Categories: Young Adult, New Adult, Romance, Second Chance Romance
You can’t always go home again.
Ellis and Easton have been inseparable since childhood. But when a rash decision throws Ellis’s life—and her relationship with Easton— into chaos she’s forced to move halfway across the country, far from everything she’s ever known.
Now Ellis hasn’t spoken to Easton in a year, and maybe it’s better that way; maybe eventually the Easton shaped hole in her heart will heal. But when Easton’s mother invites her home for a celebration, Ellis finds herself tangled up in the web of heartache, betrayal, and anger she left behind… and with the boy she never stopped loving.
Having read this after listening to The Tortured Poets Department was such an experience! I didn’t mean for that to happen by the way but that’s what happened. And so many songs were resonating with what was happening in this book and Easton is a tortured poet for sure! What a coincidence right?
Ellis has made it – she graduated from high school in San Diego, a town that isn’t home. Now she is invited back home to Indiana, for a 50th birthday party for the woman who practically raised her and the three boys she was close to when she lived with them. Dixon, and Tucker are like brothers to her but Easton, is something more. There are events that happen in the book leading up to the moment Ellis and Easton are separated which sets off a hard journey for them to get back together.
There is angst, mutual pining, and so many feelings that aren’t communicated between Ellis and Easton. Their love story is so sweet but heart wrenching because she’s the girl from the wrong side of the tracks and Easton is the boy with loving parents and an easy upbringing. They are together, then torn apart, then thank you for the happy-ending, brought back together. I almost thought it wasn’t going to happen though, it got frustrating, but eventually they broke through to one another. A lot of things had to happen, like Ellis really facing her demons and Easton being patient through it all and telling her how he feels. I was sort of rooting for them, but also rooting for them not to be a toxic kind of love.
I loved how Sandry (Easton’s mom) took Ellis in. I love how Tucker became her best friend. But I also love that people in her dysfunctional family loved her too and showed it, like Tenny, her cousin and her grandma. This story showed that families are complicated but there can be love there too. I appreciated the layers of this story.
My Final Thoughts:
I loved this book and I think this author is becoming a must-read author for me. I can’t wait to read more of her books!
Quotes From the Book:
“I’m so sick of waiting to be saved or waiting for find myself because I’m too afraid the person I find will disappoint someone else.”
Some Mistakes Were Made by. Kristin Dwyer
“I stand here and feel other. Not quite one of them, but not quite something else. It’s how I feel everywhere.”
Some Mistakes Were Made by. Kristin Dwyer
“Because all the people who love me don’t want to keep me, but I can’t stop feeling like I need to please them.”
Some Mistakes Were Made by. Kristin Dwyer
“I forgot about this. People who can laugh at shitty things. People who don’t think the sky is falling when something small goes wrong. They call it perspective. Or being jaded. Or worse, a grateful attitude. Really, it’s just survival. A word I hate as much as I own.”
Some Mistakes Were Made by. Kristin Dwyer
“We keep having the same argument with words that circle the same hurt over and over again.”
A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.
Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…
Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….
Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.
I’m so glad I got to finally read this book which has been getting so much hype and I can see why!
I love a good vampire story and this one where a vampire and a Were marry one another to keep the alliances is such a good storyline. I thought the world building and politics were done well and I could feel the high stakes of an alliance between vampire and Weres to be vital to both species against the humans. I felt like I learned a lot about vampires through Misery (what a name!) and there was so much insight about weres when Misery goes to live with them. I like that the explanations in this book didn’t feel like info-dumping but something I was genuinely interested to know.
Misery is a great character – she’s cold and comes off unfeeling because she’s a vampire, they lack the emotions to supposedly care for another being. But then there is Serena, a human, who was Misery’s foster sister and their relationship even though for 3/4ths of the books it was through memories, was such an important relationship for Misery. It’s why she jumps into a marriage alliance – it’s all to find Serena, who is missing and Misery cannot fathom a life without her. I love them together.
