Immortality: A Love Story by. Dana Schwartz | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Immortality: A Love Story (#2)

Author: Dana Schwartz

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 2/28/23

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Gothic, Romance, Mystery

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!

Hazel Sinnett is alone and half-convinced the events of the year before—the immortality, Beecham’s vial—were a figment of her imagination. She doesn’t even know whether Jack is alive or dead. All she can really do now is treat patients and maintain Hawthornden Castle as it starts to decay around her.

When saving a life leads to her arrest, Hazel seems doomed to rot in prison until a message intervenes: She has been specifically requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte, the sickly daughter of King George IV. Soon Hazel is dragged into the glamor and romance of a court where everyone has something to hide, especially the enigmatic, brilliant members of a social club known as the Companions to the Death.

As Hazel’s work entangles her more and more with the British court, she realizes that her own future as a surgeon isn’t the only thing at stake. Malicious forces are at work in the monarchy, and Hazel may be the only one capable of setting things right.

Immortality: A Love Story is the eagerly anticipated sequel to Dana Schwartz’s bestselling gothic romance, Anatomy: A Love Story.

Content Warning: surgery, medical scenes, misogyny

I definitely had to read this sequel because the way the first book Anatomy ended was in need of some serious closure! The closure happens in this book. This is what I thought:

+ The book covers for this series are one of my favorites of all time. It’s so cool!

I like being back in Hazel Sinnett’s world as she works as a doctor and helping those that need. This time she is trying to publish a book all about medicine but life hasn’t been easy for her. But I love all the medical stuff, which seems gory but not in a horror way. I found all of it fascinating!

+ What I enjoyed so much about the first book was the gothic vibes and the historical fiction aspects of the book. There is no gothic vibes in this one because it’s set at the royal palace but I did enjoy the historical parts once more especially in reference to the royals and the immortals. I thought the secret society of immortals was kind of cool though one particular character is not very likable.

+ I’m glad Hazel and Jack got some closure – I was waiting for it since book one!

~ While I’m glad there was closure for Hazel and Jack, he only appeared almost 200 pages into the story. And the book is only 289 pages. So…I wish we got to see Jack earlier? Although it was cool to see Hazel living her life, missing him and thinking maybe she could move on. I just wish we got more of him in the book.

~ This is a quick read but I think the new things brought up in this book, the immortals, the villain, and maybe undoing the tincture just didn’t feel solid. It felt like it was thrown in to make the story longer and then it ends. I think some of this could have been added to book one or developed more to make a three book series. Or maybe this could have been a novella? I’m not sure but it didn’t seem to connect to book one as easily.

Why you should read it:

you want some closure if you read the first book Anatomy
you like medical fiction, especially historical fiction where a woman doctor is rare

Why you might not want to read it:

not into the gory medical stuff
it gives closure but the story feels like multiple separate ones at times

My Thoughts:

I love the covers for this series – they really are amazing! I really enjoyed Anatomy but I think Immortality falls a bit short of my expectations. I got the closure I wanted for Hazel and Jack but definitely not in the way I expected. I did enjoy being back in Hazel’s world of practicing medicine and see her so passionate about it. I like the time period it’s set in and having her be around the English royals. Overall, it’s entertaining an entertaining read if you like medical historical fiction.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Anatomy: A Love Story by. Dana Schwartz | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

House of Pounding Hearts by. Olivia Wildenstein | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: House of Pounding Hearts (#2)

Author: Olivia Wildenstein

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 444

Publication Date: 1/29/23

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Crows, Faerie, Fated Mates

I MEANT TO CAPTURE THE PRINCE’S HEART . . . AND ENDED UP WITH A KING’S.

My desire to sit upon the Lucin throne led me to revive an ancient, winged monarch; one I deemed a friend until that friend duped and imprisoned me.

Lorcan claims he’s holding me captive for my own safety, but then he also claims I belong to him. Slumbering for five centuries has evidently given the Crow King severe delusions.

We may share an unfortunate mind-link, but we are still masters of our own destiny, and I intend to steer mine away from the Sky Kingdom and its prophecies . . . away from him.

I quickly find out there is no escaping the possessive male. In all honesty, I’m no longer certain I want to.

