A Study in Drowning by. Ava Reid | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Study in Drowning

Author: Ava Reid

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 378

Publication Date: 9/19/23

Categories: Young Adult, Gothic, Mystery, Romance, Academia

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny.

But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

Content Warning: sexual assault, neglectful parent, misogyny, grooming, smoking

Okay this book has been on my radar for awhile and I saw good and bad reviews for it so I had to read it for myself.

+ It has very gothic, academia vibes to it which was nice and it was what I was expecting. Effy is an architect and takes on a project for the estate of one of her favorite writers, Emrys Myrddin. The estate is a fantastic gothic setting with tales about the Fairy King and the “drowning”, and the mystery about Myrddin and his writings. I like how Preston and Effy were investigating his writings.

+ Effy is a fascinating character and at times an unreliable one. She’s beautiful, all the men tell her so and they are drawn to her – she even got into a situation with her professor, which has caused her to be an outcast at school. She’s afraid of men because of what happened to her and she deals with a lot of misogyny. Her mother basically hates her – which is awful. She’s alone and needs help but doesn’t have anyone on her side until she meets Preston, who off the bat, she doesn’t like at all. Effy also has these nightmares about the Fairy King and takes sleeping pills so she is mysterious herself. The themes about misogyny and power imbalances are very present in this book though and there were a few quotes that hit home.

There was an intimacy to all violence, she supposed. The better you knew someone, the more terribly you could hurt them.”
– A Study in Drowning by. Ava Reid

Lying was a form of survival, a way out of whatever trap had been set.”
– A Study in Drowning by. Ava Reid

You don’t have to take up a sword. Survival is bravery, too.”
– A Study in Drowning by. Ava Reid

+ I did like Preston and Effy’s interactions because he’s this stuffy, uptight literary student. I think the most Effy has ever stood up to a guy was to Preston – she wasn’t afraid of him and he didn’t make her feel unsafe, which I liked about him. As for the chemistry between them – there is tension for sure, but I also felt at times they would have been great just been really good friends.

~ I think there was a lot going on in this book and I chose to stay focused on the Myrddin mystery – basically that’s the whole reason Preston and Effy are at the estate in the first place. There is a war also going on in the book and there is Effy’s nightmares about the Fairy King and I was confused at times if Effy was experiencing things with this Fairy King or it was all in her head.

~ At times the setting or I should say time period, was confusing. I know it’s basically an alternate Earth, countries names are all made up, and the world they live in kind of felt like the 1940’s-ish and I’m just going off of them smoking cigarettes and drinking hard liquor a lot. Effy also mentioned something like girls at school usually come away with a ring and engaged – so that sounds like to 1940’s or earlier to me. I enjoyed the setting but at times I felt like I was confused about certain things about this world.

My Final Thoughts:

I think I read this at the right time – the weather here has been rainy and the gothic setting of this book and the lyrical writing was perfect for my mood. It is a dark story dealing with misogyny, parental neglect, power imbalances and even grooming. I do think the world building at times was somewhat confusing or something was mentioned and not explained fully. The romance was a sweet spot in the story with Preston and Effy being a sort of rivals to lovers relationship. I thought Effy’s journey from being alone to finally having someone in her corner and being kind to her without wanting anything in return was amazing for her. If you like lyrical prose and a gothic setting, you’ll like this one.

Book Links:

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Her Dark Wings by. Melinda Salisbury | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Her Dark Wings

Author: Melinda Salisbury

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 12/11/23 (first published 7/6/22)

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Greek Mythology, Retelling, Friendship, Contemporary Fantasy

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

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

In this powerful, passionate reimagining of the Persephone myth for fans of Lore Olympus and Melissa Albert, two former best friends–split apart by betrayal–find themselves reunited in the Underworld. But will either one make it out, or will the darkness that’s growing in each of them consume them whole?