As for Misery and her romance with Lowe, it’s a slow burn. But yes, Weres have “mates”, so I think it’s safe to say that was a predictable part of the story. Still, I thought their relationship grew nicely for two people in a forced marriage and when the attraction finally hit for Misery it turned this book quite spicy. And yes, the word I learned this year is “knot” after reading another Were romance earlier this year and not knowing what the heck that was. Well…this book gives a LOT of explanation and demonstration! I don’t know what I think of it yet…like I don’t know if I find it sexy? But hey it’s the way they do things, so I’m just going with it.
The story had a great flow from beginning to end with the search for Serena, the politics of the alliances and how Serena might be involved, Misery living with the Weres and also Misery dealing with not fitting in anywhere ever since she was a child most in part because of her horrible father. I loved the relationship building between Misery, Lowe and the Weres because the hate and fears between them was so strong at first.
The only thing I didn’t quite love was Lowe always taking things on himself and pushing Misery away – after what she’s been through as a child – I hated that for her. That was so weak of him and it annoyed me.
It looks like this is going to be a series or standalone stories in a series – after what happens at the end, so I’m looking forward to the next book!
My Final Thoughts:
This had everything I want in a paranormal romance! Vampires, politics, a slow burn, smart characters, lovable characters, and an entertaining story from start to finish. I’m looking forward to the next book!
Categories: Young Adult, New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Faeries
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.
As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
Content Warning: violence, death, torture
I can’t say how many times I’ve read this book. But it’s been so long that I’ve done a re-read, I thought why not right now? In my initial review for this book in 2015 on Goodreads was 4 stars. So I’m bumping it up 1/2 a star because I loved it the more I re-read it.
+ Feyre is a fantastic character. She’s a survivor, she does makes mistakes, she’s not even the strongest person physically but she survives on her instincts and is always learning. I love her bravery even when she’s deathly afraid. I love that she took care of her family and has complicated feelings about her family.
+ I love that this first book in the series had a beauty and the beast vibe where Feyre goes to Prythian to live in Tamlin’s home as punishment because she kills one of his men, without knowing he was a faerie. I like that this faerie world of Prythian is dangerous and Feyre comes in contact with many different monsters while living there.
+ The world building is so good. And I loved how bad a villain Amarantha is. The ending of the book is what made my jaw drop about this book. What Feyre does for Tamlin and her bravery throughout it all made me admire her so much.
+~ Ah, the romance. It’s so good when you don’t know what’s coming in book two! 😅 All my re-reads after reading it the first time made me look at Tamlin a different way of course. But here’s the thing, it was so good between Tamlin and Feyre. He was this gorgeous, scary beast and all he wanted to do was protect though we find out later there is an ulterior motive to having her in Prythian. She risked it all for him!
~ There is a lot of talking in this book, in this whole series actually because there is always explaining to do. There are stories that Feyre doesn’t know, faerie lore, there’s a lot she needs to catch up on and figure out so yes…sometimes it’s a lot of explaining happening.
My Final Thoughts:
I never get tired of re-reading this book, especially this first one because we see this human girl turn into a broken almost superhero at the end, all for the guy she loves. But also, this was the first book that introduces us to this amazing world of Prythian and I truly love all the adventures Feyre has capturing the Suriel, fighting the Naga and the worm, and helping to end Amarantha’s reign of terror. It’s a dark, sultry story without it being spicy. Of course I have my issues with it too but overall I love the story.
Categories: Young Adult/New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Witches/Witch Hunters. 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 Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history.
On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.
Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?
Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.
Content Warning: violence, blood magic, mentions of self harm, mentions of abuse, death, mentions of drug use
+ I went into this book not knowing what to expect and wow was I delightfully surprised at how engaged I was with this story. I loved the game of cat and mouse that Rune and Gideon play. Rune is a witch in secret and Gideon is a successful witch hunter. I didn’t want either of them to catch the either because I was rooting for them both at times – but they did entrap themselves with their attraction to one another which was intense. There was even a steamy scene between them which is why I mention this as a New Adult book because I did feel like the characters seem older.
+ I like how complicated this story was because of Rune’s background – she’s a witch and trying to survive by keeping that secret. She’s also the Crimson Moth, a witch going around helping other witches escape from prison. And then there is Gideon, who was abused by a which he had been in love with and when he set himself free and helped take down the witch Queens who ruled them, he became a changed young man – a hardened one. They both think they are doing their life’s purpose.
