The Beautiful Maddening by. Shea Ernshaw | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Beautiful Maddening

Author: Shea Ernshaw

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 6/3/25

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary Fantasy, 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 Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

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.

Content Warning: parental neglect, trespassing, flood

+ This is a really interesting book that starts off with two teens who are twins, Archer and Lark. They live in a very small town and their family name is cursed because of the tulips that grow in their yard. Yes, magical tulips. Apparently the tulips have so much pheromone that anyone who is carrying the tulip will have people fall in love with them. It’s why Archer can get the girls he wants, it’s how he survives. It’s why Lark wants to leave the town and never look back because how can she tell how really loves her if the tulip draws people to her?

+ Lark meets a boy, Oak, who claims he is from another town over, and that the tulips don’t affect him. During Spring when the tulips are in bloom, the town is in a frenzy. The romance between Lark and Oak is insta-love and heavy but written beautifully because who isn’t scared and vulnerable when falling in love? The author captures all of it – the feelings, fear, not being sure, the questions, the push and pull, the running away, and the wanting. Questioning love was the whole point of the story. We see Lark and her aversion to love because how her parents left them. And with her romance with Oak, she doesn’t know if it’s the tulips or if it’s real. And is it love or obsession?

~ If you don’t like insta-love and angst you might not like this. It actually triggered memories of my first real heartbreak when I was young, but in a good way since I can look back without any bad feelings. So in essence, this story did it’s job in capturing young love and heartbreak and questioning what love is. I mean, who knows what it is in your teen years. But everyone at that age thinks they know.

~ The parents were just non-existent in this book. They left these kids to fend for themselves! Who does that? Addictive tulips or not…talk about parental neglect.

~ I would have loved to get more information about the family curse, and where it originates. Also the ending is an interesting choice for sure!

Final Thoughts:

Oh to be young and in love dealing with all the unknowns, fears and obsession. It’s not fun when you aren’t sure it’s reciprocated and to make matters worse, you add magic, potent tulips that enhances the feelings? Sounds like madness. I think the young adults will enjoy this one. It was a bit too dramatic for me, but I did love how the author captured the madness of falling in love.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

A Wilderness of Stars by. Shea Ernshaw | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review: The Wicked Deep ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review | Winterwood ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fallen Court by. Geneva Lee | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Fallen Court (Filthy Rich Fae, #2)

Author: Geneva Lee

Narrator: Raquel Beattie and Aiden Snow

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 384 / Audio Reading Time (approx.): 15 hours

Publication Date: 5/19/25

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romantasy

One fae prince. One deadly bargain. And a mortal caught between desire and damnation.

Cate thought she knew darkness. As a trauma nurse, she had witnessed the worst of humanity. But nothing―not the blood, the violence, or the despair―could have prepared her for the fae underworld. A realm where beauty is a weapon, desire is a trap, and mortals who stray too far don’t return.

She almost didn’t.

Until Lachlan Gage―shadowed, ruthless, and feared even among his own kind―bound her to him with a deadly bargain. As the prince of New Orleans and ruler of the Nether Court, he is as much a curse as he is salvation. And with the Wild Hunt at his heels and war stirring between the fae courts, even his protection may not be enough to save her.

Because Cate is more than just his reluctant mortal. She is wanted. Coveted. And the prince of the Hallow Court will do anything to claim her.

But something ancient is rising in the dark, warping fae magic into something unnatural and cruel. It has nothing to do with Cate’s past―or so she tells herself. Even though the ring left behind by her mother whispers otherwise.

There is only one thing more dangerous than the fae who would kill for her.

The fae who would die for her.

And Lachlan Gage has never been one to lose.

Content Warning: violence

+ I thought the narrators did well and I liked that there were two different voices for the different POVs.

+ I enjoyed the world building once more and it doesn’t only take place in New Orleans this time. In the beginning, the story takes place in Europe. So I like that there were different locations but then it goes back to New Orleans which is a great place for an urban fantasy to take place because it is dark and mystery. This time witches are introduced into the story which I enjoyed.

+ Cate and Lachlan’s relationship grows and this time their spicy scenes aren’t so closed door, which was fun! This is a fated mates kind of love story and I do enjoy them as a couple.

