Category: series

A Duel with the Vampire Lord by. Elise Kova | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Duel with the Vampire Lord (Married to Magic, #3)

Author: Elise Kova

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 536

Publication Date: 8/17/22

Publisher: Silver Wing Press

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series

On the night of the blood moon, the Vampire Lord must die.

Floriane’s position as the forge maiden of Hunter’s Hamlet is one of reverence, for it is her skill that arms and protects the vampire hunters. She knows her place and is a faithful servant to the Master Hunter and her community… until the night of the blood moon. Until her brother is dying at the hands of the Vampire Lord Ruvan.

Wanting to defend her home at all costs, Floriane fights the vampire lord, ready to give her life if it means taking his. But Ruvan doesn’t want to take her life… he wants her.

Kidnapped and brought to the vampire castle, Floriane is now blood sworn to the vampire lord. She is bound in mind and body to her worst enemy. But Ruvan isn’t the fiend she thought he was. She learns the truth of the vampires: They are not mindless monsters, but a proud people, twisted and tortured by an ancient curse.

Ruvan believes that Floriane might be the key to ending his people’s suffering. All Floriane wants is to defend her home. Loyalties are tested and the lines between truth and lie, hate and passion, are blurred.

When her dagger is at his chest, will she be able to take the heart of the man who has claimed hers?

Content Warning: violence, self harm

I’ve read all the other books in this series and this one has to be my least favorite, yet my most highly anticipated, so my expectations were high because – vampires! I love vampires. Let’s see what did and didn’t work for me:

+ I love that Floriane is a smithy. She’s got a stubborn personality to match but I feel like that matches for someone who takes molten metal and shapes it into what they want. I thought she matched up with Ruvan wonderfully since he is a powerful vampire lord. There was a lot of action fighting vampires and Floriane really held up her own!

+ Once again I like that it connects to the other stories within this series even though it’s a standalone. The secondary characters are great too – we get a good sense of the Vampir people, their history and the curse that binds them.

+ I like that this is an enemies to lovers romance where they really are enemies and are conflicted about it. Vampires and humans have been killing one another for ages and I love that they are trying to break the curse so maybe the killing can stop. But Ruvan and Floriane really have to work through generational teachings about one another, they have to break this wheel of fear and hate. I’m glad it didn’t go away just because they started having feelings for one another. When they finally admit their love, it’s sweet and touching.

~ I felt like there was a lot of info-dumping in this one, and it is 536 pages where the others were in the mid 300’s or a little bit over. There is a while mystery about the curse and finding the source and how to break it was quite interesting but like I said – a bit of info dumping at times.

~ Because this is a vampire and human couple I wanted heat, but this slow burn was way too slow for me. It was a little too tame for me. Ruvan is this frightening vampire lord on the outside but a cinnamon roll on the inside, which is cute, but I wanted more spice between them. There is a lot of confusion about their feelings, and some back and forth because of their enemies to lovers status.

Tropes: breaking curses, sacrifice, enemies to lovers, slow burn, found family

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

  • you love a sweet, slow burn vampire and human love story
  • it’s a great addition to the Married to Magic series
  • lots of action, story kept me guessing about the mystery of the curse

Why you might not want to read it:

  • wanted more heat between Ruvan and Floriane, because I expect my vampire stories to be a bit spicy lol but this one is a sweet slow burn

My Thoughts:

I think overall this story was entertaining and I did think Ruvan and Floriane’s romance is sweet. It was a little bit too much of a slow burn for me though because I like my vampire stories with lots of spice. I did love how Floriane was a female forger and she really did keep up with the vampires (with the help of some elixir, but still!). If you love the books in the Married to Magic series, you will enjoy this one as well! I look forward to reading the next one.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Here are other books by this author that I have reviewed on this blog and/or books I have read but never reviewed:

The Cruelest Mercy by. Natalie Mae | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Cruelest Mercy (The Kinder Poison, #2)

Author: Natalie Mae

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 6/14/21

Publisher: Razorbill

Categories: Fantasy, Series, Romance, Young Adult

The magical kingdom of Orkena is on the brink of war, and the only person who can save it is Zahru, the girl they once doomed for death.

After surviving the Crossing, Zahru has sworn off adventures. While crown prince Jet navigates the looming threat of war, she’s content to simply figure out what the future holds for them. But they’re dealt a devastating blow when prince Kasta returns with a shocking claim: he’s the true winner of the Crossing and the rightful heir, and he bears the gods’ mark as proof. Even more surprising–he’s not the only one.

Somehow, Zahru possesses the very same mark, giving her equal right to the throne. The last thing she wants is to rule beside her would-be executioner, but she can’t let Orkena fall into his merciless hands. So Zahru, Jet, and their allies must race against the clock to find a way to stop Kasta, because once he’s crowned, there’s no telling what horrors he’ll unleash to win the war.