+ The twist in the story was so good, I only caught it 3/4ths into the book! I did not see it coming at all until it was too late but I love that it caught me off guard. I was so involved with Rune and Gideon’s game of cat and mouse that I didn’t question anything else happening around them.
+ The world building is great and I love the magic system. I like that we get the history of the Queens and the revolution. The killing of witches did get graphic especially when Rune recalls how her grandmother died.
+~ I personally love how this enemies to lovers, forbidden romance transpired. Gideon really hates witches and Rune really is trying to help any witch she can. I loved the cat and mouse but how could these two people ever be together? It seems doomed from the start because they are both pretending to get something from the other. There is a slight love triangle which some readers won’t like but I didn’t mind it because of what happens in the story. But Gideon is as hardened a character as I ever saw and with the way things end – is there a way the two of them could ever believe the other? But I so loved the way he softened towards Rune (even if it was at first pretend) and the things he did to woo her – I don’t blame her for falling for him!
My Thoughts:
I was really transported into this story and was riveted by the cat and mouse game between Rune and Gideon. I love the moments when they gave into what they were feeling but they have so much to work through. I love the world-building and the magic which was easy to follow. There’s a great tension that builds in the story because of Rune’s secrets, the cat and mouse game, the forbidden attraction and the twist in the story. I’m sad I have to wait for the next book!
Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Best Friends to Lovers
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!
The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List ― a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away ― will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future.
Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.
Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.
+ There is a lot I like about this book. I could relate to Riley’s confusion about what to do with her life now that she graduated high school and how she and her mom don’t see eye to eye on her future. I loved seeing New York City through her eyes and trying to find herself after being what her mom wanted for years in high school.
+ New York City is the perfect city for this story. It’s a place of endless possibilities as Riley finds out, but I did also like Riley’s mom’s backstory about why NYC wasn’t the best place for Riley. In the end it’s a good fit for Riley and she makes a bunch of new friends and even helps her best friend, Tom, fall in love with the city. The secondary characters really bring this story to life.
+ Riley isn’t the only one dealing with parental issues. Tom’s mom is neglectful and spends most of her time on work -which really sucks for Tom. Both Riley and Tom doesn’t have any ties to their fathers or at least they’re not in the picture while this story is unfolding. But where Riley can actually argue with her mom and talk things out, Tom and his mom barely have any communication which is sad.
+ This is a best-friends to lovers romance and it’s a slow burn. There are so many other issues Riley and Tom need to take care of to really talk about their relationship. It builds and I love their friendship so much, it almost felt natural for them to take it a step further – but they do so while keeping in mind they both have some issues to work on with their mothers and their plans going forward.
My Thoughts:
I enjoy this book a lot – there is just something about books set in New York City that is so much fun. I love Riley and Tom and the group of friends they have together. They are all in the same age group and trying to basically find their way but having fun at it! It’s a really enjoyable coming of age story. If you like a best friends to lovers romance and you love stories set in New York City – you will definitely enjoy this one.
The epic conclusion to the intensely romantic and beautifully written story that started in Divine Rivals.
Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements, they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger, knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign.
Since waking below in Dacre’s realm, Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time, Roman begins to write articles for Dacre, uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by wardrobe door, Roman is first suspicious, then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal, Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together…the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.
Content Warning: violence, war, death
I finally read the sequel and conclusion to Divine Rivals and here’s what I thought:
+ The writing is beautiful as ever, it flows, it’s magical – enchanting.
+ Love the addition of new character Tobias. I thought his interactions with Attie was cute. We get to learn more about Dacre and Enva in the sense that they finally come to life on the page and they talk.
+ I feel like this historical fantasy fiction works! It’s set in war-time, feels like the 1940’s, but has magic (ley lines, typewriter, and buildings) and Gods who are at war. And usually I would think that’s hard to pull off but for me it works really well in this story. It even gives that war movie romance – the couple is apart but have to do what they have to do wherever they are, they have to survive but also want to be together again.
+ Speaking of romance…Roman and Iris are beautiful together. I’m glad they found their way to one another. There were some beautiful quotes between the two of them.