+ I enjoy a lot of the secondary characters like Ciara, Lachlan’s sister. But why does Cate’s brother always get into trouble? He is so frustrating.

~ I felt like the pacing was an issue but I don’t know if it’s because I was listening to the story instead of reading it? There was a lot of action and excitement and the beginning and the end. The middle feels like nothing much is happening except Cate and Lachlan’s relationship and the investigation into murders around the city. But I think it felt slow because that’s the mystery part of the story?

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I think this was a solid sequel but I did enjoy book one a little bit more. Once again, there is a twist at the end of this story but I’m not sure if I will continue the series. But again, it might be because I listened to it (and I don’t love audiobooks but I’m trying to get used to them) than read it that I feel this way so when book three comes out, maybe I will read it instead.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Filthy Rich Fae by. Geneva Lee | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Bound in Inked Flame by. Ava Larksen| Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Bound in Inked Flame (Of Crows and Thorns Saga, #1)

Author: Ava Larksen

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 731

Publication Date: 2/27/25

Categories: New Adult, Romantasy, Dark Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Crime Families

When I signed myself away in marriage, I should have read the fine print. Ink fades—blood binds.

I’m a prisoner, trapped behind gilded gates, my freedom traded for safety. Magic pulses beneath my skin, wild and forbidden. In our world of ruling Houses, wielding such power means death. One slip, one spark—everyone I love dies.

As a princess of the Great House, I should have been untouchable. But in a cruel twist of fate, a ruthless family of enforcers claims the right to choose any bride. Now I’m to marry the infuriating Graysen Crowther. Our loathing is legendary, but with only a wall between us each night, hatred burns into something far more treacherous. One touch and I might lose something far worse than my life—my traitorous heart.

As my control fractures and betrayal tightens its noose, my only chance at survival lies in escaping to seek the monster who holds the truth about my magic. Yet when a bargained kiss unleashes an unbreakable bond, dark suspicion whispers through my bones that I’m caught in a blood-soaked web.

For in this deadly game of power, where trust is a luxury I can’t afford, Graysen moves like someone who’s been playing long before I knew there was a game.

And his secret might prove more lethal than any forbidden magic.

BOUND IN INKED FLAME is the first book in the OF CROWS AND THORNS SAGA, an epic dark romantasy. Perfect for readers who crave plot-heavy, character-driven sagas drenched in atmosphere and rich world-building—where dark mysteries unravel alongside a slow-burn romance and heart-wrenching choices that threaten to destroy everything. Please note this book ends on a cliffhanger. For content warnings, please check the author’s website.

Content Warning: violence, death, sexual assault, attempted rape

+ I picked this up on a whim because of the cover, the synopsis and some 5 star ratings. 30% into the book I almost DNF’ed this book. Why did I push through? I wanted to know what power Nelle had and I like a good complicated drama with families who hate each other, I wanted to see how that would turn out. Plus the loathing between Nelle and Graysen was palpable and I wanted to see how slow or quick they turned into lovers.

+ Nelle Wychthorn, is from a great House. Graysen Crowther, is from an old but lower House. And they are bound to marry each other, but they cannot marry until she turns 20. For now, they spend one day a year with one another, until now when her older sister is about to be engaged to a man from another House and there will be weekend festivities and Graysen must attend. These two HATE each other, I like that she gave as good as he gave but she was still the younger of the two, she’s 19 and I think he’s like 25? Or something like that.

+ This is an interesting world – the Horned Gods rule these crime families, but this world is apart from the real world, there is a scene where the FMC and MMC even go to New York City. Any person who is “other”, which is someone with powers, is supposed to be given to the Horned Gods at birth. Some people though, like the Crowthers have minimal magic that the Gods do allow like having truesight.

+ I enjoy a story with crime families that don’t like each other and it’s very true here in this one. The Wychthorns are the top dog of houses, and everyone bows to them because they have favor from the Horned Gods. But I like seeing the different drama families had with one another. The biggest one being between Nelle and Graysen’s family which really puts a wrench in their love story. I liked when Nelle’s sisters or Graysen’s brothers (especially Caidan) were in the story.

