The Last Bloodcarver by. Vanessa Le | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Last Bloodcarver

Author: Vanessa Le

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/19/24

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Science, Medicine, Romance, LGBT+

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 Fire for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The tantalizing romance of These Violent Delights meets the mechanical wonders of Cinder in The Last Bloodcarver, the first in a two-book debut — with a riveting medical magic system and lush Vietnam-inspired fantasy world.

Nhika is a bloodcarver. A cold-hearted, ruthless being who can alter human biology with just a touch. In the industrial city of Theumas, she is seen not as a healer, but a monster that kills for pleasure.

When Nhika is caught using her bloodcarving abilities during a sham medical appointment, she’s captured by underground thugs and sold to an aristocratic family to heal the last witness of their father’s murder.

But as Nhika delves deeper into their investigation amidst the glitz of Theumas’ wealthiest district, she begins to notice parallels between this job and her own dark past. And when she meets an alluring yet entitled physician’s aide, Ven Kochin, she’s forced to question the true intent behind this murder. In a society that outcasts her, Kochin seems drawn to her…though he takes every chance he gets to push her out of his opulent world.

When Nhika discovers that Kochin is not who he claims to be, and that there is an evil dwelling in Theumas that runs much deeper than the murder of one man, she must decide where her heart, and her allegiance, truly lie. And — if she’s willing to become the dreaded bloodcarver Theumas fears — to save herself and the ones she’s vowed to protect.

Content Warning: death of animals, violence, death of parents, medical horror

I went into this book with no expectations and once I started reading, I could not stop. Nhika posses a gift to heal people, but with that same gift she could hurt and kill them as well. She is what is knowm as a bloodcarver and it’s generally a bad thing to be. But in her upbringing she was called a heartsooth, and someone who took pride in her abilities. Nhika finds herself alone now, and bought to help a family who is grieving the lost of their father who they think was murdered. They need Nhika’s help to confirm this though and she agrees, only to find herself in a dire situation.

I like Nhika even though she doesn’t seem like someone anyone can easily connect to. She’s not warm or kind, she’s had to survive on her own for years – she’s been alone. Nhika lost her whole family and she’s trying to stay alive in a heartless world who looks down upon bloodcarvers. I like that she isn’t polished and I especially love that her heart always wants to do the right thing, even when people don’t seem to deserve her help. I connected with her through her love of the family she has lost. I love her memories about her mother and her grandmother teaching her the craft of heartsoothing. It reminded me of my own grandmother and so my heart ached for Nhika even if she didn’t have time to dwell on her feelings about grief.

There is also a found family trope in this story although at times I felt not so happy about it because Nhika was on the outside looking in and at one point they didn’t trust her.

The world building is interesting because it mentions Theumas being a technocracy and yet they used rotary phones. I did read that this was Vienamese-inspired and the politics going on in the story shows that. The magic system is great because it blended science and magic! I love all the medical stuff and anatomy and everything about the healing craft that Nhika learned through her grandmother. Also this story is part murder mystery but I felt like it never really slowed down, which I appreciate it, since mysteries always move too slow for me. The story moves quickly and I liked the actions scenes we do get, even if the last one is a bit gory!

There is even an enemies to lovers romance happening with Nhika and Ven, a doctor’s assistant. For the most part of the book Nhika is trying to figure him out and what his motives are. But when more information in reveal it’s a big twist in the story and makes them see one another with different eyes. I didn’t mind the romance, for me I think it works – may seem to fast for some people but I totally get how Nhika was so lonely and finally she finds someone who she doesn’t have to hide from. I love them together and it made me tear up at the end because everything happening was unexpected and I just wanted the best for Nhika who really deserved some happiness in her life after everything has been taken away from her.

I didn’t even realize it’s a duology but I can’t wait to see what happens in book two!

