Booktok Influenced Me To Read These Books

The last Let’s Talk Bookish topic was about book hype, and I just wanted to showcase the latest books I read because of BookTok’s influence. I know these are hyped books, and there was a chance they weren’t going to appeal to me, but I always get so curious about hyped books! The same goes for books that are ranked low; I am too curious to find out why. Here are some of the latest books I read because of BookTok and what I thought of them.

Metal Slinger by. Rachel Schneider

Brynn has spent the better part of her life waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta, the very same people who exiled the Alaha to live a life over the sea. A rite of passage for all young guards, she’s not sure what to expect from it, but breaking a century- long peace treaty certainly isn’t on her map.

Neither is the encounter with an enemy soldier.

Returning home to Alaha, she’s confronted with the aftermath of the day’s events. The future is uncertain as the threat of hunger looms over the people. With rumors of a growing rebellion, Brynn and her closest friends promise to stick together.

When an unexpected visitor arrives, Brynn’s loyalty will be tested as she learns of a world of magic and treachery. Once her enemy, always her enemy, right? But the dark, knowing eyes of a stranger make her question everything…

…including her heart.

MY THOUGHTS: Gave this one 3 stars. The plot twist was what everyone was flabbergasted by on booktok so I had to see what the hype was about. As a romantasy, this is a fun read, but a bit choppy with the pacing and I had to reread some parts because I felt like I had missed something. As for the plot twist – I didn’t love how it was done. Will I still read the sequel? Yes, I gotta see how the author is going to explain that plot twist. My Review – Metal Slinger by. Rachel Sneider | Book Review

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The Wolf King by. Lauren Palphreyman

When a princess is kidnapped by an alpha , war rages between the humans and the wolves. But soon, forbidden attraction starts to grow. . .

Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.

But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.

That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.

Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.

With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?

And will Aurora ever get home?

Does she even want to?

MY THOUGHTS: The hype hasn’t been super huge with this one but I’ve seen it on KU and saw it here and there on booktok. It was someone in my blog comments that mentioned they were reading it and said it was good so I decided to try it and gave it 4 stars! I loved it! It’s a romantasy so there isn’t anything original but I loved the werewolves, the politics, and Blake. I liked the ending so much I borrowed book two right away on KU and kept reading! My Review – The Wolf King by. Lauren Palphreyman | Book Review

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The Night Prince by. Lauren Palphreyman

Aurora is caught between powerful alphas as they fight for the Wolf Throne. But darker forces are rising. . .

The highly anticipated sequel to The Wolf King. Pre-order now!

Aurora may have survived the Wolf King. But his bite marks her skin, and in accordance with Wolf Law, that makes her his property. Now, he wants her back.

To beat him and take his throne, Aurora and Callum must form a dangerous alliance with one of the most feared Wolves in the Kingdom, Blake. He is their enemy, but he has entangled his life with Aurora’s—meaning she cannot harm him without forfeiting her own life.

As she fights to break their connection, she suspects Blake is keeping secrets about a dark power that rises in the north, and the unsettling nature of the bond between them. It seems there is a bigger game at play than who sits on the Wolf Throne—one that threatens both the Kingdom of Wolves, and the Kingdom of Men.

With her wolf awakening, enemies closing in, relationships tested, and secrets revealed—Aurora may be the only one who can stop an ancient evil from rising.

If she can figure out who to trust.

If she can figure out where she, and her heart, belong.

If she can stay alive.

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MY THOUGHTS: Devoured this one but it’s only 4 stars because it needed more of Aurora and Blake together (and not only in the dreamscape). She’s still with the other guy and I’m bummed about it! Blake is a 5 star in my eyes lol…I’m obsessed with him and can’t wait for book 3! My Review – The Night Prince by. Lauren Palphreyman | Book Review

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Enigma by. RuNyx

Enigma, a twisted Hades and Persephone meets scorching dark academia romance—a tale of love and obsession between two rivals.

There are secrets she must uncover.

There are secrets he must keep.

Salem Salazar is fascinated with death. The black sheep of her scandal-ridden, wealthy family, she arrives at Mortimer University as a legacy on the hunt for answers about what happened to her perfect, older sister. There, she discovers that her sister is far from the only girl to have gone missing at Mortimer. Salem will do anything to discover what dark forces are killing Mortimer’s students…even if it means using herself as bait.

