Tag: romance

Black River by. Ruby Jean Cottle | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Black River (#1)

Author: Ruby Jean Cottle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 6/9/26 (first published 8/25/25)

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Categories: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

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

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


This limited deluxe edition is printed with gorgeous stenciled edges and a stunning foil-stamped case!

JUST ONE TASTE CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING.

All seventeen-year-old Dusty wants is to escape into books and the Adirondack wilderness that surrounds her small town. But in the dead of night, strange things have been happening in Black River.

Animals are being ravaged by something unnatural. And Dusty wakes up one day with dirt on her feet, changed and starving. When new kid Will arrives, Dusty feels an attraction unlike anything she’s felt before. She wants him . . . or she wants his blood. As Dusty realizes she’s transforming into something she can’t control, she reluctantly turns to the only person she somehow knows will understand: the annoyingly attractive Eli Blake.

Together, Dusty and Eli must uncover the mystery of their town and their new, insatiable desires. Have they become vampires or some other kind of monster?

Whatever they are, they’re not the only ones.

Content Warning: violence, death

World Building: Set in a small town, Dusty likes to keep to herself and her best friends until things.

Characters: Dusty’s mom left their family and it’s left a lingering trauma in Dusty but she tries to stay strong for her younger sister who she loves a lot. Dusty is known in town, and has a few popular friends, but she likes to keep to herself. I loved her relationship with her best friend Mali. There is also a boy named Will, who is a new kid and also keeps to himself, and he and Dusty make a connection. But there is also another boy named Eli who Dusty has a connection to also.

Romance: I thought for a moment this was going to be a love triangle but things are clearer near the end of the book. The romance between Will and Dusty is a very slow burn, with challenges coming between them. I was definitely waiting to see their relationship grow and see what direction it would go.

Story: I think for me, this story was too slow. I loved the paranormal elements, the vampires, but trying to figure out how they became vampires took awhile. Most of the story was about how Dusty acclimated to life as a new vampire. Things pick up and get very interesting at the 90% mark, and that was a little too late for me. Also the story ended abruptly, but I believe this is book one, so there will be a continuation to the story.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this was an okay read for me. I loved Dusty and her story but the mystery of the vampirism and how it happens took too long to unfold, for me. I did like the small town setting and the sweet little romance brewing between Dusty and Will but even that was a slow burn.

Read if you like:

  • small town mystery
  • vampires

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

White Lights by. Lauren Kate | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: White Lights (#1)

Author: Lauren Kate

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 6/9/26

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Categories: Contemporary Fantasy, Romance, Angels, Dark Academia (film school), 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 Grand Central Publishing for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When mysterious Rafe de la Cruz rolls into Desdemona’s life to recruit her to the elite film school Acheron, Dez has no reason to trust him—and no other option. A violent attack has just put her brother in the hospital…and Dez is the only suspect. Guilt-ridden and grieving, she finds herself running from the law to chase her longtime dream of making movies, at a school she’s never heard of. Soon, she’s dropped into Acheron’s cutthroat world of seductive intrigue, power on an otherworldly scale, and deadly competition.

Acheron may seem like the ticket to a future Dez has always wanted, but as she delves deeper into the secret work being done there, she finds herself trapped in an existential conflict on a cosmic scale—with more than her heart on the line.

Content Warning: violence, death

World Building: Set in present day, Dez goes from living in Death Valley to attending a supposedly exclusive Film School in the Rocky Mountains. And there was a lot of belief I had to suspend to believe a lot of the things happening in this book. But I did push through and I did say things got very interesting. The film school is not what Dez expects it to be and there are a lot of secrets to be unraveled by the end. There were a lot of confusing things about the film school – but mostly because we don’t know the big deal about this school, we are just like Dez, going into it blind but we don’t get more information closer to the end.

Characters: Dez is very interesting – she wants to be a film maker. But her start in this story is pretty wild and strange – things get stranger. One thing that bothered me was how she readily went with things without questioning it. Rafe is a hot stranger who picks her up on the side of the road after a violent event and then says she’s going to attend an exclusive film school…I just needed her to think about things a bit more. As for Rafe…he’s hot, but as we find out more about angels – we find they aren’t really emotionally available, and that relates to Rafe also. I liked seeing the differences between angels and humans, and how Dez has to figure out if ascending is right for her. I did enjoy the secondary characters, they were interesting.

