A Fate Forged in Fire by. Hazel McBride | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: A Fate Forged in Fire

Author: Hazel McBride

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 5/27/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Dragons

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!

To become the first queen in centuries, a powerfully blessed blacksmith must use her wits and fire magic to overthrow the corrupt powers ruling her kingdom—while also fighting her growing desire for one of her dragon-riding adversaries—in the first book of a sizzling Celtic-inspired fantasy romance duology.

Once a territory built on matriarchal rule and values, Tìr Teine has since grown frail from a long line of fruitless kings. The most recent of which have ruled under the influence of the True Religion, an oppressive group who have steadily poisoned the region with their anti-magic teachings.

Born to rule and blessed by fire, Aemyra has begrudgingly lived in hiding rather than risk her life in court, waiting in anticipation for the current king’s death so she can bond to his dragon, claim her throne, and protect her people. But when the king dies and Aemyra is ready to take what is rightfully hers, her ambitious plan is foiled and she is thrust into a game of vicious politics and plots.

Her biggest adversary is Prince Fiorean, a dragon-rider and one of the most powerful fire wielders in the territory. Cold, arrogant, and blindly supportive of his corrupt family, he is everything Aemyra despises. But as chaos engulfs the court, they find themselves reluctantly entwined, forced to forge an uneasy alliance—one that quickly ignites into something more dangerous than either of them expected.

Behind enemy lines and slowly falling for her so-called adversary, Aemyra uncovers just how far the rot of corruption has spread, and what she may have to sacrifice to claim her throne.

Content Warning: misogyny, violence, war, death, attempted forced hysterectomy, family trauma

+ This gives Game of Thrones and House of Dragon vibes but no incest (thank goodness)! I think it mostly resembles House of Dragon with the political intrigue and world-building which has a territory that used to worship Goddesses and practice magic and is now overrun with men practicing the True Religion, they are called the Chosen or Covenantors. Also there is a mad king – sound familiar? Anyway, I actually enjoyed the GoT/HoD vibes a lot – this world is merciless and cutthroat.

+ Aemyra is not only the rightful Queen in hiding but she is going to fight for her throne. Thing is she’s also naive, impulsive and arrogant. She has a lot to learn about being Queen. I think people reading this might either love or hate her. Growing up being groomed as the future Queen left her making impulsive decisions, thinking everything would fall her way easily. She finds out quickly that the path to winning the throne is not easy at she thought it would be. I like her strength and the things that she had to go through with the Chosen, made me root for her a lot. She is basically fighting for women’s rights.

+ I love the dragons and Aemyra’s bond with her twin brother, Adarian who is the more level-headed and softer side of the two of them. Her dad is a morally grey character who I don’t fully trust but it will be interesting to see what happens her relationship with him in the next book.

+ The romance is a slow build and I went back and forth hating and loving Fiorean to hating him by the end! But that’s what makes me want to read book two – because these two took enemies to lovers to the next level. Their sword fighting and fire fighting battles are intense, and the ending was even more so. There is some spice with knife play but since it’s a slow burn it doesn’t happen until later in the book.

+ There was good action throughout the book, culminating with a fierce battle at the end.

~ One issue I had was reading the Gaelic words. Yes, there is a vocabulary list to help readers, thank goodness but I did get frustrated at times.

~ This is an enemies to lovers to enemies romance for now. Prince Fiorean doesn’t show much emotion but when he does confess to how he feels about Aemyra – it’s so good. But still, I felt like leading up to their spicy scene, there wasn’t much build-up, just a lot of hate between them, would have liked more hints of attraction. So if you expect them to be wooing one another, that doesn’t happen, this is a vicious court they are living in and I’d say the lust wins out first. We’ll see what happens when the emotions come in.

Final Thoughts:

I didn’t know what to expect with this book but I can say that by the end of it I was addicted and will be looking forward to book two. What I love most about it is how it gives House of Dragon vibes with the dragons, political intrigue and ruthlessness of the world. I think I’ve been craving a book just like this for awhile. I was thoroughly entertained by this book and the betrayal at the end left me needing book two asap.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Silver Elite by. Dani Francis| Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Silver Elite ( #1)

Author: Dani Francis

Format: hardcover (owned)

Pages: 528

Publication Date: 5/6/25

Categories: New Adult, Forbidden Romance, Romantasy, Dystopian, Fantasy/Sci-fi

In the first book of a searing new dystopian trilogy, a young woman must conceal her psychic powers—and her attraction to her handsome, infuriating commanding officer—as she works undercover to take down a brutal government from within.