And Cazimir van der Waal has caught her scent. The mysterious artist and teaching assistant has a dark past, a hidden agenda, and a ravenous appetite for a beautiful, golden-eyed girl who seems determined to risk her life.

Where she is ice, he is fire. Where she is organization, he is chaos. Where she is precision, he is passion. Together they are explosive–their fates linked as secret societies and death stalk them both.

Enigma is a sensual, epic love story for those who also crave the frightful, the puzzling, the suspenseful, the dangerous and the dark.

Welcome to Mortimer.

MY THOUGHTS: Definitely borrowed this one because of booktok! Gave it 3.5 stars, I actually enjoyed it. It’s more romance focused but I wanted more about the secret societies and the murders. My Review – Enigma by. RuNyx| Book Review

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On Wings of Blood by. Briar Boleyn

What do you get if you mix Harry Potter with Fourth Wing, Zodiac Academy, a dash of Arthurian legend, and lots and lots of vampires? Bloodwing Academy.

I didn’t sign up for this.

A half-fae in a school of highblood vampires? That’s a recipe for torment.

I’m Medra Pendragon—last of the dragon riders, or so they tell me. Funny thing is, there are no dragons left. Not a single one. But somehow, that hasn’t stopped the vampires from deciding I’m worth capturing. Now I’m stuck at Bloodwing Academy, where the highbloods run everything and blightborn like me? We’re just blood in their veins, pawns in their games.

But that’s not even the worst part. Enter Blake Drakharrow. Cold, arrogant, and way too gorgeous for his own good. He’s been tormenting me since the moment we met, and now, thanks to some ancient ritual, we’re betrothed. He acts like he owns me, but I’m not going down without a fight.

Bloodwing isn’t just a school—it’s a battlefield. Highbloods fight for power, and if you’re weak? You’re dead.

Between deadly competitions, lies that could get me executed, and a dragon-shaped secret looming over my head, all I have to do is survive. Easy, right? Except I’m starting to think the real danger isn’t the academy—it’s what I’m becoming in this twisted game of power.

And Blake? He might just be the one who pushes me over the edge.

They think they can control me. They think they can use me.

But they have no idea what they’ve awakened.

MY THOUGHTS: This is a very hyped book on booktok so I read it and gave it 3 stars. I actually was going to DNF because of how it starts – kind of confusing, but I pushed through. Didn’t love the romance and actually wish the FMC would end up with someone else! Also thought there was a lot going on. Didn’t love it but could see some potential. My Review – On Wings of Blood by. Briar Boleyn| Book Review

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The Bond That Burns by. Briar Boleyn

At Bloodwing Academy, blood is currency, but a dragon’s legacy is priceless—and as dangerous as fire.

I thought surviving my first year in Bloodwing’s deadly halls would be enough. I was wrong.

I accidentally woke a dragon—a creature of myth, of death, of fire.

Now every highblood house wants control over me and the dragon’s legacy I carry. But here’s the truth: I have no control. I’m bluffing my way through every encounter, trying to keep everyone from realizing that I’m not the one pulling the dragon’s strings.

And then there’s Blake Drakharrow. I thought he was on my side, that I might even be able to trust him. But he betrayed me. Now I’m his only blood source. How messed up is that? In a place like Bloodwing, where power and survival are everything, this bond may well be the death of us both. Unless I can find a way to end it.

In this world of vampires, dragons, and lies, there are no happy endings. Just legends—and the darkness it takes to make them.

MY THOUGHTS: Okay this…I just didn’t like but I did give it 2.5 stars, rounding down though – I do not like Blake as the love interest at all. (Is Blake a popular name for guys in Romantasy right now? Because he’s the second Blake I read of this year!) On the fence if I will read book three – maybe I’ll read reviews and spoilers before seeing if I want to pick it up. My review – The Bond That Burns by. Briar Boleyn| Book Review

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Have you read any of these books? Are you on Tiktok? Are you part of booktok? I think it’s a great way to learn about new books from indie authors or new releases that aren’t featured on IG or bookstagram. So far I’ve had some hits and misses but it’s been fun seeing what books people are raving about on there!

House of Eclipses by. Casey L. Bond | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: House of Eclipses

Author: Casey L. Bond

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 378

Publication Date: 8/13/21

Categories: Fantasy, Romance

Capture his heart.
Steal his crown.