Romance: Dez isn’t looking for romance – but there is a guy she keeps remembering, Asher. He was in a film she made. She only had a day with him and never saw him again but she can’t forget him. But now she’s with Rafe at Archeron and he’s her mentor, he is hot but not exactly a nice or trustworthy person. There is an attraction between them but when some things about angels are revealed, I became team Asher. Can Rafe redeem himself? Is this going to be a love triangle? I feel like Dez will be forced to be with Rafe in book two and I don’t like that idea but I guess we shall see. There are spicy scenes, more than I expected actually and some of them not including Dez and Rafe.

Story: This story is a little wild, a little strange but so unlike anything I’ve read. It’s violent, and then has the dark academia film school element added to it. And though I thought it was a little too unbelievable for me, sometimes it felt like a train wreck of a story, I kept reading because the premise was very unique. Angels? A film school? How do they tie in together? I had to keep reading to find out. It doesn’t seem to make sense but it starts to when things are explained, and it’s a very interesting reveal. Also, speaking of spice, it’s everywhere at the school apparently angels are very open and very sexual, which isn’t a new concept – I’ve read some spicy angel books but one thing that made me cringe was some of the descriptions of angels and what happens when they do the deed. It’s this big deal but I for some reason couldn’t take it seriously. The ending of this story kept me invested and though this story was all over the place, I was very entertained and will probably read book two. I think readers are either going to love or hate this one.

Vibes: film, angels, sex and secrets

Final Thoughts:

This was definitely something I haven’t read before. And I did read Fallen back in the day, but this is much different. It’s a little chaotic, and strange, but I did read it in two days, which means I was addicted to something about this story and I want to say it’s the uniqueness of the film school and how it ties into the angels. I felt okay about the romance, didn’t love it – but I do want to see where it goes in book two, a love triangle? I did find Dez an interesting character and would love to learn more about the angels. Also, that ending with Asher, makes me want to know what will happen next! I do think readers will either hate this one or love it. I was entertained by it so I think I will be reading book two.

Read if you like:

  • angels – spicy angels
  • dark academia but a film school
  • unique story

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Nobody’s Quest by. Alyssa Day | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Nobody’s Quest (#1)

Author: Alyssa Day

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 6/2/26

Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Quest, 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 Entangled: Red Tower Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The goddess needs a nobody. The prince needs a miracle.
Soli Graymind might be both.

Soli has spent most of her life being invisible—an indentured servant, a library mold-scrubber, the girl no one sees unless she’s in the way. So, when the king’s guards show up with swords drawn, she assumes it’s a mistake.

It’s not.

Moments later, she’s standing in the throne room while the king tells her she’s been chosen to retrieve a set of ancient keys—only the keys can save the goddess and stop the chaos beyond the palace walls. Because the world isn’t waiting to be saved.

It’s already burning.

And beside him stands Prince Kaelen: devastatingly beautiful, mercilessly cold, and certain Soli won’t survive the hard journey ahead.

He’s probably right.

But Soli’s survived a lifetime of hard everything. She may be a nobody—no training, no real power, and no idea why she was chosen—but she refuses to be expendable. Even if the quest ahead is anything but simple. When assassins, monsters, and impossible choices fracture the fragile alliance slowly building with the Prince, Soli realizes she can’t hide in the shadows anymore.

Because, for the first time in her life, she has something to lose…

A high-stakes romantasy filled with slow-burn romance, found family, and a heroine who never expected to be anyone’s first choice.

Content Warning: violence, mental health, depression

World Building: Set in a fantasy world where a kingdom needs to be saved, a nobody named Soli is chosen to go on this important quest – but she has to pass a test first. Once that happens, she journeys with a group of people to find the keys needed to save the kingdom. The story is full of danger and major found family vibes.

Characters: Soli is a Gray Mind – someone who suffers from chronic depression and is marked for it. She’s strong, she’s brave even when she doesn’t want to be, and I thought she was really inspiring. I also thought she was funny. I love how she explained what Gray Mind meant, or tried to make her companions understand what it is. She suffers from a lot of self doubt and there is scene where she enters a depression – but I love the representation. Prince Kaelan is drawn to Soli from the start and wants to be her hero, but I also love how he allows her to be herself and encourages her when she is down. The rest of the characters are great too, there is a prince, a sorceress, a thief and more – I love the found family trope in this story. I love that they come to support and understand Soli.