The world is divided. On the Continent, you’re either a Prime—immune to the biotoxin that nearly wiped out the Earth’s population 150 years ago—or a Modified, one who was enhanced by the toxin, developing powerful psychic gifts.

As conflict rages between the two sides, Wren Darlington lives in hiding. Occasionally running the odd op for the rebel Uprising against the Primes’ oppressive rule, she must keep a low profile. After all, if the enemy finds out that she is a Mod with a staggering four psychic abilities, she won’t just be sent to the labor camps. She’ll be executed—immediately and without trial.

When a careless mistake puts Wren in the crosshairs of the Continent’s military, she is taken captive and forced to join their most elite Silver Block. Unwittingly, they’ve handed her the perfect opportunity for the Uprising to strike a devastating blow from inside their ranks. That is, if she can keep her powers hidden, survive training, and prove herself to Cross Redden, her maddeningly cocky commanding officer.

Despite the explosive chemistry between them, Cross doesn’t trust her—even as he seems determined to destroy the remaining shreds of Wren’s self-control. Yet as the war between Primes and Mods escalates, and as Wren and Cross find themselves unable to stay away from each other, they must decide how far they’re willing to go for their secrets—and how much of the Continent is worth saving.

Content Warning: violence, death, executions, mention of labor camps

+ I hate to admit I was highly influenced to buy this book because of tiktok 😅. I heard nothing about it until everyone started praising it on tiktok and then I was like oh a dystopian? I haven’t read one in awhile so I bought it on release day. I had very high expectations because of hype and honestly I should have read it after the hype went down a little. Totally my fault! But I did read it in one day.

+ Nostalgia has me loving the parts of this story that was dystopian. There are warring sides, the government versus the rebels – I still don’t know who the good guys are since they both have committed crimes. A military academy program to become Silver Block or Silver Elite (top special ops) and a young woman named Wren who is forced into the program even though she is secretly the enemy. It’s either that or be put into the labor camps. There is even a found family element I enjoyed as Wren goes through this program, she makes friends but also makes some enemies.

+ The romance is insta-lust between Wren and her commanding officer, Cross, who is hot but also the evil General’s son. She tries to fight her attraction to him but she doesn’t put up much of a fight. They want each other and get together to scratch the itch until later in the story things change a little. There is spice but I didn’t feel like it was overboard. It’s an enemies to lovers and a forbidden romance situation.

+ Wren going through the program is what takes up most of the story. She partakes in tests, has classes, makes friends and enemies and hooks up with Cross. But because she is Modified, she doesn’t want to actually be a Silver Elite, so she goes undercover for the rebellion. It’s a tight rope she’s walking as she falls for Cross but she also has to remember that her parents were part of the rebellion, so where does she belong? It will be interesting to see what happens next.

~ Some issues I had with the book: this is being compared to an adult Hunger Games – it is not like Hunger Games except for the government fighting with the rebellion. This is it’s own dystopian world and story and it’s pretty light on the world-building so far. Is it predictable? Yes. But it’s easy to read, it’s on those stories that you can binge.

~ There were times I felt Wren moved on so easily. There are a few deaths in this book and I feel like how she and everyone else casually moved on after one of them didn’t sit right with me. I wanted more emotion.

~ The insta-lust relationship lacked emotional connection. I’m all for a young woman getting it on with her hot commanding officer, but I wanted the romance and emotional connection too. It gets better at the end but I still had moments where I was wondering if Wren was going to maybe make a better connection with her new academy friend, Kaine. Of course there is more to Cross and maybe book two will explore him more, but I also want to know more about Kaine.