Noor is the unwanted, unloved third born of the Aten, chosen vessel of the sun goddess, Sol. While she has no chance at inheriting her father’s title, what she truly longs for is peace from his unrelenting hatred. Hope builds that she may finally be able to claim that reprieve when a missive arrives from the House of the Moon.

The new Lumin, chosen of the moon god, Lumos, seeks to broker peace with the Kingdom of Helios for the first time in ages. He envisions open trade routes and an end to archaic rivalries. His dedication to this cause extends to visions of a union between the two families by marrying one of Aten’s daughters, if one of the matches is a fit.

Driven by his own twisted agenda, Noor’s father is willing to sacrifice his daughters as pawns to steal the crown for him to further his despotic reign, pitting sister against sister in a brutal battle for power. But Noor must come out the victor, either by capturing the Lumin’s heart or stealing his crown. For whomever wears the crown of moonlight, holds the power of the moon itself. With such strength at her command, she could finally defeat her tyrannical father.

Yet this endeavor cannot be accomplished without great sacrifice. As Noor learns more about Lumin Caelum, guilt over her betrayal consumes her, burning hot as the sun itself. If only he wasn’t kind, and selfless, and exactly what she wanted. If only she had greater dominion over her heart…

Can Noor carry out her plan and end her father’s vile reign? Or will unlikely alliances allow a new day to dawn?

First off, it was the book cover that enticed me into reading this book!

This is the first Casey L. Bond book I have read and now I’m curious to read her other works. I found the story and world building unique with its inspiration being the sun and the moon. People of Helios, are sun worshippers. As for the Lumin, they worship the moon of course because it is all they see. There is a whole mythology/back story as to why the sun and moon stopped revolving which makes the story even more intriguing. I loved learning about both cultures.

Noor’s father, the leader of their kingdom is a horrible, power hungry man. He sets up a plan to have one of his daughters marry the Lumin and steal their moon crown. The owner would rule the world. Growing up with an abusive father and sisters that didn’t love her, made Noor into someone who was desperate to own the crown herself. She is an Atena (basically a princess) and a third daughter. Her father for some reason we don’t know until way later, hates her the most.

Noor is a resilient character, who is fearful of the father that abuses her but very defiant towards him as well. She’s strong, confident and knows she is beautiful, but she is also honest and kind. Of course I wanted Caelum to pick her over her scheming sister. Caelum is a nice, handsome, good guy. His family and people love him. I liked his brother, Beron, a lot because he had a more playful personality and he is a Wolven shapeshifter, which made him more interesting.

I thought the romance between Noor and Caelum was sweet. He has to choose between the two sisters but it was obvious who he favored and at times Noor gave mixed signals – which is to be expected since she and her sister are there to do her dad’s bidding. Love was the last thing on Noor’s mind, plus, she hasn’t really been around people with healthy relationships – love was no part of her plan when she knew deep down inside, she could have power instead. But I liked how she and Caelum got to know each other and eventually fell in love.

Triggers: abuse, violence

Noor’s father is a hateful man – maybe he wasn’t always that way but the way he was with his daughters is horrible. And then there are Noor’s sisters, Zarina and Citali, both trying to please their father because they are abused in their own ways as well but I am very interested to see what happens to Citali. Yes she was evil and irritating at times but now we know why she was that way and I’d like to see if there is some redeeming quality in her. Plus, I need to see what happens to her and Beron!

It’s a cliffhanger ending. But here’s the thing – the ending of the book has a “To be continued” and Chapter 1 of House of Wolves (book two) and let me just say…I’m ready for it!

I wasn’t a fan at first of Caelum having to choose between two sisters, because that would only cause even more drama between the them. But it was obvious who he was smitten with from the beginning.

The world building is great but a lot of the story is of Noor and Citali traveling to Lumin and getting to know Caelum and the Lumin’s ways. There isn’t much action until the end but I still enjoyed it.

Why you should read it:

unique world building
sweet romance, happy ending, Noor gets Power and her man 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
sister drama

Why you might not want to read it:

abusive father
cliffhanger ending

My Thoughts:

I wasn’t sure if this would hold my attention but the world building sucked me in – I was intrigued. Noor’s family drama made me keep on reading. I kept wondering how she was going to get out of it and if she would get her happy ending. Plus Caelum is a good man from a nice family and Noor deserved happiness. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to book two which I can tell will be spicy because of Citali’s temper and Beron’s frustration with her already! I look forward to reading book two.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Books By Indie Authors | Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

I was thinking of making a post about all the Indie authors I’ve read in 2021 but then I saw this in the blogosphere today, a Self-published Authors Appreciation Week post on One Book More and followed the link back to Jodie at Witty and Sarcastic Book Club who is organizing this event.

