Immortal Longings by. Chloe Gong | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Immortal Longings (Flesh and False Gods, #1)

Author: Chloe Gong

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 7/18/23

Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press

Categories: Adult Fiction, Shakespeare Retelling, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance

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

Thank you to Gallery/Saga Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

#1 New York Times bestselling YA author Chloe Gong’s adult epic fantasy debut, inspired by Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra , is a fiery collision of power plays, spilled blood, and romance amidst a set of deadly games.

Every year, thousands in the kingdom of Talin will flock to its capital twin cities, San-Er, where the palace hosts a set of games. For those confident enough in their ability to jump between bodies, competitors across San-Er fight to the death to win unimaginable riches.

Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him.

Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning.

Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.

Content Warning: violence, death

I almost DNF’ed this book but I pushed through because it’s Chloe Gong and once our two main characters met, I became invested. But let me tell you that the first 20% of this book was a struggle for me to get into. I couldn’t quite get my bearings on this world the author created. It’s two cities San-Er in the kingdom of Talin, and there is a power imbalance with lots poverty among the people and the king flourishing and turning a blind eye. So August, the prince wants to take the throne but he needs someone to kill the king. The plan is to get a player into the annual games, the winner can get close to the king at the end and kill him. But there are other players in these ruthless games who want to win for their own agendas.

The power play is intriguing. Do we really know August? He says he will be a different king from his father but others say he will be just the same. He does everything in his power though to make sure his plan comes to fruition.

Then there is Calla, my favorite morally grey, ass-kicking character who is fearsome and fierce. She has history with August, but so does Anton Makusa, the fastest body jumper around. And yes this society of people can jump bodies, which makes the action quite exhilarating and fast-paced.

I was hooked on Calla and Anton. I love them fighting, even if it meant drawing blood. I liked their chemistry and obsession with one another – I am now obsessed with them! This was my favorite part of the book and probably the only reason it’s getting 4 stars and that I want to read the next book. Oh yeah, it ends on a cliffhanger.

Speaking of blood, there is a lot of it. Calla and Anton are fighting to the death in these games and it is bloody with lots of rolling heads and slit throats. It’s violent but I enjoyed it. I do think the games could have been explained more -it’s sort of like the Hunger Games but those games were the focus. The games here isn’t quite the focus. There are a few things going with August needing his plan to take place, talks of rebels coming into the city, and issues with a religious sect. My struggle in the beginning was the info dumping and trying to figure out this world of San-Er. It’s kind of dystopian? It’s inspired by historical Hong Kong. But the beginning of this book did not hook me, maybe because we are thrown in with many characters being introduced. Also, I wasn’t into the body jumping. Once I got my bearings, and Calla meets Anton, I was intrigued. Also I can’t comment on it being a retelling of Antony & Cleopatra because I don’t remember reading it.

From their meeting to the end it’s a wild ride. Calla and Anton is what saves this book for me. I can’t wait to read book two but I hope for more character development and less info-dumping.

Tropes: enemies to allies to lovers

Why you should read it:

Calla and Anton
political intrigue

Why you might not want to read it:

the beginning of this story is a lot of info-dumping and I almost dnf’ed this book

My Thoughts:

I’m so happy I pushed through with this one and didn’t give up! The beginning was really a struggle for me and I wish there wasn’t so much info dumping. It’s a fascinating world the author has created with people who can jump bodies which I’m still not sure how I feel about because it’s not regulated and just seems so violating and cheating almost. It makes for an interesting story though! I fell in love with Calla and Anton and I’ll be looking forward to reading book two after that cliffhanger ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

These Violent Delights | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Our Violent Ends by. Chloe Gong | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Foul Lady Fortune by. Chloe Gong | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stealing Infinity by. Alyson Noel | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty, #1)

Author: Alyson Noel

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 473

Publication Date: 6/28/23

Categories: Young Adult, Time Travel, Romance, Academy, Series

These days, I’ve been killing it when it comes to letting people down. Now I’ve been kicked out of high school, arrested, and accepted into a remote, off-the-grid school owned and operated by an inscrutable billionaire tech guru.

Gray Wolf Academy is looking for a certain kind of student. Ones that no one will miss. Like me.