Zahru will do whatever it takes to keep Kasta from taking the throne…but to stop a villain, is she willing to become one herself?

Content Warning: violence

Let me first say that I thought this was a duology so I wasn’t sure why this book wasn’t moving “faster” and then I came to the ending and thought WHAT IS HAPPENING?! lol…I was mistaken – there is definitely a book three. And there better be after THAT ending! This is what I thought:

+ I love, love, love the book covers in this series. It’s simple, classy and the bold colors are just everything.

+ I haven’t re-read The Kinder Poison so I vaguely had an idea of what the story was about but when I started reading it, I didn’t feel lost at all. I jumped right in and I remember why I liked the characters so much. Zahru is by Jet’s side now but of course before he can rule, surprise, surprise Kasta shows up – he is clearly not dead, but that doesn’t mean he becomes the ruler either. Zahru has an opportunity to thwart any evil plans Kasta has – because…he is evil right?

+ This story made me suspicious of Kasta, but also made me wonder if Zahru was jumping to conclusions about him. Clearly she should be on her guard with him, but can he change? That’s what was driving me crazy about the story. I don’t know if he was playing her or not. And what about her feelings about him? That was madness…but it was kinda awesome how they were distrustful and yet attracted to one another. So toxic…but kinda fun…also what about Zahru? Is she about to stoop to his level? Does having power corrupt? We shall see…I don’t know if I’m supposed to hate or love Kasta! I feel Zahru’s pain lol..he’s that complex villain you find yourself obsessed with.

+ The epilogue…what?! 😅 That was unexpected and give me book three NOW.

~ This one is a little slower than book one because Zahru has to unravel Kasta’s motives, she has to figure out how to stay a step of him and she can’t trust him. You know who I was also suspicious of? Jet. So book three will be very interesting!

Tropes: slow burn, enemies to lovers, love triangle, peasant becomes a ruler, morally gray characters

Spice Level: 🌶

Why you should read it:

  • for the Zahru and Kasta moments, especially the last one 😳
  • fascinating to see how Zahru deals and changes with power – will she be having a villain era?
  • you liked the first book

Why you might not want to read it:

  • a little slower than the first one but I think it’s worth it to push through, it sets up book three for what I hope is an amazing ending to this series

My Thoughts:

My mistake was thinking this was a duology and wondering why Kasta was coming in too late into this book. The story is just way more interesting with him in it because it throws Zahru off kilter. He makes her feel complicated emotions and I want to see what is going to happen with these two. It really could go either way, will Zahru embrace all of Kasta’s flaws? Will Kasta really learn to have mercy and not let the trauma of his past dictate his actions? Will these two meet half way and fall passionately in love with one another?! Or will they kill one another? 😅 I can’t wait to find out!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Here are other books by this author that I have reviewed on this blog and books I have read but never reviewed:

A Cursed Heart by. Jenny Hickman | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Cursed Heart (Myths of Airren, #2)

Author: Jenny Hickman

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 429

Publication Date: 5/10/22

Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing

Categories: Fantasy, Mythology, Romance, Series

Living on an island plagued by magic and mythical monsters isn’t a fairy tale . . . it’s a nightmare.

Aveen is the perfect lady, placid and well-mannered, concealing her discontentment beneath false smiles and gentle nods. As the eldest, her duty has always been to her family legacy and her sister’s happiness. But when she finds herself forced into betrothal to a man she loathes, she swears she’ll do anything to escape. Even if it means bargaining with a wicked fae prince.

Rían is a devious half-fae with a dark secret, concealing his true nature beneath glamours and lies. When a fascinating human accidentally catches his eye, it’s clear he’ll do anything to take her for himself. Including making promises he can’t-or won’t-keep.

Confronting hidden dangers and haunting pasts, the two reluctantly come to rely on each other to survive a world where nothing is what it seems and darkness encroaches from all sides.

Will their tangled web of lies bring freedom they crave . . . or will it unravel them both?

A Cursed Heart is the second book in the Myths of Airren, a series of inter-connected standalone fantasy romances set on the magical island of Airren.

Content Warning: violence, sexual assault

Here is book two in the Myths of Airren series and it’s about Aveen and Rian. I didn’t think anyone could have more chemistry than Tadhg and Keelyn but I was wrong, because here is Aveen and Rian who have a love/hate relationship going on. Here’s what I thought:

+ Aveen took the role of Keelynn’s big sister but also her mother since their own died. She is the oldest and has the responsibility of making a good marriage. Keelynn is her whole world but all Aveen wants is a life where no one tells her what to do, especially where men are concerned. Rian is Tadhg’s brother which means he has the same arrogance and sex appeal as his brother – these boys are such rascals! When Aveen and Rian meet, it’s fireworks…not so much a love at first sight, but oh so much bickering. Their relationship made me laugh!