+~ The romance is enemies to lovers. I love the tension and fighting between Nelle and Graysen – they hate each other a lot. I like that she fights him, but then starts to care for him and I can see why she would if he’s the only relationship she’s had – bad as it has started out, he is still the only one she’s ever spent time with. In that sense, their relationship is a bit dark and toxic because she knows nothing else except him. And this isn’t a slow burn when it comes to spice…now will there be love? I don’t know, when you think Graysen will just let go and admit he cares, he withdraws back into himself again. There is a lot of betrayal in this story also and by the end of this book I was hoping Nelle never forgives Graysen. It will take a lot for ME to forgive him, he will need to grovel bad.

~ I read this 700+ pager in one day, because I had time but I did also almost DNF’ed this because of nothing much happening in the first 30% of the book. I just wasn’t feeling it and the world building felt so vague. There was focus on Nelle and Graysen’s spice, but I wanted more than that. I stuck around but still, I almost gave up a few times because some things became repetitive.

~ The book has a part where a character mentions reading smut on a Kindle and it took me out of the story, it called me out lol (and I almost DNF’ed right then and there). I think it was the mention of a real-time device in a fantasy world that was a little jarring. Also Nelle is 19 and secretly so powerful but then she would talk like a brat and say “As if…” and I’m so old that it just reminded me of the movie Clueless! 🤭 So then I would think this FMC is ridiculous. I get it she’s young, she didn’t have much control over things even though she tried, she’s sassy and doesn’t like being told what to do. But she’s super powerful and we are reminded of it over and over. I did wish many times that she was older than 19, like 23 or something and was out of the brat stage.

~ Pacing. Sometimes the spicy scenes would take chapters and they really only had one weekend together. But I wanted to learn more about the families and the Gods. Yes, the smut drew me in but it still could have been shortened. So it would go from Nelle’s sexual awakening and them fighting (again/always) to them remembering oh yeah they are there for her sister’s engagement festivities and the Horned Gods were coming so Nelle better keep this secret power inside her in check. There was some good action here and there and then the big event at the end, but pacing could have been better and it could have been less repetitive.

~ I need Nelle to get ruthless and stay ruthless after all the stuff happening to her. She was literally a child when all this drama happened and she was being blamed without even knowing it. I was warming up to Graysen (okay so he’s sexy, hot and protected her – BUT he still pissed me off). And after that ending, I need Nelle to cut him off and punish him and his family for a little bit. I don’t know if I will forgive him – there was a strange mention of a better option vaguely in the story (so many things were vague!), but is there another option out there for her?

Final Thoughts:

I am so surprised I read this in one day after wanting to DNF it a few times but I saw so much potential with the world building. I was drawn to this world of crime lords all fighting and betraying one another. I like that there is an enemies to lovers romance, but I don’t know if I can forgive you now Graysen Crowther. So much could be cut out to make this story move faster and be tighter. I need Nelle to grow up a little and stop acting like a brat, learn some lessons! I need Graysen to grovel 😅 for forgiveness (look I get why he is the way he is, I just need to see if there’s another option for Nelle). I even read the snippet from book two at the end because it has that addictive factor. So I have very mixed feelings about this one but I’m still going to read book two unless that one gets repetitive too and I have to DNF, but I hope some things are cleaned up and it’s shorter. I am definitely here for the drama!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

King of Envy by. Ana Huang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: King of Envy (Kings of Sin, #5)

Author: Ana Huang

Format: ebook (borrowed – KU)

Pages: 530

Publication Date: 4/29/25

Categories: Romance, Series, Dark Romance, Billionaire Romance

He had everything he could’ve wanted…except her.

Dangerous. Powerful. Reclusive.

Vuk Markovic is notorious for shunning human interactions. The scarred billionaire rarely talks, and he has no interest in relationships outside his small but trusted circle.

His only exception? Her . The beauty to his beast, the object of his obsession.

He saw her first. He wanted her first. But now, she’s engaged to his oldest friend—and the closer the wedding looms, the more he’s torn between loyalty and desire.

She should be his…and he might just risk it all to have her.

***
Beautiful. Successful. Glamorous.

To the world, supermodel Ayana Kidane leads the perfect life. Her career has skyrocketed, and she’s engaged to one of New York’s most eligible bachelors.

What people don’t know is that the engagement is only a business arrangement. He gets his inheritance when they marry; she gets the money she needs to leave her abusive agency.

