The Heart Principle by. Helen Hoang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Heart Principle (The Kiss Quotient, #3)

Author: Helen Hoang

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 339

Publication Date: 8/31/21

Categories: Romance, Women’s Fiction, Adult Fiction, Mental Health, Family, Contemporary

A woman struggling with burnout learns to embrace the unexpected—and the man she enlists to help her—in this new New York Times bestselling romance by Helen Hoang.

When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she finds herself incapacitated and burned out from her attempts to replicate that moment. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship, then she does, too. Translation: She’s going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better.

That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. Their first attempt at a one-night stand fails, as does their second, and their third, because being with Quan is more than sex—he accepts Anna on an unconditional level that she herself has just started to understand. However, when tragedy strikes Anna’s family she takes on a role that she is ill-suited for, until the burden of expectations threatens to destroy her. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.

Content Warning: Toxic Family, Suicide Ideation, Toxic Relationships, Cancer, Death, Grief

I went into this book not reading many reviews of this book and wow, it was more than I got more than what I was expecting. There is romance, yes, but there is soooo much more than that. This story is about personal growth and acceptance, overcoming challenges, dealing with family who supposedly loves you but hurt you instead, opening up in a new relationship, being a caregiver, and just so many things. And for me it all worked beautifully.

Let’s talk about what I was here for – the romance. I fell in love with Quan when I read The Bride Test (because I read the books out of order) and I think I’m not alone in saying that everyone was waiting for Quan’s story. We get his story for sure, but we also get Anna’s. And this solidifies that I have finally found my book boyfriend and his name is Quan lol. I love his patience, his ambition, his love for his family, and of course his love for Anna. They meet and try to do a meaningless one night stand, but it doesn’t go so easy and they keep trying haha. They continue trying until they have a breakthrough, which I love about them. I knew they were meant to be when they both didn’t give up on one another even though it was scary – for both of them.

And now let’s talk about Anna. This is about Anna and if you read the author’s note, this is the most autobiographically book out of the three and this one hurt. This one is raw, painful, triggering, and yet the journey with Quan by Anna’s side was so absolutely gorgeous. It didn’t make me cry, maybe because some of the issues she goes through – like the family tough love – I’ve learn to deal and make peace with my own family’s tough love…but whew – it is so spot on. Even when she becomes a caregiver, I could relate so hard. There are times I wanted to shake Anna but honestly I felt like she was asking me as a reader to understand and please be patient with her, she was not going to get things right because that’s not her. Anna isn’t like everyone, she is on the autism spectrum but she only finds that out now. I love that she goes to therapy, I love that things make sense eventually. I hated that her family didn’t accept the truth but I grew up in a family like that so once again, I relate HARD. Anna goes on such a journey in this story…but Quan is there. He’s there. 😭❤️ They worked through their challenges and it made me love them as a couple.

This wasn’t some light-hearted romantic comedy, but to me it is an epic journey of self and love. Life is freaking hard, and we fight on like Anna and Quan.

This was more Anna than Quan but I felt like it was enough for me. The one thing that felt rushed was Quan’s journey after Anna hurts him. I felt like it jumps so fast from him running on a treadmill to him hiking the Grand Canyon. I understand what the author was trying to say and do for Quan but, it was such a leap from one moment to the other, I kind of wish that part wasn’t so rushed.

Why you should read it:

complex characters
Quan – he is amazing
Anna and Quan’s relationship: giving each other space when needed, being patient with one another and opening up when it’s hard
more than just a love story

Why you might not want to read it:

very triggering, dealing with hard topics, especially if you have a toxic family or working through some issues this might not be the romance book you are looking for
this is not a rom-com, not even light-hearted reading, it’s complex

My Thoughts:

Beautifully complex, this story takes you on an emotional journey and I was definitely rooting for Anna and Quan’s happily ever after. Like the book though, it doesn’t come easy – these two tough it out in their relationship and outside of it too.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes from the Book:

