That Dark Infinity by. Kate Pentecost | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: That Dark Infinity

Author: Kate Pentecost

Format: hard cover (own)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/18/21

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Adventure, Lite Horror, Paranormal

By night, the Ankou is a legendary, permanently young mercenary. By day, a witch’s curse leaves him no more than bones. Caught in an unending cycle of death and resurrection, the Ankou wants only to find the death that has been prophesied for him, especially once he begins to rot while he’s still alive….

After the kingdom of Kaer-Ise is sacked, Flora, loyal handmaiden to the princess, is assaulted and left for dead. As the sole survivor of the massacre, Flora wants desperately to find the princess she served. When the Ankou agrees to help her find the princess, and to train her in exchange for her help in breaking his curse, she accepts. But how can she kill an immortal? Especially one whom she is slowly growing to understand—and maybe even to love?

Together, they will solve mysteries, battle monsters, break curses, and race not only against time, but against fate itself.

Content Warning: gory scenes, death, rape, assault, violence

I’ve had this one on my shelf for half the year and wanted to read it during spooky season. Here’s what I thought:

+ My favorite thing about this book was the creative world-building. There are monsters, different kingdoms, an awkward but efficient monster slayer, automatons and even a tiny bit of romance.

+ The characters are great! We have the Ankou, Lazarus, who is cursed to be a monster slayer. I loved how awkward he was outside of monster slaying. Flora has gone through so much – she lost her best friend, her position as a ladies maid and her innocence in one violent event. The friendship she builds with Lazarus is careful – I love how he gives her space and the friendship grows into something more but it’s never the focus of the story. And then there is Antonais who is a lightning mage and helps them on their quest to break Lazarus curse. He is a fun character who is into everything science and engineering.

+ I loved the darkness of the story. I don’t feel like the story itself was dark in a scary way, it just had dark themes but I felt like the writing was light-hearted and lyrical. Lazarus turns into a skeleton every night, which is kinda awesome. A lot of the descriptions got gory but never in a spooky way – hence why I dubbed it lite horror. I also loved all the action of fighting different monsters on their quest, that was fun.

~ Pacing was a bit off at times. For example, Lazarus is going to train Flora to fight and I swear it took one page of training and she was deemed proficient (yes time goes by…but quickly!). Also…there was modern day humor to the dialogue and the characters which was kind of strange but I went with it!

~ Also, Lazarus wants to break his curse, and Flora wants to know what happened to her best friend Beth and if she escaped the massacre. Flora’s goal kind of gets pushed aside – maybe because their goals were intertwined but I felt like we could have gotten more of Flora’s thoughts. She suffered through a lot. I just felt like she forgot she was looking for Beth at times. Maybe I just needed more of her perspective.

~+ There isn’t much to the romance – it’s barely there which is a good thing if you are there for the quest and action scenes. The romance happens basically at the ending and I did love how they went from companions to friends to lovers. It’s very sweet when you think about it.

Tropes: quest, monster slayer, girl who overcomes trauma, found family

Spice Level:

Why you should read it:

there is a quest and lots of actions scenes battling monsters
Lazarus is the most reluctant monster slayer but he’s so good at it and he’s funny and awkward at times. Love him!
great world building, creative and unique

Why you might not want to read it:

pacing is a bit off at times – at times rushed, maybe because it’s a standalone?

My Thoughts:

This was the perfect read for spooky season! The story is about a monster slayer who basically hates his job but is so good at it – he wants the curse to be over. Then there is Flora who has been seriously traumatized by a horrific event and has lost everything but she gains back strength, and love. There is a quest, lots of adventure and monster slaying and a happy ending. Only thing that threw me off at times was the pacing but overall and enjoyable story!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Dead Romantics by. Ashley Poston | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Dead Romantics

Author: Ashley Poston

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 6/28/22

Categories: Romance, Paranormal, Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead.

When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father.

For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she can’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it.

Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is.

Romance is most certainly dead… but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.

A disillusioned millennial ghostwriter who, quite literally, has some ghosts of her own, has to find her way back home in this sparkling adult debut from national bestselling author Ashley Poston.

Content Warning: death, grief

I went into this one without expectations! I saw the book cover on my Overdrive online library selections and thought the synopsis was intriguing so I borrowed it without reading any reviews on in. I was so pleasantly surprised and touched. Here is what did and didn’t work for me:

+ A ghostwriter who can see ghost and falls for someone who is a ghost?! I love the idea and the story. Florence is a young woman, nursing a broken heart. It’s made it impossible for her to continue writing the romance novel she is working on and on top of that her beloved father dies. So it’s not only a romance, it’s a story about Florence trying to figure out heartbreak, grief and what love really is. It’s a beautiful story.

