Tag: New adult

One Dark Window by. Rachel Gillig | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: One Dark Window (#1)

Author: Rachel Gillig

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 9/27/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Gothic, Young Adult/New Adult

Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

Content Warning: violence, mentions of children murdered

I have finally read this book and what a book it is! Here’s what I thought:

+ Elspeth is such an interesting character, especially with a Nightmare in her head – who’s been in her head for 11 years! I loved the both of them together because Elspeth is just trying to live her life hiding all these secrets and here is this voice in her head, annoying her at all times. The Nightmare brought the humor!

+ I love all the gothic, dark, horror vibes of this story. I love the uniqueness of the Providence card, the magic surrounding them, the lore and how they were created. I like the quest of trying to find the remaining cards, the riddles and rhymes are fun and I don’t usually like possession unless it’s done right, and I think this one is done great!

+ The romance is fun, maybe a little insta-love, but I love it anyway. Ravyn is the captain of king’s guard, and Elspeth is the daughter of the former captain. The two are mistrustful of one another until they decide to work together and from there the sparks fly between them. There is a steamy scene but it’s not descriptive at all and over and done with quickly.

~ The only issue I had was it took me a bit too long in the beginning to figure out how the cards work. But once I pushed through and the story went on, it made more sense. I think it’s a cool magic system, especially with the lore tied into it.

Why you should read it:

  • the enemies to lovers romance, fake courting
  • the magic system, the lore, the story and the monster
  • the dark, gothic vibes

Why you might not want to read it:

  • not into dark reads

My Thoughts:

This one is deliciously good especially if you like the dark, gothic stories! I’m eagerly looking forward to reading book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Trial of the Sun Queen by. Nisha J. Tuli | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts or Ouranos, #1)

Author: Nisha J. Tuli

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 11/14/22

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Fae, New Adult

The Bachelor meets the Hunger Games. Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King’s heart.

Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to get free and pay him back for every moment of misery.

When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight when she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she’ll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.

But Lor doesn’t belong in the Sun Queen Trials. She doesn’t understand why she was freed, and she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is wiped off the gameboard, permanently.

Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she’ll be sent back into the hands of the Aurora King.

This glittering fae romance is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer Armentrout, and Raven Kennedy. Trial of the Sun Queen is the first book in a trilogy with an eventual happy ever after.

Content Warning: sexual harassment, mentions of sexual assault

I needed something easy and quick to read. I also wanted something with romance and a fantasy so I decided to borrow this one on Kindle Unlimited and this is what I thought:

+ It had everything I was looking for at the moment. I wanted to read a romantasy and it has the Fae. It is similar to a lot of popular romance fantasy books out there – kind of like a mash up – but for the most part it worked for me. It’s got many tried and true tropes!

+ Lor is a prisoner in the Aurora court but she’s hiding a secret, of course. I like that there is more to uncover about her. She’s had to live as a prisoner and do things to survive.

+ One of the tropes in this book is the competition to marry the Sun King. So it’s got some violent trials between fae women and Lor. She’s clearly the underdog, but she’s favored by the Sun King. There is an attraction between them because he’s a gorgeous fae but this seems to be a fated mate kind of story and I think it’s safe to say we know who her fated mate is going to be. I wasn’t into the Sun King, but there is a little spice, just not who I wanted her to get spicy with.

~ Because I know and love all these tropes – the story is predictable but I don’t mind it at all. I still want to read the second book plus it’s an easy, quick read.

~ The story is told between two perspectives, Lor and Nadir. Nadir is the prince of the Aurora Court and a disappointment to his father, the king. But for the first part of the book – his perspective seems a bit out of place. We don’t really get to know him until way later. He’s actually investigating the missing prisoner (Lor) but they only meet at the end of the book.