Get swept away in the second installment of a slow-burn shifter fantasy series full of heartbreaking deceit, wicked supernaturals, and alpha males.

I wasn’t on planning on reading the sequel in this series because the first one was just an okay read for me. But I was curious about the crows, which came at the ending part of book one, so since I needed a break from reading arcs, I decided to pick this one up. This is what I thought:

+ Fallon annoyed me less in this one. She still acts young-because she IS, but mostly around her friends because she’s fun and wild around her friends. They drink and party a lot, but being in Lore’s world has finally opened her eyes to a few things. He’s the serious one between the two of them and with a lot at stake, he’s trying to keep her safe, break a curse and free his crow people.

+ I adore Phoebus who is not only a good friend to Fallon but super funny too. Fallon has great friends.

+ I liked the political intrigue and that the story was now more about that than Fallon’s love life.

+ Finally Fallon has seen what Dante really is! This book is mostly about Fallon and Lore and this bond that they have with one another and when she will stop fighting it. When they finally get together, it’s hot and steamy times Fallon and Lore!

~ This book is book, just like its predecessor is over 400 pages long. I think it’s a tad bit too long. There was a lot of court intrigue in this one, which I enjoyed but I think we could have done without Antoni pining for Fallon. That was so over when Lore came into the picture.

~ There are a lot of characters in this book so at times I just had to try and remember who was who in Luce…and I didn’t always do a good job at that but I just went with it.

~ I do wish we got to know more about Shabbe but I’m assuming that’s where this story is going in the third book.

Why you should read it:

you liked the first book
Fallon and Lore finally gets some sexy time together
you want to read a romantasy with fated mates and alpha males

Why you might not want to read it:

you weren’t into the first book

My Thoughts:

I actually liked this book slightly better than the first one because I think the crow people are fascinating. Also there is finally some sexy action between Fallon and Lore. I still think the story could be shorter but I’ll read the next one to see what happens.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

House of Beating Wings by. Olivia Wildenstein | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Of Wicked Blood | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thorn Kissed and Silver Chains by. Shannon Mayer and Kelly St. Clare | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Thorn Kissed and Silver Chains (#1)

Author: Shannon Mayer and Kelly St. Clare

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 271

Publication Date: 11/28/22

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Faerie, Reverse Harem

A continuation in the world of Honey and Ice . . .with new characters, new loves, new enemies . . .

Underhill is my ruthless mother. Her realm is my deadly home. The brutal creatures here are both foe and friend.

But the group of fae that just attacked me? They’re all foe. Dragged from my game of hide-and-seek with a dragon, and my home of twenty-one years, I’m thrust into a weak, ugly realm.

Earth.

Something is taking the fae children of the Irish court, and an Oracle has declared I must find them. Nope. Not my problem. Bye. Except a three-year-old girl they suspect is the next Queen of All Fae was taken too. She’s crucial to the success of my mother’s work and the wellbeing of all, including these simpering fae who’ve forgotten who they are.

Now they have my attention.

The child-snatching darkness flickers in and out of sight, spreading in secret, reaching through cracks and fissures to seize and steal the innocent. Yet I earned each breath in my life by understanding that which seeks to kill me. I will learn the ways of this enemy and find its lair, ideally without the Seelie and Unseelie males who only slow me—even if they’re not quite as stupid as most Earth-dwelling fae.

All I’m sure of is that Underhill is testing me. My mother is testing me in her typical, brutal fashion. And I will not fail.

Well, I wasn’t planning on reading this spin-off but I was bored and wanted to make use of my Kindle Unlimited subscription so why not! Plus I did enjoy Honey and Ice series a lot. So here is what I thought:

+ Our main character is nameless until one of her potential love interests names her Silver. She is feral and her mother is Underhill. If you read the Honey and Ice series you would know who/what Underhill is. Anyway, Silver is not anyone to mess with, she is powerful, strong, brave and reckless but it’s fun to see her kicking butt.

+~ There is a reverse harem situation or menage a trois thing going on with Silver, Aaden who is a Seelie Fae and Cormac, who is an Unseelie Fae. Honestly didn’t know this going into the story, because I was definitely rooting for bad boy Cormac but it seems like for now she’s vibing with both guys. Thing is, I’m not the biggest fan of reverse harem but at least there isn’t five guys for her to choose from, two I can deal with. I’m not sure how I feel about the ending of this book yet – but it’s definitely not what I expected.