+ This was an interesting story because it gives a backstory – so it starts before Keelynn and Tadhg story, but also becomes parallel it for some time. So basically this is Aveen’s perspective of what was going on. I found her story fascinating because we barely met her in book one. Here we realize how much earlier she and Rian met.

+ I feel like Aveen and Rian got more time to be friends, compared to Keelynn and Tadhg. I love both romances but Aveen and Rian definitely had more ups and downs and time together. Aveen is supposed to be the more proper of the sisters, the responsible one, so maybe it makes she gets the wilder one of the brothers! She does not fall for his beauty, Aveen is pretty much over men and their demands when she meets Rian, which was fun to see Rian and her fall for one another. And Aveen and Rian had hotter scenes too!

~ I think because we got the story in full from before Keelynn’s story starts…the ending when Aveen and Rian deals with his curse feels rushed. And I wish they had more time to expand on his curse, but the story had to cover so much.

Tropes: falling in love with a monster, breaking curses, sacrifice

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

  • Aveen and Rian have so much spark between them, I love how they hate one another haha…makes them falling in love much sweeter
  • Ruairi is back and I love him!
  • we get a very full story from beginning to end

Why you might not want to read it:

  • Finding out about Rian’s curse and fixing it feels rushed at the end because we had the full story of Aveen and Keelynn’s timeline in this one.

My Thoughts:

I’m going to say I love this one as equally as the first book, just in different ways. I still love Tadhg more because he’s softer than Rian, which is surprising because I like the bad bad boys. Aveen and Rian are perfect for one another – she isn’t scared off by him and he needs that. I’m looking forward to reading book three!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Cursed Kiss by. Jenny Hickman | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Cursed Kiss (Myths of Airren, #1)

Author: Jenny Hickman

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 411

Publication Date: 11/23/21

Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing

Categories: Fantasy, Mythology, Romance, Series

Living on an island plagued by magic and mythical monsters isn’t a fairy tale… it’s a nightmare.

After Keelynn witnesses her sister’s murder at the hands of the legendary Gancanagh, an immortal creature who seduces women and kills them with a cursed kiss, she realizes there’s nothing she wouldn’t do to get her back. With the help of a vengeful witch, she’s given everything she needs to resurrect the person she loves most.

But first, she must slay the Gancanagh.

Tadhg, a devilishly handsome half-fae who has no patience for high society—or propriety—would rather spend his time in the company of loose women and dark creatures than help a human kill one of his own.

That is until Keelynn makes him an offer he can’t refuse.

Together, they embark on a cross-country curse-breaking mission that promises life but ends in death.

Content Warning: violence, sexual assault

I was in the mood for a faerie book and chose this one from Kindle Unlimited and it really did satisfy my craving! Here’s what I thought:

+ My favorite part of this book is Keelynn and Tadhg (how do you say his name?!) and their constant bickering. He is quite the charmer though with his kohl lined eyes, and ready smile. These two clashed but in the best ways – plus their attraction to each other was undeniable. Plus their love story is sweet!

+ Keelynn is going to kill the Gancanagh so she can revive her beloved sister, and bring her back to life. But there are a few twists and turns in this story. I like that it’s a quick read and kept moving!

+ In this world, humans and monsters live among one another but clearly, there is tension between them. Keelynn has been brought up to fear the monsters but when she meets Tadhg and is immersed in his world of Pookas and faeries – she realizes she never really knew anything about monsters.

~ At times Keelynn could be frustrating. I definitely loved Tadhg more between the two of them. It really took her time for her to open her eyes to some things…like Robert!

Tropes: falling in love with a monster, breaking curses

Spice Level: 🌶🌶 (scenes do fade to black though)

Why you should read it:

  • you like stories about the Fae – there are creatures from mythology in the story and they live among humans, though they deal with racism and prejudice
  • Keelynn and Tadgh are fun, hot and sweet together
  • lots of fun twists in the story

Why you might not want to read it:

  • Keelynn isn’t the most likable – she loves her sister clearly, but sometimes she came off a bit cold – Tadgh is good for her

My Thoughts:

This one is a fun quick read and I wanted it a Fae story with a little bit of spice, tension and humor and it delivered! I think I’m in love with Tadgh. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m already going to read the second book which is about Keelynn’s sister and Tadgh’s brother – that should be an interesting story!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

It’s Not Summer Without You by. Jenny Han | Book Review | Re-Read

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: It’s Not Summer Without You (#2)

Author: Jenny Han

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 275

Publication Date: 4/26/10

Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Romance, Teen, Young Adult, Coming of Age, Contemporary

Belly finds out what comes after falling in love in this follow-up to The Summer I Turned Pretty from the New York Times bestselling author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (soon to be a major motion picture!), Jenny Han.