+ Her family is one of my newest favorite fictional families. They own a funeral home and even though Florence doesn’t totally get along with her younger sister, you can tell the bonds between this loving family is tight even when their father dies. I also love the people from her home town and her best friend in New York. We get both the small town romance and big city one too in this one book.

+ The romance between Florence and Ben is so cute and honestly I did figure out how things were going to end up but I was going to be so upset if it wasn’t that way. I love how they get to know one another – realistic? No, but that’s why I love how this is a paranormal romance. The two of them melted my heart.

+ Florence and her family are grieving but I so love how they celebrate her father’s life. Did I cry in a few spots? Definitely did.

~ My only issue with the story was the beginning where I thought I was getting a straight romance and then the story took a left turn with the death of Florence’s father and the whole situation with Ben which I won’t spoil. But the story smoothed out right after that.

Tropes: seeing ghosts, small town and big city romance, editor/writer romance

Spice Level: 🌶

Why you should read it:

heartwarming story about family, grief, heartbreak and love
a ghostwriter falling in love with a ghost
the Day family is my new favorite fictional family

Why you might not want to read it:

beginning of the story was just a little bit jarring with the romance and sudden death but it worked out after that

My Thoughts:

I loved this one. I was all for the ghostwriting and ghost-seeing! It was unexpected and I went in with no expectations and maybe because my trauma with grief, I resonated with stories about grief. But even though there is death and loss in this book, I love that it still was a story about celebrating life, love, and those who have gone but linger. A wonderful story that melted my heart and made me shed a few tears as well.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Love was putting up with someone for fifty years so you’d have someone to bury you when you died. I would know; my family was in the business of death.”
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

He was a bullet journal guy, and I was a sticky note kind of girl.”
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

Love was a high for a moment that left you hollow when it left, and you spent the rest of your life chasing that feeling.”
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

Grief was the exact opposite. It was full and heavy and drowning because it wasn’t the absence of everything you lost—it was the culmination of it all, your love, your happiness, your bittersweets, wound tight like a knotted ball of yarn.”
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

It’s never easy. It’s also never really goodbye—and trust me, we’re in the business of goodbyes. The people who pass through here live on in you and me and everyone they touched. There is no happy ending, there’s just . . . happily living. As best you can.
~ Ashley Poston, The Dead Romantics

BLOG TOUR} The Empress of Time by. Kylie Lee Baker | ARC Review

Welcome to the blog tour for The Empress of Time by. Kylie Lee Baker!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Empress of Time (The Keeper of Time, #2)

Author: Kylie Lee Baker

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 10/3/22

BUY HERE: Bookshop.org | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Fantasy, Japanese Mythology, Young Adult, Paranormal

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!

In this riveting sequel to The Keeper of Night, a half Reaper, half Shinigami soul collector must defend her title as Japan’s Death Goddess from those who would see her—and all of Japan—destroyed.

Death is her dynasty.

Ren Scarborough is no longer the girl who was chased out of England—she is the Goddess of Death ruling Japan’s underworld. But Reapers have recently been spotted in Japan, and it’s only a matter of time before Ivy, now Britain’s Death Goddess, comes to claim her revenge.

Ren’s last hope is to appeal to the god of storms and seas, who can turn the tides to send Ivy’s ship away from Japan’s shores. But he’ll only help Ren if she finds a sword lost thousands of years ago—an impossible demand.

Together with the moon god Tsukuyomi, Ren ventures across the country in a race against time. As her journey thrusts her in the middle of scheming gods and dangerous Yokai demons, Ren will have to learn who she can truly trust—and the fate of Japan hangs in the balance.

Content Warning: gore, violence

Book one of this duology, The Keeper of Time, was pretty memorable for me because it had Yokai, it had betrayal and gore and I usually don’t like gore but with a story that involved Reapers and Gods, I expected nothing less. I wanted more of the reapers and Gods and I definitely got it in this conclusion.

+ I love this world of British Reapers and Japanese Gods colliding. It’s gory, dark and violent and yet in the middle of the chaos is this love story but not a romantic one – the main love story in this book is the love between Ren and her brother Neven. It made me emotional because they went through such horrible things but they love one another so much they find their way back to one another.

+ Ren is chaos. She is a Death goddess now but still trying to prove yourself to the yokai and other gods. I love how she meets other gods and yokai in Japan and we learn their stories and mythology. But she has a lot of atoning to do from what happened at the end of book one and we find out she does it in the most destructible way ever…yet there is growth for her thank goodness!