Tropes: hint at fated mates, secret identity, revenge, competition for a husband, deadly trials

Why you should read it:

  • full of tropes I enjoy in a romance fantasy
  • addictive, quick read

Why you might not want to read it:

  • definitely a series that I think or hope will get even better with the second book – so maybe wait to binge the whole series

My Thoughts:

This was giving everything I wanted minus maybe the romance part – it did have spice, but not a true romance yet. Its hinting two characters are going to be fated mates and I hope we see that all in the sequel. I’ll definitely read the next book because it’s an easy series to get addicted to with all the tropes I was looking for at the moment.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

House of Beating Wings by. Olivia Wildenstein | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: House of Beating Wings (Kingdom of Crows #1)

Author: Olivia Wildenstein

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 490

Publication Date: 9/27/22

Categories: New Adult, Fantasy, Fae, Romantasy, Magic

Free the crows, Fallon, and they will make you queen.

Until an oracle predicted my regal future, I’d never imagined myself rising above the curve of my round ears. After all, I was the magicless halfling loved by beasts but loathed by every pure-blooded faerie at court. Well . . . by all but one.

Dante Regio, prince of Luce, had owned my heart since he gave me my first kiss. If gathering a slew of iron relics could help me overthrow the current monarch and crown his brother to rule at my side, then treasure hunting I’d go.

If only the oracle had warned me what winged demon I was releasing into the world.

And that I’d become this demon’s obsession.

Content Warning:

I was in the mood for a romantasy so I picked this one up on Kindle Unlimited because I was curious about the crow storyline. Here’s what did and didn’t work for me:

+ I wanted a romantasy and I got it for sure. Seems like everyone in this kingdom wants to be with Fallon. There are a few guys she kisses in this book but we will see what happens in book two.

+ Fallon works at a tavern, which is cool that she helps her family out that way. She also has the power to bond with a water serpent animal. Her bond with the serpent is why the King wants her in the first place but apparently Fallon’s fate is tied to something else – waking up crows. I did like the secondary characters, especially Fallon’s best friends, they are fun.

+ The crows are fascinating, they seem to speak to Fallon through her mind. And the leader of the crows, Lore, is intriguing.

~ I think there may be a love triangle brewing? Fallon is in love with Dante, the prince and her old friend, but I do not like him at all. He’s the worst. She also spends some time with Antoni who’s slept with all her friends it seems, but she breaks his heart. And now Lore? Who knows what is going to happen there.

~ I felt like there were two separate stories going on. The first part was purely Fallon and her love-life. The second was her waking up the crows. So to me it felt a bit disjointed.

~ Fallon was not someone I connected with – actually she started to annoy me, maybe because she acted young and naive for her age. It could be because the story is disjointed or the writing isn’t my style?

Tropes: girl with secret powers, love triangle, family with secrets,

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

  • looking for a romantasy read which includes crows
  • interesting world-building

Why you might not want to read it:

  • annoying main character

My Thoughts:

My favorite thing about this book is probably Fallon’s best friends who brought humor into the story. I think the world building is interesting and it has so much potential but Fallon was annoying at times and I felt like the crows needed to be introduced a bit earlier into the story. For me the story didn’t flow well and I found myself skipping some parts to the end. I’m not sure if I’ll be reading the second book, if I do it’s mostly to find out all about this crow kingdom.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Witch Collector by. Charissa Weaks | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Witch Collector (#1)

Author: Charissa Weaks

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 343

Publication Date: 11/01/21

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, New Adult, Magic, Witches

Every harvest moon, the Witch Collector rides into our valley and leads one of us to the home of the immortal Frost King, to remain forever.

Today is that day—Collecting Day.

But he will not come for me. I, Raina Bloodgood, have lived in this village for twenty-four years, and for twenty-four years he has passed me by.

His mistake.

Raina Bloodgood has one desire: kill the Frost King and the Witch Collector who stole her sister. On Collecting Day, she means to exact murderous revenge, but a more sinister threat sets fire to her world. Rising from the ashes is the Collector, Alexus Thibault, the man she vowed to slay and the only person who can help save her sister.

Thrust into an age-old story of ice, fire, and ancient gods, Raina must abandon vengeance and aid the Witch Collector in saving the Frost King or let their empire—and her sister—fall into enemy hands. But the lines between good and evil blur, and Raina has more to lose than she imagined. What is she to do when the Witch Collector is no longer the villain who stole her sister, but the hero who’s stealing her heart?

