Tag: romance

Heavenly Bodies by. Imani Erriu | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Heavenly Bodies (#1)

Author: Imani Erriu

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 1/13/26 (First published 2/13/22)

Publisher: Random House Canada

Categories: Romantasy

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

Thank you to Random House Canada for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


“You know the most dangerous kind of villain? A woman with nothing left to lose.”

In a world ruled by the cruel and merciless Stars, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy promises she will fall for a Star, but that it will kill them both.

So when Ariete, Star of Wrath, War and Chaos, descends to wreak havoc on Elara’s kingdom, she flees her home—the Kingdom of Night—for the neighbouring Helios, Kingdom of Light.

And strides straight into the arms of an enemy prince.

Fearing that Ariete might turn his sights to Helios next, Prince Lorenzo is forced to train Elara as a weapon—one worthy of battling against the tyrannical reign of the Stars. But there are shadows even within the Kingdom of Light—and they threaten to reveal the darkness in Lorenzo’s past and the ancient magic that slumbers in Elara’s veins.

And with it all comes an undeniable, star-crossed pull between Elara and Lorenzo that neither can seem to resist…

Content Warning: violence, death, grief

I saw this book around on Amazon and on social media for awhile, but never got around to reading it though I was very interested in it. I know it was first published a few years ago but it seems like it’s going through another republish, maybe with a new cover? Not sure but the publisher reached out to me to ask if I would be willing to read this book and the sequel and of course I was excited about it!

Heavenly Bodies has really interesting world building. It is inspired by the zodiac. Each kingdom is ruled by a zodiac sign with a royal family, but there is also a ruling Star over that family and the people, almost like a God/Goddess.

Elara’s life is in turmoil. She is from Asteria (Piscea-Pisces), her parents have been killed by the King of Stars, Ariete, because of a prophecy that connects the two of them together – apparently Elara’s is supposed to be with him and it will kill them both.

Kidnapped, Elara, finds refuge in Helios (Leyon-Leo), where the king wants her to train to be able to kill Stars. Prince Lorenzo is tasked to train her and they have a rocky start, but eventually a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance grows between them. This story centers around Elara and Lorenzo no matter what the prophecy says and I loved watching their romance grow!

I enjoyed the found family that Elara has found in Helios despite the king being an enemy of her kingdom. I liked a lot of the secondary characters also. We do learn some things about Elara’s kingdom, Asteria and her past later on in the book. She is a political pawn in the first half of the book and is mostly training to use her skills, and learning more about the prophecy but things change in the second half. As a character I thought she was strong and brave and seemed to stand on her own against Ariete.

I think the beginning throws us into the story pretty fast, and right into Helios, without knowing much about Elara and where she is from, so I had to just assume a bunch of things about her kingdom. We do learn more as she compares things but I thought it was a jarring start to the story.

There are a few twists in the end of the story which I thought was fascinating and am eager to see how the story moves forward in book two.

Final Thoughts:

I thought this was an engaging read and I was really invested in the world building but the romance is the main focus of this story and what a romance it is. I loved the slow burn between Elara and Lorenzo and the reveals at the end of the book was really unexpected. There are secrets, prophecies, betrayals, found family, action and everything I look for in a romantasy. I’m excited to read book two to see where the story goes after that surprise ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Weekly Wrap Up | 12/28/25

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ Christmas knocked me out! I was busy days before Christmas and then when that day hit, I had no energy because we went to a lively Xmas Eve party, then had to get up and do Christmas morning and get to Christmas lunch at my parent’s house. I was on the verge of sleeping during lunch but I at least made it to the car ride home to shut my eyes and then I got home and I knocked out. I had a headache, I had to get some electrolytes in me and just SLEEP.

+ Now I gotta figure out what to buy my daughter for her birthday. 🫠

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

  • The Sins of Silas (The Otacian Chronicles, #2) by. Kylie Snow
  • The Lies of Lena (The Otacian Chronicles, #1) by. Kylie Snow (audiobook)
  • King of Ravens by. Clare Sager (arc)
  • The Book of Blood & Roses by. Annie Summerlee (arc)
  • Good Spirits by. B.K. Borison
  • Heavenly Bodies by. Imani Erriu (arc)

Currently Reading:

A Language of Dragons by. S.F. Willamson

Heart’s Gambit by. J.D. Myall

The Night Ship by. Alex Woodroe

The Wicked and the Damned by. Rebecca Robinson

Fallen Stars by. Imani Erriu (audiobook)

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • Football
  • Stranger Things Season 5 Part 2 (Netflix) – I cannot believe the final episodes is on 12/31/25! Why they draw this out so long? 🤦🏻‍♀️

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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An Arcane Inheritance by. Kamilah Cole | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: An Arcane Inheritance

Author: Kamilah Cole

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 12/30/25

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Categories: New Adult, Dark Academia, Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Magical Realism, LGBT+, 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 Sourcebooks for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!


