The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
Well, the weekend took a turn for my son who caught Covid – I’m suspecting from Chuck e Cheese since it was packed. 😒 But he was the only ONE wearing a mask in there! Anyway he woke up with a itchy throat and sniffles Saturday morning (which I gave him Zyrtec for because I thought it was allergies) and I even ate bacon from his breakfast plate 🙃…we went to his piano lesson, then by the evening he was running a fever. He is much better! His fever only lasted 2 days and his coughing hasn’t been bad at all! I think this has been the most mild covid he’s had. Anyway, stay healthy out there!
Enemies took her from the man who holds her heart. They might see her as weak, as a pawn in wicked games, but they’re no match for the first Ever Queen.
Let them think they’ve won. Her heart belongs to a beautiful monster, and she will never stop fighting until she’s back in his arms.
The Serpent: Captor. Villain. King.
His enemies stole the woman who claimed his soul. They betrayed him out of greed and desire for the crown, but they won’t die for that betrayal. No.
They’ll die for touching her.
His heart belongs to a stunning little bird. He will never stop searching for her light across the skies. Not until the blood of his enemies spills at her feet, and his queen wears their bones around her neck.
Welcome back to the world of the Ever Kingdom where pirates collide with Vikings in passionate romance, brutal battles, and an unforgettable dark fantasy world. This book concludes the love story between Erik and Livia, but new, standalone romances with other favorite characters will continue to build the world. Readers are encouraged to check the TW inside the book for their reading comfort.
Content Warning: death, torture, violence, kidnapping, sexual assault
I started book two of the Ever Seas series since book one ended in a cliffhanger. But it picks up right away from book one and this time Erik has beg help from Livia’s family if he wants to find her fast. I enjoyed getting more backstory about Erik’s past with the Earth fae and seeing how they would mend their rift to save Livia. I thought it was fun to see both sides finally put aside their differences and get along.
Interestingly enough, Livia’s capture has opened the story up to include elves! She is trapped on an elvish island but the woman she meets, Skadi, is very mysterious and kind of vague which was a little frustrating at times. We do learn more about her and the elves near the end of the book.
Like book one, there is a lot of action – these pirates have to travel the seas to find Livia and Erik is as violent as ever to the people who are his enemies. But he is going to find Livia even if it kills him. Since this is called The Ever Queen, Livia does get a moment to shine, she is separated by Erik who is her constant protector and she goes through some scary situations alone. But she digs deep and uses her power to help herself get free.
There is more steamy scenes between Livia and Erik, lots of love expressed between them which is always so fun and sweet but also repetition with them always saying how they will follow each other through the skies and seas. A few times is okay but all the time can get kind of too much but it definitely fits the romantasy genre and I’d rather have that than them calling one another “mate” all the time.
I love all the secondary characters, all the family themes which I feel adds a heartwarming aspect to this whole series. Livia has such a great support system and I love that they have welcomed Erik into their fold even with their past.
My Final Thoughts:
I think it took a little longer for me to read this one but it is a tad bit longer than book one. I also had to take a break from binging because some things became a little repetitive. But I did love Livia and Erik and all the family themes. I’ve already started on book three which is Jonas’ story and will post a review when I am done with it.
For years Erik, the scarred king of the Ever Kingdom, has thought of nothing but vengeance against the man who killed his father and trapped him beneath the waves, making him a prisoner in his own realm.
Until his enemy’s daughter unintentionally breaks the chains on the Ever, and Erik makes her the unwitting pawn in his vicious game of revenge.
She’s innocent. He’s vicious. But he will take back what he lost, no matter the price.
Unless she steals his heart first.
Welcome to the passionate world of the Ever Kingdom where pirates, sirens, and fae collide with Vikings in a dark fantasy romance between a villain and the innocent princess who holds his heart.
*Please note: This series is set in the same world as the bestselling Broken Kingdoms series, but can be read independently, and readers are encouraged to read the list of triggers inside*
I tried to read a book by this author I think maybe sometime last year but I never finished the book and I can’t remember why. I think I just wasn’t feeling the writing. But I’ve been seeing The Ever King all over BookTok and I always see it when I’m scrolling through Kindle Unlimited books so I decided to give it a try.
