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

From Ash and Blood | Book Review

My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Title: From Blood and Ash

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Format: ebook (owned)

Pages: 634

Publication Date: 3/30/20

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal

A Maiden…

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty…

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom…

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

I finally read this book that has been sitting on my ebook shelf since last year! Lately I’ve been seeing it everywhere on blogs and instagram so I finally read it and here are my thoughts:

I love me a good paranormal story with vampire/werewolf lore. It’s a classic tale, lots of forbidden love stories can come from it and it’s dark with all the danger and blood sucking. So this was an intriguing concept – a Maiden, that’s Poppy, is waiting to Ascend. To heaven? Nah, nope. For awhile it’s a mystery what these Ascended people are. We just know as a Maiden, Poppy is to be preserved, to be kept worthy of her role as a Maiden, but that life is like being a cloistered nun. So Poppy does what she can and escapes once in awhile to experience life outside the Duke’s home.
Poppy has a good crew around her, Tawny her maid/friend who I adore. Vikter her guard/who is like a father to her. And Rylan who dies protecting her. Then the hottest new guard steps in to be her royal guard and things get spicy.
The spice? The new guard Hawke is so confident, so charming, so handsome and attractive. He’s also a solid and talented protector who is dedicated to protecting Poppy. The attraction is there and things happen between them, sexy, naughty things. It’s clear they can’t resist each other.
I think my favorite part of the book was the fighting scenes! I like the action, it is thrilling. I love that Poppy can kick butt under that veil, thank goodness Vikter taught her well! And when she rages, watch out!

Triggers: abuse, kidnapping, violence
The author lays down ground work for the world building in the beginning of the story but it felt like a slow build. I remember picking this up in 2020 and putting it down after three chapter. It wasn’t catching my attention but with all the hype about it right now, I decided to give it another shot. There working for me for some reason, maybe due to the info dump?
There was a bunch of repetitive use of words…intriguing, inappropriate and Hawke being turned on by Poppy’s violence repeatedly.
Now here’s where most of my conflict with the book is ~ it’s with Hawke. And I usually love the alpha bad boys and Hawke in the second half of this book did not do it for me. He went from likable to me wishing Poppy would find a way to escape him 😏. But she is hooked on him and he knows it. It kind of grates on me how he likes to remind her of that fact even when he is the one who has been betraying her all this time. Poppy went from one prison, being the Maiden to falling for Hawke who is controlling her future as well? 🤦🏻‍♀️

I did enjoy Hawke and Poppy’s banter in the beginning, it was actually turning out to be a romance that had potential to be something great. I also found Poppy’s relationship with those she cares about very touching – and I really love that she can fight. I guess I like when she’s violent too, Hawke! Haha! I will be reading the sequel to see what happens and I hope Hawke redeems himself in my eyes. Overall, a fairly entertaining read even though I wasn’t into the male lead.

⚔️ ~ Yolanda

A Court of Silver Flames | Book Review

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

Title: A Court of Silver Flames

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Format: eBook (owned)

Pages: 768

Publication Date: 2/16/21

Categories: Fantasy, New Adult, Adult, Romance, Family, Friendship, Mature Audience

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she’s struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can’t seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre’s Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta’s orbit. But her temper isn’t the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other’s arms.

Off the bat I want to say if you were uncomfortable with Rhys and Feyre’s sex scenes – then you will be more so with Nesta and Cassian. Because let me tell ya…it’s hot, it’s intense, and Nesta and Cassian enjoy it that way. Some will think it’s too much but I was a romance reader before I was a young adult reader so this is nothing new. More power to them! I expected nothing less especially from Nesta and Cassian. I’m actually glad this book is for more mature audiences because it was starting to get that way with Rhys and Feyre but was still being touted as Young Adult. Nesta and Cassian in the sheets or out of it lol…is 🧨. But because this series went from young adult to new adult/adult, I think there should be warnings to prepare a young adult reader haha.
I always loved Nesta because she was fierce, not likable, but I could admire her protectiveness over Elaine even though I despised her for treating Feyre the way she did – but everyone has a past. Someone isn’t hard and bitter and cruel as a child, they are made that way. And we learn just how Nesta’s upbringing shaped her into this woman with very sharp edges and walls, so many walls. Her story is important. I cried for Nesta multiple times in this story. I resonated with her – her story triggered a lot of things in me. She is at rock bottom but she rises to the top, claws her way to the top of the mental pit she’s in.
Friendship. This book and the women in it and the FRIENDSHIP. Even with Cassian, it’s her friendship with him that makes them so perfect for one another. Cassian doesn’t give up on her, doesn’t pity her. It’s why Cassian is her perfect mate. But the new women we meet that come into Nesta’s life are a force to reckon with. These women have been traumatized, scarred, broken, like Nesta – but they help each other up. Ugh…what it did to my heart seeing women uplift women. It’s beautiful.
Family ~ this one is tricky and messy and so complicated. But even I understood how she needed to break from them and choose her own family (her friends). There is so much hurt between Nesta and her sisters, I mean look what they all went through in the previous books. Trauma. Feyre and Elaine weathered it better but Nesta did not. Nesta has to learn to make amends, and she has to forgive herself. So easy to say, so hard to do but she gets there. It’s heartbreaking but she gets there.
Romance ~ Cassian gives Nesta the tools to save herself and when she breaks, he is there to tell her she got this. THIS MAN. UGH….give him to me. 😅 I love how he wasn’t afraid of her sharp edges. I liked how he called her out on his bs, and I liked how he gave her space even though he wanted to consume her. She was always so safe with him, from day one.