“I don’t question why people do things. I just observe and copy. That’s how to get along in this world.”
The Heart Principle by. Helen Hoang

“Family is not safe. Not for me. Tough love is brutally honest and hurts you to help you. Tough love cuts you when you’re already bruised and berates you when you don’t heal faster.”
The Heart Principle By. Helen Hoang

“I’ll draw a line around you, and I’ll protect you and stand up for you and speak up for you when it’s right. I’ll keep you safe. And I’ll do the same for me. Because I matter, too.”
The Heart Principle by. Helen Hoang

“Instead, I must focus on giving what I have, not what people want, because that is all I can give. I don’t mask anymore if I can help it.”
The Heart Principle By. Helen Hoang

Lord of Embers by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Lord of Embers (The Demon Queen Trials, #2)

Author: C.N. Crawford

Format: eBook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 298

Publication Date: 1/15/21

Categories: New Adult, Romance, Demons, Urban Fantasy

Once, I was a broke college student. Now, it seems I’m destined to rule as the Lightbringer–queen of the demon realm. Except I have competition in the form of Orion, the Lord of Chaos. Like me, he has been marked as a leader. We can’t keep our hands off each other, even if he swore an oath to kill me.

It seems we both want the same thing–the crown. And in this battle of wills, only one of us will be left standing.

Content Warning: Violence

This is the sequel to City of Thorns and I really enjoyed this installment. It wasn’t quite what I expected after how book one ended but I liked the direction it took.

So in this book Orion is convinced Rowan is Mortana reincarnated and he has a vow to kill Mortana. Rowan is pretty sure she’s not Mortana, but not totally 100%, she needs proof and finds it. Orion is still bent on ruling the demon realm but he does need Rowan’s help, at least that’s what she makes him think so she can stay alive.

I love Orion and Rowan’s interactions. They clearly can’t deny the attraction between them, but they also both have a desire to rule – so who is it going to be? There is tension and humor, which I enjoy. There’s also a spicy scene which was fun while it lasted.

I liked Rowan’s growth and transformation as she learns about who and what she is. I thought the introduction of Tammuz, Lucifer’s twin, was pretty cool. Tammuz thrives on chaos. She gets some time to train with him near the ending of the book and I think it will set up a good showdown between her and Orion in the next book. I love when they fight and now she can really try and kick his butt haha, or sleep with him some more. We also get to know more about Orion and his time in the dungeon.

Story-wise this took an unexpected turn into the Puritan era. But it makes sense since Orion and Rowan are demons, why wouldn’t their hell be in the time when Puritans were hanging women for being witches. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I thought it was interesting and it did help Rowan’s transformation into a stronger demon. There were some funny parts, especially with a miss Goody Putnam lol.

Honestly I didn’t care for the part in book one where they thought Mortana could be Rowan. I’m just glad that part got cleared up in this book because I was over Orion accusing Rowan of something she can’t even control – but I see why he wants to kill Mortana so…it was a dilemma for him for sure. But that whole mistaken identity thing was done in another series I read from this author, so I just want something new.

Why you should read it:

enemies to lovers
Rowan’s transformation and growth
demons hiding among Puritans was kinda funny

Why you might not want to read it:

less action than book one
he’s an incubus and she’s a succubus, honestly I wanted more action between them

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this one a lot and am so looking forward to see what Rowan does now after that ending!

📚 ~ Yolanda

House of Wolves by. Casey L. Bond | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Title: House of Wolves (House of Eclipses, #2)

Author: Casey L. Bond

Format: eBook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 458

Publication Date: 11/19/21

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Duology

Hunt the shadow. Guard the flame.

Noor is the new Aten of Helios, having wrenched the kingdom of the sun from her treacherous father’s hands. Citali stood with her sister against him, and rejoiced when he died at Noor’s hand… But he did not go quietly.

