Tag: novella

The Exception to the Rule by. Christina Lauren | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Exception to the Rule

Author: Christina Lauren

Format: eBook (Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 101

Publication Date: 1/23/24

Categories: Romance, Novella


On February 14, an accidental email to a stranger opens the door to an unexpected relationship in a captivating short story by the New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners.

One typo, and a boy and girl connect by chance. Wishing each other a happy Valentine’s Day isn’t the end. In fact, it becomes a friendly annual tradition—with rules: no pics, no real names, nothing too personal. As years pass, the rules for their email “dates” are breaking, and they’re sharing more than they imagined—including the urge to ask…what if we actually met?

Christina Lauren’s The Exception to the Rule is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute, irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.


This book was so cute! It starts off with a mistake in an email address between two people and basically 80% of the book is them emailing one another through the years.

They eventually meet of course but really this was a cute, fun, sweet novella.

Final Thoughts:

Want something short and sweet? Definitely try this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

The Paradise Problem by. Christina Lauren | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The True Love Experiment by. Christina Lauren | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Something Wilder by. Christina Lauren | Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Soulmate Equation | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In A Holidaze | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | The Unhoneymooners ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review | The Honey-Don’t List ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Powerful by. Lauren Roberts | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Powerful (The Powerless Trilogy, #1.5)

Author: Lauren Roberts

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 192

Publication Date: 4/30/24

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Novella, Series


Set during the time of the New York Times bestseller Powerless, fan favorite Adena gets a story all her own as she attempts to survive on the streets of Loot…and falls for a mysterious—and dangerous—Elite.

Adena and Paedyn have always been inseparable. Fate brought them together when they were young, but friendship ensured they would always protect each other and the home they built in the slums of Loot. But now Paedyn—an Ordinary—has been selected for the Purging Trials, which means almost certain death.

Now alone in Loot, Adena must fend for herself. After attempting to steal, she’s rescued by a mysterious man from the market. Mak’s shadowy past and secretive power set him apart from the other low-level Elites of Loot. And as the pair team up to see their loved ones before the Trials, the quest tests their loyalty, their love, and their lives.

Content Warning: grief, violence

This is a novella that sits between Powerless and Reckless. I read Powerless and I have to admit, I didn’t remember much of it when I picked up Powerful, but I did get to remembering Adena – just not Mak for some strange reason? Anyway, here are my thoughts:

Likes:

  • Love that this is Adena and Mak’s perspectives. We get such an insight into their personalities.
  • Adena is such a sweet character, I like that we get to know her more and how she’s sunshine to Mak’s grumpy.

Dislikes:

  • I hate what happened to Adena.

My Final Thoughts:

Since this is a novella, and I don’t usually read them, I think this one fits good into the series because it gives Adena and Mak a voice and their romance is so sweet. It breaks my heart to see what happens to Adena. I didn’t totally love the first book in the series, but I figured I’d read Powerful because it was a short novella. And why is this novella the price of a hardcopy?! I think I’ll definitely read Reckless but I’m waiting for it from my library, so it might be awhile before I get a copy.

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books by This Author:

Powerless by. Lauren Roberts | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Six Scorched Roses by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Six Scorched Roses (Crowns of Nyaxia #1.5)

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 187

Publication Date: 3/21/23

Categories: Novella, Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Series

Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.

Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.

Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood–the one hope for her town’s salvation.

But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire… and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.

Six Scorched Roses is a standalone fantasy romance novella set in the world of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, perfect for those who love dark, romantic tales with bite and fans of Sarah J. Maas or Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Content Warning: violence, illness

I don’t read novellas because they novellas always feel they are too short and sometimes doesn’t feel complete or has me wanting more. But I was craving a book about vampires and miss the Nyaxia world so I took a chance on this one.

+ Even though this is a novella clocking in at 187 pages, this feels like a full complete story! I remember mentions of Lord Vale and Lilith in the series so I love that this is their story.

+ I love how Lilith is a scientist and she’s trying to help her people who are dying from the plague. She does this by experimenting with vampire blood but first she needs to get it. She’s a brave woman who is not afraid to go to Lord Vale’s home and ask for his blood. Vale is a grumpy vampire who is kind of a recluse but only because he is trying to stay away from the turmoil in his homeland. I like how he and Lilith share a common love of knowledge.