Romance: Soli and Kaelan are drawn to one another, and there is desire as their relationship grows. I do think it happens kind of fast but the spice isn’t overly done. There are times Kaelan pulls back because he is a prince so Soli is left with him pushing and pulling and I totally understood her frustration with that. I was rooting for them though because I thought they were cute together.

Story: This story focuses on a quest to save a kingdom but I love how the one saving it is a “nobody”. And that nobody being a Gray Mind who a lot of times don’t feel like she can do anything – but she tries. She has a mantra that she repeats to herself, that gets her through hard things – and I related to her a lot on that. I may not suffer from depression but I’ve had hard times and been down or faced struggles and Soli’s story is an inspiration! Only issue I had was the pacing – it starts off strong but it does slow down at some point in the middle but picks up again in the second half.

Final Thoughts:

I love how in this story, a kingdom is about to be saved by a nobody, or a bunch of them actually. Soli’s story has a Gray Mind and suffering from chronic depression is so inspirational because though she has challenges, she faces them, even when she is scared. But the point is she faces them. This book has a great message! The ending sets it up for book two and I can’t wait to see how much more Soli grows in this series!

Read if you like:

  • a quest
  • romance
  • prophecy
  • found family

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Nobody’s Quest by. Alyssa Day (Deluxe Edition)

Their Will Undone by. R.J. Valldeperas | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Their Will Undone (#1)

Author: R.J. Valldeperas

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 6/2/26

Publisher: HarperCollins

Categories: Historical Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, 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 HarperCollins for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When a maiden is selected to marry the emperor, her journey to the palace will see her fighting both a spark of magical power and her growing feelings for her broody escort in this romantic fantasy duology opener, inspired by a true story from the Inca empire. 

In the Amaru Empire, it’s considered an honor to be chosen for the annual harvest. But when guards stole Nina’s brother away, it devastated her family. So, when the guards returned for Nina’s sweet sister, she threw herself into their clutches instead. And Nina has spent every moment since then in the acllahuasi, a gilded cage where women are trained to become servants or wives.

When Kasik, an obedient lieutenant in Amaru’s army, is sent to the acllahuasi to retrieve the emperor’s new wife, it’s only the promise of his own command—and a chance to escape his controlling father—that forces him to accept.

Kasik has no reason to trust Nina, nor she to trust him. But, as they begin their journey, their chemistry is hard to ignore. Also hard to ignore? The tugging sensation of magic in Nina’s chest, awakening more questions than she can possibly answer as she travels with a handsome stranger to her unknown fate.

Content Warning: violence, death, sacrifice

World Building: Set in a fantasy world inspired by Incan culture, I love how lush the world building is with the different words (use the glossary in the back), the customs, religion, mythology and politics.

Characters: Kasik is sent by the emperor (his friend) to retrieve a certain young lady to be his wife. But Kasik isn’t given all the information and when he meets Nina, she is always fighting him. Nina is a young woman who is trying to protect her sister, but she’s taken to be the emperor’s new wife and she feels like she has no choices. She finds out she has powerful magic and later in the story her female rage makes it’s appearance and changes her from someone with no choices to being someone to be feared and deadly. I thought it was fascinating to see what she would do with her powers. There are some other characters that stood out like the empress and the emperor that lended to the political intrigue going on in the later half of the story.

Romance: This is a forbidden romance between Kasik and Nina. She’s retrieved to marry the emperor but on their harrowing journey together, they are attracted to one another. Kasik knows he can’t have her, and Nina knows there is not hope between them, but it doesn’t stop him from yearning for her which I loved. By the second half of the book he will do anything for her. There is no spice, just some really lingereing looks and thoughts about one another. But I still enjoyed it that way since they can’t be together and makes me want to know what will happen in book two.