He poisoned the thoughts of their older sister, Zarina, who believes that Noor is not who she claims and was never supposed to be Aten. As Zarina flees the temple to determine her next step, she encounters, then attacks, Citali.

Beaten and left for dead, Citali’s cries are heard by the Wolven of Lumina. In a flurry of fur and fang, Beron rushes to her aid yet fears he arrived too late. With what would have been her dying breath, Citali whispers a secret that changes everything.

Pleading to Lumos – the god of the moon – for a way to save her, Beron is provided an answer that comes at a steep price. Citali will become Wolven. The two bonded together for a lifetime. Despite their tumultuous past, Beron helps hone her new strength and senses, a primal passion now surging through her veins. But can the two stop fighting one another and work together to hunt and destroy the darkness spreading over the sands like a plague of locusts? Or will the sands of time run out for them both?

Content Warning:

I hate to say I struggled through this one, but I did and I don’t know if it was a mood reader thing. I enjoyed the first book of this series and then look at the cover of this one? Honestly this series has the best book covers!

I liked that this was from Citali’s perspective because after the cliff-hanger ending from book one, I really wanted to know her story. And we definitely get to know it. Citali goes through a transformation. She was hateful in book one and then we get to know her secrets, her motivations and her past. I started to like her and it was nice seeing her befriending Beron’s pack, Chase and Holt, Beron’s wolves in his pack are so much fun. I’m glad Citali has a found family with Beron and the pack, plus her relationship with Noor grows and strengthens.

The romance is a slow burn…too slow for me. I needed more of Citali and Beron together or more scenes where they have chemistry because he’s a wolf. I was expecting much more between them but in the second half of the book they are mostly separated. And then of course, they are mates…fated mates are such a hit or miss for me. I wanted them to be mates, but I just wanted more intensity between them. Also I wanted more from Beron, I felt like we didn’t learn anything more about him than from what we know from book one.

I’m not sure the part where she separates from Beron and her family worked for me. I felt like it took the story in a direction I wasn’t expecting and I lost interest even though Anubis seemed like a somewhat interesting character. I was afraid it was going to turn into a love triangle, and at the end of the book no less, and I was just not feeling it. It wasn’t a love triangle but still…it seemed like it was going there.

Why you should read it:

Citali’s character growth and transformation
if you like slow burn romances, this one might appeal to you
good world building

Why you might not want to read it:

the romance lacked intensity and chemistry
some characters lacked depth

My Thoughts:

I struggled through this one sadly and took me awhile to read because I kept putting it down. I did enjoy Citali’s journey, but some parts just didn’t work for me and I wish there was more romance. For a duology though, I think it was a good conclusion to the series.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book

“You deserve to love and be loved in a way that supersedes reason and expectation. That ventures far beyond tradition, and lays outside the bounds of the experiences of others.”
House of Wolves by. Casey L. Bond

The Witches Blade by. A.K. Mulford | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Witches’ Blade (The Five Crowns of Okrith, #2)

Author: A.K. Mulford

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 444

Publication Date: 11/02/21

Categories: Romance, Dark Fantasy, Fae, Witches, Fated Mates

A magic sword. A powerful curse. An untested fae princess.

Eighteen-year-old Ruadora Dammacus now possesses the Immortal Blade. But when Rua discovers the Northern King’s uncle is alive and has cast a spell on a blue witch army, she realizes that the battle is just beginning.

Venturing into the Northern Court, Rua finds herself with an unlikely ally in the new King. Her problems are mounting, and the handsome King is only one of them. With the eyes of her newfound family on her, can Rua prove herself worthy of the Immortal Blade or will its magic be too powerful? Danger, intrigue, and thrilling passion ensues as Rua battles to break the witches’ curse.

Enthralling and adrenaline-filled, The Witches’ Blade is the second book in the gripping high fantasy saga, The Five Crowns of Okrith.