+ This is a very quick read at under 300 pages long. It’s definitely pure escapism especially if you love the world of Faerie. By the way I loved her bat companion Orry, she’s funny, she’s my favorite character I think.

~ I really need to know what the deal is with the thorns. There are so many questions and no answers yet.

~ Silver is feral and speaks that way. She doesn’t speak in long sentences until later in the book when she all of a sudden does? I kind of felt like that was distracting because then she reverted back to simple speech. That threw me off.

~ If this is a reverse harem/menage give us some steam. This one definitely is only a teaser of things to come. But there was always something stopping these three. Aaden is okay – he doesn’t intrigue me much. Cormac, definitely is the one I wanted her to end up with but I guess the theme of this book is “balance”…so we will see what will happen with this threesome.

Tropes: feral girl, reverse harem

Why you should read it:

you liked the Honey and Ice series
there is a reverse harem romance brewing with a feral girl, alpha male and a sweet male

Why you might not want to read it:

not into any mentioned above

My Thoughts:

I found the start of this series quite entertaining but I’m not sure how I feel about the romance aspect of it yet. I like Silver and her being feral, but it would be nice if she stayed in character especially with her speech. Orry was my favorite part of this book for sure. I’ll definitely give book two a try and see what happens after the cliffhanger ending we got in this book.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Court of Honey and Ash by. Shannon Mayer and Kelly St. Clare | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Throne of Feathers and Bone by. Shannon Mayer & Kelly St. Clare | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Crown of Petals and Ice by. Shannon Mayer, Kelly St. Clare | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

First Quiver by. Beth C. Greenberg | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: First Quiver (#1)

Author: Beth C. Greenberg

Format: paperback (gifted)

Pages: 302

Publication Date: 1/25/21

Publisher: Isotopia Publishing

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Greek Mythology, Humor, Series, LGBT+

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

Thank you to Beth C. Greenberg for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Immortality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially for the 3,375-year-old virgin of Mount Olympus.

Day after day, the God of Love launches his arrows, then watches from the sidelines while everyone else has all the fun. On a mischievous whim, Cupid sends a love-tipped arrow into the wrong rump—and the gods sentence him to a taste of his own medicine.

Banished from the only home he’s ever known, Cupid plunges to Earth and lands in present-day Tarra, Indiana, where mortals go on about their daily routines, oblivious to the capricious gods stirring the pot from above. Delighted to discover his wings and pubescent pudge have been transformed into a magnificent human body, Cupid swiftly leaves his virginity behind.

But his carnal spree is cut short when he falls passionately in love for the first time in his immortal life, and he understands the full measure of his punishment: he must find the Right Love match for the mortal he desperately loves, and then he must let her go.

Caught between two worlds on a quest to fix Love, Cupid must survive the violent throes of his own coming of age and triumph over the powerful gods conspiring against him. Failure will not be tolerated; success will cost him everything.

First Quiver is an irreverent, contemporary twist on mythology and the struggle between duty and love, a battle as old as the gods themselves.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, First Quiver, but I like greek mythology so here’s what I thought:

+ This is a light-hearted, humorous and steamy story about Cupid falling from grace (onto Earth). Cupid is basically unleashed among humans and is learning about sex and trying to learn about love.

+ I thought it was interesting how it Cupid’s job as “cupid” to find the perfect love for the woman he’s now fallen in love with. What a conundrum! It was funny how Pan, his friend, was always trying to get Cupid back on track. I enjoyed all the greek mythology aspect of this book.

+ The supporting cast with the other fallen greek gods was interesting, especially Pan. Now Cupid may be losing his virginity to women, but what is this chemistry he has with his friend Pan? I was actually rooting for the two of them to get together! Cupid hooks up with women but there is an attraction and flirtation with Pan.