I love that self-published authors are getting love this week because they really do deserve it! Here are some of the indie books I’ve read, copies provided to me by the authors for an honest review over the two years I’ve been blogging.

Hedy Leckenmaul runs a strange little bakery in the sleepy town of Enumclaw, Washington. Her bakery may be bizarre but it is the non-human guests who stay at her home, along with her resident ghost, and her menagerie of talking animals that truly is strange. Hedy hosts a waystation for supernatural travelers and while hosting two such travelers, the town is rocked by an arsonist who is kidnapping women, and pitting the residents of Enumclaw against each other. Hedy and her friends must solve the mystery when one of their own vanishes, leaving them racing to find out who is behind it all before it is too late.

Resurrected into present-day New York, Nadira Holden is asked to save the world … again.

Nadira achieved legendary status when she gave her life to protect humans from the demons. To her, it was yesterday. To the rest of the world, it was twenty years ago.

People have made peace with the demons, worshipping them like celebrities. No one wants to believe that the beautiful creatures who brought magic to humans could be causing the disappearance of so many. When Nadira’s father goes missing, she refuses to play nice. Gloves off. She has to do what she does best. Fight.

Experience why not even death can stop her.

Nadira Holden, Demon Hunter is a fresh urban fantasy series from Azaaa Davis that combines monster-slaying action, family drama, and simmering romance.

Fans of Vampire Hunter Anita Blake, Succubus Georgina Kincaid, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and Vampire Death Dealer Selene are enthralled and eagerly awaiting the next Nadira Holden novel.

Magic rolls through Orion Tamura’s history classroom like a tidal wave of golden light that only he can see. The spell is deadly, and Orion has no idea who cast it or what they want.

Answers are scarce—all of Port Monica’s sorcerers vanished fourteen years before, including Orion’s father. Armed with his limited knowledge of magic, Orion is the only one left in the city who is strong enough to investigate the origins of the spell.

But the city’s leaders will stop at nothing to censor and sabotage anyone who gets close to the truth. Invisible otherworlders watch every move Orion and his friends make, and a mysterious sorcerer who knows the answers haunts Orion’s dreams.

Life dealt Her a hard blow, but His back was a shield…

Leah…
After being duped by her intended, kicked out of her home, and left on the streets of Black Valley, young seamstress, Leah Karin, signs her life over to her country, Aghi, to relocate to and populate its growing town, Luctown. Too late Leah realizes the scheme is filled with lies and injustice. Beaten, bruised and without hope, Leah is prepared to die… but fate has other plans.

Andrew…
All he wanted was freedom. So willingly, Andrew Code trades slavery for exile to the new town. As his team uncovers the lies and deceit of the new town, Andrew remains determined to carve out a life worth living for himself.

In an untamed forest filled with ex-convicts, starving residents, schemers, and murderers, will love and hope conquer all?

Sometimes the ones who save us are the ones we need to fear the most.

In a world where dark faeries have stepped in to save the planet from humanity’s mistakes, seventeen-year-old December Thorne is nothing but a shadow. Shunned by her peers, bullied at school, and paid a little too much attention by her sleazy foster father, she lives in constant fear and perpetual solitude.

Until the day everything changes.

Offered a scholarship to the prestigious Oberon Academy, December finds herself living in a whole new world. Boundless food, clean clothes, a safe place to sleep, and the potential for true friendship make her new life seem almost too good to be true—but the school has a secret.

The truth is, Oberon Academy isn’t just a prep school for society’s elite. It’s a training ground for a secret race of magical beings no one knows exists. And they’re preparing for war.

Filled with fear and denial, December has a choice to make. She can either return to her pathetic life with her dangerous foster parents, try to survive on her own, or make Oberon Academy her home and discover the truth about who, and what she really is.

And that truth could save the world.

This island alone boasts more ghost stories than all of Louisiana combined.
And I’m one of them.

In the Louisiana swamplands, ghost stories are as much a part of childhood as chasing fireflies and crawfishing. They never much scared me, though, nor the possibility of evil out to do me harm. Until the night I watched shadows come to life and butcher everything I loved.