Final Thoughts:

So it didn’t meet my high expectations – by the end I was feeling it was a 3.5 star book but I did read it in one night so I bumped it to 4. I found it entertaining but it was more romantasy or should I say romantopian 😅? The romance is insta-lust but it does grow into more by the end of the book. The story is predictable but I did like the whole premise of people being modified and having different powers and the politics are definitely going to get complicated for Wren so I’d like to see how she handles that and everything else in book two.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Of Earthly Delights by. Goldy Moldavsky | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Of Earthly Delights

Author: Goldy Moldavsky

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 5/13/25

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Categories: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult, Gothic, Horror, Thriller, 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. for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A contemporary YA gothic romance about a dark family secret, a lush, mysterious garden, and a love that never dies, from New York Times bestselling author Goldy Moldavsky.

Aspiring artist Rose Pauly is not happy moving from her home in New York City right before her senior year of high school. But on her first miserable day in Connecticut, she meets Hart Hargrove. The two share an immediate, undeniable connection.

Hart introduces Rose to his slice of paradise–the immense private garden nestled behind the Hargrove family mansion. There, the two spend a fever dream of a summer together. But as their bond blossoms into love, Rose can’t shake the feeling that all is not as it seems.

When Rose uncovers the truth about the garden, she’s forced to question how genuine her love story truly is. But Hart can’t bear to lose Rose, and he will stop at nothing to save their relationship.

Posing haunting questions about beauty and desire, this is an atmospheric and darkly romantic tale that will enthrall readers.

Content Warning: violence, grief, accident, body horror

+ The twist in this story blew my mind, it’s the one book this year that has made my jaw drop.

+ Rose is new to town, but right away she meets Hart Hargrove. He’s popular, he lives on the biggest estate in town – an estate whose gardens are infamous for secret, exclusive parties. Rose and Hart fall madly in love, almost insta-love, but there are clues along the way in this book where it feels like something is off. Something doesn’t feel right with their love story.

+ The grief that is presented in this book is heartbreaking. I could understand the decisions of Hart and his twin, Heather, but when everything is revealed, it made my heart ache for all of them involved. Without spoiling the story, I couldn’t imagine what they were going through.

+ Though the love story about Rose and Hart feels invincible and meant to be, there is a dark, sinister undertone to this story. It shows up in the garden parties and Rose’s best friend, Llowell. There is some body horror but really brief and the ending is wild with action and violence.

~ Because I knew there was something off to the romance, and some moments of the “future” sprinkled in as the story went on…I did get confused. But I’m glad I pushed through to the end – the end though, it’s an open ending which shocked me.

Final Thoughts:

This story is creative, dark, has a gothic contemporary atmosphere and the romance is heady but it’s also so sad and tragic. It explored a lot of topics like love, grief, friendship, and wishes. But if you could make your wishes come true, what would you be willing to give up? The ending of this story made my jaw drop and I think it’s one of those books that I’ll never forget.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Thrashers by. Julie Soto | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Thrashers

Author: Julie Soto

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 5/6/25

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Paranormal, Thriller

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!

Either you’re in or you’re out.

Welcome to the Thrashers, the elite friend group at New Helvetia High.

They’re everything everyone wants to be.

Jodi Dillon was never meant to be one of them. Julian, Lucy, Paige, and the infamous Zack Thrasher are rich, sophisticated, and love attention. Jodi feels out of place, but Zack’s her childhood best friend, so she’s in.

Then Emily Mills, who desperately wanted to be a Thrasher, dies—and the whispers about the Thrashers begin. As Emily’s journal surfaces, detectives close in, and Jodi faces an impossible choice: betray her friends or protect herself.

But as eerie messages and strange occurrences escalate, it becomes clear—Emily isn’t done with them yet.

A twisty thrill-ride of unforgettable drama and suspense that “encapsulates the vulnerability of adolescents playing adult games” (Ali Hazelwood) from USA Today bestselling author Julie Soto, The Thrashers will keep you up at night desperate to read just one more page.

Content Warning: death, accidents, injuries, weed, drinking, suicide, alcoholism, mentions of physical abuse

+ I am loving how Julie Soto (one of my new favorite/must-read authors) has been branching out! I am hooked and ready to read all of it. I could not put this down. In this YA thriller, we meet a group of five friends called The Thrashers. They didn’t name themselves but it’s a reputation people at school gave them. This story is dark! It centers around a suicide and bullying, and brings up some good questions too. There is weed use and lots of underage drinking, plus the issue of alcoholism by an adult and abuse. This story is multi-layered and complicated.