~ Story-wise I did like the humor but I wanted something more to happen. I know it’s a light-hearted read and it’s perfect for a quick reading experience. But I wanted to see what would happen with Cupid and Pan’s relationship. I wonder if the two of them hook up in the next book? This is a series so there is no full conclusion at the end of this first book – Cupid’s journey in love and lust continues in the next book

Why you should read it:

you want to read a light-hearted, humorous, steamy romance
you like greek mythology

Why you might not want to read it:

not into greek mythology or romance

My Thoughts:

If you are into greek mythology and want a light-hearted, steamy, romance book, definitely try this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

Secretly Yours by. Tessa Bailey | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Secretly Yours (#1)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 2/7/23

Publisher: Avon US

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, 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 Avon US for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A steamy new rom-com about a starchy professor and the bubbly neighbor he clashes with at every turn…

Hallie Welch fell hard for Julian Vos at fourteen, after they almost kissed in the dark vineyards of his family’s winery. Now the prodigal hottie has returned to their small town. When Hallie is hired to revamp the gardens on the Vos estate, she wonders if she’ll finally get that smooch. But the grumpy professor isn’t the teenager she remembers and their polar opposite personalities clash spectacularly. One wine-fueled girls’ night later, Hallie can’t shake the sense that she did something reckless–and then she remembers the drunken secret admirer letter she left for Julian. Oh shit.

On sabbatical from his ivy league job, Julian plans to write a novel. But having Hallie gardening right outside his window is the ultimate distraction. She’s eccentric, chronically late, often literally covered in dirt–and so unbelievably beautiful, he can’t focus on anything else. Until he finds an anonymous letter sent by a woman from his past. Even as Julian wonders about this admirer, he’s sucked further into Hallie’s orbit. Like the flowers she plants all over town, Hallie is a burst of color in Julian’s gray-scale life. For a man who irons his socks and runs on tight schedules, her sunny chaotic energy makes zero sense. But there’s something so familiar about her… and her very presence is turning his world upside down.

Content Warning:

I’ve read two books from Tessa Bailey and loved them so when I saw this one I had to request it. Here’s what I thought:

+ This is an opposites attract story that has lots of sparks. Julian is a starchy, stuffy professor who lives by a schedule. And Hallie is everything he is not – she is messy, loves to be outside in the dirt, has three dogs, she’s a tornado. When these two come together, it’s full on attraction.

+ Speaking of attraction, the steam is hot in this one. I especially love when a grumpy, man who abides by order and schedules gets rocked off their center. They both lose control with one another which is fun, there’s some dirty talking and it’s exactly what I would expect in a romance written by this author.

+ I love the supporting case, especially Lavinia who is Hallie’s best friend. She’s funny and keeps it real! I thought Julian’s sister was an interesting character too and it seems like the next book in the series is about her.

+ This story is short, sweet and hot which is everything I want in my romance novels.

~ I love that this was a quick read at under 300 pages but I also do love when this author can really get into the characters and setting like she did with the Bellinger Sisters series. So if it had been just a tad bit longer with more details on the setting, and spending more time with the characters and building them up, then this would have been five stars.

~ The second chance romance part of the story had to do with the two in high school but he barely remembers her. And I wasn’t sure about the secret love letters – it was cute, but I didn’t see the point of them.

Tropes: opposites attract, grumpy x sunshine, small town setting, second chance romance

Why you should read it:

you want to read something short, hot and sweet
opposites attract trope and some dirty talking

Why you might not want to read it:

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this story because it was short, and sweet but with lots of hot moments. I also love a good opposites attract story, it’s one of my favorite tropes. But I didn’t see why the secret love letters were needed. Despite that I’m definitely interested in reading the next book in the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Hook, Line and Sinker by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It Happened One Summer by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by. Sue Lynn Tan | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Daughter of the Moon Goddess (#1)

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Format: paperback (own)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 1/11/22

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Categories: Fantasy, Chinese Mythology, Romance, Adventure

A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of Chang’e, the Chinese moon goddess, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

There are two reasons why I wanted to read this book. The cover is stunning and I heard of the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess, from the cute Netflix movie my kids and watched 2 years ago called Over the Moon. We loved that movie and it was my first introduction to Chang’e and I loved her story. This is what I thought about the book:

+ The book cover is so gorgeous.

+ I loved that this was the story about Chang’e and Houyi’s secret child. The story about the couple is so heartbreaking but I loved how this book was about Xingyin, their daughter, and her love for her mother. She loved her so much she would do anything to free her from her punishment.