With a stranger’s help, I managed to escape to an isolated place miles north, and, in time, became my own ghost story. A cautionary tale for the locals. Nearly a decade passed, before I returned to my birthplace, in hopes of unearthing long-awaited answers. Instead, I found something I wasn’t looking for. Someone. A remedy for my loneliness.

Or so I thought.

Turns out, Thierry Bergeron is no elixir. He’s a deadly poison, cursed by the demons of his past, and feared by those who call him the elusive Rougarou of the bayou. A devious rogue, whose seductive whispers and rough hands haunt my dreams. The big bad wolf that defiles me without apology, or remorse. I should resist him, but I can’t.And when the shadows return to stake their claim on me, his darkness is the only safe place to hide.

**The Isle of Sin and Shadows is a slow-burn southern gothic mystery romance standalone, set on a darkly enchanting fictional island.

Olexia is a wild and dangerous world filled with magic.

Miri and Nick find Olexia by chance but choose their fate when they step through the portal. A shard of glass and a hastily-written letter from their mother are all they have to solve their puzzling past.

In Olexia Miri and Nick find danger and unlikely allies, and with their help, they learn to wield their newfound powers and find out the truth about Olexia’s buried secrets.

When the ruthless Council leader learns the siblings harbor a powerful artifact, he sends his bloodthirsty LaKaio soldiers to hunt them down at any cost.

With time running out and secrets about their past being revealed around every corner, Miri and Nick must decide if they’re going to hide away or rise up against the sinister leaders of Olexia.

A Court of Honey and Ash by. Shannon Mayer and Kelly St. Clare | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: A Court of Honey and Ash (Honey and Ice, #1)

Author: Shannon Mayer and Kelly St. Clare

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 420

Publication Date: 7/6/21

Publisher: Hijinks Ink Publishing

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fae, New Adult

Orphaned. Trained to fight. Raised to fear the power of Underhill. Secretly in love with a man who doesn’t want me.

I’m still just Alli, aka the half-human orphan fae, but my life is looking up for the first time. It only took me my whole 24 years.

But when Underhill—the ancestral home of the fae—shatters, making it impossible for any fae to enter, I’m the only one who knows who did it.

A secret that will be the death of me if I do nothing.

A brutal madness spreads through the fae as they lose their connection to Underhill, and to save my people, my only choice is to leave all I have fought for and go on the run.

Unless I figure out how the hell magic that has existed since the dawn of time was destroyed with a single touch, well, an entire life spent fighting to prove myself isn’t going to mean anything at all.

I must find the answer to the riddle of Underhill’s shattering.

Hunted by the very man I loved once upon a time.

Kelly St. Clare is one of my favorite authors that I found through Kindle Unlimited and I’ve read one of Shannon Mayer’s series Shadowspell Academy. The two authors combining makes for a good first book to a new series about the Fae.

This book is action packed from the get go, I think that’s a Shannon Mayer signature (even if I only read one of her series), action seems to be her thing and it keeps the story moving quickly. We meet Kallik in a competition that will decide her future. We also learn she’s half human and half fae, the bastard daughter to the Seelie King who put her in an orphanage when her mother died. Kallik is strong, can kick butt and hold her own around the guys.

And of course there is a hot Fae who Kallik has a crush on, or had past crush on, named Faolan. He seems to be everywhere Kallik is since her return from the trials. When something major happens involving Kallik, Faolan is sent to investigate. Kallik and Faolan definitely have chemistry and I hope there is more of it in book two.

The side characters are great – I love Cinth, Kallik’s besti-friend and rolling pin wielder. And Ruby, the giant Fae outcast is a sage with wise advice, a leader trying to protect the outcast and Kallik is building a friendship with him which Kallik definitely needed since she only has Cinth in her life.

Triggers: violence

The setting of Alaska is an interesting choice for the Fae but remote enough that they can have their own island to inhabit. I kept trying to picture what this Underhill would look like though.

Kallick is twenty-four years old, so I’m assuming this is new adult? Or just adult fiction though there was only some kisses taking place in the story.

It’s one of those series with cliffhangers but thank goodness the wait is only a few months and not a whole year!

I can tell it’s already one of those series I’m going to be addicted to and I can’t help myself, I love the Fae. This one is a quick read with lots of action, good chemistry between Kallik and Faolan, an awesome best friend in Cinth and a new world to explore. It’s a great start to the series and I look forward to book two.

