Ever Since by. Alena Bruzas | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Ever Since

Author: Alena Bruzas

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 5/23/23

Publisher: Rocky Pond Books

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBTQ+

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

Thank you to Rocky Pond Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

An intense, beautiful debut about the power of finding your voice and sharing your story after trauma. Perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Kathleen Glasgow.

Seventeen-year-old Virginia makes bad choices. In fact, she’s That Kind of Girl, according to the whispers. But as long as she has her tight group of best friends by her side, she’s able to ignore the gossipers. Until she finds herself spending time with Rumi, Poppy’s boyfriend. Breaking with tradition, she doesn’t hook up with Rumi. Worse, she falls in love with him.

While Virginia and Rumi’s relationship grows in secret, she discovers that his little sister, Lyra, is being groomed for abuse. The soon-to-be-abuser is a respected member of the community, and only Virginia knows who he is and what he does. If she stays quiet, Lyra will become a victim. But coming forward feels equally impossible.

Content Warning: drug use, grooming, child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, suicidal ideation

First off, I love this book cover – it’s beautiful. This is a story with heavy topics but it’s an important book. The thing that really hit me about the story was that it resonated with me and not because I experienced these things but I have friends who went through some of these things and the way these girls are a tight group of friends, reminded me of me and my friends in college. The partying, the secrets, the drama – I felt like I knew these girls in this story.

I know a Virginia, a few Virginia’s and that’s a sad and scary reality. But although Virginia and her friends’ story is scary, and heartbreaking – they are courageous and brave. The ending is full of hope which I loved. I also loved the diversity represented in the story.

This story is under 300 pages and it’s a quick read. I found the story powerful but the writing didn’t flow for me. It was a bit choppy at times and I always had to find my place again. I felt like I missed a word or a sentence and had to reread the previous sentence. I understand it’s supposed to probably reflect Virginia’s panic, pain and her fears, but sometimes it took me out of the story. Despite all of that, this story is devastating.

Why you should read it:

powerful story about child abuse and the courage to stop it from happening again

Why you might not want to read it:

lots of trigger warnings

My Thoughts:

If you can handle the trigger warnings then read this book. This is a story filled with pain, hard issues like abuse, but a story about courage as well. Stories like these are never easy to read but I like how we get Virginia’s story because she’s that girl who has a bad reputation, yet people don’t know what she’s been through. And even though she is scared of her abuser her bravery to speak about what happened saved someone else from him, no matter the consequences and that matters.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Forestborn by. Elayne Audrey Becker | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Forestborn (#1)

Author: Elayne Audrey Becker

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 8/31/21

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Adventure, Political Intrigue, Shape Shifters

TO BE BORN OF THE FOREST IS A GIFT AND A CURSE.

Rora is a shifter, as magical as all those born in the wilderness–and as feared. She uses her abilities to spy for the king, traveling under different guises and listening for signs of trouble.

When a magical illness surfaces across the kingdom, Rora uncovers a devastating truth: Finley, the young prince and her best friend, has caught it, too. His only hope is stardust, the rarest of magical elements, found deep in the wilderness where Rora grew up–and to which she swore never to return.

But for her only friend, Rora will face her past and brave the dark, magical wood, journeying with her brother and the obstinate, older prince who insists on coming. Together, they must survive sentient forests and creatures unknown, battling an ever-changing landscape while escaping human pursuers who want them dead. With illness gripping the kingdom and war on the horizon, Finley’s is not the only life that hangs in the balance.

Content Warning: violence

It took me a few months to finish this book and not because it’s bad at all! I was in the mood and then not in the mood for a few months, so I read this little by little until finally I was recently in the mood to finish!

The things I enjoyed about this book: the world building, the shape-shifter magic and the political intrigue. I love the sibling relationship between Rora and Helos. There is very slow burn romance brewing, one that I just put to the side because it was barely there for a long while in the book. I just concentrated on the relationship between Rora and Helos.

There is a lot of travel and adventure in this story and it’s where Rora and Weslyn finally lower their guards to get to know each other better. It will be interesting to see what happens in book two.

