The Blood Traitor by. Lynette Noni | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Blood Traitor (The Prison Healer, #3)

Author: Lynette Noni

Format: ebooks (own)

Pages: 464

Publication Date: 6/14/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Found Family

She’d failed them. All of them. And now she was paying the price.

Kiva thought she knew what she wanted—revenge. But feelings change, people change… everything has changed.

After what happened at the palace, Kiva is desperate to know if her friends and family are safe, and whether those she wronged can ever forgive her. But with the kingdoms closer to the brink of war than they’ve ever been, and Kiva far away from the conflict, more is at stake than her own broken heart.

A fresh start will mean a perilous quest, forcing mortal enemies and uneasy allies together in a race against the clock to save not just Evalon, but all of Wenderall. With her loyalties now set, Kiva can no longer just survive—she must fight for what she believes in. For who she believes in. But with danger coming from every side, and the lives of everyone she loves at risk, does she have what it takes to stand, or will she fall?

Content Warning: drug use, physical abuse, violence

I finally read the last book of The Prison Healer series and this is what I thought:

+ So much great characters! I love Cresta and Ashlyn, they were my favorite characters in this book. Caldon was amazing as always, but Cresta had fire, humor, sass, and strength. Ashlyn had leadership and bravery. Really great female characters.

+ Kiva goes through so much in this book, it is an emotional, traumatic ride for her but she faces her demons – no matter how hard it is for her.

+ The story moves quickly, there is a lot going on but it’s written well – it takes off running after book two, Kiva’s back in Zalindov but in really bad shape. Once she’s out she has a long journey to get back to Vallenia. There is a great found family trope story line here where two enemy families

+ The romance was one where Kiva had to do a lot to make it up to Jaren. Jaren was hurt and angry and he had a lot of issues to deal with. It was super frustrating at times but it pays off in the end for the two of them. There are a lot of romances going on actually, almost like everyone was pairing off.

+ This story is about messy families, messy relationships and I like that it shows the imperfections in relationships and how to navigate and mend them.

~ Jaren was tough to crack but I mean he went through some stuff. I just wish he and Kiva could talk their problems either. Kiva was stuck in her head a lot, she is the worse at communicating with anyone – thank god she had Caldon and Cresta. Where would she be without them? At times I was just so frustrated with her because she just didn’t know how to be honest after everything that happened in book two. This was her time to tell her truth but I also understand how she had to do it in her own time. I just wanted Kiva and Jaren to talk and it takes awhile for that to really happen.

~ There is a bunch of traveling in this one because there is a quest but the story bounces from location to location a lot. It was okay for me but at one point she was with King Navok and then he isn’t in the story again until the very end.

~ Kiva’ storyline was one big pity party. Cresta had to literally kicked her butt about a lot of things, shake some sense into her because Kiva could not get out of these overwhelming thoughts. And I was Cresta and tired of it! lol…Cresta had more patience than I did. I loved Cresta’s message about strength and pain and moving on…so powerful. But I also understand some people need patience and that was Kiva – she needed patience and Caldon was there to give that to her. Cresta was there to tell her straight on what she needed to do though.

Why you should read it:

It’s a great fantasy series and a good ending – Kiva characters comes a long way
The found family and side characters are great
Great story telling, some twists

Why you might not want to read it:

Kiva is going through so much trauma but we are in her head so much I was hoping it would let up a bit – it started to turn into a pity party and I was getting annoyed with her actions.
Jaren and Kiva’s drama was really dragged out almost to the end of the story – I wanted them to work it out earlier.

My Thoughts:

This isn’t a light read, there is a lot of trauma to be dealt with in this whole series. This book alone there is abuse, drug abuse, broken families, broken people but I loved the inspiration and motivation that came through characters like Cresta, Caldon and Ashlynn – Cresta being my favorite because she was funny and yet said what she wanted to say. Caldon always brought the lightness to a hard situation and thank goodness for that. Ashlynn was always so steady, I admired her for it. I’m glad Kiva and Jaren worked things out but for me, I think it took too long. This was Kiva’s story about overcoming so many challenges and trauma in her life, but everyone in this book was going through something – it’s what helped them bond and become a found family, which was heartwarming. For the series as a whole, I enjoyed it a lot. For the third book, I did enjoy it but wished we weren’t so much in Kiva’s head.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Garden of Serpents by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Garden of Serpents (The Demon Queen Trials, #2)

Author: C.N. Crawford

Format: ebooks (KU)

Pages:

Publication Date: 7/13/22

Categories: Romance, Urban Fantasy

Once, Orion and I were lovers. Then, the gorgeous demon king broke my heart. He kicked me out of the City of Thorns, exiling me to the mortal world.