My Thoughts:

There was so much to love about this book – the world-building, magic system with magic/science/healing, the romance, the murder mystery and a good plot twist. The ending was unexpected, especially with how intense it was and it left me heartbroken. I can’t wait for book two!

Book Links:

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One Last Breath by. Ginny Myers Sain | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: One Last Breath

Author: Ginny Myers Sain

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/5/24

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller, LGBT+, True Crime, Paranormal

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

Thank you to G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readersfor giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The New York Times bestselling author of Dark and Shallow Lies delivers another chilling supernatural thriller filled with murder, romance, and a decades long mystery that haunts a small Florida town.

The perfect blend of Natasha Preston, Krystal Sutherland, and Delia Owens, with a paranormal twist.

Mount Orange, Florida, is famous for two things.

The spectre of Bailey and Celeste’s murders cast a permanent darkness over sunny Mount Orange. Tru has always lived in that shadow. Sometimes, it seems like she knows the long-dead Bailey, feels the dead girl in her bones. Now she’s supposed to head to FSU in the fall with her boyfriend, but those unsolved murders – and the death of her own sister – invade her every thought. It’s only in the shadowy deep, 100 feet below the surface of Hidden Glen Springs, that she can breathe.

When a strange girl named Rio rolls into town, hell-bent on figuring out who killed Bailey and Celeste, Tru can’t resist entangling herself in the thrill of solving the decades old mystery any more than she can resist her familiar, aching attraction to Rio.

As the summer heat ignites, so does the spark between Tru and Rio…along with their other-worldy connection to Bailey and Celeste. But when someone begins stalking them, the girls become convinced the killer is back in town. And if they keep digging into the past, Tru and Rio know this time, it could be their blood that makes the springs run red.

Content Warning: death, alcoholism, violence

This was an interesting read with a few twists in the story but it is a slow burn of a mystery. I felt like the first half was so slow but I did feel the setting was pretty immersive. I could feel that Florida humidity and mosquito bites just from the descriptions. It’s definitely a summer vibe kind of book and does take place before Tru is supposed to go off to college. Tru comes from a broken home, her father is a deadbeat, her mom is grieving and dealing with it through alcohol and her older sister, Dani was killed years ago in a hit and run.

Tru does have a bit of a awakening as she is steadfast in love with her best friend since forever, East, but then meets a girl Rio who intrigues her. There is a twist to their attraction though.

And throughout this story this town is the place where murders that happened years ago that people are obsessed with, including Tru. When Rio comes along, the both of them do some digging and find out the truth. I think I caught on quick who was the suspect and I was right. There is a lot that happens in the second half of the book which is what helped hold my attention. Also I don’t know that the paranormal aspect of the story worked for me

My Thoughts:

Overall, this one was too slow for me but the ending is where most of the action happens. I thought the twists were interesting but I didn’t quite vibe with the paranormal stuff going on. I think if you love mysteries you will really enjoy this one but for me it was just okay.

Book Links:

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Dark and Shallow Lies by. Ginny Myers Sain | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Bad Like Us by. Gabriella Lepore | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Bad Like Us

Author: Gabriella Lepore

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 281

Publication Date: 3/5/24

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller, Teen Readers

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

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

Two friend groups collide when someone turns up dead over spring break in this heart-thumping YA thriller for fans of One of Us Is Lying and We Were Liars

Spring break is a vibe—until someone gets murdered

Partying with popular classmates they barely know is not what Eva and her BFFs had in mind for their spring break. But things have been off ever since Miles’ academic career took a turn for the worse (they don’t talk about it), so a trip to a private beach lodge might be exactly what they need. And Eva won’t admit it, but the chance to reconnect with Colton is worth putting up with Piper’s constant livestreams to her thousands of “besties.”

At first, it’s all sand and waves, but tensions run high when an anonymous letter shakes up an already-flailing love triangle.

When someone turns up dead, Eva can’t even trust her closest friends—but she thinks she can trust Colton. As they get closer to the truth, they uncover secrets that upend everything they thought they knew about their fellow spring breakers.