+ Jodi is the only one of the Thrashers who isn’t wealthy or easily popular. She got lucky that she was best friends with Zack Thrasher in the second grade. He is like a beacon to everyone. All the girls want to be with him and all the boys want to be him or hang out with him, but he keeps an exclusive friend group with Jodi, Julian, Lucy, and Paige – Jodi being the most average of them all. This creates insecurities among the friends, mostly we see it in Jodi but later you see it in Julian and Paige. I like how the author explored the feelings one can have of being left out in a friend group – wondering what your place is in the group and if anyone actually cares.

+ A classmate of theirs, a girl named Emily, who latched onto their group and tried to become a Thrasher committed suicide. And now the Thrashers are under a microscope and some people are turning on them. Emily left a journal and what she writes about this friend group implicates them in her suicide. Is the journal real? Did Emily lie or is Jodi’s best friends lying? Who is telling the truth or are they leaving her out?

+ I was reading this late into the night, after midnight, and there were some parts that gave me slight chills. Emily was creepy but was her ghost/spirit really haunting them? Also the characters are all very unique, which I enjoyed. They are all morally gray also which makes my feelings about certain characters so complicated.

~ The ending! What was that? It’s very unexpected, and leaves me questions but also…can we get a book two? Haha, I mean I can see something happening for book two!

~ These friends, were always making their world revolve around Zack and I was questioning like…what makes him SO special besides him being super charming, nice, and drop dead gorgeous? For all of them to either be in love with him, want him, or jealous of him making other friends or dating other girls was wild to me.

Final Thoughts:

I read this in one night so I enjoyed this a lot. I loved the morally gray, complicated characters and their dynamic even though they are close and “best-friends”. Even in a friend group you can feel alone and outcasted and Jodi portrayed those insecurities very well. I was hooked to the drama happening in this friend group and seeing how everything played out. Learning about Emily and the “hauntings” was also creepy so overall, I think this was a great YA thriller and that ending. I don’t know what it means, but I want more! I can’t wait to read her fantasy debut this year also!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Not Another Love Song by. Julie Soto | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Forget Me Not by. Julie Soto | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Frozen River by. Ariel Lawhon | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Frozen River

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 12/5/24

Categories: Historical Fiction, Mystery

A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

Content Warning: rape, mention of rape, sexual assault, murder, violence, lynching, mentions of scalping, stillbirth, death of children, giving birth scenes

+ I love historical fiction because I always learn about something and I definitely learned a lot in this book. This is set in 1789, where laws and the judicial system is forming in USA. Life is cold, and harsh in Hallowell, Maine. Martha is a midwife during this time period and the story is based on this real life person, so you can imagine what the birth scenes are like. It gives an array of birth stories from easy births to extremely hard and challenging ones. I found it fascinating how she did her job and acted as witness to so many ongoings in town.

+ Martha Ballard is a strong character. Her being a midwife alone speaks of strength. As the town’s midwife she often speaks at court hearings and I was actually amazed at how many times she had to be there. I thought the love story portrayed between her and her husband in such a harsh climate and environment was sweet and loving compared to what was happening in town. There is a lot of women getting raped (almost like it’s a casual thing to do!), sexual assault, “fornication”, and the ladies hiding pregnancies.

+ Women truly get the brunt of it in this story. There is a rape case being tried, and a murder of one of the suspects being investigated and Martha is a witness to both at the hearings. At these hearings you can also see her strength in being outspoken and fighting for what she feels is right. I felt so angry for Rebecca (the rape victim) and all the other rape victims in this story. This is definitely not a light read. There is a lot of violence towards women in this town.

~ I was also invested in the mystery until the part in the book when the mystery of who killed Burgess was kind of pushed to the side. At one point I said aloud: so is no one investigating the murder anymore? The book starts off with finding the dead body so I was glued to that at the start but the story went somewhere else before coming back to it in the end. So I think pacing was a little bit of an issue because I did feel like it slowed a lot in the middle.