Tropes: slow burn, sibling bond

Why you should read it:

adventure, world-building, shape-shifter magic
slow burn romance

Why you might not want to read it:

no reasons I can think of – maybe if you are not in a fantasy mood

My Thoughts:

Once I pushed through the story, I actually enjoyed the story. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Rora and her brother Helos. I love their shape-shifter magic and the adventure they go on. I look forward to reading the next book..

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Outlet

**I got my copy from Book Outlet but sometimes they don’t have it in stock, so keep that in mind if you click the link**

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by. Rati Mehrotra | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove

Author: Rati Mehrotra

Narrator: Zehra Naqvi

Format: audoiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 10/18/22

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Adventure, Romance

To learn what she can become, she must first discover who she is.

Katyani’s role in the kingdom of Chandela has always been clear: becoming an advisor and protector of the crown prince, Ayan, when he ascends to the throne. Bound to the Queen of Chandela through a forbidden soul bond that saved her when she was a child, Katyani has grown up in the royal family and become the best guardswoman the Garuda has ever seen. But when a series of assassination attempts threatens the royals, Katyani is shipped off to the gurukul of the famous Acharya Mahavir as an escort to Ayan and his cousin, Bhairav, to protect them as they hone the skills needed to be the next leaders of the kingdom. Nothing could annoy Katyani more than being stuck in a monastic school in the middle of a forest, except her run-ins with Daksh, the Acharya’s son, who can’t stop going on about the rules and whose gaze makes her feel like he can see into her soul.

But when Katyani and the princes are hurriedly summoned back to Chandela before their training is complete, tragedy strikes and Katyani is torn from the only life she has ever known. Alone and betrayed in a land infested by monsters, Katyani must find answers from her past to save all she loves and forge her own destiny. Bonds can be broken, but debts must be repaid.

Content Warning: violence, whipping scene, death

I read this one as an audiobook and I am horrible with retaining details when I’m doing an audiobook but I’m trying to practice by listening to more audiobooks! With that said I found this book to be very entertaining. The narrator did such an excellent job doing to the voices for everyone.

I loved the action, adventure and humor in this book. The world-building is lush and it’s inspired by medieval India, which I thought was cool. I really enjoyed the relationships between the characters. Katayani’s relationship with the royals she grew up protecting was so fun to listen to because they acted like siblings. There were a few twists in this book and some that are heartbreaking – this story is emotional. There is a romance and I thought it was entertaining with how it started since the Katayani and Daksh are such opposites in character. It got rough for the two of them though.

There were some parts in the second half of the book that I was pushing through and I couldn’t understand why I was ready for the story to be over – don’t know if it’s because it’s an audiobook and I was impatient to finish or something in the story wasn’t holding my attention.

Tropes: opposites attract

Why you should read it:

it’s a standalone fantasy
the romance between Katayani and Daksh
the adventure, world-building and relationships between characters

Why you might not want to read it:

some pacing issues

My Thoughts:

Overall, I found this one to be really entertaining. I liked the world building, relationships and Katayani’s strong personality. The adventure kept the story moving. It had only slight some pacing issues but I still think it was an enjoyable story.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Do Over by. Suzanne Park | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Do-Over

Author: Suzanne Park

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 4/4/23

Publisher: Avon Books

Categories: Adult Fiction, Second Chance Romance, Chick Lit, Women’s Fiction

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

Thank you to Avon Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the author of Loathe at First Sight and So We Meet Again, a fun rom-com about a young Korean-American woman having to return to college after discovering she’s a few credits shy of completing her degree—only to find one of her TAs is her old college boyfriend.

Lily Lee is a bestselling author of the How to Be a Supernova At Work series, and her editor wants her to strike while the iron’s hot with a new book, How to Land the Perfect Job. But when Lily is offered a coveted position at a top firm, the employer background check reveals she’s short a few college credits and never actually completed her degree. Unbelievably, her worst nightmare has come true.

Lily returns to her alma mater, reliving her senior year of college ten years later. She enrolls in classes, gets invited to frat parties, eats most of her meals with “dining dollars,” and to make things even more weird and chaotic, she discovers that her computer science TA is her old college boyfriend, Jake Cho.

