The Wren in the Holly Library by. K.A. Linde | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Wren in the Holly Library ( Oak & Holly Cycle, #1)

Author: K. A. Linde

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 495

Publication Date: 6/4/24

Categories: Romance, Urban Fantasy, Romantasy, LGBT+

The instant New York Times bestseller

Can you love the dark when you know what it hides?

Some things aren’t supposed to exist outside of our imagination.

Thirteen years ago, monsters emerged from the shadows and plunged Kierse’s world into a cataclysmic war of near-total destruction. The New York City she knew so well collapsed practically overnight.

In the wake of that carnage, the Monster Treaty was created. A truce…of sorts.

But tonight, Kierse—a gifted and fearless thief—will break that treaty. She’ll enter the Holly Library…not knowing it’s the home of a monster.

He’s charming. Quietly alluring. Terrifying. But he knows talent when he sees it; it’s just a matter of finding her price.

Now she’s locked into a dangerous bargain with a creature unlike any other. She’ll sacrifice her freedom. She’ll offer her skills. Together, they’ll put their own futures at risk.

But he’s been playing a game across centuries—and once she joins in, there will be
no escape…

Content Warning: violence, abuse, being drugged

I bought this because of the beautiful cover and sprayed edges. For some reason I had a hard time reading the hard cover – maybe because I’m just used to ebooks right now. So when I saw it was on Kindle Unlimited I borrowed it and I read it much faster. Here are my thoughts :

Likes:

+ I enjoyed the urban fantasy world building. The story is set in a sort of dystopian NYC, where now monsters live among humans. There are turf wars with different monsters and humans and Kierse is a thief who takes jobs to make money. She takes one job that changes the course of her life forever. I liked meeting all the different characters and monsters and some of their back stories. Graves is a very interesting character, but very mysterious until the end.

+ The magic system is interesting and I liked how we got to see how Graves and Kierse used their magic to train for the job. I like an urban fantasy with different creatures living in it because of all the different powers everyone has.

+ I liked learning about Kierse and her found family of friends. She’s had a tough upbringing, but mostly everyone in the book has a story to tell. I did like her bond with her friends, I just wish they were featured more in the story.

+ Everything was going great until 30% into the story. But I did like the LGBT+ representation

Dislikes:

~ One moment I was invested in the world building and then everything got stagnant. Kierse was training to do this job of retrieving a spear for Graves but I wish there was more fight in her. I thought she was too nice, after her friends was targeted and almost killed. I just needed more from Kierse.

~ Speaking of needing more – the romance was not something I loved either. There was hardly any chemistry built up between Kierse and Graves and so when they finally do get together, it’s spicy but I felt nothing. And is there a love triangle brewing? I don’t know. I guess I’m not very sure about how Kierse feels.

~ For the second half the book, the writing was just not working for me and I had to push through.

My Final Thoughts:

There was great world building with this one but it left me wanting way more from the characters from the second half of the book. I think there was too much going on in the story. I also didn’t love the romance, even though this is the type of story where I would be devouring a romance such as this. I didn’t feel it between Kierse and Graves. I’m not sure if I’ll be reading book two but this one did have potential, I’m just bummed it fizzled out for me in the end.

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Reckless by. Lauren Roberts | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Reckless (The Powerless Trilogy, #2)

Author: Lauren Roberts

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 396

Publication Date: 7/2/24

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s UK

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Enemies to Lovers, Kiss or Kill, Young Adult

The kingdom of Ilya is in turmoil…

After surviving the Purging Trials, Ordinary-born Paedyn Gray has killed the King, and kickstarted a Resistance throughout the land. Now she’s running from the one person she had wanted to run to.

Kai Azer is now Ilya’s Enforcer, loyal to his brother Kitt, the new King. He has vowed to find Paedyn and bring her to justice.

Across the deadly Scorches, and deep into the hostile city of Dor, Kai pursues the one person he wishes he didn’t have to. But in a city without Elites, the balance between the hunter and hunted shifts – and the battle between duty and desire is deadly.

Be swept away by this kiss-or-kill romantasy trilogy taking the world by storm.

Content Warning: violence

Here is book two of The Powerless Trilogy and I didn’t love book one, I thought it was okay. But I did love the novella that was published before Reckless. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ Paedyn and Kai get a lot of time together in this sequel. With the way things ended in book one, they are back to threatening to kill each other but of course that’s never happening since they want one another so bad. If you loved them in book one, you will love them in this book also.

