends to build a different future for himself that includes mending fences with his dad, reconnecting with friends, and creating elevated comfort food for a town he loves.

When Levi and Jilly run into each other one day in Smile, once requited feelings that never had a chance to bloom as teens flare between them immediately. Jaded from her past, Jilly is cautious and convinced that she can handle being just friends, as the two have to work closely together to prepare for Get Lost’s official summer opening, spending time together, camping, laughing, kayaking, and reminiscing. But when her brother hires sweet, funny, ridiculously hot Levi as the new chef at the lodge, and she and Ollie are getting more attached, things are moving more quickly than she anticipated–and Jilly has been hurt before. If she wants to be head over heels in love, she’ll have to learn that the past doesn’t always repeat itself. Sometimes, it just leads you where you’re meant to be.

I thought this book cover was cute and I think the romance matches the cover. It’s cute.

Jilly is a single mother, and has returned home to the small town of Smile, to raise her daughter and be around family. She’s always had a crush on LeVi Bright and he’s back in Smile too. Right from the moment they run into each other – the sparks fly, immediately. All the feelings they’ve had for one another from the past start to just overtake both of them.

The story is very predictable. Jilly and Levi have some challenges to deal with like Jilly and past with her ex-husband which makes her hesitant to date again. And Levi has a strained relationship with his father but all of those issues resolves itself in the end.

I found this story okay – didn’t love the 3rd person POV, but it’s a light, easy and fluffy read.

Final Thoughts:

For me personally, this one fell a little flat. I didn’t really connect to the characters. I thought the romance was cute, without much conflict. If you want an easy, closed door, small town romance story to read, definitely give this one a chance.