I really enjoyed book one of this series and was curious to see how the sequel would go. Book one was Remy’s story and the sequel is about her younger sister Rua. The ending of book one really put Rua in a hard position. She feels guilt from not being quick enough to save her brother and now she possesses the Immortal Blade which infuses blood lust into her when she continues to use it. Rua feels like she is becoming a monster and is glad to be away from Remy, the sister she hardly knows.

This story goes harder than the first book meaning, Rua is damaged and she’s just trying to survive. She has trauma from what happened to her and her family as a child, then being raised by red witches who didn’t know how to give her affection, to now reuniting with her sister, just as they lost their brother. This story is emotional, dark, sad and yet it really does turn around in the end and hope comes shining through.

The romance between Rua and Renwick is a very slow burn but when they get together finally…whew…does it burn! There are a bunch of things going on in the book including Renwick trying to repair relations with the blue witches who his dad and uncle killed off or tortured. And Renwick is not innocent in the atrocities as well – he was once a part of them. Talk about trying to live with demons, trying to make things right and not knowing if it will ever be enough…that’s what Renwick is living with so he and Rua are alike in that sense. But Renwick grew on me the more we learned about him – and then by the end he was melting my heart along with Rua’s. I like that they had to work things out within themselves before actually trying to be together.

Bri is an amazing secondary character who was there in book one, now two and I hope book three is about her and her brother. She is a wonderful character but she has secrets as well. I love how LGBT+ is represented in this book and how natural it is in the world-building.

Speaking of world building, I loved how we learn about the blue witches and the atrocities that happened to them. It goes along with the darkness of Renwick and Rua’s emotions – the whole tone of this story was just darker than the first but I enjoyed it because it brought heavier emotions than book one did, it definitely delved into trauma and PTSD.

Content Warnings: addiction, violence, death, PTSD

Remy and Rua don’t get a real chance to get to know one another in this book. Remy is happy with Hale and life is good for her. Rua on the otherhand is dealing with some tough feelings and emotions. Thank goodness for Bri or else Rua would truly be lost, I think. I love that Bri was there for her in Rua’s darkest moments. Though I do hope Remy and Rua can reconnect again, I also know it’s realistic that it doesn’t happen right away after all the trauma they have been through.

This is a fated mates book and though I cringe when that part comes along, I think I enjoyed the way this was revealed more so than when it was revealed between Hale and Remy. That one was too much for me, but for Renwick and Rua…it was just right and didn’t make me cringe. I also appreciated the fact that Remy and Renwick gave each other space – I was actually wishing they were in more scenes together, but I get they needed space as well.

Why you should read it?

you love fated mates trope
you like a darker fantasy story where characters deal with trauma
really consistent series so far

Why you might not want to read it?

heavy, dark topics

My Thoughts:

This is a great sequel in what is a very consistent series so far and I’m enjoying the different couples and their romance stories plus their personal struggles as well. I love how the LGBT+ representation is so natural in the story and am looking forward to learning more about Bri and her love story – which amazing woman will win her beautiful heart? I look forward to reading book three!

📚 ~ Yolanda

With Dagger and Song by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: With Dagger and Song (Curse of the Cyren Queen, #2)

Author: Helen Scheuerer

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 378

Publication Date: 11/13/21

Publisher: Alchemy

Categories: Fantasy, Series, Young Adult, Adventure

An empty crown. A perilous journey. Will she answer when darkness calls?

Against all odds, Roh survived the harrowing Queen’s Tournament, but now something far deadlier awaits her: a formidable quest for the three magic birthstones of Saddoriel.

The gems have been scattered across the realms – and only when Roh retrieves them can she take her place as queen. But surrounded by hostile companions and tormented by the dangerous secret she carries, Roh begins to realise that the pursuit of power may prove more destructive than she ever imagined.

Nothing can prepare her for the nightmares that fester in the shadows of Akoris, a fanatical cyren territory, or the twisted games of its cunning leader…

Can Roh win the first birthstone without sacrificing everything she holds dear – and without losing herself?