Then there’s Braxton. The beautiful, oddly anachronistic guy who showed up right when the trouble started. And he’s a total enigma—which means that I definitely can’t trust him, even if there’s something about him that makes me want to.
They all tell me I have a gift. A very rare gift. And Gray Wolf Academy wants me to learn it. To use it. Because if what they say is true, I have all the time in the world.
And that makes me the most dangerous high school student you’ll never know…

Content Warning: violence, sexual assault

I’ve been curious about this title and saw it as available to borrow as an audiobook so I tried it out. But then I found it was on Kindle Unlimited so I stopped listening on the audiobook (which wasn’t bad or anything) and read it because I thought I could just read it faster. There are 100+ chapters but each chapter is short, like a page short.

Just an FYI, time-travel stories are usually a hit or miss for me. I think for this book it’s a hit! Natasha is going through some teenage things. And when her ex-best friend, Elodie, sets her up as a thief and she gets taken away to a secret academy she learns the truth about what Elodie is or does. Gray Wolf Academy is a training facility for time-traveling thieves under Arthur Blackstone’s tutelage and demands. He’s a wealthy man who covets historical artifacts and he needs Natasha to do retrieve some unconventional things from her trip missions.

It’s an academy book so I like the drama – I expect it with this trope. I like that Natasha doesn’t really know who to trust and something is happening at the academy, like people going missing or not coming back from their “trips”. I want to know why. Elodie lives up to that girl who is a frenemy. The romance between Natasha and Braxton is a bit of an insta-love moment (not that Natasha calls it love, but she’s testing the waters). I found all the training and time traveling fascinating and Arthur Blackstone is a mystery. The art and historical artifacts knowledge is fun – Natasha is just a wealth of information isn’t she?

Would like more character development in book two but for the most part I thought the story was entertaining, especially for a time-traveling story.

Tropes: insta-love, time travel, boarding school academy

Why you should read it:

you like time travel and boarding school academy settings
there is a lot of mystery and historical facts
there is romance and backstabbing

Why you might not want to read it:

not into the boarding school academy trope – I feel like teens and young YA readers would enjoy this one
insta love

My Thoughts:

I’m someone who loves books set at a boarding school and I thought the time-travel element was done well. I think I’d like to see more character development in book two. Everyone’s background is still quite a mystery and I think there is a lot more to learn about everyone.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Shadow Hills Academy: Relentless 1-3 | Mini Book Reviews

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Taste of Torment (Shadow Hill Academy: Relentless #1)

Author: Stacey Trombley

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 424

Publication Date: 9/20/22

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Supernaturals, Young Adult, Mystery, Demons, Magic

A magical prince wants to date me, but there’s one big problem.

This prince has claws.

Everyone at Shadow Hills Academy desires the dark and powerful Jarron Blackthorn. But I’m the only one who has seen the terrifying beast beneath his magical façade.

When my sister is murdered, and the case mysteriously dropped, I know where to begin my own investigation-Shadow Hills Academy, an elite school for supernaturals. Technically, I have zero magic, but just enough skills with potions to be accepted. Now I have the means to get close to the most likely culprits-powerful people like the demon prince Jarron.

I was friends with Jarron years ago, before I saw his true form, but I’m still shocked when he reacts to news of my sister’s death with a fierce determination for vengeance. He has an insane plan to help me get access to Elite Hall, where the most powerful students reside-by pretending to date me.

Dating a demon was NOT how I expected this year to start, but his plan will work. Hang on the arm of Jarron Blackthorn, the heir of the Under World, and everyone in school will be so desperate for my friendship they’ll spill their darkest secrets.

I just have to make sure Jarron never learns he is my number one suspect.

Keep your enemies close, right?

Content Warning: violence

I stumbled across this title one sleepless night (due to jetlag) and thought I’d give it a try since I was in the mood for an “academy” type of book that I assumed would be filled with all kinds of tropes. Candice enrolls at Shadow Hills Academy with the pretense of finding her sister’s killer. She’s a weak, mostly-human, girl who of course has history with the popular kids at this school. In fact she was once close to Jarron, the infamous demon prince. Now she hates him because he is a suspect on her list of people who could have murdered Liz, her sister. But she needs his connections in order to do her investigation.