+ I enjoyed the action and adventure in the story. This story takes place in the Celestial Kingdom so the characters are immortals and there are monsters and even dragons. Xingyin is an amazing heroine who becomes a soldier and a great archer at that. She is away from her mother, and makes her life in enemy territory all with the goal of freeing her mother. I love her focus and determination.

+ The romance between Xingyin and Liwei is so sweet because it starts off as friendship and grows over the years into something more. But of course how can they be together when he is promised to someone else? Their love is full of angst and drama but I do love how their friendship is strong.

~ The romance involves a love triangle and I’m all for a girl keeping her options open after a heartbreak but clearly she wasn’t over Liwei and was rushing into whatever she was feeling with Wenzhi – even though I didn’t really feel it between them. He definitely felt like a rebound. So at the end when Wenzhi expresses how he feels about her, it felt a bit flat. I feel like Liwei will always be end game for her. I’ll have to read book two to find out!

~ For the most part I was engrossed in the story because I wanted to see if she could free her mother. But there are some moments in the middle of the story when I wondered if the story lost sight of the goal or I was wondering when it would loop back into saving Chang’e – and the story eventually gets there but there are a lot of other things in the way. I just felt like the story wasn’t straightforward and it took Xingyin too long to save her mom – I was like…did she forget about her? Clearly she didn’t but it felt that way for a few moments.

Why you should read it:

fantasy and Chinese mythology about Chang’e (but this mostly about her daughter)
romance, adventure, world-building

Why you might not want to read it:

there is a love triangle

My Thoughts:

I’m so glad I finally read this one and I didn’t have super high expectations because I’m reading this a year later so I actually enjoyed this a lot despite some issues I had with it. I don’t like the love triangle but I am convinced she will end up with Liwei. I also wish there was more about Chang’e in the story but in the end it did pull my heartstrings because of Xingyin’s love for her family. Am I going to read book two? Yes most likely since I have the story fresh in my head.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

Stardust in Their Veins by. Laura Sebastian| ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Stardust in Their Veins (Castles in Their Bones, #2)

Author: Laura Sebastian

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 576

Publication Date: 2/6/23

Publisher: Delacorte Press for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series, Political Intrigue

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

Immerse yourself in the second book in a fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Ash Pricess series. The sequel to Castles in Their Bones is the story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown.

Princesses Beatriz and Daphne have lost their older sister, but their mother’s grand scheme of taking the continent of Vesteria is far from complete. With the country of Temarin now under the Empress’s control, only the nations of Cellaria and Friv remain free from her rule. What’s worse, an ominous prophecy has begun to shine through the constellations: the blood of stars and majesty spilled.

Usurped by conniving cousins Nico and Gigi, Beatriz fears for her life, while in icy Friv, Daphne continues her shaky alliance with the rebels even as she struggles to stay a step ahead of them. But when an unlikely ally offers Beatriz a deal, she finds herself back in her mother’s sights.

With enemies around every corner and the stars whispering of betrayal, Daphne and Beatriz can’t trust anyone–least of all each other. If they’ve learned anything, though, it’s that the Empress’s game is constantly changing. And the arrival of surprise visitors from Temarin just might tip the scales in the princesses’ favor . . . if they manage to avoid meeting their sister’s fate before they can make their next move.

Content Warning: kidnapping, poisoning, grief

Stardust in Their Veins is the sequel to Castles in Their Bones, which I read last year and found very unique and intriguing. The story continues in this story filled with political intrigue – this is what I thought about the book:

+ One sister is gone, and two are left. I did love Sophie’s story in book one. I feel like Beatriz is the beauty and Daphne is the brains but Sophie was the heart between the three of them. So I was sad she wasn’t in this story but I think it was time to get to know Daphne much better. There is more time in this book to get to know both sisters actually and surprisingly the stories adds a third voice, Violie.

+ There is a lot of political intrigue going on in this story because of the different kingdoms and how Daphne’s mother wants to rule them all. The remaining daughters now realize they need to team up and take their mother down – but what will it take?