I don’t know what it was about the writing this time but it worked! I was addicted right away because of the Ever King, Erik Bloodsinger, who is a villainous rascal, and out for vengeance against the Earth Fae King who killed his father. He is ruthless but inside his black heart was something only Livia could see. Speaking of Livia she is the daughter of his enemy and the sunshine of everyone’s life. She was raised in a loving home with loyal friends and just the opposite upbringing from the violence Erik endured. So their love story is one I really, really rooted for because I loved their banter! Livia might have been soft, but I like that when she knew she wanted him, she wasn’t afraid to tell him! The two of them had so much chemistry, I love that they both maybe hated one another but they were so drawn to one another they are inevitable.
This one is a series and I’m already addicted to it and the characters! I can’t wait to see more of Livia’s friends as the series unfolds because I got attached to them in the beginning of the story but the moment she gets kidnapped, we don’t see them at all. Another thing, there are a list of content warnings in the beginning of the story and the way Erik kills some of his enemies are so brutal. But I think that captured the “pirate” character so perfectly! He was rough, tough, ready to defend his people and cull anyone who stopped him.
My Final Thoughts:
I can’t wait to read the next two books that are out! I’m hoping each of her close friends gets a story because I’d love to see a story for Celine, Mira, Jonas, and even Aleksi. I’d also like one for Tait even though he’s a mystery. I think this book had everything I wanted in a romantasy – there is adventure, revenge, romance, family, friends, politics, and we’ll see what happens next.
Quotes From This Book:
“I didn’t want a match because that was expected. I wanted passion, the burn that if my love didn’t touch me soon, I’d burst. I wanted heat, and mess, and obsession.”
The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
Hi friends! It’s been a hot week, so we’ve been indoors with the a/c on for most of it – plus staying home means saving money. Hard to do though when kids gets bored but we did have to get some school shopping done since kids got back the second week of August which is sadly…SOON. My kids have also been working on videos or shorts for their youtube channels and I supervise them or give some advice 😅. Their videos are gaming related videos. I feel like it just helps them open up their creativity because creating videos and using editing apps are not always an easy thing. My daughter is 7 years old and very artistic so watching her edit videos is interesting to me because she has a vision of what she wants her video to look like! I help her of course, but I’m always amazed at the tools they have at their disposal. My son even uses her procreate drawings to create creatures on his Spore game. 😅 I love the collaborative effort! Here is one of his videos if you are interested – they both love Pikmin which is a Nintendo Game, they are obsessed with the characters so my son’s channel is everything Pikmin related. Anyway I’m just proud that they are learning to work together this summer rather than annoy each other all day. 😂
What are you currently reading?
Shadows of Perl by. J. Elle – 2% just started this one, trying to get my bearings and remember what happened in book one.
The Mist Thief by. L.J. Andrews – 3% this is such a bingeable series but I think I have to slow down so I don’t overload myself so I’ll be trying to finish some arcs first.
Categories: Adult, Time Travel, Magical Realism, Mystery, Romance
A woman risks everything to end her family’s centuries-old curse, solve her mother’s disappearance, and find love in this mesmerizing novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Spells for Forgetting.
In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors.
It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own.
After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’s decades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realizes she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love.
With The Unmaking of June Farrow, Adrienne Young delivers a brilliant novel of romance, mystery, and a touch of the impossible—a story you will never forget.
Content Warning: death, murder, violence
This story was mind-boggling and honestly I don’t know if I followed the timelines presented to me in it. I need a white-board filled with explanations for this one but not in a bad way! Time travel stories always leave me a bit lost.
The Farrow women have an illness that has to do with the mind, or they also call it a curse. But what these Farrow women know is that they can time travel and it’s explained pretty well in the story but like I said, I’m a visual person so at times I just went with it even though I didn’t quite follow the time jumping.
All I know is the writing is immersive, I was so invested in June’s story. And when she jumps back to a time where she has to basically figure out her bearings and face the consequences of a past decision, it pulled my heart strings. I only wanted the best for June and her family. I’m just glad it worked out in the end. This story is filled with mystery and so much emotion packed into a very quick read. There are also very tense moments when June starts piecing together everything that happened in one fatal night that changed all their lives forever. But overall what a unique story!
My Final Thoughts:
I love this author’s books and so far only read fantasy from her. This one was different but I enjoyed the mystery and putting all the pieces together. I may not have followed how all the time jump works but what made me love this book was the emotions it made me feel. I’m glad I finally read this one!
Quotes From This Book:
“You may have ruined my life, June. But first, you gave me one.”
The Unmaking of June Farrow by. Adrienne Young
“I’d never felt fear like that. Not ever. And I didn’t think there was any way to ever come back from that explosion of light that had birthed a universe inside of me when she said that word. Mama.”