📚~ Yolanda

ARC Review | The Raven and The Dove

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Raven and The Dove

Author: Kaitlyn Davis

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: Unknown for digital copy \ 506 for hardcover (according to Amazon.com)

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic

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

A princess longing to be free…

On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.

A bastard aching to belong…

Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.

Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…

Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.

Thank you to Kaitlyn Davis and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

Princess Lyana loves her home, the crystal city of Sepharia, where the House of Peace resides. Her people are doves and she is vivacious, beautiful, mischievous and knows how to get her way. She is undeniably magnetic to everyone around her. The courtship trials is about to take place and she will be wed to prince from another House. She’s prepared for this all her life despite that deep longing inside her to explore the world beyond her home.

Rafe is a raven and the bastard brother to Prince Lysander (Xander) of the House of Whispers. Rafe is standing in for his brother to win the hand of a princess for their house, but something happens and the plan backfires on Rafe and Xander in the most unexpected way.

But besides this courtship drama something bigger is happening to the land below the Sea of Mists. There is a prophecy and a King who needs Lyana for his Queen to save the world.

The world building is creative and unique. Here we an aviary kind of people, humans with bird wings living above the clouds on floating islands. There are seven houses, who’s mythology is based on seven Gods giving them their unique wings and Godstones. It’s an intricate world and in this first book we learn more about their world instead of the one below on land. I was engrossed with learning about each house. In this world above the clouds, magic is forbidden, if you have it, you are punished. And then there is the issue about the dragons which is very mysterious, but I think we learn more about them in book two. For now, dragons are these creatures wreaking havoc but we don’t know why.
There are secrets and betrayals in this book and some were frustrating yet kept me hooked to the story. The secrets with the romance story arc were pretty predictable and I was fine with that but the betrayal…oh the betrayal at the end got me like…😱, oh my heart. I was squeamish, shocked, and trying to understand why this was happening.
Lyana and Rafe are electric together and seem meant to be….BUT…there are two other people in Lyana’s life that will have an impact on their relationship. This is the first book and it seems like a love triangle is happening…but I can’t say it is for certain. We shall see what happens in the next book.
I care about the characters! Lyana comes off as a princess who knows how to get her way, but when she does get her way and it doesn’t turn out as she had hoped, she bounces back. Rafe is someone I feel for – the feeling of not belonging anywhere, not being allowed to want things or have the things he wants. 💔 What was done to him…gah, I can’t even think of it. Xander (Lysander) and his feelings of inadequacy because of his deformity. He’s a good guy, and he loves his brother but holds resentment too. And Cassi…..ohhhhhhhh Cassi.
Cassi gets her own bullet point because although Lyana is a big part of the story, Cassi’s role as Lyana’s best friend seems innocent at first but we learn Cassi is not who she says she is. Another secret, another betrayal but maybe the biggest of them all so far. I was lulled into thinking this was a princess choosing a mate story, but no…it got dark. It took a twist I wasn’t expecting at all.
There are four perspectives we get in this book and each of them were done very well. I felt all their angst, hopes, dreams and fears. I get a good feel for these four characters through their story telling.

The courtship of Lyana is what this book is mostly about, including the forbidden love with Rafe. But we are fed morsels about a prophecy and someone who will save the world, but save it from what? We meet a vague, mysterious character Malek and I can’t tell if he is good or bad yet. He is a king apparently, on land or at this moment, on the ocean. So much more to learn about him and this world on land.
The dragons are also vague in this story but they seem like the enemy. They wreak havoc on land and have been seen above the Sea of Mists, so we don’t know much about them.
Because we are mostly immersed in the aviary world in the sky, we don’t get a real sense of the magic use on land. It is elemental magic but the history and use of it is something I hope the next book will expand on.
Once again, because this is loosely based on Tristan & Isolde, there is forbidden love and I hope to goodness it ends well. Can it end well? After that ending, I don’t know. 😰
Triggers: violence

I did not expect to read this book in one sitting, but I did. I was engrossed in this unique world of bird people who knew nothing of the land below. This first book is mostly a set up for the rest of the series so if the plot seems thin I think it’s because there is much more to be revealed and a land world to build on. If you like forbidden love, courtship trials, dragons, magic, secrets and betrayal, you may want to check this title out. I really enjoyed this book and I look forward to the next one!