+ I liked Beatriz’ story in this sequel because we get a better idea about how they were created and the whole magic about the stars and constellations. I’m curious to see how Beatriz’ power helps or hinders their mission in the next book. Daphne was never my favorite because I felt she was the last one to break from her mom but I think there is a lot of growth in her in this sequel.

~ It took me awhile to get into the story. I think it lags in the middle but starts to pick up a lot closer to the end – and of course it’s another cliffhanger ending.

~ There is no romance in this one. Bairre and Daphne are going through some things and Beatriz and Pas was on the run, plus Pas is with Ambrose. I think there will be more in the next book maybe? But this one had nothing.

~ Did they really have to change the cover style? I feel like the first book and this one do not match at all!

Tropes: sisters trying to take down their evil mother

Why you should read it:

you enjoyed the first book in the series
I think the magic with the stardust and how the girls were made is very interesting and unique
the bond between sisters

Why you might not want to read it:

didn’t like the first book

My Thoughts:

The story continues with more political plots to foil and not knowing who to trust. Can Beatriz and Daphne outsmart their own mother? We get more time with Beatriz and Daphne and see their characters grow. I miss Sophie but now there is another voice in the mix, Violie. I’m definitely interested to see how this story ends and I hope there is a bit more romance in the next book as well. Despite the lag in the story in the middle, I still found it entertaining and look forward to book three!

Book Links:

Goodreads

Castles in Their Bones by. Laura Sebastian | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

One Dark Window by. Rachel Gillig | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: One Dark Window (#1)

Author: Rachel Gillig

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 9/27/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Gothic, Young Adult/New Adult

Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

Content Warning: violence, mentions of children murdered

I have finally read this book and what a book it is! Here’s what I thought:

+ Elspeth is such an interesting character, especially with a Nightmare in her head – who’s been in her head for 11 years! I loved the both of them together because Elspeth is just trying to live her life hiding all these secrets and here is this voice in her head, annoying her at all times. The Nightmare brought the humor!

+ I love all the gothic, dark, horror vibes of this story. I love the uniqueness of the Providence card, the magic surrounding them, the lore and how they were created. I like the quest of trying to find the remaining cards, the riddles and rhymes are fun and I don’t usually like possession unless it’s done right, and I think this one is done great!

+ The romance is fun, maybe a little insta-love, but I love it anyway. Ravyn is the captain of king’s guard, and Elspeth is the daughter of the former captain. The two are mistrustful of one another until they decide to work together and from there the sparks fly between them. There is a steamy scene but it’s not descriptive at all and over and done with quickly.

~ The only issue I had was it took me a bit too long in the beginning to figure out how the cards work. But once I pushed through and the story went on, it made more sense. I think it’s a cool magic system, especially with the lore tied into it.

Why you should read it:

the enemies to lovers romance, fake courting
the magic system, the lore, the story and the monster
the dark, gothic vibes

Why you might not want to read it:

not into dark reads

My Thoughts:

This one is deliciously good especially if you like the dark, gothic stories! I’m eagerly looking forward to reading book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Stolen Heir by. Holly Black | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Stolen Heir (#1)

Author: Holly Black

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 374

Publication Date: 1/3/23

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

A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both.

Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.

Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.

Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black returns to the opulent world of Elfhame in the first book in a thrilling new duology, following Jude’s brother Oak, and the changeling queen, Suren.

Content Warning: violence, child abuse, parental neglect, foster parents

Holly Black is my Queen of Faerie. She was the author who made me love the Fae and will always be hands down the one who will make me want to live in their world and yet make me feel terrified to do it. Here’s is what I thought about The Stolen Heir:

+ Wren. Suren gutted me. Her story is not easy. A foster child who is then taken away by her “true” parents but then abused at the hands of them. A girl who only wants a family, to be loved, and not to be hurt and yet she’s surviving and scavenging the world alone, hurt, afraid and her story broke my heart. I wanted to help her and keep her safe and I couldn’t ~ Wren made me so emotional. She is raw and real.

+ Oak has turned into a golden boy with a penchant for violence! He is honey-tongued and Wren doesn’t know if she can trust him. I want to trust him but he is Madoc’s son and Jude’s sister. He and Wren are really fascinating characters. He’s that boy you love because he makes everyone feel amazing, he really is like a golden light. Is it weird he has hooves and antlers? Nope! I think it lent to the pure fantasy of this book, that’s what I expect from Holly Black. If she’s taking us to Faerie, taking us to Faerie and all the strange creatures there! Yes.