Story: Kasik is tasked to retrieve Nina and we get to know both of them on this journey. Kasik is loyal to the empire, Nina is trying to save her sister and figure out her deadly magic powers. I feel like Nina’s character goes through a few transformations and it was very interesting to see go from powerless to powerful and what she chooses to do with that power. I enjoyed the world-building a lot though I had to use the glossary to understand some things. And I really enjoyed all the political intrigue that was happening when they are all at the palace.

Narrator: I did have a hard time getting into the ebook because of all the words I had to look up in the glossary but once I started the audiobook I was sucked into the story! The story has dual narrators and they both were great, but at times I felt the male voice sounded softer than the female – her voice was crisp where his sounded just softer.

Final Thoughts:

I found the world-building lush and really loved the political intrigue especially in the second half. The narrators did a great job keeping me invested in the story and it makes me want to read book two to see what happens with Nina and Kasik!

Read if you like:

  • forbidden romance
  • political intrigue
  • Inca inspired world building
  • magic

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Game of Rogues by. Julie Anne Long | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Game of Rogues (The Palace of Rogues, #9)

Author: Julie Anne Long

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 6/2/26

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Regency Romance, Historical Romance, 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 Avon for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

One disastrous night. One devastating man. One diabolical proposition.

Gabriel Marchand ruthlessly fought his way up from the gutters of St. Giles to preside over London’s most exclusive gaming hell. Few dare cross him. But when a young earl gambles away his inheritance, Marchand makes an enemy: a woman with wit like a dagger and the softest eyes he’s ever seen.

Spend a night in his bed, and he’ll call off the debt. This is the offer he makes Guinevere Woodville, the earl’s sister, when she blames him for her brother’s disaster. She’d rather die, of course. But when their seething enmity gives way to sizzling attraction at The Grand Palace on the Thames, his offer haunts them. Soon it seems a matter of not if, but when.

It’s not long before Ginny is facing two stark truths: the so-called worst man in London is the best man she’s ever known….and keeping him would mean losing everything and everyone else she loves. But Marchand has one final card to play…and losing everything is a risk he’s willing to take if it means a chance to love her forever.

Content Warning: violence, grief

I’m not sure what made me request this book because I haven’t read a historical romance or regency romance in years – a decade maybe? But it was my first love that got me into reading decades ago, so I was intrigued with this premise and I know this author is a staple in historical romance. While reading this book, I forgot how well historical romances are written, especially for a slow burn romance, and it felt so nice to read this genre again!

Ginny is a lady who’s youngest brother that just came into money and titles, has gambled it all away in a gaming establishment. And she means to fix her brother’s mistake by asking for the money back from Gabriel, who is the owner of this gaming hell. Ginny loves her family and she had to raise her siblings after her parents passed away, so she is faced with many burdens and pressures. Gabriel came from the streets and climbed his way up to a successful businessman so he knows something about survival.

I love their banter, and watching them go from dislike, to desire, to something so much more was lovely. This is a slow burn and throughout the story Ginny is trying every way she can to save her family. For some reason, Gabriel, can’t help himself and starts to try to help her out, even though some of the debt is owed to him also. I loved getting to know both of the characters, and their stay at the boardinghouse with different guests was so funny and quaint. The spice came at the right time and it’s not too much, but enough to show that they are crazy about one another. Also, there is an age gap between them – she’s in her early 20’s and I believe he is in his late 30’s.

Now this is part of a series, and this is book number nine – I have not read any other books in the series at all and didn’t know it was part of a series until later. And although there clearly were characters in this book that probably already had their own story told, I didn’t feel lost without reading those books.

Final Thoughts:

I found this historical romance refreshing after not reading a book in this genre for so long! I was immersed in the world and invested in the characters. The writing is beautiful. There is humor, and also serious moments about grief, and a slow burn romance that I was rooting for. I really enjoyed this one even though I didn’t read any other books in the series.

Read if you like:

  • regency romance
  • age gap
  • banter

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Weekly Wrap Up | 5/24/26

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ Last weekend I was in Palo Alto, California to see BTS at Stanford Stadium. It was quite an experience! It was the first time for me flying into San Jose Airport and I like how small and not busy it was – not sure if that is usual, but it was such an easy place to fly into. Our hotel was a small vintage boutique hotel, built in 1924, called the Cardinal Hotel and it’s close by to the University. It’s vintage but renovated and I loved the room, even though it had no a/c – it did have a ceiling fan. I love how walkable it was – it is basically in Silicon Valley so it was interesting seeing Waymo driverless cars everywhere!