Content Warning: violence

I have been eyeing this one for awhile and finally got it when it was $0.99 on Kindle! This is what did and didn’t work for me:

+ The cover is so pretty, it gives me winter vibes.

+ Raina is mute, so I love that she uses sign language and others around her (only a few) know how to sign with her too. Raina is also really brave and is a fighter even though her true skill as a witch is healing and scrying.

+ It’s an enemies to lovers romance but it’s one-sided. Raina’s plan is actually kill the Witch Collector, Alexus, but things don’t go as planned. Instead she reluctantly has to cooperate with him if they are going to save her sister and the Frost King. Alexus has been into her for a long time now, so it’s Raina who is fighting the attraction she is starting to feel with him. There are some sexy scenes between them and even one epic sex scene that was not just hot physically but emotionally (the thing that happened with the life threads). The two of them really grew on me.

+ World building is great! There is some back story about Alexus that shows the bigger picture of what they are dealing with. There are gods, evil princes and witches! The magic system is intriguing as well.

~ We get thrown into the story – we meet Raina and she wants to kill Alexus because he took her eldest sister years ago. But there is some backstory we are missing about Nephele (her sister) and the Frost King. I kind of wish maybe we knew their story first, because it seems very important to everything going on. That was my main issue. I felt like I was catching up to the story. And Alexus had to do a lot of explaining to Raina.

~ Raina does go from obsessing over killing Alexus to then sleeping with him. So…I thought it was a quick turn around. I think it was her sister at the end of the book that said Alexus knew Raina for only 2 weeks and he was ready to burn the world down for her! TWO WEEKS! 😅 He got through her defenses super fast but I guess all he really needed to do was explain the Nephele/Frost King situation.

Tropes: one-sided enemies to lovers, hiding great powers

Spice Level: 🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

  • a good romantasy read – it’s got equal parts romance and the fantasy world building is great
  • Raina is mute, great representation
  • entertaining – it has action and a fight with an evil prince

Why you might not want to read it:

  • slight pacing issues, a little slower in the middle
  • the romance happens in the span of 2 weeks, even though Alexus has been wanting her for longer than that

My Thoughts:

I think this was pretty enjoyable if you are looking for a romantasy to read. It’s got an enemies to lovers romance, a steamy scene or two, lots of magic and fighting against an evil prince, and I’m looking forward to reading book two, City of Ruin.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Frost by. C.N. Crawford | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Frost (Frost and Nectar, #1)

Author: C.N. Crawford

Format: ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 10/3/22

Categories: Fantasy, Fae, Romance, New Adult

On the worst birthday of my life, I come home to find my boyfriend in bed with another woman. Within hours, I’m drunk, homeless, and pledging to stay single forever. And that is when the dangerously sexy Seelie King rolls through town, looking for fae like me.

Every generation, the king holds a competition for Seelie queen. But for reasons he won’t explain, Torin is looking for a charade, not a real marriage. So when I drunkenly sling insults his way, I have his attention.

When Torin offers me fifty million to participate, I think, “What have I got to lose?” The answer turns out to be “my life,” because my competition will literally kill for the crown.

And the more time I spend with the seductive king, the harder it becomes to remember it’s all supposed to be fake. Now, my life—and my heart—are one the line.

Content Warning: violence

I am trash for fae books and this one has lots of tropes that are so much fun in a romantasy.

+ The tropes are many in this one: a girl who doesn’t know her past-she’s Fae but lived in the human world since she was a child and she was exiled from Faerie but don’t know why, a competition for the Seelie king’s hand, faerie is dying unless the king marries, and the king can’t fall in love because his love will kill. Oh and to top it off, the competition is like a reality dating show.

+ I like Ava a lot. She’s strong, she’s independent, and she’s not afraid of Torin and Faerie. She also has a fun friend Shalini by her side. I like Torin too! He seems like a good guy, just stuck with king responsibilities and a curse, of course!

+ I like the sexual tension between Ava and Torin and it will be interesting to see where it goes.

~ It’s short and moves quickly, a little rushed in the competition parts but that’s okay – I expect it with these series that drop releases more quickly than the bigger publishers.

~ I love Shalini and hopes she gets to do more in Faerie than just sitting in the room and reading books. What kind of an adventure is that?

Tropes: touch kills, love kills, a girl with a secret past, competition to marry king, reality dating show

Spice Level: 🌶

Why you should read it:

  • super quick read
  • lots of fun tropes and it’s a Fae story
  • Ava and Torin

Why you might not want to read it:

  • it’s a quick read but also scenes are rushed
  • the next book releases in a few months so maybe wait to binge the whole series

My Thoughts:

I was in the mood for a book set in Faerie and this author is definitely one I go to for a book with all the tropes I’m looking for and it’s New Adult. Also the wait for sequels won’t be long which also satisfies my craving. Overall a fun start to a new series, hopefully we get a little more depth to the story in the sequel.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Bad Girl Reputation by. Elle Kennedy | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Title: Bad Girl Reputation (Avalon Bay, #2)

Author: Elle Kennedy

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 10/4/22

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Romance, New Adult, Young Adult, Contemporary, Series

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

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When former bad girl Genevieve West returns home for her mother’s funeral, she’s prepared to keep her distance from her ex-boyfriend, Evan Hartley. Their history is rife with turbulence. And passion. A heck of a lot of passion… which she’s trying desperately to forget.

But it’s impossible not to run into Evan in the small coastal town where they once ran wild. And the moment she sees her gorgeous ex again, it’s clear to Gen that Evan is still as unruly, sexy, and irresistible as ever. This time around, however, she’s resolved to walk a new path. No more partying. No more foolish mistakes. Her plan is to temporarily remain in town to help her father run his business, but the second he finds somebody else, she’s out of there.

Evan has other ideas. He knows they can be good together, but he just has to convince Genevieve of that, even if it means turning over a new leaf himself. But can a bad reputation ever truly be shed? Do second chances really work? Genevieve and Evan are about to find out.

Content Warning: sexual harassment, drug use, death of a parent

This is the second book in the Avalon Bay series, and I enjoyed the first one, Good Girl Complex, a lot so was definitely going to read this one. Sadly, I wasn’t into Evan and Gen’s story like I was with Cooper and Mac. Here’s what did and didn’t work for me:

+ The beginning of the story is good – we get to know Gen and Evan and their history. Obviously these two cannot stay away from one another as much as they try. The physical attraction is undeniable but then the feelings part is when the trouble begins. They both have issues.

+ Gen has a lot going on and I do see growth. Evan also has some things to work on when it comes to Gen and his mom, Shelley.

+ Cooper and Mac make cameos in the story. Cooper doesn’t like Evan and Gen together but the heart wants what it wants!

~ I think I got bored with the story. It’s repetitive. It’s a constant back and forth between Evan and Gen, and the sexual attraction is easy for them. Everything else is hard. I think it felt flat on the emotional side of their relationship. They are also a bit toxic for one another. So I wasn’t invested with the second chance romance. Gen tries to date someone else, but we all know who is end game, so it felt like a waste of time.

~ I didn’t connect to any of the characters.

Tropes: second chance romance

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

  • you might like this better than the first one if you like second chance romances

Why you might not want to read it:

  • it hit a lull in the middle and never managed to suck me back into the story

My Thoughts:

This one was just okay. I did like Good Girl Complex more because it was the rich girl/poor boy trope. If you like second chance romances with a lot of spice, you will enjoy this one, because one thing is for sure and that is Gen and Evan can’t keep their hands off one another.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Good Girl Complex by. Elle Kennedy – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Good Girl Complex by. Elle Kennedy | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Good Girl Complex

Author: Elle Kennedy

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 2/01/22

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult, College

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

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

She does everything right. So what could go wrong?