Quotes From This Book:

“Listening is a skill acquired by the doing.”
The Frozen River by. Ariel Lawhon

“Like all mothers, I have long since mastered the art of nursing joy at one breast and grief at the other.”
The Frozen River by. Ariel Lawhon

“The is what it means to age, I think. The days are long, but the years are short.
The Frozen River by. Ariel Lawhon

Final Thoughts:

For the most part I thought this was a gripping read except for the parts that slowed down in the middle. I loved learning about the life of Martha Ballard as a midwife in the 1700’s. She was strong and the women back then had to be in those cold conditions and in that time but also from the sexual violence from men. This one is not a light read, but if you like historical fiction and mystery then you might enjoy this book.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Beg, Borrow, or Steal by. Sarah Adams | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Beg, Borrow, or Steal (When in Rome, #3)

Author: Sarah Adams

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 1/7/25

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Series

Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in this rivals-to-lovers romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Rule Book and Practice Makes Perfect.

Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He’s the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year, with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor.

Jackson Bennett is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited for—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.

With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, Jack agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?

Content Warning: narcissistic parent

I never read When in Rome, only Practice Makes Perfect and now this book:

+ I love the enemies to lovers between Emily and Jack! Their fighting and banter is so fun and the tension between them is great. Especially because this was kind of a slow burn, when they finally kiss it’s a moment.

+ Emily is the oldest sister and she’s portrayed perfectly. She likes control, she never cries – is never vulnerable because she had to be the strong one. And Jack is her opposite, he is more free spirited, riding his motorcycle and wearing necklaces his students have made him. I liked seeing them bring out the best in each other when they finally stopped fighting.

+ I love the bond Emily has with her family and I liked how the book explored Emily’s feeling of loneliness as she watches each of them have their own lives. I was rooting for her to accept what Jack was offering her: affection and friendship. And I liked seeing Jack trying to deal with his own trauma about having a narcissistic father. Together I thought they did pretty good navigating their personal issue and what they brought to their relationship.

~ I think there were some times I felt like Emily was so stubborn. I get that it was something she had to work through but at times I wanted to give her a talk lol.

Quotes From This Book:

“Life can be a little shit sometimes. But shit also makes fertilizer.”
Beg, Borrow, or Steal by. Sarah Adams

“Grow from your experience, don’t let them smother the light out of you.”
Beg, Borrow, or Steal by. Sarah Adams

Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book even better than the second book only because I love an enemies to lovers trope. Emily and Jack’s banter was so fun and I like how both of them had personal issues they had to deal with in order to be together. Sometimes Emily could be a bit stubborn but I love Emily’s family and friendship bonds. The small town vibes makes it a fun and comforting read. If you love this series, I think you’ll enjoy this one also.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Match by. Sarah Adams | Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Practice Makes Perfect by. Sarah Adams | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One in a Million by. Beverley Kendall | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: One in a Million

Author: Beverley Kendall

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 3/18/25

Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing / Canary Street Press

Categories: Interracial Romance, Contemporary, Co-parenting

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

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

She’s got everything planned–including when she’ll have kids. Until something completely unplanned turns her world upside down.

World-famous Whitney “Sahara” Richardson is at the top of her game. With four Grammys, an Oscar nod, and a billion-dollar clothing line, her career is skyrocketing. Even her headline-grabbing dating life is looking up. And if everything goes as planned, marriage and children are just a few years away–and they will come in that order.

That is…until a mix-up at the fertility clinic where her eggs are stored puts the cart before the horse. Oops. Whitney suddenly has a daughter…whose biological father is reluctant to share her.

One in a Million is a fun celebrity rom-com with the poignancy of Abby Jimenez and a modern twist on “surprise baby” for fans of Jasmine Guillory.

+ The premise of this book sounded so intriguing that I had to see how it played out in the story! Myles and his wife have a new daughter, but it’s clear there is a problem. During their IVF procedure, someone else’s eggs were used! Yeah, that’s messy!