As Lily and Jake reconnect, she sees that her ex has done well for himself: the handsome, charming grad student appears to have his life together while Lily’s so close to losing her dream job opportunity and her book deal.

Things aren’t so simple the second time around.

The Do-Over is a delightfully warm and hopeful story about second chances in love and life, and how the future we want may turn out far different than we imagined.

Content Warning:

I thought the synopsis of this story was interesting an alum having to go back to college because they didn’t officially graduate? I sometimes have that nightmare where I didn’t graduate college and it’s an anxiety dream so I can totally relate and wanted to see what happens. Here is what I thought:

+ I like Lily as our main character. She is in her early thirties, has some success but trying again and realized she didn’t actually get her BA degree. Mistakes happen right? I like that we get to delve into her history with her family. She is Korean American and as an Asian American myself I can understand the family pressures. I like that no matter when things went south for her, she did something about it or at least tried and never gave up.

+ Lily and her best friend, Mia, have an amazing bond. I love Mia and their new friend, Beth who is Lily’s new college roommate. I loved the friendship aspect of this book – it is probably my favorite part.

+ I thought the book had a lot of messages going on but I did appreciate the fact Lily stood up for herself when her younger self wouldn’t. I like that we see her growth and how her journey inspires others around her.

~ I don’t think the romance worked for me which is a bummer! I like the whole second chance romance, I just wanted more chemistry between them. There is no steam in this one…maybe I wanted a little steam.

~ I thought it was funny when Lily always mentioned her creaking knees at 32…I’m 13 years older than Lily and I kept thinking while reading, yikes, try being 45! 😅 I admire anyone who can go to college after their 20’s. I don’t think I can do it (I say that, but I probably could…but would I WANT to? lol…I don’t know.

~ If you want a rom-com, this is not it. The friendship part is funny but everything else is more women’s fiction and Lily’s career and mental health journey.

Tropes: found family, second chance romance

Why you should read it:

the friendship between Mia and Lily is great, and then add in newcomer Beth
it touches on issues like anxiety and being raised with high expectations in an Asian American household
Lily’s journey

Why you might not want to read it:

the romance part didn’t wow me, this is not a rom-com

My Thoughts:

I was intrigued by the synopsis and I can say even though the romance part disappointed me, I read this in one sitting. Also I fell in love with Lily and her friendship with Mia and Beth so even though the romance between her and Jake wasn’t amazing, at least her friendships were! I also liked how the story touched on Lily’s upbringing and her anxiety because I could relate so much to her on that level. Overall, I enjoyed the story and was invested in Lily’s change in career path and how everything was going to fall into place.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Christmas Clash by. Suzanne Park | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous by. Suzanne Park | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

These Twisted Bonds by. Lexi Ryan | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: These Twisted Bonds (These Hollow Vows #2)

Author: Lexi Ryan

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 7/18/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, New Adult, Magic

Brie finds herself caught between two princes and two destinies while the future of the fae realm hangs in the balance.

After Abriella’s sister was sold to the fae, she thought life couldn’t get any worse. But when she suddenly finds herself caught in a web of lies of her own making - loving two princes and trusting neither – things are not quite as clear as she once thought.

As civil war wages in the Court of Darkness, Brie finds herself unable to choose a side. How can she know where she stands when she doesn’t even know herself anymore? In this darkly romantic thrill ride, the more Faerie is torn apart from the inside, the clearer it becomes that prophecies don’t lie and Brie has a role to play in the fate of this magical realm – whether she likes it or not.

Content Warning: violence

I finally got to read this book! Here is what I thought:

+ I honestly forgot what happened in These Hollow Vows – but the sequel did a good job in reminding me of past events. I did remember that this had a major love triangle and it continues in this conclusion. There is a choice made though, thank goodness. I was definitely there for the romance but I have more thoughts on that below.

+ I enjoyed it because I love Fae stories. It’s got a lot of the tropes I love: fake dating, love triangle, one bed, etc…and also it’s got some sexual situations which is always surprising because I always see this cover and think young adult. But this New Adult.