For all of Corey’s life, it’s been Bree and Corey, Corey and Bree. Best friends, the girls are inseparable—until a devastating betrayal leaves Corey shattered and alone. Corey is sure nothing could hurt more, until Bree suddenly dies. Now Corey is heartbroken and furious. How can she mourn her one-time friend when she is still so angry at her?

Yet Corey and Bree’s tale is far from finished. When Corey accidentally catches a glimpse of Bree’s spirit passing into the afterlife, she finds herself face to face with a god pulled from the darkest myths of her Hades, lord of the dead.

Turns out, the legends are real. But Hades is different from what Corey imagined—and so are the Furies, terrifying and beautiful creatures who encourage Corey to embrace her rage. The more Corey discovers about the Underworld, the more her own power stirs. But can she resist the lure of the darkness within?

Content Warning: death

+ I wanted to read this book because of the Hades and Persephone retelling. I think it did a fairly good job at keeping this story a modern retelling of the mythology but I do wish there was more romance between Corey and Hades since that’s what I like about the myth. I did like the trip to the Underworld and Furies in the story though – they added a little bit of danger to the story. I also like Hermes!

+ The young adult aspect of the story centered around Corey’s drama with her best friend Bree who basically stole Corey’s boyfriend and when Bree dies – Corey has no closure about their friendship and the betrayal. It is something she works through the story.

~ It’s a really quick read, which is great but I just wanted more, especially between Hades and Corey. They were barely together in the book I feel since Corey was stuck with the Furies.

My Thoughts:

I like that it was a quick read and it was a modern retelling about Hades and Persephone but I just wish there was more world-building and more chemistry and time between Hades and Corey. This was just an okay read for me.

Book Links:

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This Cursed Light by. Emily Thiede | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: This Cursed Light (The Last Finestra, #2)

Author: Emily Thiede

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 12/5/23

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy

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

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

The highly-anticipated sequel to the epic romance hailed as one of the best fantasies of the year!

When the gods make the rules, the players must choose: Sacrifice their love to save the world, or choose love and let it burn?

Six months after saving their island from destruction and almost losing Dante, Alessa is ready to live happily ever after with her former bodyguard. But Dante can’t rest, haunted by a conviction that the gods aren’t finished with them yet. And without his powers, the next kiss from Alessa could kill him.

Desperate for answers, Dante enlists Alessa and their friends to find the exiled ghiotte in hopes of restoring his powers and combining forces with them to create the only army powerful enough to save them all. But Alessa is hiding a deadly consequence of their last fight–a growing darkness that’s consuming her mind–and their destination holds more dangers than anyone bargained for. In the mysterious city of the banished, Dante will uncover secrets, lies, and ghosts from his past that force him to ask himself: Which side is he on?

When the gods reveal their final test, Dante and Alessa will be the world’s last defense. But if they are the keys to saving the world, will their love be the price of victory?

In This Cursed Light, Dante and Alessa face their most daunting challenge yet when the Gods demand they prove their worth by choosing the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity, once and for all.

Content Warning: violence

I enjoyed the first book in this series, This Vicious Grace a lot and was very interested to see where the story would go.

+ Alessa and Dante are back together with their banter but there are many challenges between them. Dante has lost his powers and Alessa’s powers hurt when they touch so they can’t be together physically which makes the tension between them rise. But I like how they can also focus on the matter at hand and that is trying to defeat Crollo. There is a few steamy scenes between them but it lacks the details to make it spicy so I’d say it’s pretty PG-13.

+ We get to learn more about Dante’s past and present and people who used to be in his life. He takes on a leadership role as he tries to make the ghiotte into an army that can help them in their fight. It takes a lot of trust and revisiting his feelings about his past though but Dante really overcomes and rises to the challenge.

+ The found family with Alessa and the side characters are one of the things I liked about book one. They are here again supporting Alessa and the fight against Crollo.