+ The concert was an experience! It’s my second stadium concert this year. This one being at a university stadium – there was a lot of walking involved since we didn’t rent a car. I had to pick up my pre-ordered army bomb light stick, which was easy, it’s for my daughter, since I was going to dance and take some video during the concert. We didn’t even try for merch. I was not about to stand all morning to try and get a shirt. 😅 We got to the stadium but I told my sister we didn’t need to stand in the lines, it will go down. Plus it was hot in the sun, and DUSTY – I didn’t anticipate the wind and it kicking up all the dry dirt around the stadium. So we stood in the shade across the street from the lines until the gates opened and the lines went down. My sister even got a chance to go to the merch lines to see what they had left…she got me a shirt that only had 2XL for sizes lol…I can sleep in it. We got in easy, found our seats and waited. What was fun about waiting is people passing out freebies. My sister made some freebies to pass out also.

+ BTS was amazing – my sister is ARMY, but my daughter and I are casual fans. Doesn’t matter, I was dancing my booty off and singing as best I could. I just love concerts in general, it’s my stress reliever. Expensive, I know! Also my bias (favorite) is Jungkook because his voice and that man is beautiful. I also love Jimin and Jin. So I was ecstatic that Jungkook came down the ramp on our side. 🥰 I saw lots of kids, families, elderly at the concert, which I thought was sweet!

+ I tried to post some videos but for some reason they are saying it’s “private” on wordpress. 🤷🏻‍♀️. So here are a few pics of Jungkook and V. Anyway, a time was had. I was EXHAUSTED after the walk back to the hotel, plus why was the street cleaning vehicle out in full force on our hotel street at 11:30PM?! Like…why?!…so I slept I think around 12:30am, a very restless sleep because my body/legs were aching, and I was winding down from the concert. We needed to get up at 5am to catch our flight, once again so happy there was no traffic and it was a Monday, airport was small and quiet – easy to get through. And I knocked out on the plane.

Here are some of the freebies we got at the concert from ARMY – they are so sweet and creative! Like, the time and energy to make these or buy them, pack it up, and carry them around then pass it out – I’m so grateful. Overall, it was a fun experience/concert – my sister hadn’t gone to a concert in 15 years…and now she’s even more addicted to BTS. I’m more addicted to Jung Kook after that concert 😅.

I told my daughter on the plane, I’m done with concerts this year but honestly I really want to go to Olivia Rodrigo. 😩 Me and my kids love her and I lost the Ticketmaster war for that one. But maybe that’s a good thing because I need to get my money back up after Bruno and BTS. 😅

+ My youngest nephew graduated from high school yesterday! We went to attend the ceremony and give him leis afterwards.

We are leaving for the Philippines on Tuesday, and will be gone for 2 weeks! Can’t wait to see family and do a trip where it’s not a concert, standing in lines, being with thousands of people, and buying expensive merch. 😂 So this will be our real vacation – time to relax, chill and see family! Can’t wait!

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

  • Nobody’s Quest by. Alyssa Day
  • Fury Bound by. Sable Sorensen
  • Their Will Undone by. R.J. Valldeperas
  • Game of Rogues by. Julie Anne Long

Currently Reading:

  • The False Vow by. Lydia Gregovi
  • You Won’t Forget Me by. Mazey Eddings

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

+ I can’t wait for Olivia Rodrigo’s new album – and her single The Cure just came out. I LOVE it – it feels nostalgic and reminds me of the alternative/rock music I used to listen to as a teen in the 90’s.

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

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A Queen Crowned in Flames by. Hazel McBride | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: A Queen Crowned in Flames (Bonded to Beasts, #2)

Author: Hazel McBride

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 480

Publication Date: 5/26/26

Publisher: John Murray Press

Categories: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Duology, Dragons

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

Thank you to John Murray Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


The rightful queen and her fire-breathing dragon must fight against corruption and overcome the betrayal of the man she loved in the searing conclusion to the Celtic-inspired fantasy romance duology that began with A Fate Forged in Fire.