~ I think I would have eaten this book up in my 20’s. In my 40’s I was tired of her going back and forth between her feelings. And I always enjoy love triangles but I hate it when it’s between brothers because I tend to like both brothers! So yes 20 year old me would’ve given this 5 stars but 40 year old me has no patience lol.

~ I love chosen one stories but why is Brie so special? I was rolling my eyes when another Fae King started flirting with her. Like come on! And because of that, this book could have been 100 pages less. This is an always 500 page book. There is a lot of angst on Sebastian’s part – ugh….Sebastian. Actually there was a lot of angst going around – Brie was was blaming herself. She’s the special one but she doesn’t know why (I didn’t either) and she kept saying everything was her fault.

Why you should read it:

all the tropes, Fae, romantasy
you want to complete the duology
entertaining

Why you might not want to read it:

love triangle, angst, blame game

My Thoughts:

Like I said above, I would have eaten this up in my 20’s. In my 40’s I’m a bit less patient about the love triangle (and I usually like love triangles) and the angst, along with the blame game. Also it was maybe 100 pages too long. But I did find the story entertaining because I like romantasy and especially when there is Fae involved, so I’m glad I got to take this off my TBR list!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

These Hollow Vows | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Last Heir to Blackwood Library by. Hester Fox | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Last Heir to Blackwood Library

Author: Hester Fox

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 4/4/23

Publisher: Graydon House

Categories: Historical Fantasy, Mystery, Alchemy, Gothic

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

Thank you to Graydon House for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In post–World War I England, a young woman inherits a mysterious library and must untangle its powerful secrets…

With the stroke of a pen, twenty-three-year-old Ivy Radcliffe becomes Lady Hayworth, owner of a sprawling estate on the Yorkshire moors. Ivy has never heard of Blackwood Abbey, or of the ancient bloodline from which she’s descended. With nothing to keep her in London since losing her brother in the Great War, she warily makes her way to her new home.

The abbey is foreboding, the servants reserved and suspicious. But there is a treasure waiting behind locked doors: a magnificent library. Despite cryptic warnings from the staff, Ivy feels irresistibly drawn to its dusty shelves, where familiar works mingle with strange, esoteric texts. And she senses something else in the library too, a presence that seems to have a will of its own.

Rumors swirl in the village about the abbey’s previous owners, about ghosts and curses, and an enigmatic manuscript at the center of it all. And as events grow more sinister, it will be up to Ivy to uncover the library’s mysteries in order to reclaim her own story—before it vanishes forever.

Content Warning: holding someone against their will

I am always intrigued by books by Hester Fox, so I requested this one right away. Here is what I thought:

+ The writing is lush and engaging. I could envision Ivy going to Yorkshire to live in this haunted, old abbey. There were moments the story gave me the chills and creeps. It had all the gothic vibes I was expecting from this author.

+ I like the twist in the story because it was totally unexpected. There is a sentient, evil library – which I thought was pretty cool. I was afraid for Ivy because even I didn’t know what was going on until it was explained, but I could sympathize and feel her confusion and terror when certain things start happening to her.

+~ Ivy is an unreliable narrator which is fascinating and frustrating at the same time. By the middle of the book, I was so irritated with her decision making! There is an explanation to her behavior but you have to keep reading.

~ Though this is a quick read, there is so much information withheld from Ivy it was very frustrating. I just was wishing someone would tell her something to help her out. I just kept judging her and saying she was very naive but there is more to the story that I can’t reveal.

~ There were some parts to the story that felt disjointed. The romance didn’t quite work for me, it could have, but the way the story is written – it just didn’t work for me. And after the explanation about the Abbey’s library – everything felt rushed from then on to the end. I wish there were more creepy scenes, and more incidents with the library books!