Pretending to be in love should be easy—until she finds herself increasingly drawn to her fiancé’s enigmatic best man.

Vuk thrills and terrifies her in equal measure. She knows she should stay away, but when her wedding is thrown into chaos, he’s the only person she finds comfort in…

Until his past catches up with them and threatens everything they love.

Content Warning: violence, sexual assault, kidnapping

+ This is book #5 of the Kings of Sin series and I didn’t love the last two books. #4 was better than #3 but still I went into this one cautiously and I think this one was slight better than the last one at least when it came to the characters.

+ Ayana is a supermodel and about to marry someone she doesn’t love, but she’s friends with, Jordan. Jordan’s best-friend, Vuk, wants Ayana. So there is that complication which kind of gets solved at the wedding ceremony. I will say the romance between Ayana and Vuk was good. Vuk is all yearning and Ayana is looking at him in a new light when she gets to spend more time with him. Vuk doesn’t speak much, he mostly uses sign-language but when he does speak…it’s with Ayana which I thought was sweet. It’s clear Vuk was always in love with her so seeing them get together was my favorite part of this book.

+ This one is a slow burn, because Ayana is engaged to Jordan. But once she and Vuk give into one another’s attraction, it gets spicy.

~ Though I love Ayana and Vuk’s romance, this story is too long. It’s at 530 pages and really could have been 350 pages or no more than 400. None of the Brotherhood (organized crime) storyline kept my interest. It added a lot of violence and action but still, I was just okay about it and skimmed.

Final Thoughts:

If you like Beauty and the Beast vibes, you will enjoy this book. I did like it better than her last 2 books in this series but I do think it could have been shorter – it didn’t need to be over 500 pages long. I still think King of Wrath is my favorite book from this series, but I did love Ayana and Vuk as a couple in King of Envy.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

King of Sloth by. Ana Huang | Book Review (#4) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

King of Greed by. Ana Huang | Book Review (#3) ⭐️⭐️

King of Pride by. Ana Huang | Book Review (#2) ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

King of Wrath by. Ana Huang | Book Review (#1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Booked For Summer by. Kathryn Freeman | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Booked For Summer

Author: Kathryn Freeman

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 383

Publication Date: 4/30/25

Publisher: One More Chapter

Categories: Romance, Contemporary

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

Thank you to One More Chapter for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When book lover Jade Taylor applies to manage the Little Bay Book Shack on Nantucket Island over the summer, the last thing she needs is the distraction of billionaire resort owner, Liam Haven.

But things take an unexpected turn when Liam becomes Jade’s boss – a man who only reads contracts for pleasure…

In a bid to save the bookshop from being absorbed into the Haven resort, Jade is determined to teach Liam that there’s more to life than acquiring real estate. And if she can make him realise happily ever afters do exist, might she be able to save the island’s bookshop in the process?

+ Jade is from England and takes a job running a bookshop for a few months on Nantucket Island. She runs into a grouchy, but very hot guy, Liam, who she later finds out runs the hotel next to the bookshop. The bookshop setting speaks to the book lover in me.

+~ The romance is insta-lust and they do hook-up pretty quick but once Jade finds out he’s her new boss, she puts a stop to things and instead tries to throw her energy into showing Liam why the bookshop shouldn’t be put out of business. They had a lot of issues to work out between them throughout the story, lots of back and forth drama and I wasn’t into it.

~ As far as Jade and Liam are as characters, he’s the grouchy one and she’s sunshine. I wasn’t invested in either of them unfortunately and couldn’t connect. I did like some of the side characters like Jeremy – he was funny!

Final Thoughts:

For me, I couldn’t quite connect to the characters but this is a quick read that would be perfect in the summer time. Also Jade is a book girlie running a book shop so that might appeal to many romance readers. If you are looking for a light-heart romance this is one you might enjoy.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Never List by. Jade Presley| Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Never List (Never List, #1)

Author: Jade Presley

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 417

Publication Date: 4/1/25

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Reverse Harem, Why Choose

The four princes of Lumathyst need a mate, and everyone wants a chance…except for her.

Threatened by invaders, the kingdom of Lumathyst is on the verge of chaos, and no one can stop it. Unless the four immortal god-princes find their fated mate―and safeguard the throne―Lumathyst will fall.