+ Kitt is turning into a villain after Paedyn killed his dad and it sucks to see it but also, this story kind of needs the villainy, otherwise there is nothing happening with the story.

+ It’s fast paced even though the story barely went anywhere.

Dislikes:

~ The story barely went anywhere! It was Paedyn and Kai traveling, since his mission is to capture her and bring her back to Kitt. And in between the traveling and getting injured, we have Kitt losing his mind as he waits for news about them.

~ I still don’t love the writing. And Kai and Paedyn do nothing for me. I actually enjoyed Adena’s story in the novella better than this book, which is very surprising.

Final Thoughts:

I think this one was okay. It started off interesting but I got bored with the travel and even skimmed the last 20% of the book. I don’t really love Paedyn and Kai as characters but I’m glad they got their romance moment in this book. I don’t think I could have read it if there was more slow burn romance between them. I think the strength of this story is when things get super messy between the characters, because I’m here for the drama. So I’ll definitely read the next book just to see how it ends after that cliffhanger.

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Book Links:

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Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

Powerless (#1) by. Lauren Roberts | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Powerful (#1.5) by. Lauren Roberts | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Zodiac Rising by. Katie Zhao | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Zodiac Rising (Descendants of the Zodiac, #1)

Author: Katie Zhao

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 10/8/24

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Chinese Mythology, Heist

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

Thank you to Random House Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

At a secret Manhattan boarding school, the Descendants of the Chinese zodiac have hidden away since the source of their magic—the twelve zodiac statues—was vandalized and lost to time. Thus, a curse befell the Descendants, and they’ve lived as creatures of darkness . . . until now.

When the lost statues suddenly resurface and a powerful classmate is found dead, all signs point to foul play from the fae. The Descendants finally have the chance to take back what’s rightfully theirs and break the curse. To pull this deadly heist off, though, they must assemble an elite crew:

THE VAMPIRE: After a century of burning hunger, Evangeline is out for blood.

THE SHAPESHIFTER: Nicholas yearns to restore justice to his people—and make peace with his past.

THE MORTAL: Alice seeks the truth of her mysterious heritage, and this mission may be the key.

THE WEREWOLF: Tristan will do anything to break free from the monstrous wolf inside.

Only these four have the power to save the Descendants, but the wrath of the fae waits at every turn. One wrong move and the fate of their kind will come crashing down. . . .

Content Warning: violence

The synopsis of this book intrigued me: Chinese Zodiac, a heist, and paranormal characters – well here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ I like a book with boarding school setting and with this story and 12 zodiac signs, everyone is in their own zodiac groups. But not only that, we get more paranormal elements were some characters are vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters or mortal.

+ The heist kept the storyline moving for sure. Evangeline creates a crew to help her break this curse that was put on these zodiac descendants. It’s full of action and we get to know the characters of this main crew. The twist at the end was good also.

+ There isn’t really romance in this one but Evangeline (vampire) and Tristan (werewolf) had a forbidden love in the past. Descendants can’t intermarry, so I thought that was interesting. But these characters got the most time in the the story and I thought their bickering definitely showed that there were still feelings for one another but the heist took precedent over anything.

Dislikes:

~ I think the story had a bit too much going on with the descendants storyline and lots of characters to follow. The enemy of the descendants are Fae which I find to be very interesting but not sure how it all fits. I wanted more world-building, and definitely more character development.

My Thoughts:

I think this story has a lot of potential and I like how it was fast-paced, filled with action and had a heist. I do think it needs more character development but I thought the descendants of the zodiacs having Fae as the enemy was very interesting.

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Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

How We Fall Apart by. Katie Zhao | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fledgling: The Keeper’s Records of Revolution by. S. K. Ali | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Fledgling: The Keeper’s Records of Revolution (#1)

Author: S. K. Ali

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 544

Publication Date: 10/8/24

Publisher: Kokila

Categories: Dystopia, Young Adult, Sci-fi/Fantasy

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

Thank you to Kokila for giving me a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The first book in a gripping duology from acclaimed author S.K. Ali introduces a fractured world on the brink of either enlightenment or war.

Would you trade love for peace?

Raisa of Upper Earth has only lived a life of privilege and acquiescence. Ever dutiful, she accepts her father’s arrangement of her marriage to Lein, Crown Prince of the corrupt, volatile lands of Lower Earth. Though Lein is a stranger, Raisa knows the wedding will unite their vastly different worlds in a pact of peace: an infusion of Upper Earth technology into Lower Earth will usher in the final age of enlightenment, ending war between humans forever.