A modern-day dark academia fantasy with a twist, perfect for fans of Babel and A Deadly Education.

Warren University has stood amongst the ivy elite for centuries, built on the bones―and forbidden magic―of its most prized BIPOC students…hiding the rot of a secret society that will do anything to keep their own powers burning bright. No matter who they must sacrifice along the way.

Ellory Morgan is determined to prove that she belongs at Warren University, an ivy league school whose history is deeply linked to occult rumors and dark secrets. But as she settles into her Freshman year, something about the ornate buildings and shadowy paths feels strangely…familiar. And, with every passing day, that sense of déjà vu grows increasingly sinister.

Despite all logic, despite all reason, despite all the rules of reality, Ellory knows one thing to be true: she has been here before. And if she can’t convince brooding legacy student Hudson Graves to help her remember a past that seems determined to slip through her fingers as if by some insidious magic…this time, she may lose herself for good.d

Content Warning: violence, racism, classism

+ I was intrigued with this story right away. Ellory is a Jamaican immigrant, who’s parents sent her to America to live with her Aunt, so she could get a better life and education. She’s studied so hard but even with good grades, money was never easy to come by so she worked – saved and now is a 21 year old freshman at Warren University. Ellory wants to be a lawyer to make her family proud. I found Ellory so relatable. Her immigrant story is like many in this country and her trying to get a good education is her ticket to success.

+ There are many issues that are brought up throughout the story from colonialism, elitism, racism, and classism. It’s interesting to see how Ellory tries to uncover secrets of Warren University’s past to expose how the wealthy and privilege get away with atrocities. A few elements are woven together in this story and I think it worked, at least for me! I loved the dark academia, and the creepy atmosphere of the library and some other parts of campus. There is a sinister feel that is there throughout the story as Ellory tries to figure out what is going on with missing memories she is experiencing and feelings of being in another space/time. There are mentions of magic and alchemy and maybe a secret society at work. It gave me Legendborn and Inception vibes.

+ I loved how realistic Ellory’s life as a college student was from the studying, going to parties, living off of coffee and trying to make new friends. Now as strange things happen to her on campus and she does more digging though, she comes off as an unreliable narrator – because what are these memories, or missing memories and dejavu she has been experiencing?

+ I did like the slow burn love story between Ellory and Hudson. Clearly there is something there, a sense of dejavu and we don’t know why until the end. But they are rivals in their constitutional law class and I thought their interactions, the bickering and arguing was fun. Also, the reveal at the end was devastating but made me love their romance more.

~ As much as I was hooked onto this book, I did have some issues. This story leads up to a very unexpected and surprising plot twist but I would have liked more information on the secret society, and the magic leading up to it. Things felt vague, maybe on purpose, but I wish we got a just a little more information just so when the plot twist happens it doesn’t feel confusing or weak. I had to sit with it for a moment just to make sure it made sense in my head.

~ I wanted more between Ellory and Hudson. I loved that they were rivals, and then he starts helping her with trying to find out what’s going but I wanted a few more kisses in there! But that’s a personal preference. They are rivals, but except for their first meeting and a few descriptions about why they are rivals, we don’t see it in action. I just wanted more interactions between them since it is very important to the twist.

Final Thoughts:

I could not put this book down because I needed to find out what was going on. I liked Ellory and Hudson and the whole atmosphere of Warren University with the gothic library, and dark secret past. I do wish we had more information about the magic since there is a huge plot twist in this story that involves magic. Also would have loved more interaction with Ellory and Hudson because their love story is wonderful, and one of the main reasons everything devastating happens in this story. Overall, even with the issues I had with it I was very entertained.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

We Who Will Die by. Stacia Stark | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: We Who Will Die (Empire of Blood, #1)

Author: Stacia Stark

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 12/30/25

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series, Political Intrigue

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!