Five women have tried. Five have failed. And tonight in the royal city, the princes need to find their Chosen and hope she can survive the transformation that will make her immortal.

Only Rylee Gray wasn’t supposed to be here. She snuck in for her own dark reasons―and now they claim they’ve found their perfect match. Her. Of course, they have no idea she’s concealing a secret big enough to damn them all.

The four princes have no choice. They’ll use every delectably wicked skill they have to make Rylee fall for all of them…or watch their kingdom collapse.

Content Warning:

+ One woman, Rylee Gray, is chosen by one of the four Lumathyst princes, to go through a trial and see if she can survive turning immortal. Though this had more smut than plot, I did appreciate that Rylee did face some challenges on her journey to becoming the chosen one.

+ If you like smut, this one has a lot of it. It’s a “why choose” trope or basically reverse harem. There is one of her and four of them and Rylee enjoyed ALL of them. Literally. Sometimes two at the same time. So smut lovers this one is for you!

+ I did like the twist at the end. Throughout this story Rylee is sort of looking for her lost sister. I say sort of because it’s the princes who are supposedly looking for intel on her. There is more information about her at the end of the story.

~ I think Rylee spent the most time with Kal, who became my favorite only because she took time bonding with him and I felt out of all the guys – the romance between them is genuine. All the other guys were rushed. I think her favorite is Jax, but though there was tension between them from beginning to end, her moments with him (and the others) were rushed.

~ This was heavy on the spicy scenes and I thought the world-building was too light. Also she’s going through a trial with each prince to see if at the end she is “the one”. She’s with them for a mont but she fell for each prince fairly quick and there were no challenges there except for Jax and his dad, who constantly gave her problems. I mean I’m glad they all love to share her and she loves to be shared – but I wanted a bit more depth with the story.

~ I didn’t really connect to Rylee, i just wanted more from her character but I did think Mirren was a fun character. Would have liked to know Rylee’s friends bit better too.

Final Thoughts:

Even though this was more smut than plot, I read it fairly quick just because I wanted to see the difference in the princes and how she interacted with them. Unfortunately she didn’t spend lots of time with them equally – which is why I like Kal the best but I feel like that wasn’t fair to the other guys. I would have loved more world-building, more time with each prince and more from Rylee’s character. If you like spicy, reverse harem romances without heavy world building, then you will enjoy this one.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Deep End by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Deep End

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 2/4/25

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, New Adult, BDSM, Sports Romance

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…

Content Warning: BDSM, sports injury, PTSD, mention of abusive parent

+ Scarlett is a competitive diver at Stanford and she’s trying to overcome PTSD from a sports injury but she has a mental block. I did like seeing the journey she makes overcoming her mental challenges as the story progresses. Lukas is a world-champion swimmer and it seems like he has it all, but he just broke up with his long-time girlfriend.

+ This book has kink and BDSM which is not usually my cup of tea, so beware – though I do say I was expecting some restraints or some props but they didn’t do anything like that. So maybe this is BDSM lite? 🤷🏻‍♀️. There’s a lot of rough sex and I was just like, ow, girl. I did like how they talked about it though, communicated about what would be okay and not okay before getting into it.

+ My favorite part of this story was the sports aspects of this story because it’s a world I don’t read a lot about but I love watching swimming and diving during the Olympics so that did fascinate me.

~ So…the romance. Lukas’ soon to be ex, or ex, Pen, who is Scarlett’s teammate and friend, suggests to Scarlett that she and and Lukas hook-up because they both like BDSM. It’s one of the factors of why Lukas and Pen’s relationship was not working out but I didn’t like how she basically got them together and then blames Scarlett later on for taking her man. It’s okay if it was an open relationship, but basically Lukas and Pen were over, yet…not? Because they let everyone believe they weren’t over and that was frustrating. I don’t mind a love triangle, but this was not it.

~ I get that Lukas’ personality is blunt, but for all the girls saying he was hot, he left ME feeling cold even with all the smutty scenes going on. That’s rare! I felt like their hook-up lacked emotion except from Scarlett who attached to that man so fast, even as she denied how she felt. She was always crying and he was always licking up her tears. I was turned off. I guess he’s not my type! 😅I liked them as characters, I thought her journey and growth was good and I even liked learning about Lukas and his upbringing – but for some really weird reason I can’t quite pinpoint, I didn’t love them together.