Book Review | In the Teeth of It: A Gingerbread Hag Mystery

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: In the Teeth of It (A Gingerbread Hag Mystery, Book 2)

Author: K.A. Miltimore

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 217

Categories: Paranormal, Supernatural, Mystery, Adult Fiction

It’s been two months since the fiery events of Burned to a Crisp, and it’s Christmas in Enumclaw. Hedy is back to hosting visitors in her waystation, while Mel and Darro are decking the halls and telling tales of Krampus in between batches of cannibal Gingerbread Men cookies—just another Christmas at The Gingerbread Hag bakery.

But the holiday spirit isn’t the only thing making its way through Enumclaw. Something definitely from the naughty list is attacking the local farms and the children are possessed with mischief. Hedy’s worries increase when the Concierge sends someone to investigate her house and possibly shut the waystation down for good.

Who’s been naughty, and who’s been nice? Not every gift under the tree is one she’ll want to open, but Hedy better hurry, before all of Enumclaw gets caught In the Teeth of It.

Here we are back at The Gingerbread Hag bakery, a fictional bakery that I want to visit in real life. Hedy is dealing with the aftermath of the events in book one, when Lyssa, a demi-goddess brought chaos to the small town of Enumclaw. Now it’s Christmas time and Hedy has new visitors staying at her waystation but the threat of Lyssa is still real, though no one knows where she is.

This story is a Christmas in July treat! Reading this book made me yearn for cooler weather, Christmas decorations, a cup of hot tea and maybe a sweet delight from The Gingerbread Hag bakery. 😋

In the Teeth of It, the second book of the The Gingerbread Hag Mystery series, introduces us to some new characters. The menagerie from book one makes an appearance as well, though it seemed a lot more brief this time around. I do wish we had more time with my favorite talking animals and ghost in this book, hopefully they are featured more in book three.

I love how this series takes place in a small town, but it’s filled with diverse characters of different ethnicities and supernatural powers. I really enjoyed the new characters, Yami – a kitsune (fox) and Raluca – a Moroi (vampire). I’ve always loved the Moroi and Strogoi legends so I really enjoyed Raluca’s character a lot.

Hedy is a great main character with her signature style: beehive hair and a 1960’s style wardrobe. She’s always a gracious host and storekeeper making friends wherever she goes. But this time around we also get a glimpse of Hedy’s past and I can’t wait to find out more of her time in New Orleans! It sounds intriguing! There was less havoc caused in this book compared to book one, but I think that was okay because it got me into such a cozy holiday mood.

Author, K.A. Miltimore always infuses her stories with the strange, different and interesting whether it comes to baked goods, supernatural creatures, mythology or legends. I look forward to the next book in the series. If you like quick reads and mystery stories with supernatural elements, then definitely give this series a try!

Get it here: Amazon

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About the Author of the book:

K. A. Miltimore is a writer living in the Pacific Northwest who has followed the advice of her 5th grade teacher, Miss Hammond, and become a writer. She loves mid-century fashion, 80s music and nachos (not necessarily in that order). With her husband and son, she loves exploring quirky local towns, and dreams of dragging them both to Iceland for a tour someday. Her tombstone will likely read “Always Creating”. In addition to writing, she enjoys making jewel spiders, looking for great Washington red wines, and re-watching the movies that she has forgotten over the years.

What I’m Reading:

What a week! Did you have a good week? I know it’s a holiday weekend but I’m exhausted. I hosted an early Easter Egg hunt at my house this past Sunday and I don’t know if I have recovered yet. To top it all off, I’m trying to keep on reading! I have The Priory of the Orange Tree, by Samantha Shannon as my priority right now to finish because I have to return that to the library next week. It’s been slow going on that one, but I am determined. I actually read two awesome books from NetGalley, but I can’t post my reviews yet until nearer to their publication dates.

But here are the titles I’ve picked up to read next…

These are some E-books I’ve borrowed through Amazon Kindle Unlimited:

And from NetGalley I have these:

I’m finally on Edelweiss Plus! I’m working on getting approved for Arcs there. So I just got this one…

And I just got a notification on my Overdrive online library that I have this book ready to read:

What are you reading right now? What’s next on your TBR list? I hope all of you have a nice weekend and to those who celebrate Passover, Happy Passover (we do) and those who celebrate Easter, Happy Easter (we do as well haha). Happy Reading! 😘