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.

But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started—at Cousins Beach.

Content Warning: death of parent, underage drinking

I read this series long ago but decided to do a re-read because it’s now on screen! It’s been interesting re-reading this series as an older person for sure. Here’s what I thought:

+ {spoiler} The boy’s mom was ill in book one and passes but they have no scenes of the actual moment it happens. This sequel is told in memories, whether it’s about Belly and Conrad memories, or one that included Susannah. We see everyone handling their grief in very different ways but for sure they are broken and trying to hang on to one another.

+ No matter the romance drama between Belly, Conrad and Jeremiah – I do love that they have the bond because of how close their families are and the memories they made at the beach house.

+ Belly’s mom is awesome and is handling so much – but Belly being a teenager, doesn’t know how much she is handling. But she really is awesome and loves these kids, hers and Susannah’s.

~ Even though I know this book is about a love triangle, I just cannot believe how Belly goes back and forth between the brothers. I’m just sad they all have to go through this drama while grieving Susannah. It’s messy and it’s the worst kind of love triangle because it’s between brothers.

~ This is all teen drama so Belly comes off as a brat at times.

Tropes: love triangle

Spice Level: 🌶 (there is kissing)

Why you should read it:

  • You love the first book and want to know what happens next.
  • you like stories about first loves, first crushes, a love triangle

Why you might not want to read it:

  • you’re not into teenage romance love triangles
  • Belly can get annoying

My Thoughts:

The books in this series are really quick reads! It’s mainly about Belly and the two brothers she loves in different ways but it’s definitely not a book for someone who hates love triangles. I don’t mind love triangles but I hate when it’s between two brothers. It’s messy and even more so because it’s young love with so many feelings involved, feelings that hurt easy, intertwined with grief. In my opinion, Belly should lay off dating these guys until she’s older and has a clear head haha…but that’s just me! It’s just full on romance, back and forth drama.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Summer I Turned Pretty by. Jenny Han | Book Review | Re-read ⭐️⭐️⭐️

How do you regret one of the best nights of your entire life? You don’t. You remember every word, every look. Even when it hurts, you still remember.

Jenny Han, It’s Not Summer Without You

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

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Hook, Line and Sinker (Bellinger Sisters, #2)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 385

Publication Date: 3/1/22

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Romance, Friends to Lovers, Rom Com

King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he’s a guaranteed good time–in bed and out–and that’s exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. She’s immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his… personality? And wants to be friends? Bizarre. But he likes her too much to risk a fling, so platonic pals it is.

Now, Hannah’s in town for work, crashing in Fox’s spare bedroom. She knows he’s a notorious ladies’ man, but they’re definitely just friends. In fact, she’s nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport’s resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker’s eye… yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can’t deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.

Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she’s walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and… and… man overboard! He’s fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he’s all in, she’ll choose him instead?

Content Warning:

Life has been so busy for me the past few weeks that this book was exactly what I needed to sweep me away for a little bit, fall in love with the characters falling in love and not think about my problems 😅. Let’s get to what I did and didn’t like:

+ I love that we are back in Westport, where the ocean is near, and the Bellinger sisters are together again but this one is all about Hannah, the supporting actress, the one in Piper’s shadow, the sweet sister who has her head all up into music. I loved Hannah from book one because she seems down to earth, she’s more practical about things and even has a normal job. She’s trying to work on being the “leading lady” in certain aspects of her life, like with her job and with Fox.

+ The best part of this whole book was Hannah and Fox’s relationship. They go from friends…and yes I think I can say they are friends even though it’s been only a few months of really texting each other. But it continues when she comes back except the physical attraction is now an issue – they want each other…but the challenge is trying to decide if it’s worth ruining the friendship for and I love that they make it work. I’m more of a lover of the “enemies to lovers” trope…but maybe I’m emotional because of PMS, but this one had me in my feels. I love that they were trying to understand one another, be honest even if it was scary – they listened to one another. Love that because relationships are a long haul and knowing how to get through the bumps are so important. And they have their own way which works for them.

+ Speaking of physical attraction 🔥 – these two were definitely hot for one another. But I like how they tried to talk about things before actually getting to the point of acting on it.

~ I felt like book one had more of an emotional connection between Piper and her dad’s memory, the town and the bar. Sadly Hannah doesn’t have that connection because she doesn’t remember him and that is realistic but she was hardly at her grandma’s place, or connecting to anyone really in the book except for with Fox. BUT…I totally get it, some people just need their space and she even said she liked the idea of moving from Westport to be able to work, and have space so they could figure out their relationship with Fox without people always giving their two cents. So I respected that about her. I just felt like there wasn’t much of Piper in the book or anyone else, this really focused on Hannah and Fox relationship.