~ I got to 60% in and then put it down because it wasn’t over yet so it took me a few days to read. It’s a bit long at 464 pages, a good 350 would have been nice.

Final Thoughts:

There is a lot of smut, which is fine, but I wanted romance and I feel like I didn’t get enough of that. I didn’t like Pen always being in the middle of Lukas and Scarlett – it was irritating, but I also thought wow, these are some pretty mature young adults to be open and casual about sharing a guy. I did like Scarlett’s personal journal with her diving and PTSD, and the whole swim/diving world was refreshing to read about. Overall, not my favorite Ali Hazelwood book so far.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Check & Mate by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bride by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Love Hypothesis by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Murder Between Friends by. Liz Lawson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Murder Between Friends

Author: Liz Lawson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 4/22/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller

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

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

Two years ago, the murder of a neighbor tore three best friends apart–now the killer is going to walk free and the ex-friends are going to have to face the past–and each other–in another twisty thriller from the New York Times bestselling co-author of The Agathas

Grace, Henry, and Ally grew up together on the same block. They used to be best friends–until Grace’s testimony put Henry’s brother, Jake, away for killing their English teacher. Now, two years later, Ally and Henry hate Grace, and Grace is doubting what she thinks she saw that night.

It feels like everyone’s getting a second chance, then, when due to a mistrial, Jake is suddenly released. And Henry knows his brother is innocent, but when Grace reaches out to say she’s rethinking what she saw the night of the murder, Jake’s reaction is confusing. He doesn’t want Henry—or Grace–getting involved.

For Ally not getting involved isn’t an option, and there’s nothing Grace can say to convince Ally she’s not the enemy. But can Ally afford to push Grace out when she’s one of the only other people willing to believe in Jake’s innocence?

The clock is ticking. Jake’s new trial date is about to be set, and he’s sure to be foud guilty again unless there’s new evidence to prove he’s innocent. Grace, Henry, and Ally are going to have to decide whether you can trust an old friend now that they’re your enemy.

Content Warning: murder

+ Jake is accused of murdering his teacher but he’s out on a technicality but will be tried again. This time the person who was a witness in the case, his younger brother’s ex best-friend, Grace, thinks maybe what she saw the night of the murder was a mistake. And this time she wants to be sure.

+ Henry (Jake’s brother), Ally, and Grace are ex-friends but now with Jake going through a possible new trial, they decide to work together to make sure they find the right killer. There are a few twists and turns in this book that was interesting but I think it was easy to predict who was the real culprit.

~ For a YA mystery I think it’s perfect for teen readers but for me it was a little bit too light.

Final Thoughts:

This one will appeal to the teen and younger YA readers of mystery and thrillers. This was a quick read but maybe just a little to light for me.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Pride or Die by. CL Montblanc | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Pride or Die

Author: CL Montblanc

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 4/15/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, LGBT+

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

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

In this delightful dark comedy debut, when the members of an LGBTQ+ club find themselves accidentally framed for attempted murder, it’s up to them to clear their names before it’s too late.

It’s kind of hard to graduate high school when you’re the prime suspect in an attempted murder.

Seventeen-year-old Eleanora Finkel just wants to finish her senior year and get the hell out of Texas. But when her club meeting inconveniently coincides with an attack on the school’s head cheerleader, she and her friends find themselves in the hot seat.

In order to clear their names and ensure the survival of their club for future queer teens, they’ll have to track down the real culprit themselves. But Eleanora is far from a professional detective; she’s riddled with anxiety, annoyingly attracted to the case’s cute victim, and her trusty crochet hook feels insufficient for fighting off a murderer. Can this ragtag group of unlikely sleuths find their way out of an entire freaking murder mystery before one of them is next?

Content Warning: violence, cursing

+ Students in an LGBT+ club are witnesses to an attack on a cheerleader, but because they were seen at the scene of the crime, people are suspicious that they were the ones who attacked her. So to prove their innocence, they decide to investigate to find who the real attacker is.

+ Eleanora and her friends in the club are funny! There is cursing but I thought it was fine. They are quite a cast of characters and they found themselves in a lot of chaos and drama. Plus I love the diversity that is being represented in the story.