+ I did not come to this book looking for Jude and Cardan. I was happy with their series and didn’t see a need for them to appear and I’m glad they didn’t because this is Wren’s story. But I love that this love story is going to be all Wren and Oak. Their relationship is wrought with mistrust and who can blame either of them, especially Wren. I found Oak becoming his own man very fascinating with the way he was raised – so to see how he has turned out is really amazing.

+ I read this slowly over a few days because I was savoring it. The way Holly Black tells a story about faerie is beautiful, dark, lush, addictive and exactly the way I like it. I like the betrayals, I like the mistrust, I like the backstabbing and imperfect characters. All of them is flawed – isn’t that why Jude made such a compelling character? Even Madoc who is all about violence – Oak is trying to save him even though his dad is a murderer hundred times over. I like all the morally gray characters. I like that Wren can break curses, but she’s afraid of power. I like that she runs when she’s afraid but helps people who shouldn’t be kept prisoner. I like that she’s learning to realize she can learn to use her power.

Why you should read it:

you love Elfhame and the world Holly Black created
you want to see how Oak is, all grown up
Wren/Suren’s story

Why you might not want to read it:

if you are looking for Jude and Cardan, they are not in this book

My Thoughts:

I didn’t have high expectations going in but I can honestly say if Holly Black is writing something about Faerie, I will love it. I loved it when she first wrote Tithe and she made me aware of this world called Faerie and here I am 20 years later loving her world of Elfhame! I can’t even believe I’ve been reading her books for 20 years. ❤️ I can’t wait for the second book!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Guide to Being Just Friends by. Sophie Sullivan| ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Guide to Being Just Friends (Jansen Brothers, #3)

Author: Sophia Sullivan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 1/17/23

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Romance, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Series, Contemporary

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

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A playful and emotional romantic comedy from the author of Ten Rules for Faking It

Hailey Sharp has a one-track mind. Get By the Cup salad shop off the ground. Do literally everything possible to make it a success. Repeat. With a head full of entrepreneurial ideas and a bad ex in her rearview, her one and only focus is living life the way she wants to. No distractions.

Wes Jansen never did understand the fuss about relationships. With a string of lackluster first dates and the pain from his parents’ angry divorce following him around, he’d much rather find someone who he likes, but won’t love. Companionship, not passion, is the name of the game.

When Hailey and Wes find each other in a disastrous meet cute that wasn’t even intended for them, they embarrassingly go their separate ways. But when Wes finds Hailey to apologize for his behavior, they strike a friendship. Because that’s all this can be. Hailey doesn’t want any distractions. Wes doesn’t want to fall in love.

What could possibly go wrong?

Content Warning:

I’ve done it again where I requested a book not knowing it’s part of a series! But that’s okay, I felt like you could read this one without reading the first two. Here’s what I thought:

+ If you like friends to lovers and slow burn romance, you will like this one. Hailey and Wes start off on the wrong foot but right away start to be friends. Their friendship grows and they get to know one another as Hailey tries to build her salad business. And eventually they get a happily ever after.

+ It’s a clean, easy, sweet romance.

+ There is a great chemistry between the large cast, and yes it’s a large cast because there are two books before this one. Hailey is new in town but Wes and his brothers and their other halves really start to welcome her into their circle.

~ It started off good but I just wanted more and I got a bit bored. I need a little steam.

~ As I mentioned, I went into this book not knowing it’s book three. And though it felt like a standalone – I wonder if reading the first two would alter my opinion about this book? Not sure.

Tropes: new girl in town, friends to lovers, slow burn

Why you should read it:

you like a easy, sweet friends to lovers romance, a slow burn
you read the other books in the series

Why you might not want to read it:

it’s the third book in the series

My Thoughts:

This one didn’t work for me, but I know it will work for many romance readers who love the friends to lovers trope. Also if you like a slow burn with no steam, this one is for you. I don’t think I’d have requested this one if I knew it was book three, but I think it reads fine as a standalone.