Content Warning: death

I’ve read two other books from this author and enjoyed both but this one feels made for lower young adult readers. It’s definitely for the teen readers.

A group of teens go to a remote location for Spring Break, but things get out of hand when one of them ends up dead. This is a short book, coming in at under 300 pages so it’s a quick read. A lot of the story happens during their time at the private beach lodge but there are flashbacks leading up to the spring break trip which gives us insights into some of the main characters. There is a lot of suspicion between the characters as they try and figure out if one of them is the killer. My guess was mostly right but there was more in the reveal that I didn’t expect.

It was an okay read, but I wanted more thrills and suspense.

My Thoughts:

This was a quick read and I think it would appeal to teenagers. I do wish there were more thrills and suspense but overall it was an okay read.

Book Links:

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BLOG TOUR} This is Why We Lie by. Gabriella Lepore | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Last One to Fall by. Gabriella Lepore | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Summer She Went Missing by. Chelsea Ichaso | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Summer She Went Missing

Author: Chelsea Ichaso

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 3/5/24

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Thriller

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 Fire for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Last summer, they searched for Audrey Covington. This summer, they’ll search for the truth. Paige Redmond has always felt lucky to spend her summers in Clearwater Ridge, with lazy days sunning at the waterfalls and nights partying at the sprawling houses of the rich families who vacation there. The Covingtons are one of these families, and beautiful, brilliant Audrey Covington is Paige’s best friend. And last year, when Audrey’s crush-worthy brother Dylan finally started noticing Paige, she was sure it would be the best summer ever. Except Audrey didn’t seem quite like herself. Then one night, she didn’t come home. Though Audrey wasn’t the first girl to disappear in Clearwater Ridge, she left behind more lies than clues. Now, one summer later, her case has gone cold, and nobody, least of all Paige, can make sense of what happened. When Paige stumbles across a secret hidden in Audrey’s room, however, it changes everything she thought she knew about last summer. She and Dylan set out on their own investigation, discovering things even the police don’t know about the people of Clearwater Ridge. But tracking down missing girls―girls who might be beyond saving by now―means entering a world far darker than Paige has ever imagined. And if she isn’t careful, she’ll become the next girl to vanish.

Content Warning: missing girl

This is a mystery about a girl that goes missing and her case goes cold but her brother, Dylan and her best friend, Paige decide to do their own investigation and find out what happened to Audrey. They realize there are a few cases that may tie into Audrey’s disappearance so they follow the clues.

There is a twist in the end that I did enjoy but I felt like most of the book didn’t do anything for me until that part. I didn’t really connect to the characters but I thought it was cool that Paige and Dylan teamed up together since they’ve known each other for so long. Overall, this was just an okay book for me.

My Thoughts:

Mystery lovers will enjoy this one, but it didn’t do much for me.

Book Links:

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All This Twisted Glory by. Tahereh Mafi | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: All This Twisted Glory (This Woven Kingdom, #3)

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 2/5/24

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Devil, Jinn

The highly anticipated third novel in the This Woven Kingdom series, full of explosive magic, searing romance, and heartbreaking betrayal, from the award-winning and bestselling author of the Shatter Me series. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sabaa Tahir, and Tomi Adeyemi.

As the long-lost heir to the Jinn throne, Alizeh has finally found her people—and she might’ve found her crown. Cyrus, the mercurial ruler of Tulan, has offered her his kingdom in a twisted exchange: one that would begin with their marriage and end with his murder.

Cyrus’s dark reputation precedes him; all the world knows of his blood-soaked past. Killing him should be easy—and accepting his offer might be the only way to fulfill her destiny and save her people. But the more Alizeh learns of him, the more she questions whether the terrible stories about him are true.