From the bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series comes a slow-burn romantasy set in a Roman-inspired world ruled by merciless vampires. Filled with breathtaking combat, vengeful gods, and magical creatures, We Who Will Die is the epic first installment in an enthralling new series perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers. And the vampire standing on her doorstep is about to turn their world upside down.

Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros. But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.

She quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor. But the vampire under the armor is the last person Arvelle expects to encounter in the emperor’s court.

With her brothers’ lives in the balance, Arvelle has no choice but to ally with the man who once shattered her heart… and with the emperor’s sadistic son, Rorrik—two vampires whose motives are impossible to pin down. Rorrik holds the key to understanding the powers Arvelle is developing—abilities that would put a price on her head if discovered by the emperor.

To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

Content Warning: death, violence, murder, mention of suicide, grief

+ I didn’t know what to expect from this book but wow was I pleasantly surprised. This story has gladiators, vampires, mythical creatures, a serial killer, a cult, and even zombies? Yes all of that in one book including trials, a slow burn second chance romance plus maybe a brewing love triangle!

+ Arvelle is a bodyguard trying to keep her younger brothers alive, especially Evren, who has bad lungs. But her plans of bringing him to the town who has healers is in jeopardy when a vampire makes her a deal – help him kill the emperor and her brother will be healed and they can be free. To carry out this plan she has to enter another fighting trial, which reminds her of the last one she had participated in where she won but had to watch her best friend die in front of her. Arvelle is a complicated character, frozen by grief, motivated by fear to keep her brothers alive, and just trying to survive.

+ I loved the world-building with everything mixed together – gladiators, vampires, and magic wilders called Sigilmarked. As Arvelle tries to navigate this world of cutthroat empire politics, and trying to train and survive the trials, I was really enjoying how the story was unfolding. There was even a murder mystery, bodies turning up and also someone trying to bring them back to life to build an army – there was a lot going on! I also loved some of the unexpected plot twists!

+ Arvelle is the main character, but Rorrick, the emperor’s son with a sadistic, ruthless reputation is the one I’m really interested. Speaking of Rorrick, this story story has a slow-burn second chance romance involving another guy but also a potential love triangle in the making?

~ Though the romance isn’t really the focus, Arvelle, has to figure out how to kill the king and save her brothers, I’m bummed that this could be a love triangle between brothers. I have found out this year, that I’m tired of romances involving a girl coming in between two brothers. And I also don’t want this to be a “why choose” because they are brothers! That’s a no for me. I am leaning a certain way already, but hope there’s more interactions between them in book two.

~ Arvelle is a complicated character but I needed more from her. I get that she was wallowing in guilt. Everyone could see she didn’t want to be at the trials, but wow was she so weak. And I am glad she went in with grief, bad memories, and a weak ankle but I needed some grit for her. For someone who relied on her instincts being a bodyguard, her instinct about people trying to befriend, was bad. I wanted growth in the second half of the book, is that too soon?

~ There was a lot going on in this book and most of it worked. The only one plot line that got lost among everything going on is the murder mystery. There are dead bodies showing up around these trials – I loved the reveal at the end, but there is no real investigation in the middle of the story about this important development in the story. Pacing of the story also felt choppy at times.

Final Thoughts:

I binged this book in two days. I loved all the elements thrown together: gladiators, vampires, magic, betrayal and everything else. I don’t love a love triangle between brothers but I’ll be here for the mess, drama, and whatever is going to happen in book two. Hopefully there is more growth in Arvelle and she grows some tough skin, especially because she is among vampires. It’s an addicting read and a fun story. I can’t wait for book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From this Author:

A Court This Cruel and Lovely by. Stacia Clark| Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Good Spirits by. B.K. Borison | Audiobook

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Good Spirits (Ghosted, #1)

Author: B.K. Borison

Narrator: Karissa Vacker, Will Watt

Format: audiobook (Libby)

Pages: 329 Listening Time: approximately 10 hours

Publication Date: 10/20/25

Publisher:  HarperCollins

Categories: Holiday Romance, Paranormal Romance



He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm

Content Warning: complicated relationship with family, death, grief

I listened to the audio version of this book and I have to say the narrators were perfect for this holiday romance. I could hear a smile in their voices. I especially gravitated to Nolan’s character because of the accent and his voice was so playful and charming!