Mackenzie “Mac” Cabot is a people pleaser. Her demanding parents. Her prep school friends. Her long-time boyfriend. It’s exhausting, really, always following the rules. Unlike most twenty-year-olds, all she really wants to do is focus on growing her internet business, but first she must get a college degree at her parents’ insistence. That means moving to the beachside town of Avalon Bay, a community made up of locals and the wealthy students of Garnet College.

Mac’s had plenty of practice suppressing her wilder impulses, but when she meets local bad boy Cooper Hartley, that ability is suddenly tested. Cooper is rough around the edges. Raw. Candid. A threat to her ordered existence. Their friendship soon becomes the realest thing in her life.

Despite his disdain for the trust-fund kids he sees coming and going from his town, Cooper soon realizes Mac isn’t just another rich clone and falls for her. Hard. But as Mac finally starts feeling accepted by Cooper and his friends, the secret he’s been keeping from her threatens the only place she’s ever felt at home. 

I haven’t read an Elle Kennedy book in years and I think it was the hockey series, Off Campus, that I had read some of. Good Girl Complex is set in a much different scene, a beachside town, which I love and can relate to since I live in a touristy place. Mac is the rich girl, but the good girl who is yearning for something different. And Cooper is the rough around the edges, sexy local construction worker, good with his hands (and apparently other things) guy that runs his fists into Mac’s boyfriend, Preston. What starts off as a revenge plan to humiliate Preston, turns into something more for Cooper and Mac.

We get a feeling for Mac and Cooper right from the start. Cooper is making ends meet living in this coastal town where the rich come to play and go to school at Garnet college. He is a hot boy who all the girls drool over and he is confident about himself. Cooper has an interesting group of friends who are his chosen family. They are a tight knit group that looks out for one another but they also hate the rich people they basically work for. Mac is the rich girl with horrible, cold parents who don’t really care about her as a person, just as a prop. I love that Mac is self sufficient though. She created an app that has made her a millionaire in her own right and at only the age of 20! When Mac and Cooper meet the attraction is there from the start, but there are things in the way like Mac’s boyfriend and her plan for her future, or more like her parents’ plan.

There is a big cast of characters and I wonder if this will be like the author’s other books and become a series? I’m not sure. There are a lot of names to remember but I think each one was unique enough that they stood out on their own. I liked Steph a lot, she was cool. Evan, Cooper’s twin, grew on me though he has a lot of issues to deal with. He and Cooper had a rough upbringing so it’s only normal they would have issues.

I got emotionally invested in Cooper and Mac’s relationship and was rooting for them to work out. I liked how he was rough and intense but easy going as well. Mac, even though trapped by wealth, really did deserve someone who wasn’t condescending like Preston, he was awful. The happy ending was awesome because I really did love Mac and Cooper together. They had friendship, respected one another, yes they fought but you know Cooper wasn’t going anywhere – he was so into Mac and I thought that was so cute! Also the heat between them is perfect!

Triggers: parental neglect, toxic relationship

One thing I had a problem with – and yes this is a ME problem and maybe I’m just a prude or just old but I was not feeling the friends with benefit relationships in Cooper’s circle. I get the whole “friends with benefits” thing but wow it happens a lot in Cooper’s circle of friends! It gets so complicated when someone catches feelings in a friends with benefits deal as we see with Cooper and Heidi.

The parents in this story are awful. The only kind family figure was Levi who is Cooper and Evan’s uncle.

Why you should read it:

  • craving for a good New Adult contemporary romance book
  • lots of feels between Cooper and Mac – from friendship to all kinds of heat in the bedroom
  • complete book where loose ends are tied up nicely, good pacing

Why you might not want to read it:

  • rich girl/poor boy trope – predictable

My Thoughts:

This whole book is predictable with it’s rich girl/hot poor boy trope but for me it ticked all the boxes I was looking for in a New Adult contemporary romance book. I love opposites attract and wow was there attraction between them. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a New Adult book and I devoured this in one sitting! I enjoyed it from start to finish with Cooper’s bad boy rep, and Mac on the verge of breaking free from her rich girl plans. I was smiling when they got their happy ending because Cooper and Mac are a good couple together and deserve love.