Packed with heart-pounding action and layers of intrigue, With Dagger and Song is the second epic instalment in Helen Scheuerer’s Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet.

This is book two of the Curse of the Cyren Queen series and it picks up from book one. Roh survived the Queen’s Tournament and we find out she’s a future queen, not just a bone cleaner. Of course they won’t let her be Queen until she goes on a quest to get the three magic birthstones of Saddoriel. Then and only then will it prove she is worthy.

Roh chooses her companions on this quest – Odi is a given but Harlyn was a curious choice since Har hates Roh with a passion after learning about Roh’s deception. Also Roh picks warriors Yrsa and Finn to come along. Finn is another one that hates Roh. A lot of people hate Roh! haha…but at least being thrown together on this journey, we get to learn more about Yrsa and she’s a good person. Finn, well…we shall see what happens there, it seems he’s warming up to Roh. It’s Harlyn and Roh’s relationship that I was hoping would be repaired somehow in this sequel. It’s rough but they get there.

The group travels across Saddoriel to Akoris, where the fanatical cyrens reside and their ruler, Adriel is pulling the strings. So somehow Roh has to appease Adriel by passing more tests in order to be acknowledged as queen. I am really enjoying the journey they are taking through these different lands though. I also like that the story moves forward with Roh trying to get the birthstone plus doing her best trying to find out more about her mother’s past. We find out a bit more about Roh’s mysterious background as well.

I think Roh has a lot of character growth in this sequel. She still has trouble trusting people with her secrets, even though secrets are what messed up her friendship with Harlyn and Orson, the two people who knew her best. But Roh is starting to learn that she needs allies and good advice. I’m sure Roh will make more mistakes before we get to the end of this series, but seeing progress is a good thing.

Content Warnings: drugged, violence

They did a bunch of traveling but once they were in Akoris they stayed put for the bulk of the story. Akoris was an interesting place but I thought Adriel would have been more sinister – Roh handled him quite well I believe.

I’m looking forward to see what happens with Finn and Roh. An enemies to lovers thing? Or not? Haha…I like seeing them bicker as potential friends or lovers. I’m also eager to see what happens with the water drake egg that Roh has in her possession! That ending made me wish book three was going to be out soon.

Why you should read it?

story about betrayal and forgiveness
you like an underdog story
Roh’s character development – she has a lot of things to fix and I”m glad she’s facing it head on

Why you might not want to read it?

not into fantasy
wait until the whole series is out

My Thoughts:

I thought this was a good sequel as we follow Roh and her companions to Akoris. We learn about the water warlocks and their beef with cyrens. Also, we get to know more about Roh’s background. I’m looking forward to more adventure in book three and I hope we get more of Finn and Roh and the water drake egg!

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Burning God by. R. F. Kuang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Burning God (The Poppy War, #3)

Author: R.F. Kuang

Pages: 570

Publication Date: 11/17/20

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Categories: War, Fantasy, Series, Political Intrigue

The exciting end to The Poppy War trilogy, R. F. Kuang’s acclaimed, award-winning epic fantasy that combines the history of twentieth-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating, enthralling effect.

After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead.

Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges—and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation.

Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners. As her power and influence grows, though, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s intoxicating voice urging her to burn the world and everything in it?

Once again, the continuation of the books in this series is pretty flawless. It carries the intensity, even more so with this one.

Rin has finally begun to learn some leadership skills which helps because she needs the Southern Coalition army behind her to defeat Nezha and the Hesperians. She also needs more shamans to go up against them.

As always Kitay is Rin’s saving grace. Without him, I don’t know where Rin would be. She doesn’t even have power without him. She needs his brilliant mind and his voice of reason even when she doesn’t listen to him, she at least considers what he says and that’s something.