I wasn’t totally invested in Candice’s investigation of her sister’s death but I was totally into her interactions with Jarron. It has the typical new, weak, human girl at a supernatural academy trope. She has to stay under the radar but it’s hard since Jarron singles her out. She does make new friends, and I did like them because they tried to help Candice when she was lost. There is fake dating, but it’s a very slow burn between Jarron and Candice because there are some complicated feelings and issues between them.

I found the beginning of the story to be okay and predictable but by the end I felt myself wanting to binge the whole series because of Candice and Jarron. There is something about a demon who is head over heels over a human, but she’s clueless about his feelings and I was hooked.

I did find Candice’s investigation about her sister’s death kind of weak – I felt no sense of urgency until the ending. All she was doing was getting information but I was hoping for some major digging into suspects, but there isn’t none. Also I wish there was more mention about the secret, illegal game that Liz might have been a part of – but that mostly comes at the end and on a cliffhanger. Candice as a character was ok but frustrating at times. I was rolling my eyes with all her back and forth feelings about Jarron. It was a quick read, and I moved onto book two right away. Overall, I thought it was entertaining enough, despite all the teen drama and it’s one of those series that you can binge quickly.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Drop of Anguish (Shadow Hill Academy: Relentless #2)

Author: Stacey Trombley

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 404

Publication Date: 12/28/22

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Supernaturals, Young Adult, Mystery, Demons, Magic

A soulless monster is hunting me. I might be a magicless human, but I won’t be easy prey. Everyone at Shadow Hills Academy thinks they know who I am. Canadice Montgomery, a weak magicless human whose only claim to power was her relationship with the demon prince, Jarron. The girl who’s so desperate for power, she’d be willing to kill her peers in a deadly competition. A broken-hearted girl who wasn’t good enough to keep the attention of a prince. They’re wrong, about nearly all of it. I don’t want their magic. All I care about is finding the demon that killed my sister and making him suffer. But that’s made extra difficult when I’m public enemy number one at a school full of immensely powerful beings. Not to mention the ominous notes I keep receiving signed “the Jinn.” Soon, I realize just how little I know about the games, and my sister’s death. When Jarron returns to the school, a shell of his former self, things get even more complicated. The dark beast inside of him is growing, clawing at him from the inside and tearing apart his soul. There isn’t a cure for his sickness in any of my potions books but that won’t stop me from seeking out any possible solution. Even if it means consulting with the enemy. The jinn has a plan for her next set of games. She knows my every weakness. And this time, she will not stop until I’m one of the contestants.

The angst between Jarron and Candice continues but this time Jarron has a war going on inside himself. I felt for Jarron and my frustration with Candice continued in book two. I love how patient he is with her though. So the problem between them is that he’s a demon and he supposedly imprinted with her sister when they were younger. But she died…so Candice doesn’t know if Jarron finds her to be the second best choice, or if he really wants her for her. Oh the angst…it drove me a bit crazy, but I also found it understandable because who wants to be second best?! But I love Jarron’s patience so I kept reading.

As far as Liz and the games – I wanted to know how it would end but once again Candice is dealing with some things going on at campus and Jarron’s war with his demon and her back and forth feelings. She busy making potions since that’s her biggest defense around supernaturals.

I can’t pinpoint what makes this series addictive but it is even if I don’t love the MC and the story is inconsistent in places. I think I just wanted to see that claiming bite from Jarron happen! 😅🤭

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Dose of Agony (Shadow Hill Academy: Relentless #3)

Author: Stacey Trombley

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 404

Publication Date: 5/29/23

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Supernaturals, Young Adult, Mystery, Demons, Magic

The final installment of the Shadow Hills Relentless series.

They say the games have only just begun, but I’m here to end them once and for all.

A civil war is brewing in the Under World, lead by the same villain who stole my sister from me. Jarron must return to his world for damage control, leaving me alone at Shadow Hills Academy again. This time, though, I’m protected like a precious gem, and trapped in Elite Hall until we’re certain it’s safe. I understand the caution but I’m not a delicate princess, and I’m not going to let someone else fight this battle for me.

There’s a way to end the Akrasia Games once and for all and free the Jinn from the Cosmic Council’s control. I’m going to find a way to put them all in the grave for what they’ve done to my sister, even if it means seeking out unlikely allies and sneaking away from the school– and the planet– the get the information I need.