+ Whitney is a celebrity – she’s a singer, actor, CEO, billionaire but I liked how she was so down to earth even though she was also strong. The moment she meets her daughter, I felt for her – what a situation to be brought into! But watching her fall in love with her and learn to coparent with Myles was really sweet.

+ The romance is sweet and spicy! Myles’ divorce is almost final when Whitney stepped into his and his daughter’s life. I could definitely see why he would be defensive and not trusting Whitney when she came around to see their daughter. But I love seeing them buttheads, then back down for the sake of their daughter and of course the attraction between these two hot people is undeniable. Once they start their situationship – they can’t keep their hands off one another!

~ The timeline is quick between Haylee being born, Whitney meeting her 6 months later, Myles getting divorced and then Whitney and Myles starting up something between them. I think Whitney was level-headed but I was worried Myles was getting into something way too quick after his divorce and becoming a single father! I mean this was his second divorce. But everything worked out fine and the epilogue was cute.

Final Thoughts:

While I was reading this, I was thinking I can see this made into a rom-com movie. I loved seeing how this messy situation gets fixed when Whitney and Myles decide they will do what’s best for their daughter. It was fun seeing them fall into lust and then love with one another after butting heads in the beginning. Overall, I enjoyed this one and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

I also did a blog tour for this book – here’s the link>> Blog Tour} One in a Million by. Beverley Kendall

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Thunderhead by. Neal Shusterman | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, #2)

Author: Neal Shusterman

Format: hardcover (own)

Pages: 504

Publication Date: 1/19/18

Categories: Dystopia, Young Adult, Sci-fi/Fantasy, Series

Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Literally. In the year since Winter Conclave, he has gone off-grid, and has been striking out against corrupt scythes—not only in MidMerica, but across the entire continent. He is a dark folk hero now—“Scythe Lucifer”—a vigilante taking down corrupt scythes in flames.

Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order” scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and risks being “deadish” so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?

Content Warning: violence

I finally finished Thunderhead! And I would have been finished earlier if I was reading it as an ebook but that was my fault for letting that expire. Thank goodness I actually have the hardcover books on my shelf huh?😅

There are a lot of things happening in Thunderhead and it follows a bunch of different characters throughout. Rowan’s character goes through a lot whereas Citra is doing well with Scythe Curie at her side. Another character, Greyson, has a big role in the events that transpire in this story.

I found Thunderhead’s thoughts really fascinating especially because in our real world we are on the verge of AI being everywhere. I also found what was going on in the Scythedom really interesting because of the power plays taking place and how I feel like it represents the Vatican. It really is amazing to imagine the world becoming the way it is portrayed in this book. The medical science and convenience of some things – like not needing to work – sound amazing. But the story explores the other side to this conversation too. The story is complex and the world-building is great.

The book is long and I was bummed Rowan and Citra was apart for almost all of it! But overall I was entertained.

The ending was unexpected and crazy. I’ll be jumping into book three hopefully next month.

Quotes from the book:

“I have pondered the records of the mortal age and long ago determined the two sides of the coin. While freedom gives rise to growth and enlightenment, permission allows evil to flourish in a light of dat that would otherwise destroy it.”
Thunderhead by. Neal Shusterman

Final Thoughts:

What a sequel to Scythe! I love reading the Thunderhead’s thoughts and I really wasn’t expecting the story to take the turn it did. It was great to be in Rowan and Citra’s world again but it’s one that is collapsing under the strain of what’s happening in the Scythedom. I can’t want to see how this story ends.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Book Review | Scythe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This Time it’s Real by. Ann Liang | Audiobook Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: This Time it’s Real

Author: Ann Liang

Narrator: Mimi Chang

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 352 / Audio Reading Time: 4 hours 13 minutes

Publication Date: 2/7/23

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

When seventeen-year-old Eliza Lin’s essay about meeting the love of her life unexpectedly goes viral, her entire life changes overnight. Now she has the approval of her classmates at her new international school in Beijing, a career-launching internship opportunity at her favorite magazine…and a massive secret to keep.

Eliza made her essay up. She’s never been in a relationship before, let alone in love. All good writing is lying, right?