The Trifecta story was fascinating and we finally get to learn about what happened between them. Nezha…oh Nezha, I never forgave him his betrayal of Rin. I know he was tortured by the Hesperians and had awful parents but I just can’t forgive him yet I also know he knows how to run the country….still….the thought of him leaves me feeling so bitter.

I liked that the story delves into questions like even though Rin is victorious…she is mostly victorious in revenge because who really wins in war? Who suffers the most? And who is left to rule? Are they good enough to rule? Rin is a killing machine and soldier but leader of a country? Nope – she has no patience for that, there is so much to learn about running a country competently, she is in over her head. She was never safe even after “winning”.

This stories ends and it’s so final, at least for Rin’s story. It’s not a pretty ending. After I shut off my ipad, I felt like I was burned by Rin’s phoenix too.

Content Warnings: violence, cannibalism, gore, stories of rape, death, grief, drug use, racism

Rin has become ruthless. She was scary before but in this one there is no turning back for her, her path is written in destruction. But the thing I hate about Rin is she NEVER LEARNS. It was absolutely frustrating and I could only tolerate her when Kitay was with her trying to talk some sense in her or drawing up battle plans and inventions. She cannot see through people for the life of her, no matter how many times she is betrayed…maybe I expect too much of her? But how many times can she be betrayed and learn never to trust people. After what happened at the end of book two? It’s her weakness and shows her to be more human than god but she’s supposed to fight a powerful Nezha and honestly…he was more powerful, he could snuff out her fire! After winning the war though she turns paranoid and kills someone close to her…I was so tired of her by then because that’s the time she chooses not to trust someone? After they won? I was just hoping after what happened with Nezha she would get it together. Most times she seemed to have things under control and then there were times I wondered what she was doing. The ending seemed like the only way this could have ended but it made me feel so empty….all of that…everything she went through and put Kitay through…for that ending. I wanted to cry for Kitay but I was too exhausted.

Was the Trifecta ended that easy? They were all so powerful and yet…I was hoping for something more I think…at least have them leave the mountain and join the fight because they were talked up so big from book one? But I guess that wouldn’t work because Daji was like Rin…she had tunnel vision when it came to the Dragon, no matter how he abused her. 😒 I did like how it came full circle of the Trifecta of the past and the trifecta of the present being Nezha, Rin and Kitay.

This book is the goriest of all I think and it involves children. It has even some cannibalism because what will people do to survive if there is no food? Still, I’m glad I wasn’t eating while reading the book. This book shows you the realities of war – real war.

Why you should read it:

you like to torture yourself with a story with no happy ending (haha just kidding! kind of)
amazing, intense series about war and consequences of it
you are already invested in the series and need to know how it ends

Why you might not read it:

sad ending
everything in the content warnings

My Thoughts:

I read this trilogy in 4 days. I felt exhausted and empty by the end of it but that doesn’t mean it’s a good series, but it made me feel how someone who is traumatized by war would feel. Gutted, empty, questioning the action of the characters along the way – what a series. If you want something intense and can handle a dark read – read this series. Glad I did and I can’t believe it’s not off my TBR list. I wasn’t even planning to read it this year lol…but things worked out!

📚~ Yolanda

The Dragon Republic by. R.F. Kuang | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War, #2)

Author: R. F. Kuang

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 658

Publication Date: 8/18/19

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Categories: War, Academy, Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult, Political Intrigue

The searing follow-up to 2018’s most celebrated fantasy debut – THE POPPY WAR.

In the aftermath of the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is on the run: haunted by the atrocity she committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the murderous commands of her vengeful god, the fiery Phoenix. Her only reason for living is to get revenge on the traitorous Empress who sold out Nikan to their enemies.

With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.

But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance.

The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect.

I can’t remember the last time I’ve read a sequel that is so strong and this is a longer book than the first one! Let’s just jump right into it.

I love that the story flowed and didn’t miss a beat from the first book. It had the same intensity, maybe this time even more because yes, the story gets even darker, if possible. It grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. I mean what kind of trouble can Rin get into this time – this girl is addicted to power and praise, a deadly combination.