Aemyra Daercathian is a queen on the run. Having failed to take Àird Lasair and betrayed by her husband-whom she grew to trust and ‘and was beginning to fall for during her time in captivity-Aemyra is forced to retreat with a raging desire for revenge. But before she can settle the score and fulfill a sacred promise to kill Fiorean, her forces must rest and replenish their strength.

No one can know the truth.

Even though Aemyra has a fierce dragon and a large army of elemental wielders called Dùileach standing behind her, she has lost what’s most important to her-her fire magic. Haunted by her love for her enemy, and unsure if she is even goddess-blessed anymore, Aemyra vows to do right by her people. Even if that means she must make a new kind of alliance, one that could mean winning back her kingdom. At a cost to her heart…

From the ashes, Aemyra must emerge a new kind of queen, but will she be the dawn for her people or the fire that burns everything to the ground?

Content Warning: death, violence, war, torture, religious trauma

+ I read book one last year and loved it! I was so ready to jump back in this world and I’m so glad I remembered everything and the characters. It starts off right after the events taking place after that cliffhanger ending in book one. Aemyra is in retreat, her friends and family are hurt or killed, her husband has betrayed her. The things they did to her at the end of book one was heinous and I was 100% on her revenge tour. Aemyra is trying to win her throne back against religious extremists. It will either push her to extinguish her enemies or force her to actually be a Queen for all of her people, even the Convenanters who worship their one true God. Aemyra’s growth and journey is everything in this story – from being broken and distrustful, to learning to open up again, accept help and reclaiming her power. She becomes the Queen she was meant to be!

+ I love how cutthroat this story with the war preparations and planning, and all the action during the battle scenes. It’s a hard fought war, with many death on both sides. There is even some betrayal. I love the dragons and how fierce they are, and their connection to their riders but I’m also glad it’s not the type of story where we see the dialogue with the dragons. I love that there is a connection to the rider, but the rider can sense emotions and see images but not necessarily talk to them.

+ The romance almost turned into a love triangle, but not quite. There is a new clan we meet in this book and a potential new husband for Aemyra, Thear, but how can that be when Fiorean is her husband? But after Fiorean betrayed her I knew if he ever came back he had to crawl back and beg forgiveness. As the story unfolds though, we find out it’s not that black and white. And Aemyra and Fiorean are true enemies to lovers because both sides have done something to hurt the other, and the biggest bridge they had to cross was forgiveness. I loved how everything unfolded. It was emotional and they had to confront a lot of things together. There is spice, but it’s well done, not too much, just enough because Aemyra and Fiorean’s connection is more than just lust.

+ I love the relationships in this story. Aemyra and her twin, Adarian, have a close relationship. And as mentioned, her new relationship with Thear. A thing that stood out to me that was unexpected was Aemyra’s relationship with her father in this story. He’s always been hard on her and we see it again here but it changes little by little and this time there is more chance for their relationship to grow and I loved that.

Final Thoughts:

This is an amazing conclusion to this great duology! I love this series because it gives House of Dragon vibes, it’s cutthroat, violent, Aemyra is a strong FMC. I could not put it down. I was emotionally invested, everything played out like a movie in my head – the tension, the war planning, the battles, the betrayal, the relationships, the romance, the struggles to overcome fear and grief and forgiveness. And the way it ended – perfection! I hope there are more books in this series someday.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

A Fate Forged in Fire by. Hazel McBride | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fury Bound by. Sable Sorensen | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Fury Bound (The Wolves of Ruin, #2)

Author: Sable Sorensen

Pages: 608

Format: ebook (own)

Publication Date: 5/5/26

Categories: Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy, Series, Wolves


Revenge demands sacrifice. Don’t miss this action-packed, jaw-dropping, dark and romantic sequel to Dire Bound.

CROWNED BY DESTINY. CONSUMED BY VENGEANCE.

Against all odds, Meryn Cooper has inherited the crown—and a deadly war. As the Kingdom of Nocturna splinters under the weight of generations of lies, it is up to Meryn, her bonded direwolf Anassa, and their allies to bring the country back from the brink.

But the commoners, the Bonded, and the nobles are distrustful of their new queen and Meryn is caught in a deadly game of politics. Meanwhile, Meryn’s beloved younger sister, Saela, is more at risk than ever.