Let me be your secret, then. Tuck my words into your pocket. Let them be your armor.”
-Rebecca Ross, Ruthless Vows
I would love to see your words catch fire with mine.”
-Rebecca Ross, Ruthless Vows
Write me a story where there is no ending, Kitt. Write to me and fill my empty spaces.”
-Rebecca Ross, Ruthless Vows
~ I didn’t love this as much as Divine Rivals but I loved it. I think because Divine Rivals has the rivals to lovers element and in Ruthless Vows they are just trying to survive and find their way back together. I loved their banter in the first book. But they are still a lovely couple and I was rooting for their love really hard.
My Final Thoughts:
This is such a beautiful duology! I love the writing, the magical feel of the story, the lovers torn apart but doing everything they can to find one another. It’s heartfelt and everything I could hope for in a sequel and conclusion.
Categories: Nonfiction, Memoir, Music, Pop Culture
The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.
In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.
Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.
I don’t read a lot of memoirs even though I always plan to add it to my TBR list. I’ll read one here and there but I HAD to get this one because I love Britney. I was in college when she blew up in the music industry and my little girl cousins were obsessed with her because of Baby One More Time. And she was so awesome to hold a Free concert here in Hawaii (and back then it was hard to get any big musicians to do concerts here in Hawaii!!!) – I never went but I remember my cousin’s wives brought their little girls and they were so excited and happy about it. I wish I did go now because who holds free concerts now? Not in this economy of overpriced tickets. But Britney held a free concert in Hawaii on the beach and it was made into a DVD. I wasn’t obsessed but I loved her music, especially her next albums where there was more tracks I could dance to. And from there I just loved her music, her videos, and her performances – she was the moment! Until everything imploded and now we get HER side of the story and it’s so long overdue.
+ I love how she gives us a glimpse into her childhood which she experienced with an alcoholic father and a mother that fought with him a lot. It’s only a quick glance into her early years, memories here and there about growing up in Kentwood, Louisiana.
I wanted to hide, but I also wanted to be seen. Both things could be true.”
Britney Spears – The Woman in Me
I’ve heard that this sometimes happens to parents – especially if you have trauma from your childhood. When your kids get to be the age you were when you were dealing with something rough, you live it emotionally.”
Britney Spears – The Woman in Me
+ Her relationships with the various men in her life really didn’t turn out the best and I think it’s because of her already traumatic childhood didn’t give her a good idea about what a good, stable relationship is like. With the whole Justin thing – I loved them together and was sad when they broke up. And it got messy in the tabloids and in the media. She was tarnished and labeled a bad woman because of the breakup and they were so YOUNG They were 17 and 18? My goodness it reminded me of me and my ex high school boyfriend and how we ended and I got labeled a slut when I wasn’t even sleeping around with anyone but they believed HIM. Like why does that happen? 🙄 And then came K. Fed. 😡 This girl wanted to be loved and he was that rock for her at first until he chased the fame too. She did skim over when she dated “the photographer” as she calls him – kind of wanted to know more about that but I’m sure that was a rough time in her memory.
That interview was a breaking point for me internally – a switch had been flipped. I felt something dark come over my body. I felt myself turning, almost like a werewolf, into a Bad Person.”
Britney Spears – The Woman in Me
+ She explains some of the images we saw on tabloids and on the news – the moment the police show up to her house and take her on a gurney into the ambulance or the moment the pictures of her almost falling with her baby in her arms when the heel of her show twists…stuff like that. And again…they were like sharks after her! And why her, is what I ask…why did they want to tear her apart so badly?! I was flabbergasted how clearly she was going through postpartum depression (only now I understand because I’ve had 2 kids)…but she was suffering and there was no one there to help her with that at all or even diagnose her with PPD? I can only imagine what she was going through. I remember when everything was happening in the media, I really thought she was going to end up in an overdose like how most troubled celebrities end up and I was scared for her.
It felt like that was the only thing people wanted to tall about: whether or not I was a fit mother.”