This is my least favorite of the series because Jarron and Candice are separated. He’s back in his world dealing with the fallout of not being able to claim Candice and war. I skimmed a lot because why was Candice busy making potions and helping Thompson (which is fine but felt like a different story going on there) and how can she still be questioning Jarron’s love for her? I was rolling my eyes hard in this one because honestly she didn’t deserve him if she couldn’t choose him lol. Give him to me!😅 I mean how can they communicate and yet miscommunicate so much?! I wanted more from her, more growth but it just wasn’t there. I didn’t even feel that she was powerful just because she could make potions.

There is finally a sex scene between them but it’s not detailed at all. I was kind of disappointed that this ended as a book I skimmed through but it has a happy ending between Jarron and Candice so I’ll be satisfied with that. Jarron was probably the only reason I binged this series so quick!

Overall I think the whole series is addictive and bingeable, though the MC did get on my nerves in book two and three. If you are into supernatural academies, a slow burn and a demon who is clearly head over heels in love with a mostly human girl then you might enjoy this one.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

A Court This Cruel and Lovely by. Stacia Clark| Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Court This Cruel & Lovely (Kingdom of Lies #1)

Author: Stacia Stark

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 532

Publication Date: 3/24/23

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Fae, New Adult

For fantasy romance readers who love Raven Kennedy, Amanda Bouchet, and Carissa Broadbent. This slow burn, enemies-to-lovers series will enchant you…

For years, when I fell asleep, I dreamed of a man with blazing green eyes and a cruel smile.

The day I meet him, the ruthless mercenary leaves me for dead.

Just hours after humans are born, the gods take what little power we have. In return, they protect our borders from the vicious, merciless fae.

The humans who manage to keep their power are known as the corrupt.
And they are burned.

When my forbidden power is discovered, I’m forced to flee my tiny village and the life I adore.

To survive, I make a desperate bargain with the mercenary who abandoned me at my weakest.

Our deal is simple: I’ll help him and his mysterious friends sneak into the city. And he’ll help me learn to wield the strange, dark power I’ve always kept hidden. The power that may just be the key to my survival.

But the ruthless mercenary is hiding secrets of his own. Secrets that threaten the safety of everyone I love. Secrets that could tear this kingdom—and perhaps even this world—apart.

Please note: A Court This Cruel and Lovely is an NA/adult romantasy book with steam. While this series is slow burn, the chili pepper rating will increase for each book.

Content Warning: violence

I was looking for a new adult romantic fantasy so read during my trip and I found this one on kindle unlimited. It has all the tropes I enjoy: slow burn, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, court intrigue, a girl training with warriors, Fae, magic and found family.

I liked Prisca and Lorian’s testy relationship. He’s an alpha-male but surprisingly was patient with Prisca because he admired the fight in her. Prisca also has the secret bloodline, which is another trope I enjoy. I found her interactions with Lorian’s men entertaining and endearing as they become a found family for her on their journey. Speaking of family, there are even touching family moments with her own brother.

Yes, the story was predictable also. The twist in the story I guessed early on but I didn’t care, I still enjoyed the story and will read book two!

Tropes: found family, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, slow burn, secret bloodline, court intrigue

Why you should read it:

you love all the typical tropes in a romantasy book

Why you might not want to read it:

not into romantasy

My Thoughts:

As I said above, thought the story is predictable, it was in every way that I enjoyed. It has all the tropes I love in a romantasy and I look forward to continuing the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Stolen Throne by. Abigail Owen | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Stolen Throne (Dominions #2)

Author: Abigail Owen

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 528

Publication Date: 5/2/23

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Twins, New Adult, Paranormal, Shadows

My twin sister is the true queen of Aryd. She survives, hiding and clinging to life in the desert, while I reign as the false queen alongside the monstrous King Eidolon. There’s only one escape from this gilded prison: Reven. My Shadowraith. My heart. Only the shadows that he struggles to control are growing more sinister, more powerful.

It’s just a matter of time before they turn on him…and on me.

Even escape doesn’t mean true freedom, though, when we’re still on the run from Eidolon’s unstoppable armies. And when we discover there’s a traitor among us, I have no choice…I must become the queen I was never meant to be.