Desperate to hide the truth, Eliza strikes a deal with the famous actor in her class, the charming but aloof Caz Song. She’ll help him write his college applications if he poses as her boyfriend. Caz is a dream boyfriend — he passes handwritten notes to her in class, makes her little sister laugh, and takes her out on motorcycle rides to the best snack stalls around the city.

But when her relationship with Caz starts feeling a little too convincing, all of Eliza’s carefully laid plans are threatened. Can she still follow her dreams if it means breaking her own heart?

Get ready to fall in love in this hilarious romcom about a girl who begins a fake relationship with the famous actor in her class, perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Jenny Han.

Content Warning: bullying

Eliza has been hopping from school to school internationally because of her mom’s job but now she is back in Beijing and at a new school. She writes a fake love story that goes viral and she’s unprepared for all the companies trying to get interviews with her and she sees it as an opportunity. Now she needs a fake boyfriend and there is Caz Song – he is popular, he’s an actor and of course gorgeous. They make a deal to help one another.

I thought this was a really cute fake-dating young adult story but with depth. Eliza is always questioning her relationships (friendships, etc…) – due to the fact she’s always moving so when she and Caz starts having feelings, she pulls away. There is also the issue of her lying with this fake relationship. Also she’s very anxious and awkward compared to Caz. Caz is much more carefree but he has his own problems. His parents are doctors and never home, he is lonely even though adored by the public.

I also liked Eliza’s point of view of being Chinese and yet feeling not Chinese enough in Beijing because she doesn’t speak the language well and she’s been away. I enjoyed all the cultural references and theme of family, which I could relate to even though I’m not Chinese.

Final Thoughts:

I thought the narrator did a great job with telling this story. This was a cute, fake-dating romance set in Beijing, China that explores themes of family, friendship and love. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from this author.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

A Song to Drown Rivers by. Ann Liang | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Under the Surface by. Diana Urban | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Under the Surface

Author: Diana Urban

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 354

Publication Date: 8/13/24

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Thriller, Suspense, Paris

An epic survival-thriller about four teens who get lost in the Paris catacombs for days—a gripping and propulsive story of love, danger, betrayal, and hope… even when all seems lost.

Ruby is terrified to cave to her feelings for Sean and risk him crushing her heart.

Sean is pumped to spend a week with Ruby in Paris on their senior class trip, and he’ll wait however long until she’s ready to take things further.

But when Ruby’s best friend sneaks out the first night to meet a mysterious French boy, Ruby goes after her with two classmates, but caves to another temptation: attending mystery boy’s exclusive party in the Paris catacombs, the intricate web of tunnels beneath the city, home to six million long-dead Parisians. Only they never reach the party.

Underground, as something sinister chases them, they get lost in the endless maze of bones, uncovering dark secrets about the catacombs… and each other. And if they can’t find a way out, they’ll die in the dark beneath the City of Light.

Aboveground, Sean races to find the girl he loves as a media frenzy over the four missing teens begins.

From award-winning author and rising YA star Diana Urban comes a twisty tale of four teens lost in the dark beneath the City of Light and the race to find them.

Content Warning: claustrophobia, death, murder, violence

I’ve read two of Diana Urban books and honestly, she’s definitely who I turn to if I want to read a young adult thriller!

Ruby is on a class trip in Paris and right away, we are immersed in the sights of the Eiffel Tower, and friend drama with some of the other kids on the trip. The story moves quickly and one minute these kids are having drama, Ruby is crushing on her friend Sean and wondering if something will happen between them and then Boom!- four of these girls on the trip are lost in the catacombs under Paris!

I love how fast moving this story is – I read it in a few hours. I also enjoyed the history about the catacombs which is really the perfect place to right a thriller! It’s dark, makes the reader feel claustrophobic, it’s 200 miles long and as these four girls and their guide, Julien, come to found it – it’s so easy to get lost in there. There were a few twists and turns I didn’t expect and honestly I was just along for the ride, and what a ride it was!

There were times I felt like I was holding my breath in this book, which means it did the job when it came to the thrilling part! The ending is bittersweet though .

Final Thoughts:

If you like YA thrillers, you might enjoy this one. It’s dark, intense, got lots of friendship drama and it is fast-paced! Can’t wait to read more from this author.