Triggers: story of rape, story of abuse, violence, death, grief, depression, self-loathing
Because I’ve read so many romance novels in my lifetime and sex is always in it ~ I get that SJM’s sex scene can be go from dirty talk to stars are exploding and the world is ending or made new when they orgasm. 😅 I’m like, okay…chill with the universe coming apart already. Fae sex is good, I get it! lol…but that’s just her writing style.
This is a long book but I read it in one day (throughout the day because I have kids and a puppy to care for) ~ it didn’t feel long to me though. The story is very character driven but yes there is actually something going on other than Nesta falling apart haha, the human Queen that was turned into a crone in the Cauldron wants to be made young again and she needs three artifacts to do it. War between courts/kingdoms are also threatening to erupt again. But for me ~ Nesta took the spotlight. It is her story.
Did I mentioned I cried? Multiple times, because I could relate to Nesta’s personal journey on so many levels.
Now give me Azriel’s story. Also, Morrigan and Elaine’s please. ☺️

This book went above and beyond my expectations, especially with care to Nesta’s character development. Also, with Nesta and Cassian’s love story. This is for my new adult/adult romance lovers, young adult readers beware if you aren’t here for the sex because Nesta and Cassian deserve their adult sexy times. 😅 I think it’s funny how Cassian is an alpha male but hello, Nesta is an alpha female, so when those two collide? It’s not fire, it’s dynamite. What I loved the most in this story has to be the friendships that Nesta builds, as the story kept reiterating “like calls to like“. Nesta called to me from the moment I met her because she had some darkness in her, some trauma and grief we didn’t know about that shaped her and made her lash out and angry. She needed to break so many walls and fears inside her to rebuild herself into someone she doesn’t hate. Nesta had to face her past and make amends. She had to forgive herself, she had to not give up, she had to just try. That’s inspiring and brave. It’s courageous, and that’s Nesta. This story broke me in so many ways but it will be the one that stays in my head for a long time ~ when I feel low, I’ll just remember Nesta’s climb to the top. ♥️ One step at a time. 💪🏾

📚 ~ Yolanda

Book Review | Broken Knight

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️1/2

Title: Broken Knight

Author: L.J. Shen

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 367

Categories: Coming of Age, New Adult, Romance, Drug Abuse, Sexual Situations

Not all love stories are written the same way. Ours had torn chapters, missing paragraphs, and a bittersweet ending.

Luna Rexroth is everyone’s favorite wallflower.

Sweet.
Caring.
Charitable.
Quiet.
Fake.
Underneath the meek, tomboy exterior everyone loves (yet pities) is a girl who knows exactly what, and who, she wants—namely, the boy from the treehouse who taught her how to curse in sign language.
Who taught her how to laugh.
To live.
To love.
Knight Cole is everyone’s favorite football hero.
Gorgeous.
Athletic.
Rugged.
Popular.
Liar.

This daredevil hell-raiser could knock you up with his gaze alone, but he only has eyes for the girl across the street: Luna.

But Luna is not who she used to be. She doesn’t need his protection anymore.
When life throws a curveball at All Saints’ golden boy, he’s forced to realize not all knights are heroes.

Sometimes, the greatest love stories flourish in tragedy.

Broken Knight is the second book in the All Saints High series by L.J. Shen was actually one I was looking forward to because of Luna. When Luna appeared in book one, Pretty Reckless, I was fascinated with her because she’s mute.