Because as one evil hunts me, the other loves me more than himself.

And my fate lies with both.

This is the second book in The Liar’s Crown series and talk about reading a book because of its book cover. I love the book covers for the series, but I don’t totally love the series. I thought I was rating this too low but I saw my review for the first book and it was 3 stars, so 2.5 stars for this one sounds about right since I could barely motivate myself to finish it.

The first half was fine. Reven is struggling with the shadows inside him and they finally got Tabra away from Eidolon. They are now with Cain and his people trying to figure out a wait to fight Eidolon. But this was 528 pages long when it could have been 350 pages – I skimmed from 60% in unto the end and I tried to get into the mood to read this since it came out at the beginning of the month! So at least I tried. The main reason I lacked motivation to keep on reading? Reven and Meren are not communicating so that takes out the romance until near the end of the story. Also I started to not care so much about Reven and his multiple shadows. Poor guy, I felt for his struggle but I wanted something more to happen. And I’m not saying nothing was happening, there was a lot happening with many different characters, but I did not care and there were too many of them.

I was on the fence about reading this one because I gave the first book 3 stars, so I should have listened to my instincts and just passed on book two. Sequels are always a struggle to read in a trilogy but I could barely finish this one which makes me think this series is just not for me.

Why you should read it:

you loved book one

Why you might not want to read it:

many characters to remember, but couldn’t connect to them
felt too long

My Thoughts:

This book has great reviews from it’s fans so take my review with a grain of salt. I didn’t love book one, so I think it’s safe to say after reading The Stolen Throne that this series isn’t for me. But I think a lot of people who loved the first one will enjoy this sequel.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Liar’s Crown by. Abigail Owen | Book Review⭐️⭐️⭐️

Well Matched by. Jen DeLuca | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Well Matched (Well Met #3)

Author: Jen DeLuca

Format: paperback (own)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 10/19/21

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Series

Single mother April Parker has lived in Willow Creek for twelve years with a wall around her heart. On the verge of being an empty nester, she’s decided to move on from her quaint little town, and asks her friend Mitch for his help with some home improvement projects to get her house ready to sell.

Mitch Malone is known for being the life of every party, but mostly for the attire he wears to the local Renaissance Faire — a kilt (and not much else) that shows off his muscled form to perfection. While he agrees to help April, he needs a favor too: she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend at an upcoming family dinner, so that he can avoid the lectures about settling down and having a more “serious” career than high school coach and gym teacher. April reluctantly agrees, but when dinner turns into a weekend trip, it becomes hard to tell what’s real and what’s been just for show. But when the weekend ends, so must their fake relationship.

As summer begins, Faire returns to Willow Creek, and April volunteers for the first time. When Mitch’s family shows up unexpectedly, April pretends to be Mitch’s girlfriend again… something that doesn’t feel so fake anymore. Despite their obvious connection, April insists they’ve just been putting on an act. But when there’s the chance for something real, she has to decide whether to change her plans — and open her heart — for the kilt-wearing hunk who might just be the love of her life.

An accidentally in-love rom-com filled with Renaissance Faire flower crowns, kilts, corsets, and sword fights.

I didn’t read book two in this romance series because I really wanted April story which is told in Well Matched. I found April an interesting character in Well Met because of her accident and also being a single mother. I’m so happy she gets to find love in this book.

Her so-called lover is Mitch, who is a friend and the school’s gym teacher! April decides to help Mitch out by going home with him and be his fake girlfriend in front of his family. The faking turned real in the bedroom when they realize that they are really attracted to one another. And who can blame April for falling for Mitch? He’s a good guy, a nice guy and he wears a kilt in the Ren Faire and has an accent!

My favorite parts of this series is always the action taking place in the Renaissance Faire. This time April decides to join in the fun and she realizes even though it’s grueling how much fun it is being with friends and working at the REn Faire.

There is a little hiccup between April and Mitch but it gets resolved in a timely fashion and they get their much deserved happily ever after.