📚~ Yolanda

Mad World by Hannah McBride | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Mad World (#1)

Author: Hannah McBride

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 520

Publication Date: 10/14/21

Categories: Bully Romance, New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Alpha Male, Prep School

I’m Madison.
I spent the last seventeen years in a trailer with my mom as she rolled from one addiction to the next. All I wanted was to survive high school and get out of this place. Finding out I had a long lost twin sister on the other side of the country seemed like something out of a movie.

Too bad I didn’t realize it was a horror movie.

Now I’m Madelaine.
We were only supposed to switch lives for a summer. But then the unthinkable happened and now I have the chance to be my twin for the rest of my life. I get the fancy house, the rich father, and the elite school.

But all of those things come with a price I don’t think I can afford.

Maybe taking over my dead twin sister’s life isn’t as easy as I thought it would be.

Mad World is the first book in a new series by Hannah McBride . It contains dark themes (including bullying) that may be triggering for some readers.

Well this was unexpected and I borrowed this book on KU because of the cover – I went in knowing nothing but came out pleasantly surprised.

This is a bully romance – it has many triggers, it has a few alpha males but compared to other bully romance I’ve read in the past (and took a break from reading) this one is pretty tame. I wish more bully romances were as mild as this one!

I enjoyed the plot – twin sisters, separated at birth, find each other. They swap lives for what is supposed to be only the summer, but when Madelaine doesn’t come back…Madison continues to impersonate her because there are some business deals on the line that would affect her dad’s wealth among other things. Her dad has also agreed to take care of her mother who has a drug problem. But it’s not easy impersonating the twin she barely knew – when she reaches Pacific City she finds out Madelaine is reviled, and hated for very good reasons. Madison also learns some crazy dark, f’ed up secrets that Madelaine was keeping. The story isn’t original but it was very entertaining.

The small circle around Maddie is her ex best friend, Bex, and her fiance, Ryan and his friends. I actually liked seeing this group come together. Bex is there for Maddie when she finds out the truth, and out of Ryan’s friends, my favorite is Linc who is that goofy, funny guy who can’t keep his mouth shut. Ash is intriguing too but only because you don’t know much about him. I liked getting to know all of them.

Ryan is an alphahole but so mild compared to some other bully romances I’ve read. And this is a new adult so if you want heat, you can find it here. Ryan can be a jerk, jealous and possessive but you can tell Maddie is his soft spot. I liked seeing them do the fake dating, even more so when he knows she’s not Madelaine and they really get to know one another. He has his issues though, don’t these alphas all have them? This is the kind of bully romance I can handle because it’s enemies to lovers with just a tiny slight edge, and I’m addicted to enemies to lovers romances.

Content Warnings: sexual abuse, bullying, drug abuse, physical abuse, sexual assault, attempted rape, pedophilia

Bully romances are dark – it’s why I tend to stay away from them but I was intrigued by the synopsis and I usually don’t like twin stories either but I wanted to see if Maddie could pull off the switch. And engaged at 17? What is THAT about? I had to know. I do wish they were just all in college because she is underage and engaged to Ryan who is 19 I believe? Of course in bully romances they defy all rules – usually the alphas are so filthy rich that they can do whatever they want. I always think it’s crazy in these romances that these rich kids rule their little worlds with money and power. And they are barely even legal, it’s a bit ridiculous but super entertaining!

So much abuse – drugs, physical, sexual – it’s all there. Some of these characters are vile. But I’m going to continue reading the series just to see Maddie get revenge (I HOPE). I think she needs to gain a little bit of Madelaine’s ruthlessness to survive this though…will she toughen up? I hope so. And take these guys and some girls down. 😠

There were some typos in the beginning of the story so I hope it’s more cleaned up in the sequel.