~ So this happened with me in the first book where the whole story is a lead up until the battle that lasts only a few chapters at the end of the book. It happens in this book as well where all we hear is Crollo is coming, the chapters even tick off the days leading up to the battle but I feel like nothing much is happening during those days except relationships being fixed. Yes they are building an army but there is so much going on like: Alessa and Dante’s relationship and not being able to touch, and the secrets they are both are keeping from one another. Also Dante’s past and being with his people again conjuring up all kinds of feelings that he has to work through. I felt like the battle again was anti-climatic after the whole book being so much about the build up to it.

My Final Thoughts:

I didn’t feel like this one was as good as the first one but I did enjoy Alessa and Dante’s romance – they are cute together. I do think it’s a solid conclusion to the duology.

Book Links:

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This Vicious Grace by. Emily Thiede | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Didn’t See That Coming by. Jesse Q. Sutanto | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Didn’t See That Coming

Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 11/28/23

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Gaming

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

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

A hilariously fresh and romantic send-up to You’ve Got Mail about a gamer girl with a secret identity and the online bestie she’s never met IRL until she unwittingly transfers to his school, from the bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties, The Obsession, and Well, That Was Unexpected.

Seventeen-year-old Kiki Siregar is a fabulous gamer girl with confidence to boot. She can’t help but be totally herself… except when she’s online.

Her secret? She plays anonymously as a guy to avoid harassment from other male players. Even her online best friend—a cinnamon roll of a teen boy who plays under the username Sourdawg—doesn’t know her true identity. Which is fine, because Kiki doesn’t know his real name either, and it’s not like they’re ever going to cross paths IRL.

Until she transfers to an elite private school for her senior year and discovers that Sourdawg goes there, too.

But who is he? How will he react when he finds out Kiki’s secret? And what happens when Kiki realizes she’s falling for her online BFF?

Content Warning: bullying

I’ve read a few books from this author, two adult books, and one young adult thriller so I wanted to check out a young adult romance from her.

+ This is very young adult and will definitely appeal to teens. Kiki Siregar has changed schools and now she attends a very prestigious private school Indonesia but it hasn’t been an easy transition for her. She caught the eye of the biggest bully on campus Jonas. To relax she’s a gamer and she uses a handle that suggests she’s a boy because she experienced bullying when she played as a girl. She has a friend online Sourdawg, who she’s crushing on a bit but he doesn’t know he’s a girl on the other side of the screen.

+ Kiki is a very strong character. She’s confident and says what she likes even when it gets her in trouble with Jonas, her teachers and the principal! She feels that her mom put her in that new school to help her climb the social ladder but Kiki hates her new school a lot and misses her old friends and old school. I do like how she tries to stand up for herself against Jonas and his bullying. I thought the scenes when she was with her new old friends were very fun, she’s very supportive girlfriends.

+ The romance between Kiki and Liam is really sweet because he’s pretty much the only who is nice to her at the school in the beginning and he mades an effort to be brave and stand up to Jonas too once he realizes it’s wrong to just stand on the side watching the bullying happens.

+ I love that this story takes place in Indonesia and we get to learn cultural things like how student have to behave at a prestigious school. Also I love all the food references because it’s so similar to filipino foods especially when they talk about desserts like ube and pandan.

~ Jonas is such a punk and such a villain. I hated how he had the upper-hand with Kiki and I’m glad that this didn’t turn into an enemies to lover romance because – NO. I didn’t love that this plot twist came so late in the book also! I think Kiki had enough drama with Jonas that she didn’t need to be forced to date him.

~ Kiki does come off as a brat at times with her parents but I felt it was realistic. The kids at these schools have mostly have money and Kiki’s family did have some, not on the level as Jonas though.