~ I didn’t feel invested in the story. I was thinking it was going to be a serious mystery but it wasn’t but that’s part of it’s appeal. I eventually did enjoy the dark comedy vibes but I also felt like maybe a younger audience will definitely enjoy this book more than I did.

Final Thoughts:

I love the representation in this one! It’s got queer kids trying to solve a crime with lots of chaos and drama. Eleanora and her friends are a fun group! I think this one will appeal to young adults and teen readers.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

All the Stars Align by. Gretchen Schreiber | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: All the Stars Align

Author: Gretchen Schreiber

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 4/1/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Disability Rep, Romance, Family, LGBT+, Semi-Magical

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

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

All the Stars Align is the magical love story that is Taylor Swift’s Enchanted meets Cyrano, from the author of Ellie Haycock is Totally Normal.

All the women in Piper’s family know their true love at first sight, complete with butterflies, heart eyes, and a gut instinct. The kind of fated love that lasts forever. Piper grew up with her ancestors’ epic love stories repeated like fairy tales, and yearns for the day she’ll start her own. Already singled out in her family due to her physical disability, Piper collects a second strike against her when her parents announce their divorce, which convinces her family that she’s doomed.

When she finally finds her true love at a party, she’s more determined than ever to attain her love story and earn a spot in her family. But after completely botching their first meeting, she realizes that she’ll need help from her best friend Leo, who is sort of a love expert. The catch—he and Piper haven’t talked in six months, since he needed a “break” from their friendship.

To win over the love of her life and a place in her family, Piper must convince Leo to teach her his ways. And it’s all going as planned…until Leo confesses his own love for Piper. Now, she must decide which fate to follow.

Content Warning: divorced parents

+ This story is about a girl, who wants to fulfill receiving her Blessing. A Blessing is basically a soulmate – but in Piper’s family, all the women have had, even her mom, until the divorce happened. So what does that mean? I like how the story questions different types of love, relationships and fate versus choice. Piper’s parents loved one another, or still do, but they aren’t compatible and that wasn’t okay with Piper until she had to face some truths. Other types of love displayed are the love of parents with their child, the strained love of family, and the tumultuous love of the teenage years.

+ Piper is disabled and she blames herself for her parents’ divorce, which is sad. I did like the talk her mom had to have with her. Piper is so hell-bent on her plan to find her Blessing, be with that boy forever, and run her family’s business. She has a need to feel wanted by them instead of always feeling different from them. Piper has an amazing support system though – her parents and her best friends Leo and Diana really keep her protected.

+ Because Piper is trying her best to find this Blessing, she’s confused about how she feels about her best friend Leo, who she did have feelings for but they never said anything about it. And then she meets Forest, who supposedly is her Blessing – so things end up perfect right? Not really.

~ I had a bunch of issues with this story. The Blessings hint that something magical is tied to this family but it is so vague. Is it something truly magical or something they made up in their own family? It’s not clear. Piper’s focus on the Blessing did get tiresome. I understand why she clung to the hope of it, but it got repetitive. Hearing ‘the Blessing’ got tiresome too. Also, what kind of family pushes their own sister out because she got divorced? That was ridiculous! I’m glad Piper finally stood up for her mom.

~ Another thing that wasn’t clear – Piper’s disability. She mentions she’s disabled but it’s later in the book where Leo talks about her surgery. Eventually, she talks more about her arm but from the beginning it’s just not clear.

~ The back and forth with Leo was also not something I liked. Clearly they have feelings for each other but Piper’s belief in the Blessing and it not being Leo was frustrating. She does grow by the end and makes the right decision for her which is great, but the back and forth made me impatient. I guess it’s relatable because young love and all is so confusing, but I was frustrated for Leo.

Final Thoughts:

There are a lot of vague parts to this story especially when it came to the magic and Piper’s disability but I understand what the book is trying to do. I did like the themes about love and family in the story. Readers will find it relatable and it’s nice to have a disability rep as the main character. I think Piper’s relationship with her parents or how she feels about their divorce and what that meant about ‘the Blessing’ was my favorite part of this book. I like how Piper had to question fate versus choice. Overall, I got the message but the story itself fell a but flat for me.