Why you should read it:

  • enemies to lovers romance, and you like to see an alpha male fall in love
  • entertaining as heck – if you like chaos, rich people drama, school drama
  • to see if Maddie can pull it off

Why you might not want to read it:

  • bully romances turn you off
  • dark topics – see content warnings

My Thoughts:

I needed to get out of my reading slump so I read something out of my comfort zone and it worked. I was entertained by this story a lot and I was invested to see if Maddie would pull off being her sister. There are so many ways I think the sequel could go after that cliffhanger of an ending and I’ll be here waiting patiently for book two.

📚~ Yolanda

Kingdom of the Cursed by. Kerri Maniscalco | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked, #2)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 10/26/21

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Categories: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper Kerri Maniscalco comes the sizzling, sweepingly romantic sequel to Kingdom of the Wicked!

One sister. 
Two sinful princes.
Infinite deception with a side of revenge…Welcome to Hell.

After selling her soul to become Queen of the Wicked, Emilia travels to the Seven Circles with the enigmatic Prince of Wrath, where she’s introduced to a seductive world of vice.

She vows to do whatever it takes to avenge her beloved sister, Vittoria…even if that means accepting the hand of the Prince of Pride, the king of demons.

The first rule in the court of the Wicked? Trust no one. With back-stabbing princes, luxurious palaces, mysterious party invitations, and conflicting clues about who really killed her twin, Emilia finds herself more alone than ever before. Can she even trust Wrath, her one-time ally in the mortal world…or is he keeping dangerous secrets about his true nature? 

Emilia will be tested in every way as she seeks a series of magical objects that will unlock the clues of her past and the answers she craves…

We are in HELL! Finally….lol…

Emilia is in the Seven Circles with Wrath and she doesn’t know what is going to happen when she is delivered to Pride, but she doesn’t go there right away. Wrath doesn’t seem to want her to leave his side and hello…if I was Emilia I wouldn’t want to leave either!

I got my fill of Emilia and Wrath in this one. And wow, are they hot! 🔥❤️‍🔥 This is straight up new adult so beware if that isn’t your thing. I expect nothing less since they are in hell. I love their chemistry and how you know they want each other but something is holding Wrath back. There are secrets he is hiding and Emilia wants him but she’s engaged to marry his brother. This is how I want my enemies to lovers romances to be like, full of conflict and tension.

Emilia is still on her quest for revenge. She wants to know who was responsible for her sister’s death, hence her marriage contract to the King of Hell, Pride. She’s getting somewhat closer to some answers but she also has to deal with being in Hell and being at the mercy of these Princes.

As for other characters – Prince Envy is such a trouble maker! Haha, I kind of wanted to know more about the other princes but I also wanted most of the time spent reading about Emilia and Wrath and I got my wish.

There are a few twists in the story but I was suspecting one of them from the beginning so it wasn’t much a surprise, still it was a nice reveal. The other was a cliffhanger!

Content Warnings: mind control/consent

I thought that it was interesting that when there were scenes that Emilia left Wrath’s home, I wasn’t as interested. lol…I just really loved Emilia and Wrath together. I know the story had to move forward but I also didn’t think it moved all that much. She’s trying to find out who was responsible for her twin’s death but she’s also trying to appear worthy to be Queen of Hell. Also her feelings for Wrath are distracting her. We get more information about her sister near the end of the book.

The one thing I missed in this book was the family she was around in book one and the cooking and food! Speaking of family, I’m bummed that Emilia is finding out that Nonna hasn’t told her the truth about many things. I just feel like she’s breaking from her family and family was what I loved about Emilia and book one. 😔 Of course her twin has added to the secrets as well…

There is a training scene between Emilia and Wrath that gets out of hand. Wrath compels Emilia to help train her in case one of his brothers tries to harm her but it becomes quite humiliating. 😒 I’m glad Emilia stood up to him but he should have groveled in apology a bit more haha. I had to keep reminding myself look – he isn’t some angel, he literally is a DEMON PRINCE and they are in HELL. According to him, he was being tame in comparison to what his brothers could do to her. He always says she has a “choice” but in this scene, he disregards it and controls her. Wrath was definitely being his pure demon, dangerous self in that moment.