I was loving Rin’s Cike squad even though they are killers and uncontrollable, loving that Kitay, Nezha and Venka was with Rin to keep her somewhat grounded (honestly they could barely keep her sane), but the fact that I was lulled into thinking Rin was maybe going to be safe from herself now…another slap in the face for me. This story didn’t care about my feelings.

Being in Nezha’s province and home was an eye opener to how he was brought up – his dad is something else. But we get a new twist in the story where in comes to Nezha. Also we get more information about the Hesperians, these colonizers from across the sea. It infuriated me that they could just come in and try to fix Nikara just because they thought they were superior. It just reminds me of how many of the countries in our present world was forced to endure being colonized. 😠 Another thing I loved was getting to know Chagan’s people – but it was another scene that broke my heart.

The battle strategies and political intrigue continue in this story as we see the betrayals, the back stabbing or games these leaders play. We see how the poor people who are bystanders in war suffer the most. We also see what people turn into when they harbor desires of power, or hold onto never ending rage.

Content Warnings: violence, graphic account of rape, death, drug use, abuse, grief, self inflicted pain

Rin is not a likable character – I almost hate her for her decisions but I will say this about her – she is who she is. She is so strong and oh so angry. She is Rage. Her god is about destruction and consuming as fires do so she cannot help that part of her but when it’s just a human with deep seated rage, it’s scary. I wanted her to come back from that, make a turn…but this story is about war and Rin has been betrayed so many times. That’s what made me angry at her at times that she followed the wrong people so rashly and it had to do with her addiction to toxic/powerful men. Thank God for Kitay…he was her saving grace. She never listens or when she does…it’s too late. It’s always too late. She does grow in book two and tames her addiction to opium thank god, but wow does she have issues. The story just seems to get darker and you think you’ve met the most evil people already and nope…it gets worse. But I get it…unifying a country is messy AF. But the unending killing and it’s just not killing, it’s torture, it’s madness, it’s bloodlust, it’s horrible.

Why you should read it:

great writing and world building
to see if Rin can control her demons
it’s an epic war story with some good twists
makes you take a deeper look at war, choices and consequences

Why you might not want to read it:

graphic killing, graphic rape stories
a lot of drug use

My Thoughts:

I’ve been reading this series in one continuous go and honestly…it’s dark reading. I saw some light in this one finally until the author snuffed it out again! The author is cold-blooded with this story and wrote a story about war within a fantasy world and held nothing back. There is no romance in this book at all and maybe I tolerate other darker reads because the romance at least reminds me love is there. The closest thing to love Rin gets in this sequel is Kitay’s friendship, thank god! I’m on to book three.

📚~ Yolanda

Bad Lands by. Stacey Marie Brown | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Bad Lands (Savage Lands, #4)

Author: Stacey Marie Brown

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 359

Publication Date: 10/5/21

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Suspense

Some myths should just stay buried.

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

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

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

Where only one survives.

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

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

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

Content Warnings: violence

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

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

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

Why you should read it:

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

Why you might not want to read it:

repetitive
doesn’t feel like the story moves forward

My Thoughts:

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

📚~ Yolanda

Kingdom of the Cursed by. Kerri Maniscalco | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked, #2)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 10/26/21

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Categories: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper Kerri Maniscalco comes the sizzling, sweepingly romantic sequel to Kingdom of the Wicked!

One sister.
Two sinful princes.
Infinite deception with a side of revenge…Welcome to Hell.

After selling her soul to become Queen of the Wicked, Emilia travels to the Seven Circles with the enigmatic Prince of Wrath, where she’s introduced to a seductive world of vice.

She vows to do whatever it takes to avenge her beloved sister, Vittoria…even if that means accepting the hand of the Prince of Pride, the king of demons.