Or is justice more urgent?

Newly released from imprisonment, Nada of Lower Earth has found her own calling: disrupting the royal wedding. Convinced her cousin Lein’s alliance with Upper Earth will launch an invasive, terrifying form of tyranny, Nada sets out undercover to light the spark of revolution.

When Raisa goes missing a week before the wedding, all eyes turn to the rebels, including Nayf, Nada’s twin brother—a fugitive on the run. And when Nayf and Raisa meet, the long-simmering animosity they feel toward each other’s worlds slowly burns away into something unexpected.

But the Crown Prince wants his bride—and future—back. And he will go to the ends of the Earths to reclaim them.

Content Warning: violence, acid attack, death, torture

This is a story about a revolution and here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ There is very good world-building in this story. I got the dystopian/sci-fi feel for it right away with Earth being split into Upper and Lower Earth and characters using high tech items like a scalplink. I thought some of the settings were unique like the hive that housed the rebels.

+ The story of the revolution is very felt through the record or entries of different Keepers. A marriage of peace between both Upper and Lower Earth is supposed to take place but the groom has other plans. Raisa’s journey is frightening because she goes from someone who is protected and pampered and thrown into the midst of a revolution. There are some really violent scenes in this book – one involving an acid attack on women. Nada, the groom’s cousin, who is actually trying to help Raisa, is also tortured. There is a lot of history, politics, attacks and just so many things going on in this book.

+ I liked Nada and Raisa characters. They are strong women in their own way and had to go through some challenging things in the book. Raisa I think had the most growth because she came from such a sheltered upbringing.

Dislikes:

~ Due to the detailed world-building I found this book to have a very slow beginning. It took me awhile to read this one because I would find the story moving nicely and then hit a block where my interest waned so pacing was an issue.

~ There are a lot of POVs which include POVs from record keepers of the past. I just felt like there were too many people to keep track of so I mostly looked forward to Raisa’s and Nada’s POVs.

My Thoughts:

I haven’t read a dystopian book in awhile and wanted to try this one and I don’t think this one was for me because it was too slow and maybe I wasn’t in the right reading mood for it. But if you like dystopian books I think you would enjoy this because of the world-building, action, politics, and some really cool characters like Nada and Raisa.

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Nothing Like the Movies by. Lynn Painter | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies, #2)

Author: Lynn Painter

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 9/24/24

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Sequel

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!

In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.

For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.

Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him.

Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.

Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.

Content Warning: death of parent, grief

I loved Better Than the Movies so when I saw that this was a sequel to it I was hesitant to read it because I loved the first one so much! Also it was so good I didn’t think it needed a sequel.

Wes and Liz left me so happy in the first book, but in this one it’s about them growing, struggling, being broken up, and trying to get back to what they were but with so many changes that have happened in to them – it’s kind of impossible to get that magic back.

I thought it was interesting to see how both Wes and Liz navigate college in a different state. Liz is doing really good for herself and embracing everything in college. But wow, I really felt for Wes. He went through so much and he did the hard work to try and get his life back on track. And it really made me sad that they weren’t together, after everything that happened in BTTM. It was too much reality for me! As for the second chance romance? I get the yearning for one another, of what it used to be, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Which makes me wish I didn’t pick up this sequel so I can keep the Wes and Liz from BTTM in my mind. I mean it’s evident Wes is always going to love Liz. But this is one where Liz has to take her time with finding her way back to him.

There is a lot of pop culture reference in this one, which I thought was fine in the previous book because it was movies. But this one used music to tie Wes and Liz together and I think it’s fun but at times maybe a little too much?

My Thoughts:

I think this one will be one of those books you either love or don’t think was necessary and I’m in definitely in the team that found this sequel unnecessary. Overall, it was interesting to see the characters grow and deal with life, but it was also sad, especially for Wes! I just miss the magic, fun and giddiness that the first book made me feel.

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Happily Never After by. Lynn Painter| Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Betting on You by. Lynn Painter | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Love Wager by. Lynn Painter | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Better Than the Movies | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Fire in the Sky by. Sophie Jordan | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Fire in the Sky

Author: Sophie Jordan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 9/24/24

Publisher: Avon

Categories: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Dragons

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 for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan returns to the high-stakes, sweeping world of dragons, romance, and drama first evoked in her bestselling young adult Firelight series, in a brand-new epic adult romantasy series.