Why you should read it:

  • steamy action between Wrath and Emilia 🔥
  • good story twist
  • we learn more about Wrath and his domain, Hell

Why you might not want to read it:

  • it’s New Adult now and you aren’t into super sexy scenes
  • felt like nothing much happened with the story (though a lot happens between Wrath and Emilia) until the end

My Thoughts:

I love when Wrath and Emilia are together, minus that humiliating scene but she stood her ground. Would have like to see Emilia do more in regards to exploring Hell and getting to know the other brothers. This one is steamy, and filled with enemies to lovers tension, which I enjoy a lot but I definitely wanted more of the story to move forward. This one definitely felt like a filler book but what filler it is! lol…I still sped through it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I look forward to reading book three.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Wild Lands | Book Review

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Title: Wild Lands (Savage Lands, #2)

Author: Stacey Marie Brown

Format: eBook (own)

Pages: 297

Published Date: 2/9/21

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Categories: New Adult, Urban Fantasy, Adult, Fae

Brexley has endured starvation and survived torture and even Warwick Farkas, the brutal legend who still haunts her like a ghost, spilling into her thoughts and life. His betrayal made her a prisoner of Killian, the gorgeous Fae Lord of Budapest. 

There her life takes another unforeseen twist, something that will change the fragile alliance between the humans and the fae, and Brexley finds herself in the middle.

As weeks go by, Brexley also discovers Killian isn’t the malicious leader she was told about. As they spend more time together, their relationship begins to shift. However, when an old acquaintance turns up, she is given the chance to escape the sexy fae leader, and her entire world explodes. 

Brexley is thrown into a nefarious web of politics, desire, betrayal, lies, and truths that will shatter her foundation and who she is, what she believes, and who can be trusted. No longer is there a clear line between good and bad.

Hunted by both sides, Brexley is on the run and must untangle all the lies, deceit, and deceptions, before she becomes another victim in the wild lands.

  • Intense. That’s the word that describes this book and series so far. I like that the intensity continued in this second book but I’d say not as much as the first book.
  • We get to meet a bunch of new characters in this book, one of them being Killian, the infamous fae lord. He is the typical gorgeous, deadly male fae but what is it about Brexley that softens him? No one knows what she is or why she draws men to her. When Brex is with Killian she learns more about the fae and the pills she stole off the train from book one. Is she still human enough that she belongs on the other side of the river with Caden and her friends or is she fae? No one knows.
  • Opie and Bitzy are so funny! I’m glad they are there in the story to add some humor! I love them.
  • There is a lot of action as usual in this book and Warwick Farkas brings it with the motorcycle chases and explosions, among other things.
  • Speaking of Warwick and Brex, the chemistry between is undeniable, their interactions get a little kinky with the whole not being together but being able to see one another aspect of their relationship. Honestly I just wished they would just do it already, in person – we know they will end up together, right? Let’s just get the ball rolling! Haha…they can’t even stand each other but we do find out a little more of their beginnings.
  • There are a few twists in this story and I liked it, especially at the end! I look forward to reading book three.
  • Brex gets to kiss a lot of guys in this one, but all I want is a kiss between her and Warwick. Like, come on. I didn’t might the one with Killian, Caden is a big NO, but Warwick is the biggest teaser. Let them give in to one another already! I was wondering at some point if this was a reverse harem kind of story and I hope it’s not, because I’d like Warwick and Brex to be together. I’m not a big fan of reverse harem. A lot of erotic scenes in this one.
  • What is Brex? She has to be fae, right? Brex was bouncing from place to place, seriously this girl is trying to find where she belongs. I hope she does in the end (with Warwick lol).
  • This book was too short and I read it so fast! I’m glad the wait for book three isn’t too long.

Wild Lands took me on a very wild, intense ride and I enjoyed every minute of it. I look forward to Dead Lands to see what happens to Brex and if we find out more about her and what she is. And please just have her and Warwick end up together already? They need to stop fighting their connection but I will say it adds to the intensity of the story – they have such a love/hate relationship. Can’t wait for the next book!

📚 ~ Yolanda