This was a cute and fun holiday paranormal romance but it also had some tough topics especially when it came to Harriet’s family. She has horrible parents. Nolan’s spirit is there to help Harriet figure out what she did wrong in her life, but instead they both realize she’s there to help Nolan’s spirit face some things about his past also.

But Harriet doesn’t do anything wrong in her life, she just hasn’t stood up for herself against her awful mother and family. I felt bad for her because she seems like a nice person, who just didn’t want to cave to family pressure, and yet she’s punished for it. They made her feel unworthy, poor girl.

The romance is really cute, because they are both fun people and it’s spicy. They become close as both of them see each other’s past memories and I love how they had one another for some of the tough things they had to face.

Final Thoughts:

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I really enjoyed this one, especially because I’m not good at reading holiday romances during the holidays. I’m also glad I listened to it as an audiobook because of Nolan’s charming accent! Definitely check it out if you are looking for a holiday romance.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Uninvited by. Nancy Banks | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: The Uninvited

Author: Nancy Banks

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 12/16/25

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Paranormal, Vampires, Suspense

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

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


A YA paranormal fantasy about vampires in the Paris underground, where a young woman’s bohemian dream turns into a chilling nightmare. Now her survival hinges on bringing to light the city’s darkest and deepest secrets.

When 17-year-old Tosh Reeves moves from Portland, Oregon to Paris, it’s a dream come to life. The city embraces her with its street-life, iconic architecture, and infinite gustatory delights. There’s even a charming expat boy, Nick, who introduces her to sights tourists never see.

From medieval catacombs to the viciously competitive street art scene, Tosh’s immersion in Paris makes her feel wholly alive in a way she’s never before experienced. She belongs.

But when a series of brutal vampiric attacks creeps closer to her new circle of bohemian friends, Tosh will confront the darker side of her beloved Paris, and learn how deeply monsters can strike at a young woman’s power and heart.

Content Warning: violence, assault, death

+ Tosh and her father has moved to Paris, France for his job. She falls in love with Paris and I love how we get to experience it with her especially as she goes to different places like the catacombs, meet all kinds of people, experiences the art scene and most of all, the food!

+ I liked seeing Tosh, make new friends and really make a new life for herself in Paris. She’s lost her mom to cancer as a child, and her Dad takes off for work a lot so this friend group becomes a found family for her. Except there is one person in that group that comes off a little bit aggressive. He reminds her of another guy from home who she has bad memories of.

+ As for the vampire attacking girls in Paris. I did feel the suspense of wondering who it may be – there is a danger on the streets of Paris and there were many times that I felt Tosh wasn’t safe. The scene in the catacombs was suspenseful, and just knowing that Paris has a place like that underground just brings in the creepy and eerie factor. I like how this issue of a vampire attacking girls brought up the bigger theme of girls being attacked by men in general. Tosh has had experience with this at home, with a regular boy from school and in a sense, when she deals with this vampire it’s a means of taking her power back.

~ I think the story started off strong but felt like it slowed down in the middle. I was waiting for more information about this vampire. Is it real? Was it just someone pretending to be a vampire? We don’t know until later and the story picks up when the vampire is exposed. But I wanted more about the vampire! The ending did feel a little rushed though.

Final Thoughts:

I loved that this story was set in Paris – it brought cultural exploration, architecture, history, art, and food – I was living vicariously through Tosh’s experiences! But not only was Paris this beautiful place in this story, it was also dangerous because of a vampire roaming around and they go to eerie places like the catacombs. I definitely felt the suspense! As for the vampire, I wish there was more about it. But I liked the message I got from this story which is females shouldn’t have to be afraid to be outside and alone! Tosh has experienced fear with a human boy and a vampire boy but this time she takes her power back. I think teens and young adults will enjoy this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Weekly Wrap Up | 12/14/25

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ It was a busy week – I had to get Xmas gifts, send some of them, and my daughter had her annual school songfest.

+ Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate. We had hard rain and flood advisories today so my hubby made the decision not to take the kids to temple in town for the Hanukkah party, which was a good idea since there was flooding and a lot of car accidents. Instead I went to buy jelly doughnuts, we we watched football while my daughter and I made sugar cookies, and then my son and I made the latkes he made for the latke contest at temple last week. I love his recipe! It had dill and chili powder. I was so proud to see him actually cooking it also! 😅 (he NEVER cooks). It was tiring but fun!