Tropes: fake dating, single mother/gym teacher

Why you should read it:

you like the other books in the series
April and Mitch have great chemistry

Why you might not want to read it:

you didn’t like the other books in the series

My Thoughts:

It took me awhile to finish this paperback but only because May has been a crazy, busy month for me. I’m glad I finally finished it and I can see why it is so loved. Now I have to read the other two books in the series!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Well Met by. Jean DeLuca | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tokyo Dreaming by. Emiko Jean | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Tokyo Dreaming

Author: Emiko Jean

Format: audiobook (borrowed) /hardcover (own)

Pages:

Publication Date: 5/31/2022

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Princess, Family

When Japanese-American Izumi Tanaka learned her father was the Crown Prince of Japan, she became a princess overnight. Now, she’s overcome conniving cousins, salacious press, and an imperial scandal to finally find a place she belongs. She has a perfect bodyguard turned boyfriend. Her stinky dog, Tamagotchi, is living with her in Tokyo. Her parents have even rekindled their college romance and are engaged. A royal wedding is on the horizon! Izumi’s life is a Tokyo dream come true.

Only…

Her parents’ engagement hits a brick wall. The Imperial Household Council refuses to approve the marriage citing concerns about Izumi and her mother’s lack of pedigree. And on top of it all, her bodyguard turned boyfriend makes a shocking decision about their relationship. At the threat of everything falling apart, Izumi vows to do whatever it takes to help win over the council. Which means upping her newly acquired princess game.

But at what cost? Izumi will do anything to help her parents achieve their happily ever after, but what if playing the perfect princess means sacrificing her own? Will she find a way to forge her own path and follow her heart?

Return to Tokyo for a royal wedding in Emiko Jean’s Tokyo Dreaming, the sequel to the Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller Tokyo Ever After

I listened to this as an audiobook and then read the last few chapters (because I read faster lol). But I finally read book two of this series and it follows Izumi who is the daughter of the Crown Prince of Japan. After the events of book one, we find out her mom and dad still had feelings for each other so her mom agrees to go to Japan to see where the relationship would go.

Back in Japan Izumi and her mother have to adjust to royal life and it seems to be going well until some things catch up to them. I don’t know that I loved the love triangle. I think Eriku is a great guy and everything was easy and fun with him but her heart was still with Akio even though he basically disappeared from her life. I didn’t quite feel it for her and Akio though like I did in book one.

But I think Izumi grows a lot and she tries to figure out what she wants to do – college or not? And her mom tries to figure out if the royal life is for her. I did like that Izumi became friendly with her cousins.

Tropes: fake dating, love triangle

Why you should read it:

because you enjoyed book one
It’s like The Princess Diaries but set in Japan

Why you might not want to read it:

love triangle

My Thoughts:

I think this one was a sold sequel and if you are into The Princess Diaries type of stories, you may enjoy this one. I also love that it’s set in Japan and we get a peek into the culture and the royal life. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tokyo Ever After by. Emiko Jean | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Fourth Wing by. Rebecca Yarros | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Fourth Wing (#1)

Author: Rebecca Yarros

Format: ebook (owned)

Pages: 662

Publication Date: 5/2/2023

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, New Adult, Series, Dragons

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die .

Content Warning: violence

I’ve been seeing so many good reviews for this one and then I found an audiobook copy available on my online library and so I borrowed it. Two chapters in and I made the decision to buy the ebook and read it faster because I was hooked!

This book has everything I want in an enemies to lovers romance. It has a competition, high stakes, great world building, friendship, enemies, a satisfying slow burn, tension, action and dragons. And it’s not a quick read – I actually stayed up past midnight to finish this on and honestly it was worth it.

Violet is supposed be a scribe but her mother, General Sorrengail, believes all her children should be dragon riders. But Violet isn’t physically strong like her deceased brother, and her sister Mira. She wasn’t trained in warfare. Being a Sorrengail doesn’t do Violet any favors in the Riders Quadrant, many of her classmates are out for her blood. It’s survival of the fittest and Violet believes she’ll die trying to be a rider, but better to die than disappoint her mother. I love Violet’s story and how she overcomes various physical challenges in order to become a rider. I was rooting for her all the way!

The secondary characters are fantastic as well. I love Rhiannon who was Violet’s first friend. All the other classmates we meet along the way are distinct in their own way. It’s a big cast but every character had a way of standing out, even if they were hateful. And the dragons are epic, majestic, fearsome and I love the bond they have with their rider. The banter between Violet and her dragons are so fun. I even love her relationship with her sister Mira, who I hope we get to see more of in book two. I love the sibling bond being strong despite the way their mother treats them.