Tropes: sentient library

Why you should read it:

you like gothic, historical fantasy
the atmosphere of the Abbey, the library, the writing is engaging
Ivy is an unreliable narrator

Why you might not want to read it:

some parts of the story is rushed, romance didn’t work for me

My Thoughts:

I’m always picking up a Hester Fox book because I know the gothic vibes will be there. I love how her writing captures a setting, in this case, Yorkshire and the Abbey. I love the creepy vibes and wish it were creepier! I enjoyed the twist in the story about the library and wish there were more instances where we got to see the library in action. The romance didn’t work for me and I do think the ending was rushed but I still found it entertaining.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BLOG TOUR} A Lullaby for Witches by. Hester Fox | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review | The Widow of Pale Harbor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Silver in the Bone by. Alexandra Bracken | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Silver in the Bone (#1)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 480

Publication Date: 4/4/23

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Adventure, 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 Knopf Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A series opener inspired by Arthurian legend and fueled by love, revenge, and pure adrenaline!

Tamsin Lark didn’t ask to be a Hollower. As a mortal with no magical talent, she was never meant to break into ancient crypts, or compete with sorceresses and Cunningfolk for the treasures inside. But after her thieving foster father disappeared without so much as a goodbye, it was the only way to keep herself—and her brother, Cabell—alive.

Ten years later, rumors are swirling that her guardian vanished with a powerful ring from Arthurian legend. A run-in with her rival Emrys ignites Tamsin’s hope that the ring could free Cabell from a curse that threatens both of them. But they aren’t the only ones who covet the ring.

As word spreads, greedy Hollowers start circling, and many would kill to have it for themselves. While Emrys is the last person Tamsin would choose to partner with, she needs all the help she can get to edge out her competitors in the race for the ring. Together, they dive headfirst into a vipers’ nest of dark magic, exposing a deadly secret with the power to awaken ghosts of the past and shatter her last hope of saving her brother. . . .

Content Warning: violence, gore, death

I wasn’t sure what to expect when requesting this book. I enjoyed Lore which is from the same author. So I thought the concept for this one was intriguing. Here is what I thought:

+ Once I got my bearings in the story, and things started to gel a bit better I was really into the action parts of this story. It’s quite an adventure that Tamsin goes through in this book. It’s urban fantasy so it starts off in the modern world and there is magic, portals and yes Avalon. So I enjoyed all the places this book took me, it’s quite a journey.

+ I liked the characters. Tamsin is that girl who has abandonment issues, doesn’t have a traditional family, doesn’t have anyone really except her brother Cabell. She keeps people away with a gruff, pessimistic front which means she’s not the easiest to be around. Cabell is dealing with some things! Neve is this cool and kind hearted girl who is a sorceress and then there is the gorgeous Emrys who is a rich boy but he has his own issues to deal with. And then there are all the characters in Avalon that were fun to get to know.

+ I mentioned the action but can I say I didn’t expect this to get a bit scary/creepy too? There are zombies in this one and they are relentless and vicious. I actually enjoyed the scenes when they were fighting them even if it got bloody and gory.

+ The ending is a cliffhanger but wow, how the story leads up to it is pretty exciting. I think the second half of this book was the best part, there were a few plot twists that were unexpected. I need to know what is going to happen with Cabell, what is going on with Emrys and I am rooting for the girls to do what they need to do!

~ It took me awhile to get situated in the beginning of the book because I was thrown into it. I didn’t know what Tamsin was, what a Hollower was, if this was fantasy, if this was contemporary. I kind of wish I was lead into it a bit better.

~ Pacing – at times this book was going really fast, because the action is really great and then once it would get good, it pulled back. I had to check a few times how many more pages was left in the book because I was hoping I was near the finish line. It definitely felt like 480 pages.

~ The zombies or Children of the Night are reminiscent of the Whitewalkers in Game of Thrones. They are afraid of fire, they are freakishly scary and want blood, and come out at night. It’s what I totally pictured in my head when I read the scenes with the Children of the Night. Also the bodycount factor reminded me of GoT also! The author wasn’t afraid to kill off good people in this story – it was a heartbreaking scene but definitely makes me want to read book two. But anyway if you aren’t into zombies – this might not be for you.