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

Currently Reading:

Song of the Stars by. Kaiti Mills

My Blade, Your Back by. K.M. Moronova

The Book of Blood & Roses by. Annie Summerlee

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • Football
  • Mouline Rouge (Netflix)
  • Dirty Dancing (Neflix)

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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Weekly Wrap Up | 12/7/25

Aloha friends!

Another week is over and here’s what happened:

+ I think I forgot to post a weekly recap last week! So just quick, last weekend was Thanksgiving weekend and we went over to my mom’s house for a Thanksgiving lunch. No one really loves Turkey so we did other foods, but it was fun as always and nice to be around family.

+ My hubby came back last weekend also – he got the keys to the house in Japan, met the neighbor who is a really nice older man who lives with his sister (I think they are both single?), but they took my hubby to the hardware store and to a piano recital and dinner. My hubby came home and said he would love to go back in March and take our son for spring break. We can’t all go because the price of tickets during spring break is ridiculous. Just for the two of them was a lot – so we have to plan a family trip in 2027. We have enough going on in 2026! I might have to back on the book buying ban because we have trips to plan!

+ My son’s piano recital was yesterday and that was great. He practices two months out so we’ve been hearing his Christmas piano piece since October! 😅

+ My kids have two of school until Winter Break! Yay! It’s a busy month for us.

Blog Posts:

Books I Finished

  • A Vow of Shadow and Blood by. Charlene Antrobus
  • We’ve Hit Turbulence by. Jessica L. Cozzi
  • Your Knife, My Heart by. K.M. Moronova
  • The Ragpicker King by. Cassandra Clare
  • Hollow by. Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
  • A Dance with Waves and Flames by. M.B. Reese
  • Oxford Blood by. Rachael Davis-Featherstone
  • We Who Have No Gods by. Liza Anderson
  • We’re a Bad Idea Right? by. K.L. Walther
  • Smoke and Scar by. Gretchen Powell Fox

Currently Reading:

Song of the Stars by. Kaiti Mills

Mate by. Ali Hazelwood

The Swan’s Daughter by. Roshani Chokshi (audiobook)

Dawn in Ruins by. Magda Mizzi

Seven Deadly Thorns by. Amber Hamilton

Shows/Movies/Music I Watched/Listened To:

  • Football
  • Stranger Things (Netflix) – Season 5, Part one – so good!
  • Sean Combs: The Reckoning (Netflix) – 😒
  • Christmas songs!

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 Vow of Shadow and Blood by. Charlene Antrobus | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️

Title: A Vow of Shadow and Blood (Blood Vows, #1)

Author: Charlene Antrobus

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 10/15/25

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Vampires


In the Kingdom of Kalyn, humans are good for two things. Hunting and owning.

Adina Barron was bred to serve the ruling-class vampires. Owned from birth by Blackwood House, her only desire has been to keep herself and her sister safe. But Adina harbors a dark secret. She possesses the power to turn her blood into a deadly poison that kills vampires. An ability she swore never to use until she learned that her sister was dying. After discovering that vampire venom can extend life, Adina has spent the last year risking exposure and execution to hunt and kill the creatures she was born to obey.

But desperation leads to foolish mistakes, and when she accidentally reveals her power to a mysterious stranger, she is forced to make a difficult choice. Use her ability to assassinate the Crown Prince or watch her sister die.

The decision is easy, and it’s not long before Adina manages to use her wits and cunning to embed herself into the prince’s life. But making the kill is not as simple as she anticipates, especially when fate seems hell-bent on drawing the pair together. And when whispers of a war start to arise, Adina realizes that there may be bigger issues than just saving her sister.

But time is closing in, and soon she will be forced to make a choice. Her sister? Her kingdom? Or her heart? Because one thing is clear, she cannot save them all.


Content Warning: violence, death

I saw this on Kindle Unlimited, saw it had good reviews and that it was a vampire book so I downloaded and I was not disappointed!

+ I love a good Vampire romantasy, but I would say this was more fantasy with a little bit of romance. In this world, vampires are in charge and humans are enslaved. Adina, belongs to Blackwood House and is a blood donor. But when she can, she’s killing vampires, so she can take their fangs because their venom has magic that can help her sister, Willow, who is sick. Adina will do anything to help her sister, which was one thing I admired about her. But when Adina’s ownership changes hands and the vampire Prince, Karius, wants her, her life changes drastically.