Now, I have plans to get back at him–and save the world while I’m at it. Orion wants revenge on all the mortals. If I steal his crown, I can stop the bloodshed. All I have to do is beat him in a series of trials, proving that the gods chose me as queen.

But Orion seems determined to seduce me with his apologies and sensual charm. And the fact is? He’s hard to resist. In the City of Thorns, nothing is ever as it seems, but figuring out who to trust is the most important trial of all. Because if I get it wrong, I’ll have the blood of thousands on my hands.

Content Warning: violence, torture

This is the third book in The Demon Queen Trials series and I was enjoying it for the most part but the ending was too rushed. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like:

+ Rowan has trained and grown into her Succubus powers so she can now go toe to toe with Orion.

+ Rowan and Orion are meant to be. There are some challenges they have to deal with, like trust issues and they already got together in the last book but this felt like another slow burn round between them. There are many sensual and sexy parts though.

+ The epilogue was unexpected and interesting – makes me sort of interested to see where the story goes. But…I’m still on the fence.

~ The pacing of this book was an issue for me. Everything felt rushed. Rowan has to pass these trials but it doesn’t feel high stakes at all. We know Orion will give her whatever she wants. There are new characters introduced to us, but new characters in the last book, especially a villain? There wasn’t enough time to get to know them and their motivations or schemes.

~ Rowan is powerful now, so I wanted to see more of that in her trials but the trials didn’t feel like much.

~ What was up with Shai? Not sure what was going on with her.

~ The ending was super rushed. It felt like the story raced up to the betrayal, Orion and Rowan are united and the end. And the epilogue is 13 years later! So it sets up another story.

Why you should read it:

to finish the series if you started it
Rowan and Orion’s romance

Why you might not want to read it:

wanted so much more and it fell short
the story felt rushed, new characters introduced without much time to really get to know them

My Thoughts:

I was a bit disappointed by this one. I did love Rowan and Orion together, even if they were fighting but I felt like the whole story was rushed to get to the end. This one fell short for me but I’m glad I finished the series. The first two books were great, and this one was rushed with less intensity. The epilogue suggests a new spin-off but I don’t know if I will be reading it.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Inadequate Heir by. Danielle L. Jensen | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Inadequate Heir (The Bridge Kingdom, #3)

Author: Danielle L. Jensen

Format: ebooks (borrowed)

Pages: 625

Publication Date: 5/24/22

Publisher: CLA

Categories: Series, Romantasy, Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Forbidden Love, Fantasy, Kingdom Politics

Return to the world of The Bridge Kingdom in this sensuous fantasy full of romance and intrigue that is perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Silver Flames.

A soldier raised as heir to an empire, Zarrah is motivated by two truths. The first is that the Veliant family murdered her mother. And the second is that her pursuit of vengeance will put every last one of them in their graves.

The Endless War between Maridrina and Valcotta has raged for generations, leaving thousands of Zarrah’s people dead and countless more orphaned. So when she’s given command of the contested city of Nerastis, Zarrah is prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy the Maridrinian forces who oppose her. And to kill the Veliant prince who leads them.

Yet a chance encounter with an anonymous, and handsome, Maridrinian causes Zarrah to question whether the violence she’s perpetrated is justice or a crime. And as she continues to meet the nameless man each night, she finds common ground – and fiery passion – in his arms.

But when identities are revealed, Zarrah must decide whether to embrace a chance at peace…or march to the drums of war.

Content Warning: violence, torture, death

This is Keris’ story and I thought it was interesting how it runs parallel to The Bridge Kingdom timeline. So this is basically happening while Lara is infiltrating Ithicana and falling for Aren! I did like Keris’ and Zarrah’s perspectives on the different sides of the war because it’s a war between kingdoms. The wonderful world building is back and because this is from outside Ithicana we get a broader scope of the different kingdoms at war with one another. I love everything about the war between kingdoms, the players in it – the unsuspecting ones like the Harem, and I think it’s just written so well! You feel the high-stakes politics being played out from the beginning to the end of this book.