The first rule in the court of the Wicked? Trust no one. With back-stabbing princes, luxurious palaces, mysterious party invitations, and conflicting clues about who really killed her twin, Emilia finds herself more alone than ever before. Can she even trust Wrath, her one-time ally in the mortal world…or is he keeping dangerous secrets about his true nature?

Emilia will be tested in every way as she seeks a series of magical objects that will unlock the clues of her past and the answers she craves…

We are in HELL! Finally….lol…

Emilia is in the Seven Circles with Wrath and she doesn’t know what is going to happen when she is delivered to Pride, but she doesn’t go there right away. Wrath doesn’t seem to want her to leave his side and hello…if I was Emilia I wouldn’t want to leave either!

I got my fill of Emilia and Wrath in this one. And wow, are they hot! 🔥❤️‍🔥 This is straight up new adult so beware if that isn’t your thing. I expect nothing less since they are in hell. I love their chemistry and how you know they want each other but something is holding Wrath back. There are secrets he is hiding and Emilia wants him but she’s engaged to marry his brother. This is how I want my enemies to lovers romances to be like, full of conflict and tension.

Emilia is still on her quest for revenge. She wants to know who was responsible for her sister’s death, hence her marriage contract to the King of Hell, Pride. She’s getting somewhat closer to some answers but she also has to deal with being in Hell and being at the mercy of these Princes.

As for other characters – Prince Envy is such a trouble maker! Haha, I kind of wanted to know more about the other princes but I also wanted most of the time spent reading about Emilia and Wrath and I got my wish.

There are a few twists in the story but I was suspecting one of them from the beginning so it wasn’t much a surprise, still it was a nice reveal. The other was a cliffhanger!

Content Warnings: mind control/consent

I thought that it was interesting that when there were scenes that Emilia left Wrath’s home, I wasn’t as interested. lol…I just really loved Emilia and Wrath together. I know the story had to move forward but I also didn’t think it moved all that much. She’s trying to find out who was responsible for her twin’s death but she’s also trying to appear worthy to be Queen of Hell. Also her feelings for Wrath are distracting her. We get more information about her sister near the end of the book.

The one thing I missed in this book was the family she was around in book one and the cooking and food! Speaking of family, I’m bummed that Emilia is finding out that Nonna hasn’t told her the truth about many things. I just feel like she’s breaking from her family and family was what I loved about Emilia and book one. 😔 Of course her twin has added to the secrets as well…

There is a training scene between Emilia and Wrath that gets out of hand. Wrath compels Emilia to help train her in case one of his brothers tries to harm her but it becomes quite humiliating. 😒 I’m glad Emilia stood up to him but he should have groveled in apology a bit more haha. I had to keep reminding myself look – he isn’t some angel, he literally is a DEMON PRINCE and they are in HELL. According to him, he was being tame in comparison to what his brothers could do to her. He always says she has a “choice” but in this scene, he disregards it and controls her. Wrath was definitely being his pure demon, dangerous self in that moment.

Why you should read it:

steamy action between Wrath and Emilia 🔥
good story twist
we learn more about Wrath and his domain, Hell

Why you might not want to read it:

it’s New Adult now and you aren’t into super sexy scenes
felt like nothing much happened with the story (though a lot happens between Wrath and Emilia) until the end

My Thoughts:

I love when Wrath and Emilia are together, minus that humiliating scene but she stood her ground. Would have like to see Emilia do more in regards to exploring Hell and getting to know the other brothers. This one is steamy, and filled with enemies to lovers tension, which I enjoy a lot but I definitely wanted more of the story to move forward. This one definitely felt like a filler book but what filler it is! lol…I still sped through it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I look forward to reading book three.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Dark Bond by. Leia Stone | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

Author: Leia Stone

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 242

Publication Date: 9/25/21

Publisher: Leia Stone

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Series, Paranormal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Content Warnings: violence, human trafficking

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

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

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

Why you should read it:

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

Why you might not want to read it:

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

My Thoughts:

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

📚~ Yolanda