+ I’m here for the darkness and there is lots of it. The world building is so dark, and I could vividly imagine everything described in this story even if it was grotesque! I also love the action even if it is gory.

~ There is a good ending with Ren and her brother, Neven. But there is no romantic happy ending with Ren and Tsukuyomi which is fine, because I still wasn’t over Ren and Hiro and how crazy they ended. Throwing Tsukuyomi in there – I wasn’t even sure the romance was needed but then it just made me feel sad at the end for both of them.

~ This book takes place 10 years after the first book…and it’s been centuries for Neven. But I’m not sure how I feel about the story taking place after so long. Maybe it was to show how tortured Ren has been after losing Hiro and Neven! She went through something bad and we get a taste of a very blood thirsty Ren.

Tropes: antihero, morally grey characters, sibling love

Spice Level:

Why you should read it:

if you liked book one and need to know what happens next, definitely read this one
it’s dark, gory, and filled with Yokai and Japanese gods and godesses, Japanese mythology
the love between Ren and Neven made me emotional at the end

Why you might not want to read it:

it starts 10 years after the first book
Ren is so morally grey at times you question her actions but she’s imperfect, which I like about her

My Thoughts:

This is an entertaining conclusion to a great duology that included Japanese mythology and monsters. I loved all the darkness and violence surrounding the sibling love between Ren and Neven. It was always going to be about the two of them even though it kind of made me sad that Ren didn’t end up having a romantic happily ever after of her own. This one is about family and what you give you and would do for them. Ren became her worst version of herself to try and bring her brother back. It was sad, very dark and gritty at times, but I’m glad they as siblings have a happy ending. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Kylie Lee Baker is the author of The Keeper of Night. She grew up in Boston and has since lived in Atlanta, Salamanca, and Seoul. Her writing is informed by her heritage (Japanese, Chinese, and Irish), as well as her experiences living abroad as both a student and teacher. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing and Spanish from Emory University and is currently pursuing a Master of Library and Information Science degree at Simmons University. In her free time, she watches horror movies, plays the cello, and bakes too many cookies.

Author website: https://www.kylieleebaker.com/

Twitter: @KylieYamashiro | Instagram: @kylieleebaker

BLOG TOUR } The Keeper of Night by. Kylie Lee Baker | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Three Kisses, One Midnight by. Roshani Chokshi, Evelyn Skye, Sandhya Menon | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Three Kisses, One Midnight

Author: Roshani Chokshi, Evelyn Skye, Sandhya Menon

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 8/30/22

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Halloween, Paranormal, Teen Readers

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 town of Moon Ridge was founded 400 years ago and everyone born and raised there knows the legend of the young woman who perished at the stroke of twelve that very same night, losing the life she was set to embark on with her dearest love. Every century since, one day a year, the Lady of Moon Ridge descends from the stars to walk among the townsfolk, conjuring an aura upon those willing to follow their hearts’ desires.

“To summon joy and love in another’s soul
For a connection that makes two people whole
For laughter and a smile that one can never miss
Sealed before midnight with a truehearted kiss.”

This year at Moon Ridge High, a group of friends known as The Coven will weave art, science, and magic during a masquerade ball unlike any other. Onny, True, and Ash believe everything is in alignment to bring them the affection, acceptance, and healing that can only come from romance—with a little help from Onny’s grandmother’s love potion.

But nothing is as simple as it first seems. And as midnight approaches, The Coven learn that it will take more than a spell to recognize those who offer their love and to embrace all the magic that follows.

Content Warning:

This is a three story anthology filled with romance, Halloween and autumn vibes and I thought it was lots of fun. Here’s what I like and didn’t like:

+ The stories are short and the whole anthology itself is under 300 pages. The stories flowed nicely together even though it’s told by three different authors. It’s perfect for teens.

+ Onny and Ash’s stories were my favorite because Onny’s is a rivals to lovers romance. Onny is into the mystical – she loves astrology, Halloween and believes in love potions and fate. Her rivals to romance story was perfect for her personality. Ash is the quiet, shy artist who is in love with the girl next door, Cassidy. He finally gets to talk to her and finds out she was mutually pining for him too.

+ The friendship between Onny, Ash, and True is tight and I love the three of them together.

~ True’s story was the weakest because it was so insta-love. I did like how she was a science-minded girl and not into Onny’s hocus pocus but her mind is opened a bit on Halloween night. Orion is someone she meets on Halloween night and he’s into ghosts. Theirs is an opposites attract relationship which would have worked out better for me if it wasn’t an insta-love thing. If she had a past with him like Onny did with Byron and Ash has with Cassidy then it would be more believable.