Dragons are extinct. Witches are outcast. Magic is dying.

But human lust for power is immortal.

Dragon fire no longer blisters the skies over Penterra, but inside the lavish palace, life is still perilous…especially for Tamsyn. Raised in the glittering court alongside the princesses, it’s her duty to be punished for their misdeeds. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. Her only friend is Stig, Captain of the Guard…though sometimes she thinks he wants more than friendship.

When Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, descends on her home, Tamsyn’s world becomes even more dangerous. To save the pampered princesses from a fate worse than death, she is commanded to don a veil and marry the brutal warrior. She agrees to the deception even though it means leaving Stig, and the only life she’s ever known, behind.

The wedding night begins with unexpected passion—and ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed. Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride…but can he accept the dark secrets she harbors—secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist? For Tamsyn is more than a royal whipping girl, more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone.

Magic is not dead…it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.

Content Warning: violence, death, abuse, whipping

I haven’t read a Sophie Jordan novel in years but I got asked to read this one so I was curious. I think I read one YA novel from her and a few historical romance books but like I said it’s been awhile.

Tamsyn is a whipping a girl. Yes, she is the girl who gets the punishment meant for the royal princesses. It’s an awful situation for her but because she’s an orphan, it is actually a better station than Tamsyn could have ever dreamed of, at least that’s what she thinks or is trained to believe. She’s a part of the royal family but also, not.

Fell, is a hardened, ruthless warlord who believes his hard work defending the borders deserves a price and what he wants is to marry one of the princesses. I think you can guess what happens in this story at least for the first part. The first half of the book is predictable but the second half had some interesting surprises!

I was definitely entertained by the steamy attraction (very instant attraction) between Tamsyn and Fell. There are a few spicy scenes between them. Unfortunately, I think that’s the only thing they had going for them as a couple – the physical chemistry, because I didn’t think there was enough time for their relationship to grow at all in this story. And although I read this book in one night, I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. There is also someone in Tamsyn’s life from the royal court, Stig, who was a close friend and is in love with her. But, I wasn’t feeling Stig’s point of view in the story since she never really considers him or has any romantic feelings towards him. I would have rather had like more chapters devoted to Tamsyn and Fell getting to know one another.

I definitely liked the dragons but again, it comes mostly at the end of a story and sets things up for a sequel.

My Thoughts:

This story had me hooked even though I wasn’t connecting much to the characters. I was into the drama of the arranged marriage and wanted to see how that was going to turn out. The first half was predictable but I think the second half got me intrigued because that’s when the dragons are actually introduced. I think I may continue the series just because the ending was quite a cliffhanger and I want to learn more about the dragon shifters.

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Fear the Flames by. Olivia Rose Darling | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Fear the Flames (#1)

Author: Olivia Rose Darling

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 9/17/24

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Dragons, Series

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!

An exiled princess teams up with the last man she thought she could trust in the start of a dazzling and unforgettable epic fantasy romance series.

As a child, Elowen Atarah was ripped away from her dragons and imprisoned by her father, King Garrick of Imirath. Years later, Elowen is now a woman determined to free her dragons. Having established a secret kingdom of her own called Aestilian, she’s ready to do what’s necessary to save her people and seek vengeance. Even if that means having to align herself with the Commander of Vareveth, Cayden Veles, the most feared and dangerous man in all the kingdoms of Ravaryn.

Cayden is ruthless, lethal, and secretive, promising to help Elowen if she will stand with him and all of Vareveth in the pending war against Imirath. Despite their contrasting motives, Elowen can’t ignore their undeniable attraction as they combine their efforts and plot to infiltrate the impenetrable castle of Imirath to steal back her dragons and seek revenge on their common enemy.

As the world tries to keep them apart, the pull between Elowen and Cayden becomes impossible to resist. Working together with their crew over clandestine schemes, the threat of war looms, making the imminent heist to free her dragons their most dangerous adventure yet. But for Elowen, her vengeance is a promise signed in blood, and she’ll stop at nothing to see that promise through.

An immersive fantasy filled with a sizzling reluctant-allies-to-lovers romance, a world to get lost in, dangerous quests, dragon bonds, and an entertaining band of characters to root for, Fear the Flames marks the stunning debut of Olivia Rose Darling.