~ I think some parts about Fox’s commitment issues got a bit repetitive in the middle of the story. I get it that he had to work through these issues though and actually I think it’s relatable (I grew up with a few guys like this.) There are those guys out there and it’s sad that they think their only worth is their looks and being a F-buddy, which is why I thought it was sweet how he connected with Hannah and how Hannah saw who he really was and was patient enough with him.

Tropes: friends to lovers, forced proximity, afraid to commit, small town

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

  • Hannah and Fox are perfect for one another, she’s trying to be more confident in her job and he has major insecurities, especially when it comes to his feelings about Hannah – but what I love about them is they try to listen and understand one another. They are each other’s safe space. They grew together which melts my heart!
  • sweet, steamy, and funny

Why you might not want to read it:

  • you didn’t like the first book…OR if you did like the first one, just know this one is different because Piper isn’t Hannah and vice versa. Hannah has a lesser connection to the town and her dad’s memory. Hannah is her own person but it would have been nice to have her reconnect more with her sister too – but that’s just me. I like when Hannah and Piper are together because they are the most loving sisters.

My Thoughts:

Overall, this was the perfect book for my current mood – I just wanted to escape and read a book with a happily ever after. I definitely felt all the emotions while reading Hannah and Fox’s love story. They are the cutest together with their shared love of music and wanting to take care of each other. This one gave me all the feels!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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

I just kind of stand around waiting for things to happen, while other people seem to make them happen so easily. I can help others—I like doing that—but I’m a supporting actress, not a leading lady.

Tessa Bailey, Hook, Line and Sinker

The Dragon’s Promise by. Elizabeth Lim | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Dragon’s Promise (Six Crimson Cranes, #2)

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 8/30/22

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Series, Fantasy, Dragons, Demons, Romance, Fairytale

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

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

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon’s pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori’s aid one minute, and betraying her the next—threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love, Takkan. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she’s fought so hard to win. 

Content Warning: violence

This is the sequel to Six Crimson Cranes and although I did enjoy this conclusion, there were a few things that didn’t work for me, but still lots of other things I did love – let’s take a look:

+ We get to spend time in the dragon’s realm and learn more about Seryu! I really did enjoy Shiori’s time with the dragons. It felt like a very fantastical and unique place, but quite scary for Shiori because there was a lot of deception going on and she didn’t know who to trust! There is a lot of action in the book because Shiori is moving from one place to another. That girl never has a repreve!

+ My beloved Kiki is back, she is the best paper bird ever. I love her! Other characters like Shiori’s brothers are back as well and once again they do their best to help Shiori in her quest.

+ Shiori and Takkan’s love story is a beautiful thing to see grow and develop. They are always thinking of the other, and wanting the best for one another. Yes they do have challenges because Shiori is always getting into a mess, but Takkan is the perfect balance for her – he is steady, he is constant and he loves Shiori no matter what. They were my favorite part of the book I think.

+ I love how we learn about Raikama’s past and it always pinched at my heart how Shiori missed her and how there were regrets about their relationship. I can at least say there was peace for Raikama in this book. But many parts of this book, especially at the end, were quite emotional.

~ The pacing is off in this book and I didn’t feel like the first part of the book, when Shiori was in Ai’long, connected to the rest of the book. We meet new characters in Ai’long and some loose ends that didn’t have closure for me there. Then there is a lull when Shiori is back in Kiata with her family because she’s pretending she there and back to normal but she’s planning on following through with finding the Wraith, to give the pearl to him. There might have been too much going on at once. Because she also had to deal with the demon, Bandur!

~ Speaking of Bandur, he’s always in the back of Shiori’s mind, obviously but I think when it came time to really put him away, if felt sort of anti-climactic because of the Wraith and his anger and issues…there are a lot of angry demons and dragons in this book. I get that Bandur is the biggest villain, but once again, I felt like the story got disconnected in some places or it felt like 3 stories in one book.

Tropes: special one, opposites attract (Shiori the princess/Takkan who doesn’t fit in at court), puppy love

Why you should read it:

  • creative world building, we get to travel with Shiori to Ai’long ,the Realm of Dragons
  • lovable characters like Seryu, Kiki, Takkan and Shiori’s brothers
  • emotional story when it comes to Shiori and her brothers and memories about Raikama
  • the sweet love story between Shiori and Takkan

Why you might not want to read it:

  • feels like too much going on, as if 2-3 stories are shoved into one, feels disjointed

My Thoughts:

I think this is a solid ending to an imaginative and fun duology but it did fall flat of my expectations mostly because of how disjointed the story felt at times. But I love Shiori and Takkan’s love story and I adore all the characters that I came to care for in this story like Kiki and Seryu. I wonder if the dragons will get their own book? There is a lot of story to tell there and I feel like Elang didn’t get any closure. Overall I found the themes of family and love in the story to be heartwarming. I’m glad I got to finish this duology and I hope to read more from this author in the future.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Ramón and Julieta by. Alana Quintana Albertson | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Ramón and Julieta (Love and Tacos, #1)

Author: Alana Quintana Albertson

Format: paperback (own)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 2/1/22

Publisher: Berkley Books

Categories: Romance, Women’s Fiction, Latinx, Foodie Romance

When fate and tacos bring Ramón and Julieta together on the Day of the Dead, the star-crossed pair must make a choice: accept the bitter food rivalry that drives them apart or surrender to a love that consumes them. 