And this book started off cute with childhood memories of Knight Cole and Luna Rexroth and I was feeling all soft about them and my heart was saying “awww“, you know? They are the meant-to-be type of love, come on, you know those. So things looked promising. Then it would go back into present day and I was like…ugh….

It is a new adult novel, because though Knight and his friends are in high school, they live pretty fast when it comes to sex and girls. Knight is the quarterback on the high school football team, the girls love him, but he loves Luna – except…she doesn’t know it since he has girls hanging around him all the time. Luna is a year older than Knight and about to start college, and she’s always loved Knight, but knows about his reputation. She is a selective mute due to some severe anxiety and traumatic experiences in her childhood. She and Knight have been best friends since…forever. So why can’t they figure out how to get together?

Drama. Angst. Lots and lots of it.

Usually, I’m ready for the broken characters from this author, she’s known for them in her books. But I think this book was angst overload. Or am I just too old for this book, or series because these are high school “kids”. I think at one point in my life, I would have gobbled this book up – but I’m in a stage of being over BS. 😂 If the point of the book was the message that LIFE IS SHORT…then damn it, Luna and Knight could have figured out how to be honest with each other since day one, I think.

They both love each other, but they have that back and forth relationship, you know what I’m talking about? They miscommunicate, then Knight takes his revenge on Luna, then Luna does something because she assumes (but do I blame her for thinking Knight is a sleeping around? Hell no.) The characters are young, coming of age and dealing with a lot of things outside of each other. Anyway for two people who are the supposedly the best of friends and communicate without words so well…it was frustrating to see them not be on the same page when it came to one another.

I didn’t read Knight’s parents’ story which is Ruckus. But I felt like I caught up on it by reading the book. That part of the story was sad, but even then I didn’t even shed a tear because the back and forth with Knight and Luna was too much for me. I read past midnight and realized, damn, the story had 10% to go and you know what? I shut my fire tablet down. I was done for the night…I didn’t want more back and forth, I was tired. Usually with 10% to go, I power through…not with this one.

I picked it up the next day and yeah…the ending was bittersweet with a happily ever after but I didn’t feel happy. I’m glad it came to an end. Glad Luna and Knight figured things out – they got the sex figured out for sure. It did make me wonder what will happen with Dixie, Knight’s real mom…her story was sad and the way Knight treated her at times made me want to slap him. I wanted to slap a lot of people in this book. 🤣

If you are a fan of characters that are broken, hot messes (I will admit that guy on the book cover is pretty hot 🤷🏻‍♀️)…with tons of angst, you will definitely like this book. For me it was just okay, I may read Vaughn’s story – it’s kinda interesting already, but I have no interest in Hunter’s story haha. We shall see, this is probably a mood read kind of thing for me, so that will probably determine if I continue the series.

ARC Review | The Weaver

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Weaver

Author: Heather Kindt

Format: eBook (The Parliament House)

Pages: 246

Publication Date: August 20, 2019

Categories: Paranormal, Young Adult, Romance

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

Most writers choose the endings to their stories . . . most writers are not Weavers.

Laney Holden is a freshman at Madison College whose life goes from normal to paranormal in a matter of seconds. When the antagonist in the book she’s writing shoves her down the stairs at the subway station, she learns she is a Weaver. Weavers bridge the narrow gap between fantasy and reality, bringing their words to life.

Laney soon meets William whom she also suspects is a character from her book—one she’s had a mad crush on since her pen hit the paper. But he’s in danger as her antagonist reveals a whole different ending planned for Laney’s book that involves killing William. Laney must use her writing to save the people closest to her by weaving the most difficult words she will ever write.
THE WEAVER is the first installment of The Weaver trilogy. It is an NA paranormal romance set in a small town on the north shore of Boston. It will leave you wanting more.

Thank you to The Parliament House for giving me an opportunity to read and review The Weaver.

First off, the cover is so gorgeous. I wanted to read this book because of the cover alone. But once I started The Weaver, I could not stop. Its premise is very creative.

It starts off with what seems like a romance story between Laney and her childhood best friend, Jason. He’s a good-looking jock that all the girls want to date but he already has a girlfriend. Laney is more of an introvert and loves to write. They couldn’t be more different but they’ve known each other for so long, naturally there are some feelings between them. Laney has been working on one story in particular and the story is set in the 1700’s, in colonial America.

But one day the villain from her book appears in the her world and Laney doesn’t know what to think. Then another character shows up and Laney thinks she’s losing it. How can her characters come to life? She finds out she is a Weaver, someone who has the power to create stories and make characters come to life. When the villain starts making threats towards her and the people she cares about, she starts to take things much more seriously.