As for Keris, I expected nothing less than the bookish, non-fighting, womanizer that we meet. This is Lara’s full brother! He is charming and clever, staying out of the limelight so he can scheme but Zarrah is his downfall and the way it ends is tragic. Zarrah is a warrior and I love that she’s tough! They are both trying to find their way to peace between their kingdoms while falling for one another. And let me tell you – these two together are scorching hot! Zarrah is a woman not shy about what she wants and Keris gives it to her.🔥

King Silas and the Magpie are in strong villain form but the ending indicates Zarrah’s aunt Petra, the Empress is even worse than they are and I look forward to reading the next book to find out what she has done and see if Keris and Zarrah can ever be together.

By the way, I loved seeing Aren and Lara in this through Keris and Zarrah’s perspectives, I’ll always love those two.

The only thing about this being parallel to The Bridge Kingdom events is that it’s a longer book and smashes the events in the first book into this one. I kept trying to remember the things that happened in the first two books and I’m glad I remembered because it really is a story that I stuck in my head.

Why you should read it:

you love the first two books in the series – Aren and Lara make an appearance in this book also since the timeline coincides with events in The Bridge Kingdom
Keris and Zarrah are hot together! Enemies to lovers, forbidden love, all the feels
high-stakes politics, great world building

Why you might not want to read it:

you haven’t read the first 2 books

My Thoughts:

I liked how this paralleled The Bridge Kingdom as we get to see another perspective and this time from Keris and Zarrah. There are many factors at play in this high stakes political romance story and it fits so well in the series. I love Keris and Zarrah but I can see they have a few challenges to overcome between them. I can’t wait for the next book to see how Keris and Zarrah can make their love work – I’m rooting for them!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes from the Book:

I do want to remake the world so that I can be with you. So that I can get down on my knees and ask you to be my wife. So that I can put a crown on your head and make you my queen. So I can build a shrine and worship you as my goddess. I want all of these things, yet I face a future with none of them, and I don’t know whether I want to fall on my own blade or burn everything to ash because I do not want to let you go.”
– Danielle L. Jensen, The Inadequate Heir

A lifetime wouldn’t be enough. Eternity wouldn’t be enough. Not when I want to map every star in the sky with you in my arms.”
– Danielle L. Jensen, The Inadequate Heir

Fabric of Chaos by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Fabric of Chaos (Curse of the Cyren, #3)

Author: Helen Scheuerer

Format: ebooks (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 4/1/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Adventure

An almighty power. A deadly choice. Will she come undone when chaos reigns?

After facing heart-breaking betrayals and jaw-dropping revelations in Akoris, Roh must steel herself once more and continue her quest to win the cyren throne.

But with poison lingering in her body and a new, unpredictable companion at her side, the trek to the mysterious territory of Csilla becomes all the more perilous. Dangerous schemes are afoot – ones that threaten not only the homeland Roh intends to rule, but all of cyrenkind.

As her journey stretches across the realm, Roh must navigate the dark web of her own ambition and master her newfound magic.

Will she triumph against the trials ahead – or sow the seeds of her own destruction?

More action-packed than ever, brimming with new secrets and a touch of romance, The Fabric of Chaos is the breathtaking third installment of Helen Scheuerer’s Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet.

Content Warning: Violence, Grief

I liked this one so much better than book two and almost gave it 5 stars but the slow burn is way too slow haha.

Roh and her group of friends travel to the next location to find the next gem for her crown. They take a harrowing journey to Csilla and encounter so much challenges and danger. When they get to Csilla we learn more about the past between Roh’s mother and the current queen. More secrets are revealed and this time we also get some backstory about the Water Warlocks and what atrocities their people were subjected to.

Roh has more character growth especially when it comes to finding her confidence, making the right decisions, and knowing who to trust. I love that the friendship between all of them has grown tighter.

As for the romance, finally something happens and my wait has come to an end at least. I do think the slow burn was way too slow and I had to wait for book three to get more action between Finn and Roh but I guess it was worth the wait. Of course then a twist in events once more makes Roh doubt herself. The torture for Roh is never-ending, she goes through a lot of turmoil in this book! I hope she gets a really good ending in the next and final book. But what I love about her is that she grows in each book in the series.