Tropes: found family,

Why you should read it:

King Arthur legends, adventure, zombies, magic
the enemies to lovers romance between Tamsin and Emrys
you like urban fantasy

Why you might not want to read it:

you get thrown in to the story, pacing is all over the place, it’s kind of chaotic until you get your bearings

My Thoughts:

I found this book very entertaining for the most part! The pacing issues made it feel laggy in some places but the action was really good especially in the later part of the book. I will definitely read book two because I want to know what happens to these amazing characters.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Lore by. Alexandra Bracken | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Right Girl, Wrong Side by. Ginny Baird | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Right Girl, Wrong Side

Author: Ginny Baird

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 3/28/23

Publisher: Sourcebook Casablanca

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, One House

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

Thank you to Sourcebook Casablanca for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird brings her signature charm to this multicultural story about two disputing families sharing a beach house and the messiness that comes from falling in love with someone who your family is determined to despise.

Busy flower shop manager Evita Machado can’t wait to get to Nantucket. With a bad breakup behind her, relaxing at the shore with her folks and her brothers and their families sounds like the sure cure for heartache, and their vacation destination looks like an amazing place! But when they arrive at the quaint rose-covered cottage, another group has already put down stakes: the Hatfields.

Ryan Hatfield was Evita’s former crush from high school, but their business rival moms refused to let them date. Now history professor Ryan is here for a week with his parents, who won them this oceanfront rental in a society silent auction. Once it’s clear there’s been a double-booking due to a bidding mistake, Ryan’s mom digs in her heels, meaning to stay. When Evita’s mom won’t back down either, both sides tepidly agree to share the luxury accommodations by dividing the cozy space.

With the boisterous Machados livening things up and the strait-laced Hatfields tamping them down, can Evita and Ryan keep the peace between the warring factions while fostering a growing chemistry between the two of them?

Content Warning:

I thought this book cover looked really cute and the synopsis sounded like it would make for a good rom-com. This is what I thought:

+ Two families, two mom’s that hate each other, and two people who used to be close in high school are reunited accidentally in this book. They try to make the best of their vacation week by sharing one house and it’s almost a disaster. It’s definitely the type of book I was reading to the end to see what kind of chaos ensue and I was not disappointed.

+ Evita and Ryan was the level-headed ones of their families. Evita comes from a big, loud, tight-knit family and Ryan comes from a small, not so close, quiet family. Those two families clash but it’s mostly because of the mothers who have it out for one another due to a high school feud of their own! I loved Evita’s brothers and their families Talk about chaos, but I relate all too well.

+ The romance between Evita and Ryan is really sweet. They were good friends in high school, both crushing on one another without the other knowing. But it seems like the stars have aligned, or good timing, because both of them are free to date one another now, if they want to pursue it. And they do. This is a sweet romance, all we get is some kisses between them, nothing more but I think it works.

+ I love the theme of family in this story. Evita’s family is more tighter, but she still had to beg her mom to back off and let her be independent when it comes to wanting to hang out with Ryan. As for Ryan he had to have a major family meeting with his. But in the end it’s a very happy ending.

~ The mom’s are basically the ones acting like petty young girls, but I thought it was funny. I’m just glad they finally acted adult enough to bury the hatchet by the end.

Tropes: one house, rival families

Why you should read it:

you want a sweet romance, two families under one house with lots of chaos, but a very happy ending

Why you might not want to read it:

the moms are a bit petty, and fought over the silliest things

My Thoughts:

I thought this was a cute story and I loved seeing how different the two families were and how they warmed up to one another by the end. It does have two moms arguing about the smallest things but that’s as far as the drama goes in the story. Overall it was funny, and the romance was really sweet. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Nevermore Bookstore by. Kerrigan Bryne and Cynthia St. Aubin | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Nevermore Bookstore (Townsend Harbor, #1)

Author: Kerrigan Byrne & Cynthia St. Aubin

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 363

Publication Date: 3/28/23

Publisher: Oliver Heber Books

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Mystery, Dark 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 Oliver Heber Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Cadence “Cady” Bloomquist knows two things for sure: First, shelving books at her shop, Nevermore Bookstore, totally counts as cardio. Second, staying late every Thursday night to take a certain mysterious customer’s order is not the same as waiting by the phone for some man.

Until.

Until the calls with the man who identifies himself only as “Fox” last for hours, and become the highlight of her week. Which leaves her to wonder, if his jagged velvet voice can kindle her fire over the phone, what sort of alchemy might it inspire if they met in person?

There’s nothing Roman Fawkes wants more than the brilliant, beautiful bookstore owner, but Roman Fawkes knows it can never happen. Secreted in his mountain hideaway high above sleepy little Townsend Harbor, his hermit’s existence shields him–and those around him–from the pain of his past.

Until.

Until one of their weekly calls is interrupted by a break-in, and Fawkes is powerless to protect the woman who has become his one link to the world. Orchestrating a trap for the fool who dared harm her, Fawkes finds himself not just ensnared, but beguiled by her. Now so close to Cady, he discovers she’s fallen for “Fox”, and yet he’s unable to reveal her heart’s desire is closer than she thinks.

Can Fawkes resist the temptation to get between Cady’s covers, knowing they’ll never have a happily ever after?

Content Warning: PTSD, torture scenes in a memory

What caught my eye for this book was the cover and title. I’d say this is one of those instances where the cover made me think this would be a rom-com. Here’s what I thought:

+ Yes there are fun, light-hearted moments in this book but that’s mostly with Cady. She has ankylosing spondylitis and suffers from the pain of it but despite that she’s a sunshine girl. Cady is positive and living life. Whereas her romantic interest, Fox, is the opposite. Grumpy? YES. But with so much baggage, trauma, and suffers from major PTSD. His character threw me off in the beginning and I was wondering if this was a paranormal romance and he was a werewolf or something! Boy, was I wrong, but Fox is almost feral in this book. But opposites attract in this one and there is no shortage of chemistry between them.

+ I love the small town and how Cady runs a bookstore. She and Fox actually bond because of their love of books. But I love Cady’s friends Gemma, Myrtle, and Vee, they were all so funny together.

+ The romance between Cady and Fox was really heart melting after all the kinks they had to iron out. And it was a lot – it’s heavy, because of Fox’s PTSD. But I like that Cady fought to keep this guy, there is something beautiful about fighting for love. I like that these two people, strangers over the phone really, are each fighting their own battles and in the end decide they want to fight together. Also their sex scenes are steamy and hot!

~ This is a dark romance because Fox goes through some bad stuff and he dreams about it. I really couldn’t figure him out in the first part of the book, I couldn’t understand what the deal was with him. He’s a hermit in the woods, he seems like he’s on the verge of going out of his head – hence why I thought maybe he was a werewolf and this was a paranormal romance! There isn’t anything wrong with him dealing with PTSD, I just wasn’t expecting how hard he would deal with it. I really felt for him.

~ Because of the way they meet, and Fox is basically some guy in the woods – when he does come to be around Cady to protect her, it comes off a little suspect, like he’s stalking her. He doesn’t disclose who he is because he’s not good for her, but he sticks around a few days to make sure she is okay. He even watches her through binoculars so if that bothers you then this story isn’t for you.

~ The mystery part in this book I think didn’t flow as well for me? I was invested in Cady and Fox and the mystery of who HE is. But some things were happening at the bookstore that I felt like wasn’t something pushed to the forefront of the story. So by the time it’s dealt with at the end, it’s just some loose end that needs to be tied up and it is taken care of nicely.

Tropes: small town, sunshine girl/grumpy broken guy

Why you should read it:

set in a small town, at a bookstore owned by a sunshine girl with an autoimmune disease
fun secondary characters – Cady’s best friends
Cady and Fox’s romance – and how they try to help themselves and one another by the end of the book

Why you might not want to read it:

it’s darker than the cartoonish cover lets on! I liked the spotlight on Fox’s PTSD but it’s not a light-hearted read – I think it was trying to toe the line between light-hearted and dark. It worked for me but may not work for everyone.