Tropes: online crush

My Thoughts:

I actually thought this was a fun read because I like how we get to see Kiki try to fit in at a new school when she used to be so popular at her old school. It’s a tough transition and she’s being bullied, which is awful but she learns to stand up for herself even when it’s not the thing to do. I liked her moments just being a teen and goofing off with her girlfriends, talking about their drama. She did have some bratty moments though but that was her personality – kind of hot tempered. The romance was sweet too – I love a good online crush romance, that ends in a happily ever after.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Dial A for Aunties by. Jesse Q. Sutanto ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Four Aunties and a Wedding by. Jesse Q. Sutanto ⭐️⭐️

The New Girl by. Jesse Q. Sutanto ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Plot Twist by. Erin La Rosa | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Plot Twist

Author: Erin La Rosa

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/14/23

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Categories: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, LGBT+

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

Thank you to Canary Street Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

She’s written off more than she can chew…

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went she’s never been in love—and it’s ruining her reputation. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s reunite with her exes (including her last girlfriend Carla, the one person she could have loved) to learn why she’s never fallen in love, and document it all for her millions of new online followers.

Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and is willing to help. What he doesn’t mention is that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol, and with a family that’s Hollywood royalty, Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a strictly casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

Content Warning: alcoholism, rehab/relapse, dysfunctional family, stalking

+ An author with writer’s block, Sophie, is trying to get writing inspiration by talking to all of her ex’s. Dash is her landlord and he’s a famous actor, and also her best friend’s brother. He’s also working on his sobriety which he’s kept a secret from his family. I thought Sophie and Dash had good chemistry and they didn’t hook up right away, it was nice to see their attraction grow. They have a few spicy scenes together which made this story a little sweet and spicy.

+ I do like that the two characters were working on themselves a lot before committing to anything with one another. They definitely tried to give each other space enough to do that – but their attraction kept getting in the way. Dash doesn’t have the best relationship with his mom – he comes from a famous family full of actors and his mom always makes him feel like he doesn’t live up to her expectations. So he’s going through a lot.

~ The TikTok storyline with Dash’s stalker didn’t quite work for me. I thought it was interesting he was a crafter on the side to help with his sobriety though.

~ I didn’t totally click with Sophie. She’s trying to figure out why her past relationships ended but then tries to get back with an ex or explore the feelings there while she’s having a physical relationship with Dash. I thought she was a bit messy in that department but she did seem like a very supportive friend to Dash.

Tropes: one bed, best friend’s brother, forced proximity

My Thoughts:

I thought this one was okay and wish I liked Sophie better but at least I did like Dash’s story a lot. I did enjoy how both characters were working on themselves as they navigated their attraction and feelings for one another. There’s some spice to this one!

Book Links:

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Artifacts of an Ex by. Jennifer Chen | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Artifacts of an Ex

Author: Jennifer Chen

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 11/14/23

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

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

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

When Chloe Chang gets dumped via USPS after moving across the county from NYC to LA, her first instinct is to throw her box of memories in the garbage. Instead, she starts buying other teenagers’ break-up boxes to create an art exhibit, Heartifacts. Opening night is going great, until she spots Daniel Kwak illicitly filming his best friend’s reaction to his ex’s box. When she tries to stop him, an intense discussion ends up launching a creative partnership and friendship… and a major crush for Chloe.

There’s just one problem: Daniel is dead set on not being another rebound.

Five times he’s been the guy who makes the girls he’s dating realize they want to get back with their ex. And he refuses for there to be a sixth. She insists she’s over her ex, but when he shows up unexpectedly with his new girlfriend, it turns out Daniel was right. She isn’t ready for a new relationship.

She throws herself into making Heartifacts successful, but flashy influencers threaten her original vision of the exhibit. To create the exhibit she’s always wanted, Chloe needs to go back to basics, learn to work with artists in a more collaborative way, and discover what love can be. Only then will she convince Daniel she’s truly ready for everything they could be to one another.

In the tradition of Jenny Han and Emma Lord, Jennifer Chen’s Artifacts of an Ex is a story of love, art, and finding your way when everything you know has changed completely.

Content Warning: family member with declining health

+ I thought this was a cute read. Chloe moves from NYC to LA because her grandma needs help but before she left she gets dumped by her famous artist boyfriend. Chloe is aspires to be an art curator so she creates an exhibit in LA using people’s breakup boxes. A breakup box is the box full of items that mean something to the person while in the relationship. She meets Daniel and starts to like him.

+ The art aspect of this book was very interesting. I like the concept of the Heartifacts exhibit that Chloe is working on.

~ There is hardly mention of school in this book and it was kind of hard to believe that these artistic kids were only in high school! At times I felt like they weren’t high school kids with how easy they got their exhibits and vendors together to put on big events. Chloe was a bit judgmental about LA though

~ I felt like the book was very surface level and lacked some depth to the characters. I did like Chloe making friends but everything seemed to come so easily – even letting go of her ex.

Tropes:

My Thoughts:

This one was just okay for me. It’s a quick read and light-hearted romance but I felt like it was lacking character depth. I can definitely see this as a movie on Netflix though because of the art aspect of the story.

Book Links:

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Vows & Ruins by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Vows & Ruins (The Legends of Thezmarr #2)

Author: Helen Scheuerer

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 501

Publication Date: 9/21/23

Categories: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance, Romantasy

Against all odds, Althea Zoltaire emerged from her trials as a champion. Now, she must train even harder and prepare herself to become a true warrior of Thezmarr.

But Thea’s world is turned upside down as she struggles to navigate her newfound magic and uncover the secrets of her past. Slowly, she begins to untangle the truth about her family, her powers and the evil that threatens to engulf the kingdom.

When Wilder Hawthorne returns to be her official mentor, everything changes. Dark forces are gathering, and he will stop at nothing to prepare her for the challenges to come, even if it means breaking her.

As war looms and their quest for answers leads master and apprentice deeper into danger, the undeniable connection between them intensifies – defying all odds, but also threatening to tear them apart.

With secrets unravelling and evil closing in, Thea and Wilder fight to save the world, and each other. The fate of the realms rests in their hands – will they emerge victorious, or will the darkness consume them both?

Full of action, adventure and steamy romance, Vows & Ruins is the second book in the spellbinding epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr and is perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher.

Content Warning: violence

This is book two in The Legends of Thezmarr series and though it’s filled with everything I usually like in a romantasy.

+ After the events in book one, Thea, has to deal with a few things. She is a lost princess and her sister has been keeping that a secret and Thea is angry with her for that. Wilder has left her after them sharing a very passionate moment so yes, she is going through it. But she has to face both of them eventually but she’s forced to be around Wilder since he is her mentor. Thea does a better job at avoiding her sister.

+ Thea is a more powerful character now because she’s training harder with Wilder and she’s learning more about her powers and her past.

+ This book is full of steam and spice! So if you think it was missing in book one, well it’s all here. Thea and Wilder are hot for one another but also have to try and stay away from each other because she’s training to be a warrior of Thezmarr. But it doesn’t work no matter how much they try, they can’t keep their hands off one another.

~ Book one was already such a slow burn, that I was kind of tired of the continuous push and pull between them in this book. It did allow them for a moment to grow as friends which I liked but it was a lot of work to get them to finally say okay, we’re going to be all in and try it out.

~ The book is a little too long and it took me a few days to push through this one. I don’t know if it’s because of my mood but I thought I would devour this and I didn’t. I think the back and forth about their relationship took too much time to figure out and I wanted the story to move forward (which it did in the end).

My Final Thoughts:

I did like that there was more spice in this one but I also wish the story didn’t take until the ending to move forward since it’s a long book. I think I liked book one more but it will be interesting to see what happens in book three after the twist in this ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blood & Steel by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Lair of Bones (Curse of the Cyren Queen #1) by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

With Dagger and Song by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Fabric of Chaos by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Holiday Mix-Up by. Ginny Baird | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Holiday Mix-Up

Author: Ginny Baird

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 10/10/23

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Romance, Holiday Romance, Contemporary

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

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

While You Were Sleeping meets The Wedding Date with a fun Puerto Rican holiday twist in NYT and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird’s latest romance, in which a diner waitress agrees to be her patron’s fake date…only for him to land in a coma and her to be stuck playing his sweetheart with his family all week long.

Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family’s winery, Katie leaps at the chance…that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the “news.” Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there’s Juan’s brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right―and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems. Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan’s plan to “rebrand and expand” Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she’s still committed to Juan…even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead. With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?

Content Warning:

I grew up watching rom-coms like While You Were Sleeping and this book definitely follows the script!

Katie is a waitress who has a crush on her customer, Juan and he asks her to be his fake girlfriend for Christmas. But before they can even carry their plan out, there is a freak accident and Juan is in a coma. Juan’s family believes Katie is his girlfriend and she goes along with it. What she didn’t expect being around Juan’s family was having her fall for his brother Matteo instead.

I got lots of While You Were Sleeping similarities in this book and knew how the story would end but I still thought it was cute. It’s a light hearted read and set leading up to Christmas.

I did like the family themes and the cast of characters in Matteo’s family. As for the romance, though it was cute and I knew how it would end – I kind of wanted more from Katie and Matteo. I just thought they were a little bland. There’s no steam between them, just some kisses but it makes for a wholesome holiday romance.

Tropes: chaste romance, falling for the brother of the guy in the coma, fake girlfriend

My Final Thoughts:

You will definitely like this if you are a fan of the movie While You Were Sleeping. This one was a sweet, light-hearted holiday romance heavy on family themes.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Right Girl, Wrong Side by. Ginny Baird | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Hatchet Girls by. Diana Rodriguez Wallach | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Hatchet Girls

Author: Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 10/10/23

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Horror, Thriller, Paranormal, Suspense

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

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

For fans of Kara Thomas and Courtney Summers comes a supernatural horror that reminds us family can be our saving grace–or our biggest curse. Set one-hundred years after the Borden murders, this propulsive thriller imagines what a similar trial might look like today.

When the parents of the richest family in Fall River are found murdered by axe, the town is quick to blame newcomer Vik. It doesn’t help that he was caught standing over the bodies with blood on his hands and can’t remember anything about the night in question.

But Vik’s sister, Tessa, knows that Vik would never be capable of such a gruesome crime. Haunted by the mistakes she made that led her family to Fall River in the first place, she sets out to prove her brother’s innocence.

Her search for answers will lead her into a sprawling, supposedly cursed forest, as well as the childhood home of Lizzie Borden—the original axe murderess of Fall River.

Content Warning: violence, murder

I couldn’t resist requesting this one because I wanted some darker, thrilling, spooky reads for Fall. This one is dark, bloody, and spooky if you like true crime murders. This story revolves around the history about the Lizzie Borden axe murders that took place in Massachusetts, in the late 1800’s. I’ve heard of the name but wasn’t familiar with the crime story. Seems like this author did her research though and even stayed in the house of the murders! I love the dedication to the story!

The story is set in the Fall River, MA and one of the characters, Phil, even works at the Lizzie Borden house. Mariella, his best friend and the rich girl in town is actually a descendant of the Bordens so when she tries to test her luck by getting in touch with the supernatural forces of the town to help her with a desperate situation – something sinister and strange happens. Other than the Lizzie Borden information we get fed in the book, I also loved the acknowledgment of the Native Americans that had been killed on that land. So this town is the perfect place for a story like this. Mariella’s parents are murdered by her boyfriend Vik, but Tessa (Vik’s sister) wants to truth. What happened that night of the murders? Why would Vik do something that is totally unlike anything he would ever do? There are so many questions and Tessa won’t give up until she figures it out.

This is a quick read but at times I thought maybe too quick because I wanted more of the creep factor especially about the Lizzie Borden history. I felt like the twist was something I caught onto halfway into the book. I would have loved more character development too, I didn’t quite connect to Tessa or Mariella but I did appreciate their back stories since they both were going through some challenging things. I totally felt bad for Vik, poor guy.