Tropes: mutual pining, rivals to lovers, opposites attract

Why you should read it:

you want to get into fall vibes, Halloween vibes
super cute Halloween romance stories in a book that is under 300 pages long
diverse author line up, and diverse characters

Why you might not want to read it:

not into anthologies or novella type stories

My Thoughts:

Three besties find love on Halloween night: one was in front of her face the whole time, the other is pining for his his love next door, and the last one meets a potential love on Halloween night. This is a cute collection of stories for teens but I did enjoy even as an adult. And it’s a good one to read for Fall and around Halloween.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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

Welcome to the the blog tour for A Lullaby for Witches by. Hester Fox!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Lullaby for Witches

Author: Hester Fox

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 2/01/22

Publisher: Graydon House

Categories: Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Magic, Romance, Paranormal

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

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

Augusta Podos has just landed her dream job, working in collections at a local museum, Harlowe House, located in the charming seaside town of Tynemouth, Massachussetts. Determined to tell the stories of the local community, she throws herself into her work–and finds an oblique mention of a mysterious woman, Margaret, who may have been part of the Harlowe family, but is reduced to a footnote. Fascinated by this strange omission, Augusta becomes obsessed with discovering who Margaret was, what happened to her, and why her family scrubbed her from historical records. But as she does, strange incidents begin plaguing Harlowe House and Augusta herself. Are they connected with Margaret, and what do they mean?

Tynemouth, 1872. Margaret Harlowe is the beautiful daughter of a wealthy shipping family, and she should have many prospects–but her fascination with herbs and spellwork has made her a pariah, with whispers of “witch” dogging her steps. Increasingly drawn to the darker, forbidden practices of her craft, Margaret finds herself caught up with a local man, Jack Pryce, and the temptation of these darker ways threatens to pull her under completely.

As the incidents in the present day escalate, Augusta finds herself drawn more and more deeply into Margaret’s world, and a shocking revelation sheds further light on Margaret and Augusta’s shared past. And as Margaret’s sinister purpose becomes clear, Augusta must uncover the secret of Margaret’s fate–before the woman who calls to her across the centuries claims Augusta’s own life.

Content Warning: Violence, Death, Implied Eating Disorder

This story is told between two perspectives: Augusta – in present day and Margaret – who lives in 18th century, Massachusettes. I did like the dual story perspective as it eventually culminated later in the story to when Augusta and Margaret merge.

I found Augusta’s job fascinating as a curator of Harlowe House, a historic home in Tynemouth, Massachusettes. She goes on a quest to find out about a girl, Margaret, who seems to be lacking any record of living in Harlowe House. I did like the mystery and learning about Margaret. Augusta is dealing with some issues like with her boyfriend, the lack of knowledge of her father and what looks like an eating disorder. As a character, I didn’t feel like I connected to Augusta very much although I liked her passion for her work.

Margaret is labeled a witch because people in the community come to her for help. She meets a local boy in town and has a wild affair with him but he has a secret that breaks her heart. There are other secrets to uncover about Margaret but I thought it was interesting how she is tied to the Salem Witches.

The romance was okay, I wasn’t that invested in it. Now the paranormal aspect of the story was interesting. Margaret’s ghost has an ulterior motive for trying to contact Augusta and it did keep me reading the story even though I lacked connection to the characters. Also I wanted more witchcraft, not just the mention of spells found in a book.

Why you should read it:

historical/contemporary paranormal story – a little bit of everything
Margaret’s history was compelling

Why you might not want to read it:

romance fell flat- even though this isn’t a romance novel, there is some romance, but it was okay
lack connection to the characters
I wanted more witchcraft

My Thoughts:

This was an interesting read and not what I expected. I found Margaret’s story very fascinating but Augusta’s was just flat, including her romance story. For a story about witches, it didn’t have that much witchcraft in the story at all, but I did enjoy the historical fiction parts of the story. This one was just an okay read for me.

📚 ~ Yolanda

About the Author:

Hester Fox is a full-time writer and mother, with a background in museum work and historical archaeology. A native New-Englander, she now lives in rural Virginia with her husband and their son.

Author Website

Twitter: @HesterBFox | Instagram: @hesterbfox | Goodreads

Vespertine by. Margaret Rogerson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Vespertine (#1)

Author: Meghan Quinn

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 10/05/21

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Spirits, Saints, Magic

The dead of Loraille do not rest.