Confusingly, the one person Meryn can trust is Stark Therion—the dark, dangerous Alpha she thought hated her as much as she loathed him. Yet, his loyalty is unshakeable. His presence is intoxicating. And with his guidance, Meryn can seize an unthinkable level of power.

With enemies closing in and shadows stirring in her dreams, Meryn stands to lose her kingdom—and her heart.

Blood will spill. Bonds will break. Fate will be tested.

Content Warning: violence, death

World Building: Back in the world of Dire Bound, Meryn needs to prove she can be the new queen of Nocturna. But Killian isn’t giving up his throne that easily. Meryn doesn’t stay put in Nocturna though because there is a quest in this story. It brings her, Stark and her crew across the last to Astreona where we get to learn more about Siphons (vampires). So there is a lot of travel in this story but I like that the world is opened up, especially when it comes to learning about Siphons and gods and goddesses.

Characters: Meryn is trying to assert herself as queen even if she doesn’t really know what she is doing – but there are a lot of challenges in the way. One challenge is to convince the packs to stay with her, which is tough because many are loyal to Killian. Also, Stark’s mother, comes in and takes over things, trying to assert her authority while Meryn is new to being a queen. So Meryn has a lot to deal with, along with figuring out how to help her sister who is now a Siphon. I hope there is still more growth because some of her actions were questionable. Stark is true to his word and sticks by Meryn’s side throughout everything and their relationship grows a lot but something happens that will make book three very interesting. I think one of the new characters I enjoyed a lot was Lucien, who is King of Astreona and a Siphon.

Romance: There is romance because it’s hard for Meryn and Stark to deny the bond and yes there is spice, but I didn’t feel like they had chemistry for some reason. Maybe I just wanted more banter between them or more scenes, just more build-up? More tension, more yearning – Not sure. I am glad they got together, but I was expecting more. Now what happens in book three after the ending though? We shall see!

Story: I thought it started well, with Meryn trying to figure out how to convince people to accept her rule. But Killian is a problem and then the story goes in a new direction with the Siphons, gods and goddesses. I didn’t mind where the story went and actually thought Lucien was an interesting character and the whole quest of finding Tears was interesting. There is more politics, and the world opens up. But I do feel like the pacing was off a bit. There were times I was into the story and then some moments it lost me so I would put it down to come back to it. I also didn’t like how some characters were being killed off – because I didn’t feel the emotions of the loss from Meryn. I think overall the story lacked emotionally connection. The ending is a plot twist I wasn’t expecting and not sure that I love but I guess we’ll see what happens in book three.

Final Thoughts:

I think this sequel was solid and there were some things I liked and others I didn’t. I think what it was missing most for me was emotional connection. Also, I was expecting more from the romance and though I like that it progressed, I felt like the tension and yearning was missing. I did enjoy the politics, and how the world building opens up. The ending is a very interesting plot twist that I don’t really love, but I’m willing to read book three to see how it plays out.

Read if you like:

  • wolves and vampires
  • romantasy
  • political intrigue

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Direbound by. Sable Sorensen | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Soon By You by. Dahlia Adler | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Soon By You

Author: Dahlia Adler

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 5/19/26

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Jewish

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!


27 Dresses meets The Intimacy Experiment in this sexy, emotional, opposites-attract rom-com set in New York City’s Modern Orthodox community.

If Arielle Becker has to serve as a bridesmaid one more time, she’s going to scream. Between the expense, the collection of dresses she’ll never wear again, the shower planning, the Spanx, the bridezillas, the family time, the heels, and a certain judgmental wedding singer she can’t stop bumping into, she is exhausted, burned out, and seriously beginning to hate romance and all its celebrations. Besides, it’s not like any of these girls are ever gonna turn around and do the same for her; Ari is not the kind of girl a good Jewish boy is looking to marry.

Judah Klein may be the tri-state area’s most in-demand Modern Orthodox wedding singer and eligible bachelor, but after years of uninspiring setups, he’s just about to give up on looking for his own Happily Ever After. Then a fiery, infuriating bridesmaid steps on his foot at a wedding, and before long, trading heated barbs turns into trading hotter kisses…and a realization that maybe he’s been looking for the wrong life all along.