And the bond between Violet and Xaden is purely electric. What a slow, hot burn between these two. And it wasn’t even purely focused on them in the beginning of the story. He came and went while Violet was training hard, but their interactions are so good and it kept building to an awesome climax and I mean that literally! When they finally can’t stay away from her, my goodness, it was everything I wanted it to be in an enemies to lovers romance – even what happens in the end. I love them.

The ending…when you think this book can’t get any better, it ends in a cliffhanger like that. This story was an amazing ride. I can’t wait for book two, which comes out in November. Thank you for not making us wait forever!

Why you should read it:

the enemies to lovers between Violet and Xaden
the world building, the characters, the competition, the action, the dragons!
book two comes out in a few months

Why you might not want to read it:

not into dragons

My Thoughts:

The hype is real for this one and it’s well worth it if you like everything I’ve mentioned above. I’m always looking for a good new adult fantasy that has all the elements I love – especially if it’s an enemies to lovers romance, and this one gave me all the feels I’ve been searching for lately. I’m counting down to book two which releases 3 days after my birthday!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

These Infinite Threads by. Tahereh Mafi | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom, #2)

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Format: ebook (owned)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 2/7/2023

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Young Adult, Series

With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives. Alizeh, the heir to the Jinn throne, is destined to free her people from the half-lives they’ve been forced to live under human rule. When Kamran, the heir to the human throne, falls in love with her, he’s forced to question everything he’s been taught about Jinn. Kamran’s grandfather lays dead at the hand of Cyrus, ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Tulan. Cyrus has stolen Alizeh away to his homeland and plans to marry her there, giving her everything she needs to become the Jinn queen—and when she assumes the throne he will have fulfilled his own bargain with the devil. Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus’s deal or the devil. But without a way to escape Tulan, and with the fulfillment of her own destiny tantalizingly close, she’ll have to decide whether she can set aside her emotions to become the queen her people need. Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces in Ardunia. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she hasn’t yet become the queen of Tulan.

Content Warning: violence

I went into this with no expectations and of course, of course Tahereh Mafi throws in a love triangle. Is Cyrus the new Warner (Shatter Me series)? 😆 I can’t take it anymore. J/k, give me more! lol

What exactly happens in this sequel? I have no clue! Nothing much moves the story forward – so why did I enjoy it? Well, I didn’t enjoy Kamran and Alizeh being separated because then I wanted to read more of Alizeh’s interactions with Cyrus than all the emotional trauma Kamran was going through. He lost his grandfather, he lost the girl he was falling deeply in love with (he’s kind of obsessed but is it magic doing it to him or not?), and he’s now physically deformed and probably dying. Kamran’s scenes are best when he’s with Hazan, who he wants to kill but their bond goes deeper than that. I like their friendship, their banter is fun, even when it’s not meant to be.

Speaking of banter – what was going on with Alizeh and Cyrus? There is tension, hate, desire, and even at some points mutual understanding and maybe friendship – which I love. Alizeh is soft, beautiful, and naive. Cyrus is her exact opposite and when the two are together their fighting is so good – it’s pretty much the only thing that held me in thrall during the whole story. Who will Alizeh end up with? Cyrus who pretty much knows everything about her or Kamran, who fell in love with her before he knew what she was.

There is something about Alizeh that bugged me but I don’t know if that’s because I’m used to reading about bad-ass girls in books. Alizeh is a soft girl, and I don’t mean she hasn’t struggled, but her whole demeanor is soft. She’s a gorgeous girl who cries easily, a sweetheart basically and there is nothing wrong with that at all. She hasn’t had an easy life. She’s had to struggle in life because she’s different. I felt like she at least was stronger in book one. I think being with Cyrus brings out the fight in her though and I like that because she’s supposed to lead her people. If she’s someone destined to be Queen and lead her people, the Jinn, then I want to see her get stronger, while keeping her softness.

Where does this leave Kamran and Alizeh, I don’t know. He wants to kill her, but he’s also obsessed with her. I’m team Cyrus for now, but I’m afraid what the devil, Iblees, will do to him and I can imagine all the ways this story could break my heart if I root for Cyrus. 😅 I’ll root for him anyway.