Content Warning: violence, death

I thought this started off strong but I think it fizzled out for me in some parts. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

It’s a romantasy. I love romance with my fantasy. It’s an enemies to lovers situation. Cayden is a Commander with a ruthless reputation and Elowen is a Queen of her own kingdom but she is hunted by her father. Cayden makes a deal with Elowen to help protect and get her dragons while she helps him by standing with Vareveth in the coming war.
The banter between Cayden and Elowen was entertaining. I liked their banter and of course they are attracted to one another. There are a few steamy parts.
Elowen is bonded to some dragons but have been separated them since she was a child. I was excited that this story had dragons.
Elowen’s relationship with her best friend was cute.

Dislikes:

Not enough dragons! It’s mostly at the end of this book.
I felt like I wasn’t invested enough in Elowen’s turmoil about her past, her present with leading her secret kingdom and then her bond with her dragons. I think because she’s such a strong character, it felt like everything was handled and she didn’t really need help. I just didn’t connect to her.
The story didn’t flow well for me.

My Thoughts:

I think this one was okay. I loved that this story had dragons but it’s really only a little glimpse of them. I did enjoy the romance aspects of the story but I do wish I connected more to the characters. Overall, if you like dragons and romantasy definitely give this one a try.

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The Hunted Heir by. Holly Renee | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Hunted Heir (The Veiled Kingdom, #2)

Author: Ashley Poston

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 242

Publication Date: 8/20/24

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series

From USA Today Bestselling Author Holly Renee, comes the second book in the scorching romantasy series with enthralling secrets, impassioned enemies, and luring tension.

Verena was the lost princess of Marmoris, the very thing we had spent our entire lives looking for, and I had let her go.

The lingering taste of her mixed with the deep ache in my chest over her betrayal haunted my days and nights. I knew she was hiding something, but her secrets were far more treacherous than I could have imagined.

Though I wished my own betrayal hadn’t been so bitter on my tongue.

Now my dreams are haunted with the way her deep blue eyes looked up at me in shock when I revealed I knew her truth.

The way I crave for her to look at me now as I hunt for her.

Me, along with half of the rebellion.

If my father finds her before me, there is no telling what he will do to her.

And even though she’s the little traitor I’d always thought she was, I couldn’t allow him to find her.

But his orders were clear. The princess is to be taken by the rebellion or she would be taken by the gods. I don’t know which is worse.

She is the heir to our kingdom, the daughter of the cruel king who was responsible for my mother’s death, and the key to winning our rebellion.

I vowed to my father that I would find her, the one person I wish I didn’t have to.

Verena is the hunted heir. But more than anything, she is mine.

Content Warning: violence

This was one of my most anticipated reads but it left me slightly disappointed because this is clearly a filler second book. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

There is a lot more spice in this one compared to book one where the enemies to lovers vibe was strong. In this book they are still enemies but Dacre especially has to figure out who’s side he is on – his dad’s rebellion or Verena’s side.
Because of how book one ended, there is some trust that Verena has to build again with Dacre.

Dislikes:

This was too short! I always find books being too long these days but this was under 300 pages so it felt like a novella to me and the ending is abrupt. I was like…that’s it?! I did not like how it ended, and didn’t like how it is rushed and short.
I think this was a typical filler book. Verena is on the run because of Dacre, and now he wants to find her and apologize? I actually wish Verena and Dacre got more time apart just so she could become stronger on her own before she met up with him again. Not a lot happens except for Verena hiding. Everything happens at the end of the book and then it’s a big cliffhanger.

My Final Thoughts:

I expected more from this sequel and the spice is spicy but the story was too short. There is a lot of traveling, then the spicy scenes and then the ending which leads to a cliffhanger. This is definitely filler and just wanted more from it because it’s such a bingeable series. I’ll still read book three but I hope it’s more developed and not rushed.

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Book Links:

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Other Books by This Author:

The Veiled Kingdom by. Holly Renee | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shadow of Perl by. J. Elle | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Shadows of Perl (House of Marionne, #2)

Author: J. Elle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 9/3/24

Publisher: Razorbill

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

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

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

The dazzling romantic fantasy world of House of Marionne continues in this dark and deadly sequel full of forbidden magic, devastating lies, and broken hearts.

A must read for fans of Stephanie Garber, Leigh Bardugo, and Alex Aster.

Unleash the darkness. Claim your power.

Quell Marionne’s explosive final Rite of Induction to House Marionne sent shockwaves through the magical world, unearthing long buried secrets and her own deadly power. But she paid a steep price: her family and her love. Fleeing Chateau Soleil for House of Perl, for once Quell is celebrated instead of shunned. She has finally found somewhere to belong. But secrets lurk in every House, and Quell’s quest to find her mom threatens to lead her deeper into the shadows.

Assassin Jordan Wexton, second-in command of the Dragun brotherhood, must protect the source of all magic, the Sphere. Yet the biggest threat to the Sphere is Quell Marionne—the girl he loved, until she claimed the deadly, outlawed toushana. As the Sphere cracks and war brews among the Houses, can the only way to save the world be to kill his own heart?

Now, these two lovers-turned enemies must confront their competing ambitions and conflicting loyalties. Or die. The future of magic hangs on their decision.

Content Warning: violence, loss of a parent

This is the second book in the House of Marionne series and with the way it ended in book one, I was excited to see how this sequel would turn out.

Likes:

I liked when Yagrin was in the story because the first book ended with him and it got me excited to see what would happen to his character.
The troubled romance between Quell and Jordan goes through more turmoil here. They hate one another, but underneath it all, they still feel strongly for one another. So I did like when they finally had scenes together – it was my favorite parts because I love romance in my fantasy books.
There is a lot of movement in the book since Quell is on the run and there is a lot of action at the end. I liked the political drama and Jordan coming to realize what the order demands of him.

Dislikes:

This was too slow for me and it was hard for me to get into it because it starts off with Nore and I was clueless as to who she was. So I was a bit lost in the beginning of this book and was trying to get my bearings and remember things from book one.
I couldn’t connect to the characters.

My Thoughts:

I think this book does move the series forward but it took me awhile to get into. My favorite parts were when Quell and Jordan finally confront each other but I did also like all the political drama happening with the houses. I think if you liked book one, you will enjoy this one.

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books By This Author:

House of Marionne by. J. Elle | ARC Review (House of Marionne, #1) – 3.5 stars

Wings of Ebony | ARC Review (Wings of Ebony, #1) – 4 stars

House of Thorns by. Isabel Strychacz | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: House of Thorns

Author: Isabel Strychacz

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 8/20/24

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Sentient House, 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!

In the vein of The Haunting of Hill House , a teen returns to the mysterious house from her past to search for her missing sister and uncover the truth of Brier Hall in this atmospheric and eerie modern gothic novel.

Lia Peartree is haunted—by memories, by her past, by secrets, by the ones she left behind. Five years ago, the Peartrees fled their home—the infamous ancestral Brier Hall—and never looked back. But her oldest sister went missing that night, and there’s been no sign of her since.

In the aftermath, the Peartrees are traumatized and get by however they can. Lia’s remaining sister Ali says yes to any bad idea, and Lia tries so desperately to be the perfect daughter that it’s tearing her apart. But as the five year anniversary of the night they left nears, Lia begins seeing her missing sister everywhere, and memories of Brier Hall won’t leave her alone.

When Ali disappears with no warning except a cryptic phone call—“don’t follow me when I’m gone”—Lia is sure she’s gone back to Brier Hall. Lia must go home one final time and face what haunts her in an effort to find her sisters and uncover the truth of her past.

Content Warning: missing/death of a sister

This one was very interesting. There is a haunted house called Brier Hall that the Peartree family inherited but the story starts after an event that took place with the family there five years ago. There are hints about it being haunted, a Peartree sister going missing or died, another Peartree sister is on drugs and not coping well in their new town. Lia is trying to move on and forget when her sister Ali comes and says maybe their sister Avery isn’t missing or dead at all. They go back to the town where Brier Hall stands and will try to find Avery one last time.

The vibes are creepy, especially when they are back in the house. There are some memory flashback and we also get a second person, point of view from the house itself which is very creepy especially since I was reading this at night.

It’s a short book at 304 pages and the story moves on quickly to Lia and Ali being at the house but all the speculation of what they saw as kids growing up there and the mystery of it all was losing my attention and making me impatient for some big reveal. I thought the reveal was interesting but I wasn’t totally invested by then. I did like the sisterly bonds even though they had complicated feelings about one another which is normal in any sibling relationship.

My Thoughts:

There were some things I liked but I think I just wanted more. Maybe I’m not the right audience or just wasn’t in the right mood, but if you like sentient houses and lots of creepy vibes, you might like this one. This actually would be a good read for spooky season.