For the first time, Judah can finally get on board with a romance, and of course it’s thanks to the one woman who has no interest in settling down – especially not with a guy who lives in the spotlight and has a professional reputation to uphold. But when neither one seems able to move on from a relationship that wasn’t meant to go anywhere, they’ll have to figure out whether there’s a possible future for two people who’ve already given up on love.

Content Warning:

+~ I think one think that made it a challenging read at first is all the Modern Orthodox customs I didn’t know or the words and how to say them. And I am not someone totally clueless – I am Catholic and my hubby follows Reform Judaism so we married under a chuppah and all that but wow, I definitely didn’t know anything about Modern Orthodox customs which made it fun to learn in this book. I didn’t realize there was a glossary until I finished the book because it was in the back, so…that would have helped me a lot when I started reading it!

+ Arielle has a bad girl reputation, she’s hooked up with a few guys and Judah has the golden good boy reputation – so you would think they wouldn’t make a good match but I liked seeing the both of them get together, and have a little spicy fun (but going all the way). I do think what came between them at times was the religion, which sucks, but also, people are people and have their beliefs – so I found that relatable and realistic. Of course I wanted Judah to immediately change some of his rigorous beliefs in order to accept Arielle in his life but that’s not realistic and his journey to figuring out what he wanted in his life was something good to witness. Oh also, Judah is asexual which I thought was even more fascinating because he was so crazy sexually about Arielle. As for Arielle, I like a girl who is confident about herself and needs – even though some of it was armor. I thought she was fun character and I like that she was aware of all this customs but was loose about some things and firm on others. I also loved some of the secondary characters like Judah’s brother Akiva, and Ari’s best-friend Liana.

+~ There is a back and forth between Arielle and Judah that did get a little frustrating but they had things to work out individually so I understand why they couldn’t get together right away even though the chemistry is off the charts. They needed space, or Judah did, to determine if this attraction was all physical or more. He is the “good boy” and he is asexual so it was a learning experience for him to want Arielle and it is easy to assume physical desire is something more when it’s all consuming, so he needed to process.

+ As I got immersed into the story, I found myself loving the humor throughout the story.

Final Thoughts:

Though it took me awhile to understand some of the words and customs in this story, I thought this romance was funny, surprisingly spicy and I got to learn a lot about something I barely knew anything about. Overall, this was a fun read!

Read if you like:

  • weddings
  • faith-based, steamy romance
  • humor

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

Cool for the Summer by. Dahlia Adler | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Weekly Wrap Up | 5/17/26

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ I hope everyone who celebrated had a good Mother’s Day last weekend – I totally forgot to do a post for that day! 🤦🏻‍♀️ I’ve just been so consumed with my trips – right now I’m in Palo Alto, California to see BTS perform at Stanford Stadium tonight! But my Philippines trip is right after and I’ve been stressed trying to figure out packing, etc….also not knowing what to expect because my parents have planned this trip. I’m excited to see so many family I haven’t seen in decades, plus my grandmother who is 103 years old. It will be nice to see her and have her meet my kids!

+ So this week I’ll just be packing and probably not get a lot of reading done. I guess this means I’ll be gone from this blog for 2 weeks. I’ll have things pre-posted like reviews and Top Ten Tuesdays, I think. But essentially won’t be answering comments. I’ll do that when I get back.

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

  • White Lights by. Lauren Kate
  • Prince of Swords by. Elise Kova
  • Hart’s Landing by. Melanie Harlow
  • When the Light Returns by. Joanna Ruth Meyer

Currently Reading:

  • The False Vow by. Lydia Gregovi
  • Nobody’s Quest by. Alyssa Day
  • Their Will Undone by. R.J. Valldeperas
  • Fury Bound by. Sable Sorensen

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

+ Off Campus (Prime) – I read the books 10 years ago when they came out so all I remember is Hannah and Garrett because he was the hotshot, popular hockey guy. Also remember Dean because he was the naughty one always sleeping around. Other than that I’m glad I don’t remember everyone and everything so I wasn’t comparing details to the books! Overall I enjoyed it – but I did find myself drawn to John Logan’s character and I love Dean and Allie’s chemistry.

How was your week? Did you get a lot done? Watch anything good? Read any amazing books or books you didn’t finish? What are you reading?…Leave me a comment below!

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