Ramón Montez always achieves his goals. Whether that means collecting Ivy League degrees or growing his father’s fast-food empire, nothing sets Ramón off course. So when the sexy señorita who kissed him on the Day of the Dead runs off into the night with his heart, he determines to do whatever it takes to find her again.

Celebrity chef Julieta Campos has sacrificed everything to save her sea-to-table taqueria from closing. To her horror, she discovers that her new landlord is none other than the magnetic mariachi she hooked up with on Dia de los Muertos. Even worse, it was his father who stole her mother’s taco recipe decades ago. Julieta has no choice but to work with Ramón, the man who destroyed her life’s work–and the one man who tempts and inspires her.

As San Diego’s outraged community protests against the Taco King take-over and the divide between their families grows, Ramón and Julieta struggle to balance the rising tensions. But Ramón knows that true love is priceless and despite all of his successes, this is the one battle he refuses to lose. 

Content Warning: gentrification, parental neglect/parental relationship problems

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the book cover and all its vibrant colors. This romance story itself is full of color so let’s see what did and didn’t work for me:

+ This one has a bunch of romance tropes: rival families, it’s a loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet, it’s a millionaire romance, workplace romance and insta-attraction but I think it all works nicely together.

+ Ramón and Julieta meet right away and the attraction is instant. They are even ready for a one-night stand which doesn’t happen though. But throughout the book they are basically itching to get their hands on one another and when they do, there are some steamy moments – but they are quick and not super detailed.

+ It’s a really quick read and though Ramón and Julieta has challenges, it is easily resolved. This one is centered around a Chicano community in San Diego called Barrio Logan and I thought the author did a great job capturing the sights, customs, and flavors of the community. The rivalry between the two families centers on a taco recipe, so yes this book will make you hungry for Mexican food. I thought it was good to put a spotlight on class issues – Ramón’s family being known as “coconuts” and how he feels like he doesn’t belong in Julieta’s community because they were raised different and richer. Or how Julieta felt being poorer than him. I did like how he made amends to Julieta’s family though and how he stood up to his dad.

~ There was a lot of talk about Ramón’s McLaren which is I guess a very expensive car? lol I wouldn’t know.

~ It’s a very loose retelling of Romeo and Julieta, it had some elements of it – even the two characters spouting lines from the play at times. But it’s not an exact retelling so don’t expect that.

~ Although there were some deep issues to do with class and gentrification in the story, I think the story glossed over it. It stayed a light-hearted romance book, which is fine, so if you want a romance story that tackles the issues – this isn’t it. This one stays light and has a happily ever after.

Tropes: insta-attraction, instalove, romeo and juliet inspired, rivals, millionaire romance, workplace romance

Why you should read it:

  • lots of Chicano culture is represented
  • it’s got a few elements of Romeo and Juliet in the story but it’s a whole unique story in itself
  • Ramón and Julieta are hot for each other, they don’t really care that their parents advise them not to see one another and they have a HEA

Why you might not want to read it:

  • the rivalry isn’t really a strong aspect of the story – something happened in the past between their parents, a miscommunication or no explanation – so that rivalry is mostly between their parents. Ramón didn’t even know about it! Julieta and Ramón let go of the rivalry once they figure out what happened.
  • Some of the Romeo/Juliet verses was a bit cringe to me lol but I went with it – it’s a romance 🤷🏻‍♀️. Maybe if some guy serenaded me I’d fall hard too…or cringe LOL -knowing me, I’d cringe 😅.

My Thoughts:

This was a cute one and I read it fairly quick. I love the book cover, which I think captures the vibe of the story very well. The way the author describes San Diego and the Barrio, all the customs and food was wonderful. The romance is light hearted, had elements of Shakespeare’s famous play, and it was steamy when it needed to be.

📚 ~ Yolanda

For the Throne by. Hannah F. Whitten | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: For the Throne (Wilderwood, #2)

Author: Hannah F. Whitten

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 6/9/22

Publisher: Orbit

Categories: New Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Twins

The First Daughter is for the Throne
The Second Daughter is for the Wolf…

Red and the Wolf have finally contained the threat of the Old Kings but at a steep cost. Red’s beloved sister Neve, the First Daughter is lost in the Shadowlands, an inverted kingdom where the vicious gods of legend have been trapped for centuries and the Old Kings have slowly been gaining control. But Neve has an ally–though it’s one she’d rather never have to speak to again–the rogue king Solmir. 

Solmir wants to bring an end to the Shadowlands and he believes helping Neve may be the key to its destruction. But to do that, they will both have to journey across a dangerous landscape in order to find a mysterious Heart Tree, and finally to claim the gods’ dark, twisted powers for themselves.

Content Warning: violence, self harm, rats and roaches

I finished this duology in one week, yay, so was it better than the first book? Let’s so what did and didn’t work for me:

+ The story is still told through different perspectives: Neve in the Shadowlands with Solmir trying to take care of the Kings, Red and company trying to figure out how to get Neve out of the Shadowlands and Raffe who brings in a new character to their crew, Kayu. Once again, where I was more invested in Red’s story in For the Wolf, I was now more interested in Neve’s in this volume.

+ We learn more about the Kings and what happened in the past. We get to try and decide if Solmir is trustworthy or not.

+ Neve is a strong character and she’s battling with some internal struggles. She’s trying to uncover who she really is – is she good? Or has her actions trying to save Red show that she’s bad? Is it so black and white? Will she embraced all parts of herself, good and bad? Neve held her own in the Shadowlands, she thrived alongside Solmir and killing beasts and taking their god powers. I liked Solmir – he knew he was an a-hole and didn’t try to hide it, basically Neve and Solmir got to know each other on a very real level – flaws and everything. They are morally gray characters.

+ I think the story tied up all the loose ends in the story. I liked more of the action in Neve’s story. I loved that there was a concentration on the love between the two sisters moreso in this book than the first one.

~ I feel like the different perspectives didn’t make this story flow. It started off good and then it fizzled out, then ended with a bang. The pacing was just off for me this whole duology, it moves to slow. This one had more action but only when it was Neve telling the story. She and Solmir get into some thrilling situations, some gross (killer rats and roaches anyone? ugh). I was more interested in Neve’s story but we get a new character Kayu who is helping Red and friends try and figure out who to contact or help Neve. Also the new character being a love interested for Raffe I’m torn about. I’m glad Raffe has someone new to fall for but I felt like it was rushed.

~ If book one was Beauty and the Beast, then I think the author tried to make this like Snow White. The story mentions apples and mirrors. But that’s all I got in reference to Snow White, which isn’t much.

~ We don’t get much more of Fife and Lyra except for the facet Fife is mad he’s still bound to Eammon (but he made that choice) and is is acknowledged that Fife and Lyra bring in an ACE relationship.

~ This happened to me in book one as well and again in this book where I had to pause and reread a sentence to make sure it made sense to me lol. There were times I was like oh, that’s deep and times I cringed and that was my experience with the whole series!

Tropes: monster boyfriend, morally gray characters, atmospheric setting, quest, villain redemption arc, good twin/bad twin, enemies to lovers, slow burn

Why you should read it:

  • you loved For the Wolf, or didn’t love it but curious enough to read about Neve and her character arc
  • it’s a romantasy (romance fantasy)
  • I feel like the sister relationship has more of a spotlight here and asks some interesting questions like what will you do for family or someone you love? Let the world burn to the ground to save her or not?

Why you might not want to read it:

  • Everyone in this book starts pairing up, not sure if Raffe’s pairing was needed but I thought Kayu was an interesting character. It made their relationship rushed though.
  • pacing issues like first book

My Thoughts:

So I’m done with both books and I can say I did love Red and Eammon together in book one but Neve and Solmir are more my speed. They faced crazy dangers in the shadowlands – psycho kings, scary godlike creatures, and beasts like rats and roaches (UGH yuck), and they had to kill to absorb power. Neve showed her mettle though and I liked seeing how she dealt with her internal struggle about goodness and evil. The sister love came through in this one and it was interesting to see how the roles were reversed. Neve wanted to save Red in book one and now Red was trying to save Neve and honestly…they both learned they could save themselves. They had to learn that lesson the hard way though. Overall, it was a series that took time to read because there were pacing issues and the books seemed too long. I was entertained enough to finish it through though.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

“May the next world be kinder, Beloved,”

― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Throne

“The two of you have overturned worlds for each other, Neverah. It’s hard to get more matched than that.”

― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Throne

Saving someone else was a wall you couldn’t scale unless they threw you a rope.

― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Throne

For the Wolf by. Hannah F. Whitten | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: For the Wolf (Wilderwood, #1)

Author: Hannah F. Whitten

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 481

Publication Date: 6/1/21

Publisher: Orbit

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Beauty and the Beast Re-telling, Twins

The first daughter is for the Throne.
The second daughter is for the Wolf.

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose-to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he’ll return the world’s captured gods.

Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can’t control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can’t hurt those she loves. Again.

But the legends lie. The Wolf is a man, not a monster. Her magic is a calling, not a curse. And if she doesn’t learn how to use it, the monsters the gods have become will swallow the Wilderwood-and her world-whole.

Content Warning: self-harm

I got this book and the sequel on my online library so I read it right away before my borrowing period ended. I’ve seen good and bad reviews for this book, so let’s so what did and didn’t work for me:

+ This is story is a romantasy and those were the parts that I loved in the book. Redarys (Red) is the second the daughter, and if the first daughter is for the throne then the second daughter is for the Wolf. She gets sent as the sacrificial second daughter to the Wolf in the Wilderwood. No one knows much about him except from legend and lore being told from generation to generation. When Red meets Eammon, the wolf, she learns that his power is feeding the Wilderwood but he needs help and this is where she comes in to the picture.

+ I did like the world building and story about five Kings, magic, and the Wilderwood. I think I had a good grasp of the world this is set it. I think we got a pretty good idea of

+ This being a romantasy means I was invested in Red and Eammon falling for one another. It has very Beauty and the Beast vibes except I was thinking it was gonna be Red Riding Hood vibes because of the cover? And Eammon is called the Wolf? So yeah…maybe a blending of the two stories? So yes, I did love their moments together – they have physical chemistry…as for the emotional chemistry? I think Eammon is just the type who doesn’t talk about his feelings much. I do feel at times this could be more New Adult than Young Adult (I’m reading book 2 right now and it is definitely NA).

~ This story is actually told between two perspectives and I was more into Red’s story because it starts with her. But her twin Neve is on the other side of the Wilderwood, she misses Red, she wants to rescue Red without knowing Red doesn’t want to be rescued. Neve does some things that has dire consequences to the Wilderwood, Red and Eammon and I believe book two is her story. I wasn’t as invested in Neve because of the romance taking place with Red and Eammon.

~ The pacing was off, I was into the story and then there was a lull because Red doesn’t know how to use her power, doesn’t understand it and no one is explaining it to her (looking at you, Eammon). Eammon eventually trains her to use her power but he won’t let her help him take care of the Wildwood so he is self-harming himself like crazy because he doesn’t want help. I wanted to shake him a few times. Like what is Red’s purpose then if not to help him? The both of them were hopeless and stubborn at times 🤦🏻‍♀️ but at least they had good kissing scenes!

~ There are side characters like Fife and Lyra but I didn’t feel like they contributed much to the story. It would be nice to get to know them a bit more. I do have to mention that Lyra is a ACE rep, at least from how Fife described her. Like I said, would be nice to get to know them more.

~ I said I think I got a good grasp of the world-building but I can also say I couldn’t really pin it down. It felt like a blur sometimes even though she went into detail describing it…does that make sense? 😅

Tropes: single bed, marriage/sacrifice, forced proximity, sentient forest, fairytale mash-up, monster boyfriend, girl with magic who doesn’t know how to use it, brooding male, slow-burn

Why you should read it:

  • Beauty and the Beast, Red Riding Hood vibes – seems like a bunch of fairy tales actually because the ending hints at Sleeping Beauty also
  • it’s a romantasy (romance fantasy)
  • twin sisters who care about one another a lot – but needing to learn how to let go of one another and be on their separate paths

Why you might not want to read it:

  • I should call it a romangstasy lol…because yes Red and Eammon = angsty – I was getting irritated when she wanted to help and he said no or when he asked her to use her power instead of blood and she said no. Like…come on….😂.
  • a slower read at some parts – mostly because of the repetition

My Thoughts:

I feel like I’m still processing this one but also I already started book two since it’s fresh in my head and this is definitely not a Young Adult series…I’m saying it’s New Adult because Red and Eammon have some sexy times right away. For the Wolf, was entertaining enough for me to stick it through. I do like fairytale mash-ups when they make sense. I was expecting Red Riding Hood but got more Beauty and the Beast instead. Red and Eammon have that angsty, non-communicative relationship which can be so frustrating but I liked when they stopped talking and kissed instead. So I have mixed feelings about this one to say the least. I also was more into Red’s story than Neve but now that I’m reading book two…Neve’s story seems already better than Red’s, maybe because Solmir is more talkative. So we shall see how everything turns out for both sisters.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

People with power resent losing it, and too much power for too long a time can make a villain of anyone.” 

― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Wolf

People created stories to fill the gaps they didn’t understand, and religion grew up around it like rot on a fallen tree.” 

― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Wolf

“She could count the number of people who loved her on one hand, and they all kept begging for the only thing she couldn’t give them.” 

― Hannah F. Whitten, For the Wolf