A Song to Drown Rivers by. Ann Liang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Song to Drown Rivers

Author: Ann Liang

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 325

Publication Date: 10/1/24

Categories: Historical Fiction, Romance, Politics

Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic historical fantasy about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds.
Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.

Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.

Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.

Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.

Content Warning: violence, death

I’ve heard lots of good things about this book so when I saw it on KU I had to read it.

This is a really fascinating historical fiction story about Xishi, one of the most beautiful women in China, and I had never heard about her and her legendary beauty but I was engrossed with this tale.

Xishi is telling this tale about how she has had a rough childhood because of the war between the Yue and Wu. And we learn she is the most beautiful girl in the village and that draws the attention from a military advisor from the Yue side. They want to use her to infiltrate the Wu kingdom, make the king fall so deeply in love with her that they won’t know what hit them when the Yue attack. But can she do it? This girl from a lowly village with the most beautiful face?

I thought the training part of the book went super fast and wish it was more detailed. I wasn’t confident in Xishi’s skill to woo a king at the end of her training. At times I felt her character was so weak, I wasn’t sure how Fuchai would become obsessed with her, but he does. She must be that beautiful but I wanted more from her personality. Also I felt like Zhendang’s story fizzled out too fast – she poses as Xishi’s lady’s maid but I felt like she barely had a role when they are at the Wu’s.

The romance that built between her and Fanli was filled with so much tension, angst, longing even if they don’t have many scenes together. Maybe it’s a bit of insta-love but I don’t mind it with how things were taking place for Xishi.

And even though King Fuchai of the Wu was the enemy I liked how he and Xishi interacted with one another. She had to pretend to like him but I think eventually she did, at least as a friend. It was just sad all around how everything ended but I love how this story showed how war is something created by the powerful and everyone else is a bystander and gets caught in the crossfire.

Quotes from the Book:

“When men say they want a lover, what they often mean is they want a mirror; they wish to see themselves reflected back at them in the best light.”
Ann Liang – “A Song to Drown Rivers”

“The men will fight for their thrones and their power and their legacies, but to them we are nothing more than crickets and ants, insignificant, expendable.”
Ann Liang – “A Song to Drown Rivers”

Final Thoughts:

This story is tragic but so compelling. I love how the story was told and how everything unfolded with some twists and turns that I was not expecting. At times I did want more from the characters and the political drama but it was still entertaining. The bravery of Xishi to basically go into a lion’s den to try and take down the opposition was inspiring but her realization who the true enemy was came too late. The love story is filled with such longing – oh the heartbreak! I thought this was a great read and look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Books on My Winter 2024-2025 to-Read List | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday | 12/17/24

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:

Books on My Winter 2024-2025 to-Read List

The last books I have to read this year! But many of these are arcs and being published in 2025 so here we go:

Breath of the Dragon by. Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee – this one is an arc, and I’m excited to read it!

The Rival by. Emma Lord – Emma Lord is a must read for me. But not gonna lie – I don’t really love this cover. I didn’t love her last book but I hope this one is better.

The Starlight Heir by. Amalie Howard – I love this book cover!

The Girl Most Likely To by. Julie Tieu – some of these romance book covers just do nothing for me – is it the cartoony style? I’m not sure.

Get Lost with You by. Sophie Sullivan – I wasn’t aware of this book but the arc was gifted to me so I’ll be reading it!

Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue by. Kate Pearsall – I enjoyed book one, so I’m looking forward to this one!

The Grandest Game by. Jennifer Lynn Barnes – this one came out this year but I still haven’t read it. I would like to read it soon.

Throne of Secrets by, Kerri Maniscalco – I saw this book at Barnes & Noble and it was beautiful but way too expensive! I’m waiting for it on Libby.

To Shatter the Night by. Katherine Quinn – I thought the first book was entertaining and want to see what happens next.

The Courting of Bristol Keats by. Mary E. Pearson

What’s on your TTT?

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The Last Fashion House in Paris by. Renee Ryan | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Last Fashion House in Paris

Author: Renee Ryan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 12/24/24

Publisher: Love Inspired Trade

Categories: Historical Fiction, World War II

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

Thank you to Love Inspired Trade for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In the heart of occupied WWII Paris, an elegant fashion house is the unlikely headquarters of a daring resistance network. Behind closed doors, courageous women vie to save loved ones and strangers alike from the Nazis in this powerful story of survival, friendship and second chances.