When it comes to romance, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to play games. A fun YA romcom full of fake dating hijinks!
Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she’s grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.
Riley can’t waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.
But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan’s Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn’t require as much acting as she would’ve thought…
Content Warning:
Riley is a theater kid who loves musicals and for punishment she is forced to work at her dad’s game shop. A boy from her high school who she’s never talked to named, Nathan also works at the store and she goes from a girl singing musicals to learning how to play Dungeons and Dragons with him and his friends. Riley working at the shop is not quite the punishment after awhile as she forges a growing bond with her dad and make a lot of new friends.
This is a fun young adult story, perfect for teen readers. I adored Riley and her best friend, Hoshiko and also Riley’s relationship with her mother. I enjoyed seeing her open her world and learn more about her dad’s love for gaming! I have minimal knowledge of D&D but I know enough from my husband and son about the game and it was cool to see how Riley learns and joins the game.
The fake dating was super cute!
My Final Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this one! I feel like the book cover captures this book so correctly. It’s sweet, funny and heart-warming. It’s filled with theater kids and gaming kids and when the two worlds combine it’s so much fun!
The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
Hi everyone! I actually got some reading done earlier this week which was nice! It’s been a relaxing week so far and I hope it stays that way for the rest of the week.
What are you currently reading?
Shadows of Perl by. J. Elle – 2% just started this one, trying to get my bearings and remember what happened in book one.
This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won’t give into temptation. This summer will be different.
Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.
It’s easier said than done.
Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again.
If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.
When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.
Content Warning: death of a loved one
I’ve been meaning to read a book from this author and now that I finally did I can knock that off my list.
This is a romance between Lucy and her best friend’s brother, Felix. It has flashbacks through the years from the moment they met to where they are now in the present and how it was always a secret, casual thing between them but the sparks are undeniable. Life happens between the times they are together, they date different people, Lucy gets close to their family and she loses someone she loves very much. Through it all are memories of the times they are together where everything feels right between them but what does that mean for a future between them?
I liked the setting of Prince Edward Island and Toronto since I don’t read much books about those places. It did give lots of summery vibes especially when it flash-backed to times spent on PEI.
I thought this one was okay. Maybe I went in with high expectations but I felt like everything was so predictable and I didn’t love the ending where they decide to be together and then few days later they go back to taking it slow? No, I wanted it to be happy ever after by then but nope, had to have the dose of reality at the end where they have to find themselves first. I also didn’t feel connected to the characters. I felt like I was just coasting through the story. And I was also getting frustrated with Bridget’s (her best friend) secret taking so long to be revealed.
My Final Thoughts:
I think I wanted more depth to this story. It was just okay for me but I think I will try her most popular book to see if she’s an author I’ll continue to read because I did like some elements of the story. Maybe I just went in with high expectations.
The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
Happy Juneteenth! Summer is finally starting for us I feel. We watched Inside Out 2, on Sunday. I finished Bridgerton season 3 and am now in the middle of watching House of Dragon Season 2. We don’t have much plans except to go to the library and maybe the pool and my son’s piano lessons on Saturdays. So I should have more time to read, right? I hope so!
House of Thorns by. Isabel Strychacz – 9% this one is fascinating so far, a sentient haunted house? A missing sister? Another sister on drugs and hearing the house calling her back? We’ll see where the story takes me…
This Summer Will Be Different by. Carley Fortune – 15% into the book. I’ve been meaning to read a book from this author and glad it showed up for me to borrow just in time for some summer reading!
The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:
What are you currently reading?
What have you just finished reading?
What are you going to read next?
Ok my daughter and I are almost recovered from our cold. I’m almost at 100% and she’s at about 80% recovered – thank goodness. Why is being sick so exhausting? lol…anyway I did get some reading done and now I’m REALLY trying to push through some summer arcs. I’ve been pushing them aside because I was so busy then got sick but can I finally have my “relaxing” summer or is there no such thing because I’m already trying to make my back to school shopping list. 😅
House of Thorns by. Isabel Strychacz – 9% this one is fascinating so far, a sentient haunted house? A missing sister? Another sister on drugs and hearing the house calling her back? We’ll see where the story takes me…
A Magic Fierce & Bright by. Hemant Nayak – 10% in and I’m pushing through this one since publication is on July 8th. Interesting Indian based sci-fi fantasy so far…