I love the creativity of this story. The author did a really good job at explaining how the powers of a weaver work and the magic that is involved with it. There were many times I wanted to yell at Laney to just do the obvious and write something to destroy the villain but I can see how doing it was a dilemma for her. She is the creator of her precious story and the consequences of what could happen if she did change the story was new territory for her. Oh the irony of me wanting to change elements in the story to help the characters out! Don’t we all do that while reading books though?

The book blurb says this is NA (New Adult) but I think it read more like a young adult novel. I expect New Adult stories to have more physical and steamy sexual situations but this book was pretty clean. The romance that blossoms between Laney and her hero is very sweet. They are all in college but to me it felt like they were still in high school. Also, the new friends she makes who are Weavers are high school students, so it just felt like a book for a younger audience.

Overall, The Weaver is a story that weaves elements of romance, history and fantasy to give us a book that is creative and engaging. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

Get it here: Amazon

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Book Review: Broken Trust (Dark Legacy Book 2)

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Authors: Tate James & Jaymin Eve

Format: eBook

Pages: 278

Categories: Bully Romance, New Adult

Book Blurb:

They think they own me now. They think they’ve won, and that I’ll be their good little soldier.

Four dangerous, damaged, messed up boys. There used to be five, but one of them died, and I’m starting to suspect he was murdered.

I didn’t ask for this. No one would ask to be played, manipulated, seduced and betrayed. But that’s what happened, anyway.

It wasn’t enough for them to break me. Sebastian Beckett has decided that he can’t let me go, but I refuse to forgive and forget his betrayal so easily. His fixation is bordering on obsession, but when we begin to suspect a spy within Delta, there’s no time to deal with his feelings.

Someone is selling us out, and it’s having a dire impact.

It’s life and death hiding behind corporate greed.

Let the battle begin.

MY REVIEW

The first book of the Dark Legacy series started off good and was exciting. This is a bully romance series and it is dark with lots of sexual themes. Book one had a cliffhanger ending that made me want to read this next installment.

This book was okay until a certain scene and then I decided it was not for me but I did finish it. I have a big problem with Beck, Riley’s lover/boyfriend. And yes, I’m in the minority here 🤷🏻‍♀️, Riley can so do better 😅. I understand he’s under the control of Delta, but he messed up, again. The characters are ALL broken people, I get that too, but after they betray her in book one, he wants her on their side so they publicly reject her. Just, no.

Riley is in a state of shock and feels betrayed after what takes place in the first book. The Delta guys are slightly remorseful but still arrogant. Beck is super possessive as usual but Riley had a right to be mad after what they forced her to do. I felt like some revenge on her part would have been perfect but nope. Nada. I wanted her to teach them a lesson. And these Delta guys that had her back supposedly, still threaten her (even after their betrayal), and publicly reject her. They leave her isolated at school and she is attacked, horribly. Honestly, it pissed me off so much and I blame Beck, since he’s their leader and he’s the guy she’s in love with it. Riley is right: they are not okay and they all need therapy.

I was also tired of Riley’s conflicting feelings about Beck (because I’ve cut him off in my mind 😂). She wants him, she hates him, he betrays her, he breaks her and then he’s sorry about that. Eventually the desire wins out and they continue to hook up. Apparently it’s easy to forgive guys who force you to murder someone. These Delta guys struggled too, I admit, they messed up and they know it. I just wanted a little more severe punishment for them, not just broken trust issues to deal with.

And this story is just unbelievable. I don’t believe these guys who are in high school (well Beck isn’t but he’s always hanging around there) have power to rule the world. They are rich and drive expensive cars. They talk the talk but nothing about them convinces me they are the most powerful high school boys in the world. Beck keeps mentioning that this is all a game for power, but I didn’t see much of the plot moving towards any power play until the ending which was a bunch of twists. The one new aspect in the story was the introduction of a Huntley (their nemesis) at the school, but it was predictable that she was there to cause trouble.

The ending is another twist, another cliffhanger, but one that made me cringe so bad and I don’t want to dive into that mess. 😂

So, if you like dark romance with lots of twists and turns that shock you, definitely read this series. It’s a quick read, it has the hot possessive rich guys, steamy (and even rough) sex, lots of bullying and angst. It’s not for someone who is easily triggered by traumatic events though, so fair warning there. I wish Riley was given a chance to kick someone’s butt in this book (Beck’s 😂) but that’s not going to happen.

Get it here: Amazon

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Click here for the review I wrote on the first book in this series: Broken Wings