Artemisia is training to be a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the bodies of the deceased so that their souls can pass on; otherwise, they will rise as spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. She would rather deal with the dead than the living, who trade whispers about her scarred hands and troubled past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia defends it by awakening an ancient spirit bound to a saint’s relic. It is a revenant, a malevolent being that threatens to possess her the moment she drops her guard. Wielding its extraordinary power almost consumes her—but death has come to Loraille, and only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, has any chance of stopping it. With all knowledge of vespertines lost to time, Artemisia turns to the last remaining expert for help: the revenant itself.

As she unravels a sinister mystery of saints, secrets, and dark magic, her bond with the revenant grows. And when a hidden evil begins to surface, she discovers that facing this enemy might require her to betray everything she has been taught to believe—if the revenant doesn’t betray her first.

I love the world building with the nuns (Gray Sisters) and other clergy wielding relics that contain spirits in them. The story gave me a sense that the setting was in some place that resembled France in a time when the clergy was in power, game me Joan of Arc vibes at times. We learn about how the relics, spirits and revenants (spirits) are used and contained. There is also some history about the spirits as well and information about their ranking or order. The spirits are listed in order in the book if you get confused, I only saw it at the end of the book but it is helpful! There was a good amount of action in this story and the story moved quickly.

Artemisia is not an open character at first. She comes off as someone who wants to be alone and not good in social situations. People think she is different because of her past and how she survived being possessed by an ashgrim. It left her with burned scars on her hands, a tendency to not want to be close to people and with a high tolerance to handling a relic. When things take a turn for the worst she is entrusted with the care of a relic that holds a highly powered revenant and she has no training with it whatsoever. But she trusts her instincts and for the most part she finds ways to work with her revenant to help defeat other spirits. Also she learns how to let others in to help her when things get too tough.

Her revenant, Rathanael, is mean, grouchy but hilarious. At least, he was funny to me even as he was berating and insulting Artemisia every chance he could get. Their partnership is unconventional but they are perfect for one another.

Leander was poised as a villain but we don’t understand his motivations until way later in the book. He is a very private guy as well and it was hard to get a good read on him in the beginning other than him trying to control Artemisia. Is there a potential for a romance there? I’m not sure. This whole book didn’t have any romance in it but I felt like it hinted at something between Leander and Artemisia. We shall see.

Content Warnings: self harm, violence, death, PTSD, anxiety

It took me a few days to get through the first chapter because I needed to get into a nun mood? If that makes sense haha! But once I grasped what was going on and was immersed into the world-building, I found my bearings. I will say it can get confusing with the relics and revenants and unfamiliar terms, so use the spirit order/ranking list in the book.

There is no romance, and I was hoping for some but it was okay without too. The main relationship is between Artemisia and her revenant and it’s pretty entertaining.

Why you should read it:

fascinating world building
lots of action with nuns, soldiers, and knights trying to fight spirits
good character growth

Why you might not want to read it:

sometimes confusing, with the ranking or classification of spirits, unless you keep checking the list
nuns fighting spirits isn’t appealing to you 🤷🏻‍♀️

My thoughts:

Once I got into the story I was hooked and love the world-building (might be the Catholic upbringing in me). I enjoyed Artemisia’s growing, if reluctant, relationship with her revenant. I found them entertaining. I’m also interested to see where book two goes and if Leander comes back into the story a changed man! I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Bad Lands by. Stacey Marie Brown | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Bad Lands (Savage Lands, #4)

Author: Stacey Marie Brown

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 359

Publication Date: 10/5/21

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Suspense

Some myths should just stay buried.

Brexley’s journey has led her to the most coveted object in the world. In discovering the Nectar, Brexley finds other secrets and truths she was not ready for, ones that destroy everything she has ever known, confronting a power within herself she is not ready to face.

Magic is a balance. Things come at a cost. In saving lives, Brexley destroys her own power, cutting the connection with the infamous legend. When faced with devastating loss and destruction, the fabric of friendship, trust, and love are put to the test.

Trying to forget her grief, Brexley delves deeper into stopping Istvan, uncovering the depths he will go to gain power. She is thrown deep into the underbelly of greed and deceit, leading her back into the depths of hell.

Where only one survives.

Sometimes I wish a series would stick to being a trilogy because I don’t want to lose interest and I am starting to lose it for this one. I liked how we got to finally know more about Brex’s history at the end of book three. Of course she’s dealing with a lot after what happened in the cliffhanger from book three, she’s definitely processing it. We get even more information about Brex’s past, her family lineage, what happened with the druids, and what it means for her (they don’t know that yet).