+ World-building is easy to consume, humans and vampires were in a war a long time ago. Vampires won and ruled and there are some humans that accept their fate, some who want to try to escape to a settlement where they can be safe, or are like Adina and trying to survive their rule. I did want a little more world-building though. There is also a new element to the story, which brought a little horror, which I found really fun. But what I really loved about the story was the twist and turns, there are so many things that happen and it kept me on my toes. The more I read, the more I could not put the book down! I like all the fighting scenes and I did predict some of what happened in the end, but it was still fun getting there. The ending was devastating!

+~ Adina is a strong character but one of those FMC’s that make so many mistakes and is so stubborn that it makes you want to shake her. Her mistakes put people in danger! I love that she loves her sister, it’s her only motivation in this world to save her. She has to train with some of the vampires when she is bonded to Karius because if she dies, he dies, so she eventually creates a found family with them. I was so invested in so many of the side characters! Karius is the typical gorgeous, powerful, shadow daddy vampire prince but I like that he has a lot of restraint where it comes to Adina and her stubbornness.

+ The romance is a slow burn, there is one spicy scene and I really was hoping for more, but that’s all we get and it was good! I do feel like Karius and Adina don’t seem to have many scenes together, which is actually fine because she’s growing on her own as a character. Plus fated mate books can sometimes be hit or miss for me but I like how this is slow, and the word “mate” isn’t thrown all over the story. They are reluctant mates but the bond is strong and the attraction was growing but I wanted more! Because Karius seems to fall fast for her but we don’t see them together enough for all the things he wants to do for her – he will burn the world down for her. I still ate it up, but I just wanted more.

Final Thoughts:

In the next book I want to see Adina grow, and maybe learn how to give up some of her stubbornness. I don’t know what is going to happen with the romance but I found this to be a fun, binge-able, addictive vampire fantasy. I can’t wait for book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Trail Rides & Starry Eyes by. Katrina Emmel | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating:

Title: Trail Rides & Starry Eyes

Author: Katrina Emmel

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 12/9/25

Publisher: Delacorte Romance

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


A swoony, sweet YA rural romance between a rancher and the Hollywood hotshot she’s tasked with turning into a cowboy—perfect for fans of Kasie West, Erin Hahn, and Kristy Boyce!

Sixteen-year-old Cassidy Sterling can’t imagine life beyond her family’s Wyoming ranch. Her days are filled with colt breaking, cattle rustling, and an online Intro to Astronomy class. Seventeen-year-old Wilder Nash also has his sights set on the stars—the ones on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A teen heartthrob, he’s now he’s ready for the big time. To land a lead role as a cowboy in a prime-time mini-series, he must convince the casting director he’s an experienced horseman. The problem? He’s all hat and no cowboy.

With less than a month to learn to ride, Wilder heads to Silver Stallion Ranch.

Cassidy’s quiet life is disrupted when Wilder arrives. As he mucks out stalls and grooms horses, Wilder begins to see there’s more to life than his looks. And Cassidy starts imagining a future beyond the ranch. The growing spark between them threatens to ignite into something more, but Cassidy must decide if she’s brave enough to take the reins of her own life. Meanwhile, Wilder faces a the glamorous life of a star or a simpler life under the stars.

Content Warning:

+ Cassidy has always lived life on the family ranch in Wyoming and she’s always wonder if this was it for her life? Just ranching – or is there something more out there for her? Wilder Nash needs to learn how to ride a horse for a role he just got chosen for – so his agent, Alex (Cassidy’s uncle) sends him to a ranch in Wyoming to learn how to ride. I think it’s easy to predict what happens in this story. I liked the ranch in Wyoming setting – it was definitely different from Los Angeles, where Wilder is from.

+~ The romance is sweet, an actor falls in love with a cowgirl. The only challenge they deal with is what to do after his training session is up. But I can say this doesn’t have a major conflict, it’s easily fixed at the end. Would have wanted a little more chemistry between them.

~ I think I wanted more from Cassidy’s character. She’s capable, a nice person and a hard worker, but I think because she’s trapped on the ranch, she doesn’t met many people and we don’t see much of her personality open up.

Final Thoughts:

This is a very quick read. It has a sweet romance without a lot of conflict. I just wanted a little more from the characters but overall, an easy young adult romance read.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble