Sunrise on the Reaping by. Suzanne Collins | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Sunrise on the Reaping

Author: Suzanne Collins

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 382

Publication Date: 3/18/24

Categories: Young Adult, Dystopia, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

Content Warning: violence towards children, death, murder

+ This is Haymitch’s story and everyone knew it would be crazy because of how he was an alcoholic in The Hunger Games (Katniss’ era) and now we learn what drove him to drown himself in the bottle. And it is brutal.

+ I like how we get to see Haymitch – happy and carefree even with the struggles the districts are going through. He has this way of being charming and like nothing bothers but when we are in his head, we see so many things are weighing on him like wondering about his family, his love Lenore, and dying. He’s an interesting character because he’s not the hero, like Katniss. He’s not there to save anyone really, he really things he’s going to die in the games, but he comes out the winner anyway.

+ The action picks up halfway into the book and these games are brutal. Just some of the ways these kids die is gruesome. And I like that Haymitch isn’t this hero like Katniss was – he’s this regular guy who really just thought he was going to die in the games. The fact that he survives is a torture I can’t even imagine especially with what happens after the games, so much survivor’s guilt and nightmares. And the poem from Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven, being used in the book did not help my emotions – it’s my favorite and it broke my heart while Haymitch’s was breaking. When I read the epilogue, I shed a tear.

+ Having just read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I love how Lenore Dove ties into the Covey and Lucy Gray! Also there were so many familiar faces from The Hunger Games, like young Effie, Plutarch, Betee, Mags and Cesar. It was nice to see their younger selves. There are a lot of new tributes but you can’t get attached because it is the Hunger Games. 😢

~ I think the part where Haymitch gets to the Capitol and they meet other tributes was a bit slower than the rest of the book but that could be because I was anticipating the start of the games. It was the perfect opportunity to show us who were rebels and how Haymitch became a part of everything.

~ I’m someone who doesn’t love songs in a book only because I don’t know how they sound. Of course I love the “are you, are you, coming to the tree…” song because it was sung in the movie. This one has a few songs, not as much as TBOSAS but it’s there plus the poems.

Final Thoughts:

This was exactly what I was expecting for Haymitch’s story. It left me angry and heartbroken. Only something tragic and horrific could turn that bright, young man into what he is by the time Katniss enters the games. Snow’s punishment for his defiance broke him and for that I hate Snow even more.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by. Suzanne Collins | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hunger Games by. Suzanne Collins ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Catching Fire by. Suzanne Collins ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mockingjay by. Suzanne Collins ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Holy Terrors by. Margaret Owen | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Holy Terrors (Little Thieves, #3)

Author: Margaret Owen

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 560

Publication Date: 4/1/25

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Categories: Fantasy, Series, Romance, LGBT+, Young Adult, Mystery

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

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

It’s been nearly two years since Vanja brought down the cult she started, and she’s still paying the price. As the Pfennigeist, she bucks the law in order to help the desperate and haunt the corrupt all across the empire—and no matter what, she works alone.

But an impossible killer is tearing through royalty, and leaving Vanja’s signature red penny on every victim. Suddenly the Pfennigeist is no longer a folk hero but a nightmare. When even the Blessed Empress falls, the empire’s seven royal families must gather to elect her successor within a matter of weeks, or risk the collapse of reality itself… even though it puts every house in the killer’s sights.

Vanja tells herself she’s wading into the royalty’s vicious games only to save the name she made, and the loved ones also in jeopardy. But the Order of Prefects has also put their sharpest official on the case, the one who swore he’d always find Vanja—until she broke his heart. Journeyman Prefect Emeric Conrad may no longer be the boy Vanja knew, but they’ll have to work together one last time to have any chance of surviving the deadly catastrophe coming for them all.

With bloody conspiracy, sinister magic, and old adversaries closing in, it will take everything Vanja has to save not just the people she loves, but the future she’s fought for. In this thrilling final chapter of the Indie Next series Little Thieves, New York Times-bestselling author Margaret Owen shows us the pain and beauty of choosing which demons to face, and which to forgive.

Content Warning: mention of sexual assault, death, murder, violence

+ Holy Terrors brings us back to the world of Little Thieves and I went into this one not doing a re-read…all I remembered was Vanja and Emeric breaking my heart in book two and I needed to know what happens to them. I didn’t need to do a re-read, it picked up where it left off and everything was coming back to me because this story is so unique.

+ My favorite girl, Vanja is back. Her life as the Pfennigeist is full of adventure – she’s a thief, always running from one con to another. She’s helping people along the way and trying to forget Emeric and the choice she made in book two. I love her personality and attitude – she’s someone who is broken, trying to find desperately who and what she is and what she wants in this life. She’s always running but this is the time she has to face the music. There is so much growth in her – I was proud of her!

+ My favorite gods Death and Fortune are back and funny as ever. I love how they mother Vanja as much as they can. Another character that grew on me is Benno, love him! There were some interesting characters in this book and all of them are needed to solve this case of royals dying.

+ The romance – this is the first book this year that made me cry. Vanja and Emeric, my loves. They have both moved on after Vanja left him at the end of book two. He’s engaged. She’s had other lovers. But it’s undeniable when they come together again that they are just messy and meant to be. But Vanja has to learn to stop running, and Emeric has to realize why she ran. I loved all her self reflections because Vanja did some hard work looking inwards and facing her demons. I love them so much. My favorite part of this story was them.

+ Outside the romance there is a major event happening and Vanja is the number one suspect, until they realize it’s not. The whole crew is led on a merry chase trying to figure out what is happening and catch the main killer. There are a lot of twists and turns. It also showcases how amazing Vanja and Emeric are, like Sherlock Homes haha! I did enjoy the mystery but there is a lot of names – names that are long and hard to pronounce, so at times I found that to be too much. At least everything happens in one place, at conclave.

~ There are also some events at the climax of the story where something happens, and it has to do with time and a different timeline, gets very fantastical but it was a little confusing but maybe because I was rushing to the end with everything that is happening. I might have to read that ending again just to make sure I understood what happened.

Final Thoughts:

My favorite part of this conclusion is Vanja and Emeric making their way back to one another. I never knew this story would be so emotional. Their story made me cry. I was so proud to see Vanja grow, she came such a long way from book one and she deserved to have happiness. This world of Little Thieves is so unique with the world-building, the mystery, magic and characters. I love all of it. This book had lots of twists and turns and even some parts that confused me at the end but overall this is a fantastic conclusion to a really amazing trilogy.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve read From This Author:

Little Thieves by. Margaret Owen | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Painted Devils by. Margaret Owen | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oathbound by. Tracy Deonn | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Oathbound (The Legendborn Cycle, #3)

Author: Tracy Deonn

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 656

Publication Date: 3/4/25

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Series

Severed from the Legendborn. Oathbound to a monster.

Bree Matthews is alone. She exiled herself from the Legendborn Order, cut her ancestral connections, and turned away from the friends who can’t understand the impossible cost of her powers. This is the only way to keep herself—and those she loves—safe.

But Bree’s decision has come with a terrible price: an unbreakable bargain with the Shadow King himself, a shapeshifter who can move between humanity, the demon underworld, and the Legendborn secret society. In exchange for training to wield her unprecedented abilities, Bree has put her future in the Shadow King’s hands—and unwittingly bound herself to do his bidding as his new protégé.

Meanwhile, the other Scions must face war with their Round Table fractured, leaderless, and missing its Kingsmage, as Selwyn has also disappeared. When Nick is detained by the Order’s Merlins, he invokes an ancient law that requires the High Council of Regents to convene at the Northern Keep and grant him an audience. No one knows what he will demand of them…or what secrets he has kept hidden from the Table.

As a string of mysterious kidnappings escalates and Merlins are found dead, it becomes clear that no matter how hard Bree runs from who she is, the past will always find her.

Content Warning: violence, kidnapping

I took my time reading this book and let me tell you, even at 600+ pages, I didn’t want it to end.

+ The characters and relationships that are built between them are so good. New characters were introduced, Elijah (he’s okay) and Zoe. I enjoyed her growing relationship with Zoe who was hostile with her at first. There are multiple POVs in this book and I really loved Mariah and Natasia’s perspectives! I even think the Shadow King is an interesting villain.

+ There are a few things going on in this story. Bree is with the Shadow King, and is there to help him get his crown but also, girls with Rootcraft magic are going missing. There are things happening with the Scions also and the Morgaines and then there is Sel going through demonia. I remember thinking in book two that I really wished Bree had someone to help her with her powers and this books gives her that but in the most dangerous way ever.

+ Bree has really been through hell and back in this series so far. This story is her turning point – she’s in a place where she needs to heal and figure out what to do with all this power she has. Does she embrace it or throw it all away? Bree is a complex character and I actually have to remind myself she’s still young, she’s 17! So does she make some mistakes? Yes, she still does and some people like Valec call her out on it. Is she better at controlling her emotions? For the most part, I think so.

+ And yes because there is so many characters, let’s talk about my favorite boys: Nick and Selwyn. 😩 First Selwyn – he has his own hellish path he’s on, and wow…he is barely in this book but the ending is…🤯. As for Nick, when he reunites with Bree, I screamed I think lol. They are apart for half of the book but when he is with her, oh my goodness. Oh my goodness, Nick! He is her person in every way, but I can’t forget about Sel even though he was hardly with Bree in this book. From Legendborn, I have been team Selwyn but Nick is such a sweet guy! I swear this is the one time I was thinking, maybe they can be a throuple? 😅. But who knows what will happen with Sel after that ending!

~ I need Selwyn’s perspective. He was barely in this book but he will have to be in book four more because of what happened at the end of this book but please…I need more Selwyn! It was interesting to have his mom’s POV as she observed him, but I just want his perspective.

~ The beginning of this was a little slow but I forced myself to not rush and settle into the story. There is a lot of information to absorb and if you didn’t re-read the series like me, I had to get my bearings but that was easy enough the more I read and was immersed into this world.

Quotes From This Book:

“Greedy men collect what they cannot understand, and weak men destroy what they cannot control.”
Oathbound by. Tracy Deonn

“Bree isn’t the thought; she’s the action.”
Oathbound by. Tracy Deonn

“We’ve kissed enough that I know how you like to be kissed.”
Oathbound by. Tracy Deonn

“It is a rare being who keeps wading into the war of life with a fractured weapon.”
Oathbound by. Tracy Deonn

Final Thoughts:

This one started off a little slow for me because I had to get used to the different POVs which was kind of unexpected but then I loved it as I read more. I love the relationships these characters have with one another – it is so good. Bree’s journey has never been easy has it? And it isn’t easy in this book also but she’s finally come to a place of healing and I can’t wait to see what book four has in store for her. She’s strong and her growth has been amazing. As for the romance – I’m rooting for both guys 😅. I’ve been team Selwyn because I’m an enemies to lovers kinda girl but Nick made me swoon in this book. Sel is kind of scary right now and who knows what will happen with him in the next book. As for the next book though, I need Alice to be okay. I’ll be waiting patiently for the next one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Legendborn | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bloodmarked by. TracyDeonn | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by. Carissa Broadbent| ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Songbird & the Heart of Stone (Crowns of Nyaxia, #3)

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 11/19/24

Publisher: Bramble

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Vampires, Gods

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

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

New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, Songbird and the Heart of Stone, where A Court of Thorns and Roses meets Dante’s Inferno, in an epic fantasy romance of love and treachery between mortals and gods.

Mische lost everything when she was forcibly Turned into a vampire—her home, her humanity, and most devastating of all, the love of the sun god to whom she had devoted her life. Now, sentenced to death for murdering the vampire prince who turned her, redemption feels impossible.

But when Mische is saved by Asar, the bastard prince of the House of Shadow with a past as brutal as his scars, she’s forced into a mission worse than execution: a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death himself.

Yet, Mische’s punishment may be the key to her salvation. In a secret meeting, her sun god commands her to help Asar in his mission, only to betray him… by killing the god of death.

Mische and Asar must travel the treacherous path to the underworld, facing trials, beasts, and the vengeful ghosts of their pasts. Yet, most dangerous of all is the alluring call of the darkness—and her forbidden attraction to Asar, a burgeoning bond that risks invoking the wrath of gods.

As her betrayal looms, the underworld closes in, and angry gods are growing restless. Mische will be forced to choose between the redemption of the sun or the damnation of the darkness.

Content Warning: death, violence, grooming

I love this series and was so surprised there was going to be a book three but I am so happy there is and that I was gifted an arc! Once I saw I was approved I had to push all books aside and read it. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

Did I read this in two days? Yes I did! More like a day and a half because I was hooked but in a different way from how I was addicted to the first two books in this series. This is Mische’s story, Raihn’s best-friend/charge, and I was so intrigued about her. Whereas, the first two books was a story about the different vampire houses and had an intense trial – this book is about Mische’s upbringing with worshipping a God and how that worship shaped her life. There isn’t a trial in this story but a very big, dangerous quest which is filled with the dead and other monsters in the path to the underworld.
Mische was groomed as a young child to love and please a God and now that she’s a vampire she is questioning her self-worth and dealing with the dualities inside of her – the powers of both a Shadow vampire and a Dawndrinker who is devoted to Atroxus. I actually love how the author exposes her devotion to supposedly something good and show how in actuality it was harming her. It’s a toxic relationship she has with her God. What I like about Mische is her optimism and sunshine quality even if she’s only faking it to make it. She has some deep seated self-hatred and guilt festering inside her and that was sad to see.
Asar has an interesting history also – the bastard heir of the House of Shadow vampire king. He is the grumpy to Mische’s sunshine. He’s quiet, sarcastic, and has had a difficult upbringing as well as some traumas that have shaped him. He and Mische understand guilt and wanting redemption so badly, it consumes them. I like how he helped show Mische how the love for her God was harming her.
It’s such a slow, slow burn, I was craving for a nugget of romance in the beginning but this one is a slow build and I honestly didn’t mind because of the quest Asar and Mische is carrying out which is filled with so much action and danger. But when the romance finally presents itself, it’s good! I love them together.
There is a lot of background story about Mische’s past, Asar’s past and Nyaxia’s past! I find this world so fascinating and was very hooked to every detail of it. I love how the Descent is the way to the Underworld – it’s filled with spirits, monsters, wraiths, and it is filled with danger. This world keeps growing and I love it.

Dislikes:

I wanted more romance but I also liked that this wasn’t an insta-love kind of deal. They actually work as partners (even though technically they are enemies), the romance isn’t the main thing in this story, and I was surprised I didn’t mind it but by the midway point I wanted more flirting – but that’s just me.
Their quest takes them into the Descent which is the in-between space between the mortal world and the underworld. The door to the Descent is a house that is sentient, called Morthryn, but there are times where I was easily confused as to where the characters were. They always find their way back to Morthryn but sometimes I was disoriented trying to figure out where they were.
This is clearly an ARC copy and with that said, there were many typos which will probably get corrected in the final publication but it did trip me up a few times while reading.

My Thoughts:

This being Mische’s story, I felt like it was a very true Mische story. Her sunshine personality shines through even in the darkest parts of Morthryn and the Descent and that’s what I adore about her. That even with all the things she’s gone through from being groomed by a God, turning into a vampire, losing the people she loves and now being away from her friends, warring with her self-worth and questioning her path – she is able to survive and keeps going. This one is filled with so much action, darkness and light, more world-building, a super slow burn of a romance and then that ending cliffhanger! I’ll be counting the days until the next book!

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Instagram (crafts🎨) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (Shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Six Scorched Roses by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bride by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Bride

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 410

Publication Date: 2/6/24

Categories: Adult, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Werewolves

A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again…

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she’s ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

Content Warning: poisoning, attempted murder, attempted kidnaping, kidnapping, toxic parental relationship

I’m so glad I got to finally read this book which has been getting so much hype and I can see why!

I love a good vampire story and this one where a vampire and a Were marry one another to keep the alliances is such a good storyline. I thought the world building and politics were done well and I could feel the high stakes of an alliance between vampire and Weres to be vital to both species against the humans. I felt like I learned a lot about vampires through Misery (what a name!) and there was so much insight about weres when Misery goes to live with them. I like that the explanations in this book didn’t feel like info-dumping but something I was genuinely interested to know.

Misery is a great character – she’s cold and comes off unfeeling because she’s a vampire, they lack the emotions to supposedly care for another being. But then there is Serena, a human, who was Misery’s foster sister and their relationship even though for 3/4ths of the books it was through memories, was such an important relationship for Misery. It’s why she jumps into a marriage alliance – it’s all to find Serena, who is missing and Misery cannot fathom a life without her. I love them together.

As for Misery and her romance with Lowe, it’s a slow burn. But yes, Weres have “mates”, so I think it’s safe to say that was a predictable part of the story. Still, I thought their relationship grew nicely for two people in a forced marriage and when the attraction finally hit for Misery it turned this book quite spicy. And yes, the word I learned this year is “knot” after reading another Were romance earlier this year and not knowing what the heck that was. Well…this book gives a LOT of explanation and demonstration! I don’t know what I think of it yet…like I don’t know if I find it sexy? But hey it’s the way they do things, so I’m just going with it.

The story had a great flow from beginning to end with the search for Serena, the politics of the alliances and how Serena might be involved, Misery living with the Weres and also Misery dealing with not fitting in anywhere ever since she was a child most in part because of her horrible father. I loved the relationship building between Misery, Lowe and the Weres because the hate and fears between them was so strong at first.

The only thing I didn’t quite love was Lowe always taking things on himself and pushing Misery away – after what she’s been through as a child – I hated that for her. That was so weak of him and it annoyed me.

It looks like this is going to be a series or standalone stories in a series – after what happens at the end, so I’m looking forward to the next book!

My Final Thoughts:

This had everything I want in a paranormal romance! Vampires, politics, a slow burn, smart characters, lovable characters, and an entertaining story from start to finish. I’m looking forward to the next book!

Find me here: Instagram (bookstagram📚) | Instagram (crafts🎨) | Twitter (X) | Etsy (shop)

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Love Hypothesis by. Ali Hazelwood | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Court of Thorns and Roses by. Sarah J. Maas | Book Review | Re-read

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 419

Publication Date: 5/5/15

Categories: Young Adult, New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Faeries

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.

At least, he’s not a beast all the time.

As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Content Warning: violence, death, torture

I can’t say how many times I’ve read this book. But it’s been so long that I’ve done a re-read, I thought why not right now? In my initial review for this book in 2015 on Goodreads was 4 stars. So I’m bumping it up 1/2 a star because I loved it the more I re-read it.

+ Feyre is a fantastic character. She’s a survivor, she does makes mistakes, she’s not even the strongest person physically but she survives on her instincts and is always learning. I love her bravery even when she’s deathly afraid. I love that she took care of her family and has complicated feelings about her family.

+ I love that this first book in the series had a beauty and the beast vibe where Feyre goes to Prythian to live in Tamlin’s home as punishment because she kills one of his men, without knowing he was a faerie. I like that this faerie world of Prythian is dangerous and Feyre comes in contact with many different monsters while living there.

+ The world building is so good. And I loved how bad a villain Amarantha is. The ending of the book is what made my jaw drop about this book. What Feyre does for Tamlin and her bravery throughout it all made me admire her so much.

+~ Ah, the romance. It’s so good when you don’t know what’s coming in book two! 😅 All my re-reads after reading it the first time made me look at Tamlin a different way of course. But here’s the thing, it was so good between Tamlin and Feyre. He was this gorgeous, scary beast and all he wanted to do was protect though we find out later there is an ulterior motive to having her in Prythian. She risked it all for him!

~ There is a lot of talking in this book, in this whole series actually because there is always explaining to do. There are stories that Feyre doesn’t know, faerie lore, there’s a lot she needs to catch up on and figure out so yes…sometimes it’s a lot of explaining happening.

My Final Thoughts:

I never get tired of re-reading this book, especially this first one because we see this human girl turn into a broken almost superhero at the end, all for the guy she loves. But also, this was the first book that introduces us to this amazing world of Prythian and I truly love all the adventures Feyre has capturing the Suriel, fighting the Naga and the worm, and helping to end Amarantha’s reign of terror. It’s a dark, sultry story without it being spicy. Of course I have my issues with it too but overall I love the story.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

House of Flame and Shadow by. Sarah J. Maas | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

House of Sky and Breath by. Sarah J. Maas | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City, #1) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Court of Silver Flames | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Heartless Hunter by. Kristen Ciccarelli | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Heartless Hunter (#1)

Author: Kristen Ciccarelli

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 2/20/24

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult/New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Witches/Witch Hunters. Magic

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!

A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history.

On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.

Content Warning: violence, blood magic, mentions of self harm, mentions of abuse, death, mentions of drug use

+ I went into this book not knowing what to expect and wow was I delightfully surprised at how engaged I was with this story. I loved the game of cat and mouse that Rune and Gideon play. Rune is a witch in secret and Gideon is a successful witch hunter. I didn’t want either of them to catch the either because I was rooting for them both at times – but they did entrap themselves with their attraction to one another which was intense. There was even a steamy scene between them which is why I mention this as a New Adult book because I did feel like the characters seem older.

+ I like how complicated this story was because of Rune’s background – she’s a witch and trying to survive by keeping that secret. She’s also the Crimson Moth, a witch going around helping other witches escape from prison. And then there is Gideon, who was abused by a which he had been in love with and when he set himself free and helped take down the witch Queens who ruled them, he became a changed young man – a hardened one. They both think they are doing their life’s purpose.

+ The twist in the story was so good, I only caught it 3/4ths into the book! I did not see it coming at all until it was too late but I love that it caught me off guard. I was so involved with Rune and Gideon’s game of cat and mouse that I didn’t question anything else happening around them.

+ The world building is great and I love the magic system. I like that we get the history of the Queens and the revolution. The killing of witches did get graphic especially when Rune recalls how her grandmother died.

+~ I personally love how this enemies to lovers, forbidden romance transpired. Gideon really hates witches and Rune really is trying to help any witch she can. I loved the cat and mouse but how could these two people ever be together? It seems doomed from the start because they are both pretending to get something from the other. There is a slight love triangle which some readers won’t like but I didn’t mind it because of what happens in the story. But Gideon is as hardened a character as I ever saw and with the way things end – is there a way the two of them could ever believe the other? But I so loved the way he softened towards Rune (even if it was at first pretend) and the things he did to woo her – I don’t blame her for falling for him!

My Thoughts:

I was really transported into this story and was riveted by the cat and mouse game between Rune and Gideon. I love the moments when they gave into what they were feeling but they have so much to work through. I love the world-building and the magic which was easy to follow. There’s a great tension that builds in the story because of Rune’s secrets, the cat and mouse game, the forbidden attraction and the twist in the story. I’m sad I have to wait for the next book!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Edgewood by. Kristen Ciccarelli | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Last Namsara by. Kristen Ciccarelli ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Getaway List by. Emma Lord | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Getaway List

Author: Emma Lord

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 1/23/24

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Coming of Age, Best Friends to Lovers

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 day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List ― a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away ― will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future.

Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.

Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.

Content Warning: neglectful parent, challenging parent relationships

+ There is a lot I like about this book. I could relate to Riley’s confusion about what to do with her life now that she graduated high school and how she and her mom don’t see eye to eye on her future. I loved seeing New York City through her eyes and trying to find herself after being what her mom wanted for years in high school.

+ New York City is the perfect city for this story. It’s a place of endless possibilities as Riley finds out, but I did also like Riley’s mom’s backstory about why NYC wasn’t the best place for Riley. In the end it’s a good fit for Riley and she makes a bunch of new friends and even helps her best friend, Tom, fall in love with the city. The secondary characters really bring this story to life.

+ Riley isn’t the only one dealing with parental issues. Tom’s mom is neglectful and spends most of her time on work -which really sucks for Tom. Both Riley and Tom doesn’t have any ties to their fathers or at least they’re not in the picture while this story is unfolding. But where Riley can actually argue with her mom and talk things out, Tom and his mom barely have any communication which is sad.

+ This is a best-friends to lovers romance and it’s a slow burn. There are so many other issues Riley and Tom need to take care of to really talk about their relationship. It builds and I love their friendship so much, it almost felt natural for them to take it a step further – but they do so while keeping in mind they both have some issues to work on with their mothers and their plans going forward.

My Thoughts:

I enjoy this book a lot – there is just something about books set in New York City that is so much fun. I love Riley and Tom and the group of friends they have together. They are all in the same age group and trying to basically find their way but having fun at it! It’s a really enjoyable coming of age story. If you like a best friends to lovers romance and you love stories set in New York City – you will definitely enjoy this one.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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When You Get the Chance by. Emma Lord | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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The Woman in Me by. Britney Spears | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Woman in Me

Author: Britney Spears

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 10/25/23

Categories: Nonfiction, Memoir, Music, Pop Culture

The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.

Content Warning: postpartum depression, underage drinking, alcoholism

I don’t read a lot of memoirs even though I always plan to add it to my TBR list. I’ll read one here and there but I HAD to get this one because I love Britney. I was in college when she blew up in the music industry and my little girl cousins were obsessed with her because of Baby One More Time. And she was so awesome to hold a Free concert here in Hawaii (and back then it was hard to get any big musicians to do concerts here in Hawaii!!!) – I never went but I remember my cousin’s wives brought their little girls and they were so excited and happy about it. I wish I did go now because who holds free concerts now? Not in this economy of overpriced tickets. But Britney held a free concert in Hawaii on the beach and it was made into a DVD. I wasn’t obsessed but I loved her music, especially her next albums where there was more tracks I could dance to. And from there I just loved her music, her videos, and her performances – she was the moment! Until everything imploded and now we get HER side of the story and it’s so long overdue.

+ I love how she gives us a glimpse into her childhood which she experienced with an alcoholic father and a mother that fought with him a lot. It’s only a quick glance into her early years, memories here and there about growing up in Kentwood, Louisiana.

I wanted to hide, but I also wanted to be seen. Both things could be true.”
Britney Spears – The Woman in Me

I’ve heard that this sometimes happens to parents – especially if you have trauma from your childhood. When your kids get to be the age you were when you were dealing with something rough, you live it emotionally.”
Britney Spears – The Woman in Me

+ Her relationships with the various men in her life really didn’t turn out the best and I think it’s because of her already traumatic childhood didn’t give her a good idea about what a good, stable relationship is like. With the whole Justin thing – I loved them together and was sad when they broke up. And it got messy in the tabloids and in the media. She was tarnished and labeled a bad woman because of the breakup and they were so YOUNG They were 17 and 18? My goodness it reminded me of me and my ex high school boyfriend and how we ended and I got labeled a slut when I wasn’t even sleeping around with anyone but they believed HIM. Like why does that happen? 🙄 And then came K. Fed. 😡 This girl wanted to be loved and he was that rock for her at first until he chased the fame too. She did skim over when she dated “the photographer” as she calls him – kind of wanted to know more about that but I’m sure that was a rough time in her memory.

That interview was a breaking point for me internally – a switch had been flipped. I felt something dark come over my body. I felt myself turning, almost like a werewolf, into a Bad Person.”
Britney Spears – The Woman in Me

+ She explains some of the images we saw on tabloids and on the news – the moment the police show up to her house and take her on a gurney into the ambulance or the moment the pictures of her almost falling with her baby in her arms when the heel of her show twists…stuff like that. And again…they were like sharks after her! And why her, is what I ask…why did they want to tear her apart so badly?! I was flabbergasted how clearly she was going through postpartum depression (only now I understand because I’ve had 2 kids)…but she was suffering and there was no one there to help her with that at all or even diagnose her with PPD? I can only imagine what she was going through. I remember when everything was happening in the media, I really thought she was going to end up in an overdose like how most troubled celebrities end up and I was scared for her.