I did like how my favorite guy Ash is always by her side, no matter what, Brex with power or without. I like all her friends making an appearance also, they are always so supportive of her.

I only got really into the book when Killian reappears, love him, even though Brex is totally Warwick’s – I still like Killian. It looks like something might be happening with him and Rosie and I love that for both of them!

Content Warnings: violence

I don’t like that the series is getting too long and it’s taking forever to figure out Brex’s powers. This story does a full circle and the beginning of the book comes back around and I thought we were done with that. I get that Brex has no power and it would make another prison scene more interesting? But now to be forced to see all the people she cares about get tortured now…like, here we go again? I’m kind of tired of it. I get it’s a setback for Brex but I just wanted to see her done with that phase of her life.

Warwick did nothing for me in this one too. Brex needs him to be there and more communicative in her low points, and maybe that’s why I was so happy she had Ash and other people in her life. I’m kind of tired of him being such an alpha and always claiming her. We already know they are end game for one another.

I’m over Caden and Hannah. Like can they just not be in the series? 😒

Why you should read it:

you are invested in the series and want to see what happens next
find out more about Brex’s family background
the secondary characters are great

Why you might not want to read it:

repetitive
doesn’t feel like the story moves forward

My Thoughts:

This was an okay read for me compared to the previous three books in the series. It was nice learning more about Brex’s family history and seeing her as human but I could do without some of the more repetitive parts of the story. My interest in this story got only stronger when Killian made an appearance. Not sure if I’ll just wait for all the rest of the books to publish and just binge it in one go.

📚~ Yolanda

Within These Wicked Walls by. Lauren Blackwood | ARC Review

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Title: Within These Wicked Walls

Author: Lauren Blackwood

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/9/21

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Paranormal, Fantasy, Gothic Romance, Young Adult, Ethiopian Inspired, Jane Eyre Reimagined, Lite Horror

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 an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kiersten White meets Tomi Adeyemi in this Ethiopian-inspired debut fantasy retelling of Jane Eyre.

Andromeda is a debtera—an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, Andromeda quickly realizes this is a job like no other, with horrifying manifestations at every turn, and that Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the most likely outcome if she stays, but leaving Magnus to live out his curse alone isn’t an option. Evil may roam the castle’s halls, but so does a burning desire.

Forgive me for not knowing right away that this is an Ethiopian inspired, Jane Eyre reimagined story. The NetGalley blurb gave no indication of it but when I went to Goodreads after I read the book, I was surprised. In a way, I liked not knowing it was Jane Eyre inspired because as I read the book I kept wondering why it kept reminding me of one of my favorite books! So in that instance, it did it’s job in capturing the classic story.

Within These Wicked Walls is a mash-up of everything I was craving! It is set in a very unique location where the cleansing takes place in a castle, but in a desert landscape and our main character Andromeda is a debtera. She is trained to exorcise households cursed by the Evil Eye. The house she is currently exorcising has walls that bleed and a Librarian demon that threatens people by leaving books open to a certain quote. Be still my heart! Then there is Andromeda’s conflicted relationship with the man who raised her and of course the new young man in her life, her employer – an eccentric, sometimes sweet, sometimes oblivious guy named Magnus. Put this altogether and for me, at least, it was a match made in light horror heaven.

I found the debtera and exorcisms unique. I liked how they used amulets for protection. I liked how the house is a horror show (and I’m a wimp with horror) with staff disappearing and residents getting hurt. Andromeda was trained to be a debtera by the man who raised her, Jember. Andromeda is a great character. She is tough and independent because how she was raised but still good at heart. A secondary character I loved as well was Saba who showed Andromeda love through action.

It’s because of Jember, Andromeda finds herself in a challenging spot with Magnus and this job to cleanse his house. She didn’t finish her training and is unlicensed, so patronage through Magnus is her best bet to make a living. It’s that or survive on the streets. Eventually she realizes cleansing the house would mean more to her than a patronage, it would mean helping the people she has come to care about.

I realized it was a Jane Eyre retelling when Andromeda and Magnus would interact. The banter between them is so good, and the longing made me swoon. They balanced each other out, Magnus trying to open Andromeda to fun and affection, and Andromeda grounding Magnus when he was losing himself.

Triggers: abuse, depression, blood, violence, death, gore, toxic relationships, kidnapped

I think some people will have a problem with the insta-love between Magnus and Andromeda. But I didn’t mind because it’s a Jane Eyre retelling, and the reason I love Jane Eyre was because of Jane and Mr. Rochester. So yes, give me the insta-love.