Britney Spears – The Woman inMe
+ The moment she talks about the conservatorship and the role her father takes – I feel her anger and the betrayal in her words. I am so angry FOR her. No one was in her corner. And she went along with everything for her babies. 😭💔 I understand that when she was having a mental break, probably because of the PPD, the conservatorship helped her get back on her feet. But now we get to hear her thoughts about how she felt during that 13 year period. I ask the same questions she is asking…how can someone be in a conservatorship – but be worked to the bone, performing, touring, being out in public and paying everyone’s bills…how can they deem her unfit to be her own person yet milked for the money she could make them? When she talks about the nurse showing her the #freebritney movement on the internet…I felt like I was watching a movie and that was the moment everything turned around for her!
This is too much for me. But I didn’t see a way out. So I felt my spirit retreat, and I went on autopilot. If I play along, surely they’ll see how good I am and they will let me go.”
Britney Spears – The Woman in Me
+~ Is it well written? I’d say not particularly because I’m such an avid reader – but I’m also used to the way she writes captions on her Instagram account! So I feel like this is authentic to her voice and the way she talks. Even the speech she made in court kind of sounds like this book where her sentences rush into one another. Some of her timeline in the beginning felt like she was jumping between childhood memories, kind of skimming over some memories but if someone asked me for details about my childhood it wouldn’t be fully detailed either. But her writing does get better and smoother when she writes about her adult years. I can only imagine how hard it was for her to put what she went through down on paper – I can feel the pain and so much anger in her words.
My Final Thoughts:
There is so much I want to say but overall it’s a good read especially if you are a Britney fan like me. It’s full of details I never knew and just full of her emotions and I am angry and heartbroken for her. Britney is 41 years old which is 4 years younger than me and wow….her life story just hits me because I remember living in this Britney era. It just makes no sense to me that she was labeled the “unfit mother” but she was so unfit that she WORKED her ass off and paid everyone’s bills while she was “unfit”?! That bugs me a lot. So the “help” they gave her was to work her harder and push her to the brink? Like she said she was a people pleaser and she’s learning to now say no, thank goodness. That’s totally relatable because it’s a hard lesson to learn (from a fellow people pleaser). Sometimes you give so much that there is nothing else to give because you are empty.
I hope she makes a movie about her life because it would be so good. It’s an inspirational story. But on the other hand, she owes us nothing else because she gave us so much of herself and I’m grateful for that. I still work out to her music and my kids love Oops I did it again, Toxic and Lucky. I just hope she continues to do what she wants with her freedom and have more therapy to help HEAL all her mental trauma and wounds. 🙏🏼 😔 I got a new appreciate for her strength as a woman and a mother after reading this book – she really held on for her kids and I can relate to that!
Categories: Novella, Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Series
Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.
Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.
Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood–the one hope for her town’s salvation.
But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire… and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.
Six Scorched Roses is a standalone fantasy romance novella set in the world of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, perfect for those who love dark, romantic tales with bite and fans of Sarah J. Maas or Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Content Warning: violence, illness
I don’t read novellas because they novellas always feel they are too short and sometimes doesn’t feel complete or has me wanting more. But I was craving a book about vampires and miss the Nyaxia world so I took a chance on this one.
+ Even though this is a novella clocking in at 187 pages, this feels like a full complete story! I remember mentions of Lord Vale and Lilith in the series so I love that this is their story.
+ I love how Lilith is a scientist and she’s trying to help her people who are dying from the plague. She does this by experimenting with vampire blood but first she needs to get it. She’s a brave woman who is not afraid to go to Lord Vale’s home and ask for his blood. Vale is a grumpy vampire who is kind of a recluse but only because he is trying to stay away from the turmoil in his homeland. I like how he and Lilith share a common love of knowledge.
+ It’s a novella so the romance has to happen quick but I love how she only interacts with him once a month to get his blood. During their interactions they come together to do the research together. When there is a steamy scene between them it’s really good and heartfelt which I was not expecting. I ended up falling in love with them.
~ My only complaint was that this is a novella and I could have read a full length novel about them because the characters are so intriguing.
My Final Thoughts:
I’m glad I finally gave this one a chance! It fulfilled my craving for a vampire, romantasy and plus it’s a book from a series I love. It felt complete as a novella.
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!
Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.
When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.
With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.
The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.
This book has a little bit of everything and I read it in one sitting. It’s quite an adventure and takes the reader from Argentina to Egypt! Inez gets news that her parents are dead, thing is she barely saw her parents. They left her in Argentina and spent half of the year in Egypt without her – that already made me suspicious, because who could leave their child for that long is they didn’t have to? Inez wants the truth and she travels to Egypt to find it.
Inez is a stubborn character or as she puts it, “persistent”. She is also beautiful, resourceful, and very brave! When she gets to Egypt her guardian, her uncle, wants her back on a ship to Argentina but she does an amazing job evading his order. Whit, is her uncle’s right hand man, or that’s what it seems and he’s been entrusted to take care of Inez and get her on that ship but he realizes right away that Inez doesn’t follow orders. I love their banter, their antics and their growing romance. But we still don’t know everything about Whit – as evident with the cliffhanger ending!
The writing sucked me into this adventure. I was transported to late 1800’s Egypt when Britain occupied the country and basically loots Egypt. I loved the history and I also loved the magical realism. I could totally believe magic imprinted itself on ancient items and people that touch them can transfer the magic to them! But not only is there history, magic, archaeology, and romance in this story, there is also a mystery to solve – what happened to Inez’s parents? Who can Inez trust?
The only thing about the book that I had the tiniest issue with was the mystery (because mysteries feel so slow to me-it’s a personal thing!), I just wanted some parts to move faster but I know it was to build a situation full of intrigue and question the motives of some characters, which the book succeeded in doing. I would have liked more magic too!
This is an amazing story with some twists and a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read book two.
I love the banter between Inez and Whit, she is not one to back down, which I love
Why you might not want to read it:
not into archaeology, Egyptology
My Thoughts:
This book was quite the adventure! I was swept away in the details, the magic, the story of Cleopatra, the sights of Egypt, the mystery and intrigue. I love the banter between Inez and Whit and can’t wait to see what’s in store for them in book two after that cliffhanger ending.
Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Dark Magic, Family, Historical 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 Inkyard Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, of providing for her family by making alchemical gold and gems for the wealthy to eat in order to stay young forever. But for now, she’s trapped in her impoverished village in southern China, practicing an illegal form of alchemy to keep food on the table—resurrecting the dead, for a price.
When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she’ll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her to the capital, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.
The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it’s only a matter of time before they—and secrets of Zilan’s past—catch up with her.
Content Warning: violence, death
Kylie Lee Baker is becoming one of my must-read authors. I just love how dark she goes into her writing, not being afraid of making her main character do questionable things, but there is always a reason.
I love the China alternate history in this story with fantasy elements. Zilan is studying to be a royal alchemist and not just for the honor of it, though it’s part of it. But she’s poor and an orphan so this is about survival. She’s not alone in her quest for success and survival, her cousins. I loved her interactions with them and as someone who grew up with cousins, it was relatable. I love Zilan’s feelings and questions about family and worth. Zilan is also half Chinese and half Scotian, and she receives some backlash over that which was interesting to see because she thought she was ugly because of it.
Zilan is a headstrong character. She’s impulsive but I liked her strength. She and the Prince, Li Hong were so different in temperament, I loved them together. He was timid for a royal and she is full of passion. The secondary cast was wonderful and full of personality.
I thought the story moved quickly as Zilan and her cousins try to pass their tests to advance. There is something mysterious happening at the palace though and it has to do with something monstrous. There is political intrique also. I loved all the alchemy and magic which is surprising because sometimes stories about alchemy leave me underwhelmed. But the way Zilan uses alchemy was very cool. I liked that the magic had consequences and there was always a strive for balance but Zilan pushed limits because of love. I loved the twist and the ending. I can’t wait to read book two!
Why you should read it:
alternate Chinese historical fantasy fiction
Zilan and her interactions with her cousins (which were funny) and her growing romance with Li Hong
alchemy magic
Why you might not want to read it:
not into dark magic and necromancy
My Thoughts:
This was a very entertaining book and I devoured it in one sitting. I love Zilan, her cousins and the Prince. The magic and alchemy was very cool and I thought the twist in the story was shocking. I loved this one and I’m looking forward to book two!
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