It felt like that was the only thing people wanted to tall about: whether or not I was a fit mother.”
Britney Spears – The Woman inMe

+ The moment she talks about the conservatorship and the role her father takes – I feel her anger and the betrayal in her words. I am so angry FOR her. No one was in her corner. And she went along with everything for her babies. 😭💔 I understand that when she was having a mental break, probably because of the PPD, the conservatorship helped her get back on her feet. But now we get to hear her thoughts about how she felt during that 13 year period. I ask the same questions she is asking…how can someone be in a conservatorship – but be worked to the bone, performing, touring, being out in public and paying everyone’s bills…how can they deem her unfit to be her own person yet milked for the money she could make them? When she talks about the nurse showing her the #freebritney movement on the internet…I felt like I was watching a movie and that was the moment everything turned around for her!

This is too much for me. But I didn’t see a way out. So I felt my spirit retreat, and I went on autopilot. If I play along, surely they’ll see how good I am and they will let me go.”
Britney Spears – The Woman in Me

+~ Is it well written? I’d say not particularly because I’m such an avid reader – but I’m also used to the way she writes captions on her Instagram account! So I feel like this is authentic to her voice and the way she talks. Even the speech she made in court kind of sounds like this book where her sentences rush into one another. Some of her timeline in the beginning felt like she was jumping between childhood memories, kind of skimming over some memories but if someone asked me for details about my childhood it wouldn’t be fully detailed either. But her writing does get better and smoother when she writes about her adult years. I can only imagine how hard it was for her to put what she went through down on paper – I can feel the pain and so much anger in her words.

My Final Thoughts:

There is so much I want to say but overall it’s a good read especially if you are a Britney fan like me. It’s full of details I never knew and just full of her emotions and I am angry and heartbroken for her. Britney is 41 years old which is 4 years younger than me and wow….her life story just hits me because I remember living in this Britney era. It just makes no sense to me that she was labeled the “unfit mother” but she was so unfit that she WORKED her ass off and paid everyone’s bills while she was “unfit”?! That bugs me a lot. So the “help” they gave her was to work her harder and push her to the brink? Like she said she was a people pleaser and she’s learning to now say no, thank goodness. That’s totally relatable because it’s a hard lesson to learn (from a fellow people pleaser). Sometimes you give so much that there is nothing else to give because you are empty.

I hope she makes a movie about her life because it would be so good. It’s an inspirational story. But on the other hand, she owes us nothing else because she gave us so much of herself and I’m grateful for that. I still work out to her music and my kids love Oops I did it again, Toxic and Lucky. I just hope she continues to do what she wants with her freedom and have more therapy to help HEAL all her mental trauma and wounds. 🙏🏼 😔 I got a new appreciate for her strength as a woman and a mother after reading this book – she really held on for her kids and I can relate to that!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Six Scorched Roses by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Six Scorched Roses (Crowns of Nyaxia #1.5)

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 187

Publication Date: 3/21/23

Categories: Novella, Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Series

Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.

Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.

Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood–the one hope for her town’s salvation.

But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire… and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.

Six Scorched Roses is a standalone fantasy romance novella set in the world of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, perfect for those who love dark, romantic tales with bite and fans of Sarah J. Maas or Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Content Warning: violence, illness

I don’t read novellas because they novellas always feel they are too short and sometimes doesn’t feel complete or has me wanting more. But I was craving a book about vampires and miss the Nyaxia world so I took a chance on this one.

+ Even though this is a novella clocking in at 187 pages, this feels like a full complete story! I remember mentions of Lord Vale and Lilith in the series so I love that this is their story.

+ I love how Lilith is a scientist and she’s trying to help her people who are dying from the plague. She does this by experimenting with vampire blood but first she needs to get it. She’s a brave woman who is not afraid to go to Lord Vale’s home and ask for his blood. Vale is a grumpy vampire who is kind of a recluse but only because he is trying to stay away from the turmoil in his homeland. I like how he and Lilith share a common love of knowledge.

+ It’s a novella so the romance has to happen quick but I love how she only interacts with him once a month to get his blood. During their interactions they come together to do the research together. When there is a steamy scene between them it’s really good and heartfelt which I was not expecting. I ended up falling in love with them.

~ My only complaint was that this is a novella and I could have read a full length novel about them because the characters are so intriguing.

My Final Thoughts:

I’m glad I finally gave this one a chance! It fulfilled my craving for a vampire, romantasy and plus it’s a book from a series I love. It felt complete as a novella.