France, 1942

Once, Paulette Leblanc spent her days flirting, shopping and drawing elegant dresses in her sketch pad. Then German tanks rolled into France, and a reckless romance turned into deep betrayal. Blaming herself for her mother’s arrest by the gestapo, Paulette is sent away to begin a new life in Paris, working as apprentice to fashion designer Sabine Ballard.

But Maison de Ballard is no ordinary fashion house. While seamstresses create the perfect couture gowns, clandestine deals and secrets take place out of sight. Mademoiselle Ballard is head of a vast network of resistance fighters—including Paulette’s coworker and friend Nicolle Cadieux—who help escort downed military men and Jewish families to safety.

Soon Paulette is recruited as a spy. Working as a seamstress by day, gathering information at glamorous parties by night, Paulette at last has a chance to earn the redemption she craves. But as the SS closes in and Nicolle goes missing, Paulette must make life-and-death decisions about who to trust, who to love and who to leave behind…

Likes:

+ This story is about a resistance based out of a fashion house in Paris during World War II. We follow a few characters, most of them women, who brave this time to help soldiers and Jews escape occupied Paris.

+ The women in this book are taking very scary chances to help others but also to survive themselves as they watch their country turn on one another during Nazis occupation. I love how woman has a different story but similar heartbreak as they do what they can in war time. It is admirable and inspiring to see these women band together and use what power they have to help people.

+ There were some scenes, very few scenes with romance in it and I enjoyed it because it signaled hope for a better time. A slim hope for a future when the war ends. There are some twists in the story that I really enjoyed

Dislikes:

~ I felt like the ending was rushed, especially where the romance is concerned.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a very good read especially in times like these. The story of these women and men and their bravery to help those in danger is inspiring. If you like historical fiction, you might like this one.

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Instagram (crafts🎨) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (Shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Secret Society of Salzburg by. Renee Ryan | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Goodreads Monday: Breath of the Dragon by. Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee

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: Breath of the Dragon

Author: Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee

Pages: 352

Links: Goodreads | Amazon

Publication Date: 1/7/25

Synopsis:

The first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy duology based on characters and teachings created by Bruce Lee!

Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of proving his worth as a warrior in the elite Guardian’s Tournament, held every six years to entrust the magical Scroll of Earth to a new protector. Eager to prove his skills, Jun hopes that a win will restore his father’s honor—righting a horrible mistake that caused their banishment from his home, mother, and twin brother.

But Jun’s father strictly forbids him from participating. There is no future in honing his skills as a warrior, especially considering Jun is not breathmarked, born with a patch of dragon scales and blessed with special abilities like his twin. Determined to be the next Guardian, Jun stows away in the wagon of Chang and his daughter, Ren, performers on their way to the capital where the tournament will take place.

As Jun competes, he quickly realizes he may be fighting for not just a better life, but the fate of the country itself.

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

Not Here to Be Liked by. Michelle Quach | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Not Here to Be Liked

Author: Michelle Quach

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 9/14/21

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, High School, Feminism

Emergency Contact meets Moxie in this cheeky and searing novel that unpacks just how complicated new love can get…when you fall for your enemy.

Eliza Quan is the perfect candidate for editor in chief of her school paper. That is, until ex-jock Len DiMartile decides on a whim to run against her. Suddenly her vast qualifications mean squat because inexperienced Len—who is tall, handsome, and male—just seems more like a leader.

When Eliza’s frustration spills out in a viral essay, she finds herself inspiring a feminist movement she never meant to start, caught between those who believe she’s a gender equality champion and others who think she’s simply crying misogyny.

Amid this growing tension, the school asks Eliza and Len to work side by side to demonstrate civility. But as they get to know one another, Eliza feels increasingly trapped by a horrifying realization—she just might be falling for the face of the patriarchy himself.

Content Warning: misogyny, bullying, sexism

Eliza has being Editor in Chief for the school newspaper, the Bugle, in the bag…or so she thought. Plans change when Len challenges her for the spot and wins.