+ It’s a novella so the romance has to happen quick but I love how she only interacts with him once a month to get his blood. During their interactions they come together to do the research together. When there is a steamy scene between them it’s really good and heartfelt which I was not expecting. I ended up falling in love with them.

~ My only complaint was that this is a novella and I could have read a full length novel about them because the characters are so intriguing.

My Final Thoughts:

I’m glad I finally gave this one a chance! It fulfilled my craving for a vampire, romantasy and plus it’s a book from a series I love. It felt complete as a novella.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by. Holly Black | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (The Folk of the Air, #3.5)

Author: Holly Black

Format: eBook (borrowed)

Pages: 200 pages

Publication Date: 11/24/20

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Categories: Series, Illustrated, Novella, Fantasy, Young Adult

An irresistible return to the captivating world of Elfhame.

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue.

Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone . Revealing a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan, his tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective.

This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.

Content Warning: Abuse

I’ve been wanting a copy of this for awhile. I don’t have the physical copy (will have to get it for my collection) but I did borrow the ebook and it was exactly as I expected it would be. The story brings us back to Elfhame but we get to know Cardan much better. We get a glimpse into Cardan’s childhood and his relationship with Nicasia. And I absolutely adored all the scenes he has with Jude, with her as his Queen. They are seriously too cute together. I enjoyed this installment very much.

Why you should read it:

  • if you love The Folk of the Air series, this is a must read
  • it’s short, a quick read and has illustrations
  • the magical writing of Holly Black

Why you might not want to read it:

  • it’s too short and you may want more lol

My Thoughts:

I absolutely enjoyed this illustrated novella and need it on my shelf!

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Naughty, the Nice, and the Nanny by. Willa Nash | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Naughty, the Nice and the Nanny (Holiday Brothers, #1)

Author: Willa Nash

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 165

Publication Date: 11/4/21

Categories: Contemporary, Holiday Romance, Single Dad

One week with one little girl—an angel, according to my staffing agency. Acting as the short-term nanny for a single dad should have been an easy way to make some extra cash. Until I show up for my first day and face off with a demon disguised as a seven-year-old girl wearing a red tutu and matching glitter slippers.

Oh, and her father? My temporary boss? Maddox Holiday. The same Maddox Holiday I crushed on in high school. The same Maddox Holiday who didn’t even know I existed. And the same Maddox Holiday who hasn’t set foot in Montana for years because he’s been too busy running his billionaire empire.

Enduring seven days is going to feel like scaling the Himalayas in six-inch heels. Toss in the Holiday family’s annual soiree, and Christmas Eve nightmares really do come true. But I can do anything for a week, especially for this paycheck, even if it means wrangling the naughty, impressing the nice, and playing the nanny.

I forgot how perfect novella length holiday romances are when it comes to getting straight to the point. This is a cute holiday romance about a nanny, Natalie, who takes a week long job to help take care of the child. The father of the child is a guy she went to school with and had a crush on (like every other girl in school).

The story takes place in Montana which gives it that cozy, small town (but a growing small town) feel. Maddox Holiday, the single dad comes from a tight-knit family and has two other brothers. They are wealthy and successful but still down to earth. Violet, Maddox’s daughter is a terror, but Natalie knows how to charm and connect with her which makes the story heart-warming. Natalie is also down-to-earth and doesn’t let a child terror scare her off, she is determined.

The chemistry between Maddox and Natalie is quick but they have a slight history so they aren’t completely strangers. And when they get to the sexy parts, well…they have so much heat between them they could melt snow.

Content Warnings: divorce

Violet has to deal with an absent and neglectful mother which sucks. But that was another area Natalie could relate with her.

I know it’s a novella so things get crammed in so it’s insta-love because come on, things have to happen in a week since it’s a short story! But at the epilogue a year later, they are married with a baby coming along?! Talk about rushing things lol…I’m just being nit-picky though.

Why you should read it:

  • a super quick holiday romance
  • story of Violet and Natalie bonding is heart-warming

Why you might not want to read it:

  • insta-love but it’s a novella length so it’s expected
  • too short

My thoughts:

This short holiday romance was actually pretty balanced and I enjoyed seeing Natalie and Violet’s relationship grow. Maddox and Natalie was just bonus haha…but it’s a quick read, and gives you all the holiday romance feels. Not sure if I will read the whole series but I’m interested in reading a full length novel from this author.

📚 ~ Yolanda