My Thoughts:

After the initial rocky start of the book (mostly because Fox), I think I fell in love with Cady and Fox – especially when the truth comes out. Cady’s life in her small town, her book store and her close knit friends was perfect for her and her personality. Fox fit his surroundings also, because he really was on the edge of giving up, and he was going to give up in the woods but I didn’t know that until later. So like Cady, I didn’t understand him, until he let his guard down. But I loved the two of them together and glad they have a happy ending. The story is like a balance between light-hearted and dark romance and I enjoyed it. It looks like this is going to be a series so I hope the next love story is Gemma’s or Ethan’s? I look forward to reading more from this duo.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

Misfit by. Elle Kennedy | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Misfit (The Prep Series)

Author: Elle Kennedy

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 11/29/22

Categories: New Adult, Prep School, Romance

Finding out your mom is marrying some rich guy you’ve never met is enough to make any eighteen-year-old’s head spin. And for RJ Shaw, it gets worse: he’s being sent to Sandover Prep for senior year. If there’s one place a misfit hacker like RJ doesn’t belong, it’s an ivy-covered all-boys boarding school for rich delinquents. There’s no point trying to get along with anyone. That is, until he meets Sloane Tresscott in the woods on the outskirts of campus. Gorgeous and sharp-tongued, Sloane is pure temptation. Except Sloane is the one girl he’s forbidden from touching. The headmaster’s daughter. Good thing RJ doesn’t believe in rules. Sure, Sloane insists she’s swearing off boys this year, but he wants her bad, and he’s going to win her over if it kills him—unless her ex-boyfriend, the ruling king of Sandover, kills him first. Luckily, RJ’s unwittingly made some friends. His new stepbrother Fenn, a pretty boy with a self-destructive streak. Lawson, self-proclaimed agent of chaos. And Silas, the All-American good guy who can’t actually be as nice as he seems. If RJ wants to survive prep school and win Sloane’s heart, he’ll need to figure out a way to use all the secrets hidden in the walls of Sandover.

Content Warning: bullying, violence, toxic relationships, teacher/student relationship

Continuing on with my prep school book craving, I picked this one up Kindle Unlimited and this is what I thought:

+ I already knew this one would be a bit raunchy but whoa – okay are prep school kids really having this much sex? Because I hope they are getting tested and staying protected. I liked that the MC is a guy who doesn’t fit in – he’s a hacker and his mom married into money but usually I read these stories from girl POV’s and it was nice to get it with a male lead.

+ There is a whole cast of characters in this one and different POV’s – a lot of them are supposed to have done something bad to end up at this prep school but it’s definitely white collar crime stuff. And I find it interesting that Fenn and his friends aren’t the baddest kids at this school. There’s a guy name Duke who is the biggest bully on campus and Fenn and his friends are basically the party boys who try and stay on Duke’s good side.

+ I liked RJ and Sloane. She’s a man-eater with a really bad, douchey ex-boyfriend. RJ is on the quiet side, but still confident even if he’s not the physical and macho type. He’s a hacker so this is definitely the hacker-hero trope which I hardly get to read but always am eager to read. I think they balanced each other!

+ There is a mystery in the story too and I hope there is more progress in book two since it does concern Cassie.

~ It’s new adult but yes these kids (some are 18) are already having hot, steamy sex – some having it at a marathon pace (Looking at you Lawson 😆). Speaking of Lawson, he even has teacher relations – just a warning. And he is an equal opportunity kinda guy so he likes the girls and guys. But I always feel like these stories should be set in college – but I guess that’s expected in college. With Seniors in high school it comes off a bit rebellious which is the appeal.

~ There are multiple POVS in this one and I think it worked out okay for the most part but I think it slowed down the story a bit. I do wish it was just RJ and Sloane’s POVS. But the multiple POVS gives an intro to all the major players, I just wish it was a bit less. It gives a bit of a background into Cassie and Fenn who are the main characters for the next book. Silas’ perspective is not very exciting yet and well Lawson is Lawson.

Why you should read it:

you like the bad, rich boys who are up to no good – and there are the girls who want to tame them
entertaining if you like lots of drama and angst
RJ and Sloane make a cute couple once they get past some trust issues

Why you might not want to read it:

toxic relationships

My Thoughts:

Sometimes I’m just in the mood for these toxic drama stories and this definitely brought it! I’m definitely going to read book two because I want to know about Cassie’s situation plus book two is about Cassie and Fenn, so I want to see just what she does to tame this wild party boy.