Eliza’s a pretty strong character but not really likable. She kind of has tunnel vision when it comes to the Bugle – her whole life is about the Bugle. Eliza marches to the beat of her own drum. She is tenacious and doesn’t back down even when bad things happen, which I loved about her but she definitely had flaws. It’s nice that she represents the immigrant family and I like how it showed how children of immigrant parents they have to do things like help their parent with filling out forms or making phone calls because of the language barriers. I could relate to some of that!

The romance is very interesting. I can’t say I loved Len at first but I actually like how he calls Eliza out so many things. Both Len and Eliza had imperfections which I liked a lot and it’s very much a rivals to lovers trope but I loved that both of them weren’t totally likable – but they still made a cute couple by the end of the story.

Feminism, and sexism is a main theme of the book and though Eliza’s stances are strong, I thought it was interesting how different situations start too complicate her original feelings on these issues. I do wish she could have avoided that conflict with her best friend by just being honest.

Quotes from the Book:

“Because everyone loves a girlboss until she tries to tell you what to do.”
Michelle Quach – “Not Here to Be Liked”

Final Thoughts:

The more I learned about Eliza and Len, they grew on me and I was rooting for the romance by the end of the book. I like how the story touched on feminism, sexism and being a child of immigrant parents. I thought this was an entertaining story.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Weekly Wrap Up | 12/15/24

Aloha friends!

It’s been a long week. My son had his piano recital and did well. I had to drive my hubby around to get his car fixed. It was a long week at school for the kiddos and we can’t wait for winter break which starts this Saturday! Are you all feeling in the Christmas spirit at all? It’s still warm here so for me, I feel like it isn’t the holidays at all.

Anyway, I hope you all have a great week!

Blog Posts:

Goodreads Monday: Lies on the Serpent Tongue by. Kate Pearsall
Books to Read During a Storm | TTT | Top Ten Tuesday | 12/10/24
Cloak of the Vampire by. Sapir A. Englard | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
WWW Wednesday | 12/11/24
Stacking the Shelves | 12/13/24
Blood of the Gods by. Sapir A. Englard | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Books I Read:

Not Here to Be Liked by. Michelle Quach
A Song to Drown Rivers by. Ann Liang
Get Lost with You by. Sophie Sullivan
Blood of the Gods by. Sapir A. Englard
The Girl Most Likely To by. Julie Tieu

Currently Reading:

The Lotus Shoes by. Jane Yang
Breath of the Dragon by. Shannon Lee & Fonda Lee

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

Listened to GNX by Kendrick Lamar
Listened to Rosie by. Rosé
Watched Football
It Ends With Us (Netflix) – this was okay, I read the story years ago so I went into this with fresh eyes, but it was just okay.

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!

Blood of the Gods by. Sapir A. Englard | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Blood of the Gods (Cloak of the Vampire, #2)

Author: Sapir A. Englard

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 315

Publication Date: 11/19/24

Categories: New Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

From the creator of the Millennium Wolves series comes the heart-stopping sequel to Cloak of the Vampire, the epic romantasy set in a brutal world of bloodthirsty and power-hungry vampires.

Aileen Henderson didn’t choose to die. That choice was stolen from her, brutally, at the hands—and lips—of a monster. With a singular kiss, Lord Ragnor Rayne condemned the twenty-one-year-old to an eternity she never wanted. And a future she refuses to accept.

Despite the fury now coursing through her veins, Aileen fights the pull of attraction to Ragnor, a need with a will of its own. But now, she’s determined to make her way without the vampire lord’s help.

Carving out her new existence, Aileen finds allies, even family, among the ruthless and competitive vampire leagues. But untold dangers abound, and soon, Aileen encounters new and more evil monsters.

When ancient, all-powerful gods dredge up nightmares from her past, Aileen discovers she has an important role to play in this world. And if she can learn to control her powers and her desires, she may find a way to survive both her enemies and Ragnor Rayne.

Content Warning: violence, death, mentions of rape and child abuse

This story takes on a turn from vampire lore to the Morrow Gods and Children of Kahil which is something mentioned in book one in connection to Aileen’s background. But that’s not the only part of the world-building opening up. We learn more about the Jinn and I believe the seraphim (angels) are mentioned as well but I think that will be explored more in book three.

As far as the story goes – Aileen goes to a new league and at first she seems like it’s an okay place to be, except she finds her new lord, Atalon, is not as benevolent as he seems. We do get more information of Aileen’s upbringing and it is dark. Makes me sad and angry for her child-self that she was exposed to such depravity by her father.