The abusive relationship is hard to swallow but Andromeda confronts Jember about it and makes her peace with him in the end. Could I be as forgiving as Andromeda? I don’t think I could but who knows if I were in her shoes?

I’ve been looking for something different to read and this was unique and familiar at the same time so it checked all the boxes for me! I read this book in one sitting. I loved how it was creepy enough but it didn’t scare me, it had a lot of action and the story was filled with all the romance drama I was craving. I love this reimagined story of Jane Eyre.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Dark Bond by. Leia Stone | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Dark Bond (Vampire Hunter Society, #2)

Author: Leia Stone

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 242

Publication Date: 9/25/21

Publisher: Leia Stone

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Series, Paranormal

Everything I thought I knew was a lie. The evil vampire spawn I’d hunted my entire life have turned out to be my only allies. Hidden away in Magic City, I’ve promised to help support Luka as he competes to become King.

The problem? I’m falling for him and he’s engaged to be married.

To get my mind off of my boy problem, Liv and I band together with our allies to dig deeper into the betrayal of every hunter. What I find shocks me to my core.

With Luka’s fiancé breathing down my neck, and hidden truths bubbling to the surface daily, it will take every skill I have to stay alive.

Book two of the Vampire Hunter Society series is another fast paced ride. The story takes off from where it ended in The Dark Bite. Luka is engaged to Cassara, which seriously sucks and Aspen has to deal with it. Luka is trying to become king so he has to fight his way to the top. As for Aspen, she has to keep feeding him (or he dies) but he’s engaged to someone else and it hurts her. So Aspen tries to concentrate on freeing the women at the breeding farm instead, and hoping she can find out more about her mom.

I like the girl gang that’s coming together, Aspen and Liv – the hunters, and Demi and Sage – the shifters. Aspen needs the support since her heart is breaking over Luka. Also happy that Aspen is reunited with her mom and sister, she needs all the support she can get.

I hated Luka’s circumstances and honestly could have done without the surprise engagement – but I did like how with a lot of things on his plate he tries to balance things out and know what people need from him. He’s a crazy fighter in the ring, but he’s a softie when it comes to Aspen, which is really sweet.

The story moves forward with Luka trying to be king, and the rescue plan to free the women at the breeding farm. We even get to see a fight with Maz and learn about her story and the reason for the breeding farms. Looks like book three will be interesting with the hunters coming to Magic City.

Content Warnings: violence, human trafficking

Why? Why did Luka have to be engaged? I couldn’t get over it and hated that Aspen was pretty much the “other woman”. 😒 It was a big no for me. There was lots of angst and drama. But conveniently, it is resolved in the end. I was almost hoping Sterling would come back from the dead to make things even for Luka haha, I’m so petty.

I felt like Luka’s battle to be king was rushed. He would do his fighting while Aspen was trying to investigate the breeding farm but we don’t really get to watch him fight except for the last two important matches.

Cliffhanger ending again but yikes, what an ending. This book was about coming for Aspen – broken hearted for days.

Why you should read it:

it’s a quick read with lots of action
angsty paranormal romance
a fun girl gang vibe growing between the hunters and shifters

Why you might not want to read it:

the drama with Luka being engaged
story feels rushed, but the books come out quick

My Thoughts:

The series is flowing nice from one book to the other and they come out quick with a very short wait in between. It’s a pretty wild ride. My biggest issue with this sequel is that I loved Luka and Aspen in book one and hated that the man is basically about to get married to someone else in book two! Of course Luka and Aspen are bonded in some way so they were going to make it work but I thought it was too much drama for me and so full of angst. I wasn’t feeling it no matter how hot Luka is. Aspen was just getting pummeled emotionally in this book, which shows her strong character but still – I can’t get over what Aspen had to basically go through to get her man. 🤦🏻‍♀️ This one just made me feel bad for Aspen…she didn’t deserve all of that after what happened at the ending of book one. 😒 I guess I’ll read book three but I’m not too excited about it.

📚~ Yolanda

Born of Blood and Flames by. Amber Darwin | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Born of Blood and Flames (Gravestone Book, #1)

Author: Amber Darwin

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 268

Publication Date: 8/9/21

Publisher:

Categories: Paranormal, Dark Fantasy, Romance

“The Darkness found me, and when I awoke, I became the most gifted Blood Witch my generation has ever known.

I am a weapon.
I am hunted.
I am everything they fear.

My name is Vivi Graves, and my story was never a fairytale.”