Tropes: special girl, love triangle

Why you should read it:

the enemies to lovers between Cyrus and Alizeh, love how they fight and hoping to see them one day “love”

Why you might not want to read it:

it’s a filler sequel – nothing much happens
love triangle

My Thoughts:

For a sequel that’s basically just a filler, I know I gave it a high rating but Alizeh and Cyrus was really entertaining. I hate when there is a love triangle where I like both guys. It’s a guaranteed heartbreaker! I do wish more happened with the plot, because when I ended the book, I was left with the feeling of “what? that’s it?!”. Will I be reading book three? Most definitely yes, just to see who Alizeh ends up with – and I’m hoping it’s Cyrus, but the devil or Alizeh may kill him by then. 😒

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

This Woven Kingdom by. Tahereh Mafi | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Review: Defy Me (Shatter Me #5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review: Restore Me (Shatter Me #4) ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King (#2)

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Format: ebook (KU)

Pages: 665

Publication Date: 4/14/2023

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, New Adult

Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.

In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.

The House of Night, too, is surrounded by enemies. Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs their claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.

When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. But to do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power, intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.

But with enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power – and the devastating love that could be her downfall.

Content Warning: violence, death

I’ve been waffling back and forth on how to rate this book because I loved it but also I had some issues with it (not major) so maybe it’s more like a 4.25 rating? I loved the first book because it was pretty ruthless and there was a competition, so it was a fast moving story.

After the events of book one, Oraya and Raihn are a bit broken. Raihn has gotten what he wanted but has hurt Oraya beyond belief. He’s killed Vincent, to become the new King of the House of Night. What I really love about this book is the struggle Oraya and Raihn have to deal with. Raihn is trying to be a better king, but how when there is no one he can really trust. And how does he mend things with Oraya? As for Oraya she has to reconcile all the lies and truths she knows of Vincent and deal with her grief at the same time. She loves him, but she hates him too and she needs to figure out how to move on in his life without him. Then there is the problem of Raihn, her husband, her best friend really, but also her enemy. He has broken her heart. The shining star in this book are the relationships between Raihn and Oraya, and also Oraya’s memories of Vincent.

Speaking of Raihn and Oraya – yes she has been so hurt by him, but under the hurt is the friendship they built in book one and I loved when that side of them would peek out from the pain between them. It’s quite a love story and one that shows no matter how times were going to get…even if they couldn’t say the words and even didn’t know it was love, that ultimately it was heading towards it. They are a great couple. They have each other’s back and I love that they are not fated mates. I like that they had to do very hard work and fight for their bond and love. I’m also glad we get two perspectives because the whole situation between them is complicated.

I love that Mische came back into the story because she’s a ray of sunshine in such a dark story. And yes, Vincent is a bad man, but he is one of my favorite characters. He was a ruthless king, saw humans as beneath him but his half-human daughter does something to him. And I liked all the complicated feelings Oraya has about him and I was so so sad for her and with her.

I did hear that this series is now going to be a 6 book series but that Raihn and Oraya’s story is concluded. With that said, there are some loose ends in the story, especially when it comes to Septimus and I’m sure he will be dealt with in the future books. I think Mische’s story is next though so that will be exciting to read. She deserves a great love story of her own.

As for the story-telling, I think there was a few lulls in the story because Oraya is in grieving mode and Raihn is in rebuilding mode. But I did love the action when it was there – especially when they visit Oraya’s cousin.

Tropes: enemies to lovers

Why you should read it:

you liked book one and want to be immersed in this world again
Oraya and Raihn
Oraya and Vincent (heartbreaking)

Why you might not want to read it:

didn’t enjoy the first one
some loose ends but it’s going to be a 6 book series

My Thoughts:

I’m sad that Raihn and Oraya’s story is over but super excited for Mische to get a spotlight because she deserves one. I think this was a good conclusion for Riahn and Oraya – I mean these two really battled it out between one another, between enemies and traitors, and each time they came back together. I’ll miss Vincent but I did feel like Oraya got closure about her feelings about him. Oraya found herself and learned to become powerful without him – which is what she deserved. This was an awesome book, some issues here and there but overall it was entertaining and it met my expectations!