The romance between Aileen and Ragnor hits a rough spot because he’s let her go to Atalon but wants her back. She wants to make Ragnor pay but she can’t resist him so it’s predictable and I wasn’t really invested in their romance during this story. I was much more interested in the new characters being introduced and the world-building opening up. The spice is there again but I don’t know, I just don’t connect to their relationship. But Ragnor being a vampire and Aileen being who she is seems like it’s going to be complicated for them to be together.

Final Thoughts:

I did like how the world opened up but I didn’t feel invested anymore in Aileen and Ragnor’s romance. I think I can figure out what will happen from here at least with their romance. I am curious to see what happens with the world-building in book three but I’m not sure I’m eager to read it. It might be one of those books I’ll wait to read and pick up if I don’t have anything else to read.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

Cloak of the Vampire by. Sapir A. Englard | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Stacking the Shelves | 12/13/24

I’ve seen Stacking the Shelves on a few blogs and I decided to do it to replace my book haul posts because, why not? It is hosted by Reading Reality and this is how the meme is described: “Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks!so go check out her blog!”

Book Purchases – (ebook or physical)

Tempted to buy something but…I’ll wait to see if I get some Amazon gift cards for Xmas lol.

Library Haul – (physical and online library):

I don’t know what happened with my library haul…I had a few but wasn’t motivated to read them! 😩🫠

NetGalley Haul

The Beautiful Maddening by. Shea Ernshaw

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw comes a haunting romantic contemporary fantasy about a teen navigating her family’s love curse that blooms with their enchanted tulips every year.

Seventeen year-old Lark Goode wants only one to escape her small town of Cutwater and the history of her family name. It’s a history that began during the Dutch tulip mania of 1636, when Lark’s ancestor stole the last remaining tulip bulbs and fled to America. But when the tulips bloomed on American soil, madness sprouted from their snowy white petals.

The madness was love.

Now, generations later, the Goodes remain cursed—the unnatural flowers outside their home causing locals to fall helplessly in love with anyone carrying Goode blood in their veins. While her brother embraces the strange power, Lark wants nothing more than to be free from it.

But when she meets a boy who seems unaffected by the family curse, Lark finds herself falling headlong into a feeling she’s spent her whole life trying to avoid. Yet, all curses and magic come with a price, and the town of Cutwater soon sinks into a dangerous sickness tied to Lark and the ill-fated tulips.

To save the town, Lark will need to sacrifice everything—even true love—to break the spell. Because in the Goode family, love has a way of destroying everything.

***

Embrace the Serpent by. Sunya Mara

In this sweeping romantic fantasy, a dangerous deal binds a young jeweler’s apprentice to the mysterious Serpent King in a marriage of convenience, thrusting her into a deadly game between the cunning, fearsome ruler and his rebellious huntsman. Perfect for fans of The Wrath & the Dawn and Once Upon a Broken Heart!

The Serpent King has come to find his bride, and with his arrival festivities sweep through the city. Inside and outside the Rose Palace await women from across the six kingdoms determined to become his new bride-to-be—all except for eighteen-year-old Saphira.

After escaping life as a palace ward under the cruel djinn Lady Incarnadine, Saphira now works as the apprentice to the unscrupulous jewelsmith Galen. Out of fear of being discovered, she hides her rare gift for harnessing the magic in gemstones and lets Galen take credit for her craft.

But when Galen makes a boast that ruffles the court, Lady Incarnadine punishes him with an impossible task—one that threatens to drag Saphira back into Incarnadine’s grasp. Desperate to avoid this fate, Saphira strikes a dangerous deal with Rane, the enigmatic huntsman sent by the Serpent King to find the best jewelsmith in the empire.

Rane promises that if Saphira crafts a mysterious piece for his master, the Serpent King will grant her a new identity and freedom. But when their plans go awry and the only way out is to marry the Serpent King, Saphira becomes entangled in the dangerous affairs of kingdoms and empires—caught between the cunning, handsome Rane and her cold, serpentine husband.

***

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?

***

Kindle Unlimited

Blood of the Gods (Cloak of the Vampire, #1)

From the creator of the Millennium Wolves series comes the heart-stopping sequel to Cloak of the Vampire, the epic romantasy set in a brutal world of bloodthirsty and power-hungry vampires.

Carving out her new existence, Aileen finds allies, even family, among the ruthless and competitive vampire leagues. But untold dangers abound, and soon, Aileen encounters new and more evil monsters.

*******

A Song to Drown Rivers by. Ann Liang

A Good Morning America Book Club Pick • An October 2024 Indie Next Pick • An October 2024 LibraryReads Pick

What’s new on your shelf or kindle?

WWW Wednesday | 12/11/24

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 W’s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

It’s mid-week and I am tired. It was a very busy weekend and I did get some reading done. My arcs are going a bit slowly though. I’ve been picking up some books on KU, I needed something easy/smutty/dark to read lol…so I picked up Cloak of the Vampire and I read it in one day. I’m reading book two and I’m almost done.

What are you currently reading?

The Lotus Shoes by. Jane Yang (arc) – 10%

Lies on the Serpents Tongue by. Kate Purcell (arc) – 5%

A Song to Drown Rivers by. Ann Liang (KU) – 11%

Blood of the Gods by. Sapir A. England (KU) – 55%

What have you just finished reading?

Get Lost with You by. Sophie Sullivan (arc) ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cloak of the Vampire by. Sapir A. England ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

What are you going to read next?

What are you reading right now?

Cloak of the Vampire by. Sapir A. Englard | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Cloak of the Vampire (#1)

Author: Sapir A. Englard

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 349

Publication Date: 6/18/24

Categories: New Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

From the author of The Millennium Wolves series comes the hauntingly romantic story of a young woman’s descent into a League of vampires, and the Lord who means to keep her there.

Aileen Henderson’s unassuming life conceals a dark past. Outside of work, she hides behind her larger-than-life best friend, Cassidy, whose constant need for attention suits Aileen—and her secrets—just fine.

Until the night Aileen dies.

Awakening to a new world of brutality, bloodlust, and betrayal, Aileen plots revenge against Ragnor Rayne, the monster who cursed her with the Imprint. The demon who turned her into a vampire. The man whose eyes haunt her dreams.

She is going to make this vampire Lord regret the day he kissed her with the curse of immortality and made her his. If she can survive the Auction, and resist temptations of the flesh…

Content Warning: violence, death, mentions of rape and child abuse, trafficking

I needed a palate cleanser book and thought to read this one about vampires. I really enjoyed the world-building about Vampires and their different Leagues around USA. Instead of vampires going around changing people, there is an exclusive list that humans can try to get on to be changed into a vampire. I like the choice in that! Of course then comes along Aileen. There are other things in this world that will probably be more explained in book two.

Aileen is a very mysterious character – someone playing a role to erase whatever is in her past. And her past is DARK. Super dark because her dad was a convicted rapist and child abuser – and those topics made this one at times a bit too dark to read. But because she’s keeping her past secret, we get bits and pieces here and there and still not even the full story by the end of this book.

Ragnor is her Lord – the vampire that changed her. And of course right away there is an attraction between them which I really enjoyed since I was looking for an easy, smutty read filled with tension. But then Aileen’s messed up feelings about attachment started to test my patience and honestly I do not blame her much because she comes from a very MESSED up childhood. Like…it’s bad. I wanted to put her back into therapy – she needs therapy more than falling for a vampire! Ragnor also got his own issues about falling in love.

The leagues are like academies (I love academies) but a lot of the academic parts are weak. Like their fighting classes kind of sucked – did anyone improve? And the friendships in Aileen’s life are SO bad. It made me angry for her but also…that’s what she did choose on purpose which also made me angry AT her. LOL. Yeah it was messy but I was there for the drama. At times it felt young adult – but the spiciness definitely makes it new adult.

Final Thoughts:

This one is spicy with very dark topics. I like the world building a lot with the different vampire leagues. I think Aileen is a very interesting character and we shall see what develops for her story – she has a scary past but I kind of want her strong and cold like she claims. Ragnor has definitely brought out her needy, attachment side and I don’t love it. Lots of people will love the romance between Aileen and Ragnor – it’s spicy, full of some angst on her part but they are definitely a work in progress. I was definitely entertained. I’m reading book two now because I am so curious about the other creatures in this world building.