Life hasn’t been simple for the city of Thornfall’s best Blood Witch turned bartender. Shunned by most other witches, abused by The Academy of Elders, her love life is a dumpster fire, and even her sassy familiar doesn’t listen to a word she says. But at least she’s escaped the clutches of her corrupted mentors. Or has she?

When a terrifyingly sexy man shows up at her workplace, all shadows and temptation, her current reality starts to unravel. There’s no denying that he’s dangerous for her health, her heart isn’t safe either. But as their fates intertwine, buried secrets expose themselves and the past comes back to punish them both.

Is blood thicker than water?
Does love conquer all?
And in the depths of hell, can Vivi survive the flames?
There’s only one way to find out…

** Born of Blood and Flames is a medium burn, enemies to lovers, dark fantasy, adult paranormal romance.

Where do I start? I picked this up because the synopsis mentioned witches and a sexy man plus it’s Fall and fall reading is a time for witchy and sexy books!

I love Vivi Graves – she’s a Blood Witch, she swears, she’s snarky and sassy, and she can fight. Vivi is also a bit broken inside. Her childhood was messed up and seems like her school years were pure torture. The Academy of Elders need her for something but she doesn’t want to give them the time of day. But then someone tall, dark and handsome strolls into town and everything between them is lust at first sight and she doesn’t know why – who is he and what does he want? In this book we find out Vivi is more than just a badass Blood Witch and Seer.

First off, the world building is great and detailed. I didn’t know what to expect but we get a detailed account of Thornfall and some info about Underhill Academy where Vivi went to school to learn about her powers. She had a miserable time at the Academy and harbors bad feelings about the place and people. Also we get to travel to the Netherworld where Killian (tall, dark and handsome) is from. The Netherworld is the underworld where Kilian rules but he has his own problems to deal with and we find out more about what those issues are when Vivi is there. I liked learning about Thornfall and the Netherworld and all the types of beings living in both worlds.

The characters really make this book amazing because Vivi is snarky, sassy and broken but she has a best friend, Marlow who is fantastic. She’s funny, level-headed and says the most inappropriate things! Linc rounds out the three of them, he’s a shapeshifter who is in love with Vivi, so it complicates things between them but I really hope they can be friends again. I can’t forget about Calypso, Vivi’s cat and familiar, when no one is around it’s just Vivi and Lippy. And in Killian’s world we have his badass half-siblings, a wild siren named Anise, a dragon shifter named Jagger (love him!), and the gorgon twins, Bane and Dante! They also have a volcano dog named Grim! It’s a fun cast and crew.

Now the romance between Vivi and Killian is full of angst. The attraction happens instantly and it’s hot. There is a push and pull between them, she doesn’t like when he’s being an alpha-hole but she can’t stay away from him either. At least Vivi knows herself and knows she’s always falling for the bad boys – poor girl, I feel her pain. Haha! I do like that when we are in The Netherworld, we get to know more about Killian and his motivations. He is the alpha, he is the heir but Killian loves his mama, his siblings and his people so I look forward to learning more about him in book two!

The ending is awesome – what a way for Vivi to access her powers!

Content Warnings: parental abuse, violence, death

We are in Vivi’s thoughts a lot and for me it got a bit too much in the beginning because it felt like info dumping and emotional dumping. I love that she is someone who expresses herself fully, whether it be happiness with her friend Marlow, confusion with Linc, lust with Killian and rage at Lilia. it’s what makes her amazing, but I think in the beginning as we get to know her background it was just us with Vivi trying to sort her feelings about a lot of things. Once the action starts happening this is a quick read.

The ending was an emotional roller coaster, I was raging and heartbroken with Vivi – I loved it and makes me eager for book two.

The author even puts a note before the story begins of content warnings. Read it! I love that she puts a warning.

Why you should read it:

the romance – it’s hot, sexy and angsty and about to get worse before they can be together
Vivi, Killian and all the other characters make this a fun story
good story about Vivi’s secret past and family
the Netherworld is dark, dangerous and magical

Why you might not want to read it:

Vivi curses, so if you don’t like dirty language, this is not for you
Killian is referred to Vivi as an alpha-hole, but honestly…I’ve read worst, I thought he was a pretty nice guy! lol
death of an animal

My Thoughts:

I’m so glad I downloaded this book. I’m a fan! It’s a quick read full of heat, magic, danger, friendship, secrets, love, rage, destruction, grief, and angst. It’s got a little bit of everything. The ending was unexpected, heartbreaking and so many things need to be resolved. I need book two asap.

📚~ Yolanda