I think if you like murder stories with some paranormal, creepy aspects, then you will like this one.

Why you should read it:

true crime, Lizzie Borden axe murder history, Massachusetts history, Native American history
supernatural twist to the story

Why you might not want to read it:

not into horror

My Thoughts:

This is a quick read and if you are into young adult horror and thrillers you may enjoy this one. I especially loved the historical facts I learned about the Lizzie Borden axe murders and the Native Americans that perished in that town, on that land. The story itself was creepy and gory and for the most part I was entertained even though I wish there was more character development and more of a scare factor.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Love in Winter Wonderland by. Abiola Bello | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Love in Winter Wonderland

Author: Abiola Bello

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 312

Publication Date: 10/03/23

Publisher: Soho Teen

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Holiday 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 Soho Teen for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

‘The Sun Is Also a Star’ meets ‘You’ve Got Mail’ in this YA Christmas love story set in a London Black-owned bookshop.

Charming, handsome Trey Anderson balances the pressures of school popularity with a job at his family’s beloved local bookshop, Wonderland.

Quirky, creative Ariel Spencer needs tuition for the prestigious art program of her dreams, and an opening at Wonderland is the answer. When Trey and Ariel learn that Wonderland is on the brink of being shut down by a neighborhood gentrifier, they team up to stop the doors from closing before the Christmas Eve deadline—and embark on a hate-to-love journey that will change them forever.

Heartwarming and romantic, this read is the gift that keeps on giving, no matter the season.

Content Warning: binge eating, fat shaming, grief

My favorite part of these young adult holiday romance novel is the Wonderland bookshop and everyone pitching to coming in and save it. I also love that this was set in England, so we get the Black British perspective on things. And it’s fantastic that Wonderland is a black owned, indie bookstore! Indie bookstores need more love. The play list songs before every chapter was a cute touch also! Trey’s family has had the bookshop in the family for years so losing it is not an option he or his family wants to face. Not only is he dealing with the bookshop woes but his relationship with his girlfriend Blair has been a bit rocky. They’re both the popular kids on the college campus but lately Trey needs to focus on his family and the shop, which Blair is not happy about.

Ariel goes to the same college as Trey and Blair, but she’s an artist. She needs a job to help pay for possible entry into the art school of her dreams and luck so has it that Wonderland hires her even though they are in dire straits. Ariel and her friends come up with a great idea to save Wonderland and their hard work really pays off. I thought it was very sweet to see the community come together especially during Christmas time. I thought Ariel was a cool character. She’s talented in her art and she’s plus-sized, which for the most part she is comfortable about until Blair makes her feel less than and Ariel binge-eats when she feels down. And not only is she feeling down about when people comment on her size but she’s also dealing with losing her dad. So she’s going through some things but she has her art and her support system of family and good friends!

As far as the romance goes? Trey has a girlfriend for most of the book. Ariel has had a crush on him for awhile now but even with them working close together – I didn’t feel any sparks between them. It felt forced. Trey was just dealing with too much and at times I didn’t even like him. He was always mad at Ariel for something! And I think the story had enough Christmas themes – I think the ending is where most of it comes in with the Wonderland showcase, but if this were a Hallmark or Netflix Christmas movie I can already picture the bookstore and everyone walking around in their coats and scarves.

Tropes: close proximity

My Thoughts:

Strangely enough I didn’t love the holiday romance in this story but I loved the storyline of saving Wonderland because it is a Black-owned indie bookstore! In that sense it definitely gave me You’ve Got Mail vibes – a bookstore in winter just scream Christmas vibes. And the community comes together to help save this bookstore so that was heartwarming. I loved the supporting cast like Trey’s family and Ariel’s friends but I just felt like the romance was missing something – chemistry or even some sparks. Overall, it was an entertaining holiday story.