I do wish this series was a trilogy but I get with these kinds of series on Amazon that the release dates are a shorter wait than books from bigger publishers. I love that I don’t have to wait too long but also wish the story wouldn’t go on forever.

Why you should read it:

to continue the series – great story-telling
slow burn romance, finally we get some action between Roh and Finn
Roh’s character growth, lovable characters

Why you might not want to read it:

not into a long series…seems like it’s going to be a 4 books series – you might want to wait for the last book to be out and binge it

My Thoughts:

I love this installment to the series! It really had everything: action, danger, friendship, romance, plot twists, back story and it even ends really good! It setts up for an exciting conclusion in the next book I hope. I’ve come to love the characters and am rooting for Roh (queen or not) to make the best decisions and trust the small circle of found family around her. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and more from this author.

📚 ~ Yolanda

An Unreliable Magic by. Rin Chupeco | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: An Unreliable Magic (A Hundred Names for Magic, #2)

Author: Rin Chupeco

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 5/3/22

Publisher: Sourcebook Fire

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Fairytales

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

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

The second book in the A Hundred Names for Magic trilogy, an unforgettable alternative history fairy-tale series from the author of The Bone Witch about found family, modern day magic, and finding the place you belong.

Tala, Alex, and the rest of their friends are safe for now, but know the Snow Queen is still out there. They have to be prepared for when she eventually attacks—and all decide to do so in their own way.

When Ryker comes out of the woodwork, showing himself when he starts attacking American detention facilities and freeing refugees. And the Nameless Sword, a legendary weapon that according to Avalon legend, will make its wielder the most powerful warrior of their time turns up with her name on it, Tala’s life gets messier…But when the Snow Queen arrives with an unlikely ally, the group will have to work together.

Content Warning: Racism, Violence

I really enjoyed Wicked as You Wish, which was book one in this series. I’m not sure why it was a struggle for me to get through this sequel.

One thing I love about Rin Chupeco books is the diversity she puts into her books. This story is no exception – there is so much diversity, it’s wonderful! Being a Filipino-American, I love seeing all the Filipinos represented in this book, especially with the women warriors. The old crew is back and the fairytale settings are present again and when I say fairytale settings I mean the author includes every fairytale out there from Peter Pan to Alice in Wonderland and then some. It’s a chaotic mix but it works.

The thing is, this is totally a mood read kind of book for me and I was not in the mood for this type of this story. I tried my hardest to get into the mood though! What tripped me up was the huge cast of characters. I didn’t re-read the first book before going into this one and maybe that would have helped. Because of this the first chapters of the book was going way too slow for me. It was a struggle for me. I was having trouble connecting to Tala because I was getting invested in Ken and Nya, but then I would be trying to remember who was who from the first book. There is so much going on in this book and it did not slow down. I just felt like I couldn’t catch up yet I usually love fast paced books! I think there was just too much going on for me in this one.

Why you should read it:

fairytale infused story (every fairytale and myth you can think of)
lots of action and so much diversity
you want to be back with Tala, Alex and their crew

Why you might not want to read it:

too much going on, first part of the story is slow
it was hard connecting to the characters, too many characters to remember
(re-read the first book if you can)

My Thoughts:

The great thing about this series is the action, the diversity and how all the fairytales come together in one creative story. Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting into the story. There was too much going on in the story and I didn’t re-read the first story to reacquaint myself with the large cast of characters, and I struggled through the first part of the story. It’s definitely a book where I need to be in the mood for. I think many fans of the first book will enjoy this one and be happy to see the same characters from book one.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Bone Shard Daughter by. Andrea Stewart | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Bone Shard Daughter

Author: Andrea Stewart

Format: ebooks (own)

Pages: 438

Publication Date: 9/8/20

Publisher: Orbit

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+

The emperor’s reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire’s many islands.

Lin is the emperor’s daughter and spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright – and save her people.

Content Warning: Death, Violence

This book was a pleasant surprise! I was drawn to the cover – because look at it, it looks amazing. And then I heard some good reviews about it so when I saw the ebook on sale on Amazon, I had to get it.

There are a few characters in this story, but the main ones for me are Lin and Jovis. Lin is the Emperor’s daughter and we learn her father is pitting her against his foster-son Bayan, to see who would be his rightful heir. Thing is the Emperor has an obsession. He makes constructs. These are creatures that are made, different animal parts put together to make a new creature. The construct is powered by a human part though – a bone shard taken from children. The Emperor claims these constructs are needed to keep the empire in order, but Lin knows something is wrong. I found the story about constructs so fascinating and so creative!

Outside of the palace, there is Jovis – a smuggler who is trying to pay down his debts and who has his own obsession – with a woman he loves and who went missing years ago. Since she has been gone he has been following clues to find her. I love his personality. He kind of reminded me of Aladdin (in the Disney movie lol) and he found a pet companion named Mephi. I loved their bond. Jovis definitely is that character that keeps the story moving and he gives us a tour of this world the story is set in. He travels to different islands and encounter the people that live so through him we get a lot of the setting.

The romance is between Phalue and Ramani. Phalue is a governor’s daughter, Ramani is a commoner and a rebel. They love one another but Ramani is trying to make Phalue see the plight of the people around them. I’m glad someone had a happy ending in this book because Jovis missing his love, Lin wanting her father’s love…it was tough for a lot of the characters.

Now this story is dark because the bone shards they use for the constructs come from children. There is a ceremony where a child’s shard is taken. The Emperor is like a mad scientist, he’s creating creatures and he doesn’t care about anything else. There are a few reveals in the end which sets up the sequel.

There are some questions I still have about the constructs – because it’s not futuristic, the constructs have instructions written on their shards. And how is it the Emperor is the only one who repairs this many constructs around the empire? There are a bunch of islands in this empire…so I just had a few questions. Maybe there will be more answers in book two?

Why you should read it:

original and creative story about constructs and bone shards
great world building and lots of action, especially if Jovis was telling his side of the story
LGBTQ+ romance rep
bond between Jovis and Mephi (love Mephi)

Why you might not want to read it:

not into high fantasy

My Thoughts:

This story has a lot going on but I thought the author did a good job balancing it all. There are multiple POVs, romance, action, plot twists and detailed world building. I was intrigued with the constructs, and the characters. It’s an entertaining story and I’m eager to read book two to see what happens next!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Ebonwilde by. Crystal Smith | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Ebonwilde (Blood Leaf #3)

Author: Crystal Smith

Format: ebook (owned)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 4/12/22

Publisher: HMH Books For Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Romance

Get ready to be swept away, seduced, and swindled in the wickedly vicious third and final installment in the Bloodleafseries that Laura Sebastian called “enchanting, visceral, and twisty.”

Welcome to Ebonwilde. Come and find me.

Aurelia’s last words haunted Zan. Left with the task of finding and reviving Princess Aurelia, Zan sets off on his own adventure to find her and return the gift she sacrificed for him—her life. But not all is what it seems, and Ebonwilde is more dangerous than anyone can predict.

Content Warning: Death, Violence

I’m not sure what I was expecting with the end of this series but this one surprised me, sometimes not in a good way.

I love the twists and turns but that came mostly at the ending. I like how the story was resolved and loose ends were tied up. I even liked how everyone is separated but come together to defeat the villain and make everything right. Some people get happy endings, others get a bad deal.

The thing I didn’t really enjoy was the timeline jumping. I understand why it happened, because Zan can basically time jump in the Gray. So there are many things going on at one time, kind of like the webs that the Spinner has to deal with. I did like that parallel. But it could get confusing at times. There is a Then, Now, 1620, 1921 (10 days before Midwinter…etc…)…and it was hard to follow at times. I wish it was a bit more straightforward but that’s what happens with time jumping!

Also, the love triangle bit was breaking my heart. I refused to believe it was happening and was thinking, this cannot end this way! Why now? I was getting upset. There were people dying that I didn’t want to die. Of course you have to read and find out what happens in the end and it is beautiful how it ends but I think it took a confusing way to get to there.

The thing I love about this series is the mythology and questions about power and how it affects people. I found this particular book fascinating because it touched on present day issues like like when a virus ravages a community. Or when a radical figure uses his power influence a group of people and cause chaos.

It was always about Aurelia in the beginning and her choices. Now we know why but I did like that in this last book, it took all of them, a collective effort, not just Aurelia, to save humanity. I like that we get to see other characters and their relationships. I loved all the reveals – but they really did come all at the end.

Why you should read it:

to finish the series
great world building and the story did tie up loose ends
love how the characters are complex, each has a role, and our heroine isn’t perfect

Why you might not want to read it:

first part is slow because many different perspectives and timelines happening
a love triangle (but read it to find out what happens)

My Thoughts:

I loved that this book tied up the loose ends and really did a nice job ending the series. I just wish it wasn’t such a confusing timeline for me – but that could be my fault for not rereading book two. I recommend doing so, so you are reacquainted with the whole cast of characters. I didn’t like the love triangle because it was so sad and bittersweet. The ending of this book was an emotional rollercoaster with twists and turns and your faves are not guaranteed to survive. I’m glad I got to finish this series. Book two was my favorite of the three, but I really did love all the reveals in book three.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes from the Book:

Hope was such a pernicious, perilous thing. A rope to promised safety that could lead instead to the brink of a chasm, with no quarter for retreat or net to catch your fall.”
– Crystal Smith, Ebonwilde

And I will keep choosing you, every day, every hour, every minute, for as long as I live.”
– Crystal Smith, Ebonwilde

Everything that had ever separated us, every lie, every loss, every hurt, mistake, and misunderstanding, now became what dragged us back to one another.”
– Crystal Smith, Ebonwilde

I don’t believe that who we are is ever set in stone. We are transitory creatures—every day, we wake up as someone new, changed just a little bit by the experiences of the day before. Who we were is always a part of us, but it doesn’t determine who we are, nor who we can still become.
– Crystal Smith, Ebonwilde

Castles in Their Bones by. Laura Sebastian | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Castles in Their Bones

Author: Laura Sebastian

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 514

Publication Date: 2/1/22

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Kingdom Politics, Fantasy

A spellbinding story of three princesses and the destiny they were born for: seduction, conquest, and the crown. Immerse yourself in the first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the author of the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series.

Empress Margaraux has had plans for her daughters since the day they were born. Princesses Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz will be queens. And now, age sixteen, they each must leave their homeland and marry their princes.

Beautiful, smart, and demure, the triplets appear to be the perfect brides—because Margaraux knows there is one common truth: everyone underestimates a girl. Which is a grave mistake. Sophronia, Daphne, and Beatriz are no innocents. They have been trained since birth in the arts of deception, seduction, and violence with a singular goal—to bring down monarchies— and their marriages are merely the first stage of their mother’s grand vision: to one day reign over the entire continent of Vesteria.

The princesses have spent their lives preparing, and now they are ready, each with her own secret skill, and each with a single wish, pulled from the stars. Only, the stars have their own plans—and their mother hasn’t told them all of hers.

Life abroad is a test. Will their loyalties stay true? Or will they learn that they can’t trust anyone—not even each other?

Content Warning: Death, Violence

This gave me Three Dark Crown vibes and sometimes The Bridge Kingdom but way less dark and intense.

I liked the three sisters and their back stories. They were born to be wives of Princes in neighboring kingdoms with plans of their mother taking over each kingdom. That is the plan, but when the girls are aways from their mother – plans start to change.

Sophronia, is the soft hearted one and already half in love with her Prince. Beatriz, is the pretty one and placed in the most extravagant kingdom. Daphne, is the cunning and cold one and she’s place in the most northern kingdom which lacks a lot of comforts and luxuries her homeland of Bessimia is known for. It did take a moment to get each girl and their personalities situated in my head. I had to make sure who’s perspective I was reading, by checking each chapter title.

I think the story moved very evenly between the three perspectives which was really nice but I think I wanted a bit more intensity. I wanted the stakes to feel high for these sisters but I didn’t quite feel it. They knew their duties and knew their own personalities, so it played out how their mom anticipated. There is very limited romance in the story, lots of political intrigue and betrayal.

I did like the magic system of the wishes but would like to learn more about it and the stardust. I was definitely captured by the story and kept reading to see what would happen next.

The twist in the end made me a bit sad but I feel liked Daphne’s story will be one to watch. Will she help her sisters or follow her mom’s plan? It ends in a cliffhanger of course so I feel like I have to read book two just to know what Daphne will do.

Why you should read it:

court politics
it’s got stardust magic, and sisters meant to infiltrate other kingdoms
entertaining story

Why you might not want to read it:

the story didn’t wow me – but try it out if you like court politics!

My Thoughts:

Perfect for fans of kingdoms and court politics. Like I said in the beginning it had the Three Dark Crowns vibe but with a little Bridge Kingdom (the sisters infiltrating other kingdoms). I loved the bond of the sisters and it was interesting to see how each would carry out their plans in the places they were sent. There is little romance, lots of betrayal and a cliff hanger ending. Will definitely be reading book two to see what happens next.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Our Violent Ends by. Chloe Gong | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Our Violent Ends

Author: Chloe Gong

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 494

Publication Date: 11/16/21

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Categories: Young Adult, Gangster, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Forbidden Love

Shanghai is under siege in this captivating and searingly romantic sequel to These Violent Delights, which New York Times bestselling author Natasha Ngan calls “deliciously dark.”

The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution.

After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on the warpath. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.

Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure.

Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.

Content Warning: Death, Violence, Whipping

I finished off this duology series – yay to me! And what a series it is.

I feel like retellings can be overdone and Romeo and Juliet is a tale as old as time, or it feels like that, but this whole duology is fresh and such a good way to keep Romeo and Juliet modern.

I love Juliette – she’s still cutthroat and has no F’s to give, especially if someone is messing with her man, Roma. She knows herself, she is comfortable around violence and also feels good dealing it out. Roma is trying to kill her, but we know he can never do that, these two are crazy in love with one another. They just have to decide once and for all if it’s them against one another or them against the world. But we all know what end game is in Romeo and Juliet, so obviously there is no questions to Juliette and Roma’s love.

Now the confession I was waiting for finally happened and it melted me. Benedikt and Marshall was the best. This book had a great forbidden love theme going on, in honor of Romeo and Juliet I’m sure, but it was wonderful because we had Benedikt and Marshall in agony too. Yes, to fighting for love because it’s worth it.

All the other characters were great as usual and the civil war erupting around them upped the stakes and drama. I love how tension was happening altogether in each faction: between the lovers, the city, and the gangs. It was well done.

Now my only problem with this story? I got confused with the Kathleen/Celia thing – I didn’t reread book one and so when Celine popped up, I was like WHO?! 😅 🤦🏻‍♀️ Also I kind of wanted more from Roma? I mean we know who runs this show though, Juliette.

Why you should read it:

romeo and juliet retelling, set in Shanghai 1927, gangs, forbidden love
Juliette and Roma are end-game obviously, but ugh Benedikt and Marshall melted me
great action, tension and conflict to the end

Why you might not want to read it:

you know the ending of Romeo and Juliet? lol…well this one was just a tad different and kinda open ended but if you don’t like those kinds of endings, you may not like this one

My Thoughts:

What a wonderful conclusion to this duology! Honestly, the series as a whole is fresh, full of action, has angsty forbidden love and a great cast of characters. I think this was a unique take on Romeo and Juliet and the writing just flowed so well. I look forward to reading this author’s next book!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes from the Book:

“These violent delights have violent ends, you have always known this.”
― Chloe Gong, Our Violent Ends

“I’ll say it however many times you want. I’ll romance you until you get sick of me. I am horrendously in love with your dreadful face, and we need to go now.”
― Chloe Gong, Our Violent Ends

“They had always been two mirrored souls, the only ones who understood the other in a city that wanted to consume them whole, and now they were joined, mightier when together.”
― Chloe Gong, Our Violent Ends

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by. Holly Black | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (The Folk of the Air, #3.5)

Author: Holly Black

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 200 pages

Publication Date: 11/24/20

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Categories: Series, Illustrated, Novella, Fantasy, Young Adult

An irresistible return to the captivating world of Elfhame.

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue.

Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone . Revealing a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan, his tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective.

This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.

Content Warning: Abuse

I’ve been wanting a copy of this for awhile. I don’t have the physical copy (will have to get it for my collection) but I did borrow the ebook and it was exactly as I expected it would be. The story brings us back to Elfhame but we get to know Cardan much better. We get a glimpse into Cardan’s childhood and his relationship with Nicasia. And I absolutely adored all the scenes he has with Jude, with her as his Queen. They are seriously too cute together. I enjoyed this installment very much.