Ensnared by secrets, Cyrus has ached for Alizeh since she first appeared in his dreams many months ago. Now that he knows those visions were planted by the devil, he can hardly bear to look at her—much less endure her company. But despite their best efforts to despise each other, Alizeh and Cyrus are drawn together over and over with an all-consuming thirst that threatens to destroy them both.

Meanwhile, Prince Kamran has arrived in Tulan, ready to exact revenge…

Layered with exquisite tension and heart-stopping romance, All This Twisted Glory is the explosive third book in the captivating, bestselling This Woven Kingdom series.

Content Warning: violence, blood magic

I am kind of irritated that this is not the final book! I was assuming it was, which is my mistake.

+ I needed to read this just for Cyrus and Alizeh alone. I need them to have a happily ever after and this book was serving so much angst between them, and not even one real kiss – there is a spicy scene in the book but it was a dream?! I felt Cyrus’ anguish…like what more does this man have to endure? I need a full on real life spicy scene between them asap. 😅

+ What I didn’t expect was the found family/friendship happening with Kamran, Hazan, Huda and the rest of their crew. There were some funny moments between them and some growing animosity between Kamran and Huda which may turn into an enemies to lovers romance maybe? Anyway, I thought this group of characters together were kind of funny because the whole story is so angsty and filled with beautiful prose because of Cyrus and Alizeh and then Kamran and Huda will start fighting or Deen and Omid will interject with something so random.

+ I liked learning more about Cyrus, because he is more than what we know so far. And I cannot believe this man is going to risk it all for Alizeh – he is so in love but their story is so tragic right now.

~ Nothing really happens in this book, which is what I said about the previous book! Where is the plot?! How can there be two books about nothing but angst between Cyrus and Alizeh? And why am I eating it up? 😅 This book barely moves the story forward and yet it boggles my mind that I was fully invested in it so much that I couldn’t put it down and I will admit that investment was just to see if in any part of the book Cyrus and Alizeh would at least share a kiss. I felt as insane as Cyrus was feeling throughout the whole book. Still, I wish there was more to this story about maybe revealing a way to outwit the devil or something. Like was there really a need to make this book more than a trilogy?

~ There is something about Alizeh that I don’t quite totally love on her own, which has been my complaint since book two. I love it when she and Cyrus are together but as an emerging Queen to her people she is soft, not hardened at all, and maybe that’s a strength for her? But for me, I don’t see it yet, she is naive and maybe it’s just all due to character growth that is coming. I’d like to have seen some of that growth by now in book three though.

My Final Thoughts:

Did I devour this book? Yes I did and yes I admit it was all because of Cyrus. Or I kept reading to see if something more would happen between Cyrus and Alizeh. Kamran was a jerk, Alizeh at times was just too soft so Cyrus was my favorite. There is a spicy scene and every other scene between them is filled with so much angst and tension – which I really love and why this gets a 3.5 instead of a 3. Nothing happened to move this story forward which was how I felt about the last book so I was hoping this third book would have been finishing the series, but I was wrong. Am I still going to read book four, yes, because I need to see Cyrus and Alizeh be endgame but is it frustrating as hell? Yes. They better start trying take the devil down in the next book! Anyway, I don’t know what magic spell this book has put over me but I’m here for the romance.

Book Links:

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This Woven Kingdom by. Tahereh Mafi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

These Infinite Threads by. Tahereh Mafi ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review: Restore Me (Shatter Me #4) ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review: Defy Me (Shatter Me #5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Snowglobe by. Soyoung Park | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Snowglobe

Author: Soyoung Park

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 2/27/24

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Dystopian, 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!

In a world of constant winter, only the citizens of the climate-controlled city of Snowglobe can escape the bitter cold—but this perfect society is hiding dark and dangerous secrets within its frozen heart.

Enclosed under a vast dome, Snowglobe is the last place on Earth that’s warm. Outside Snowglobe is a frozen wasteland, and every day, citizens face the icy world to get to their jobs at the power plant, where they produce the energy Snowglobe needs. Their only solace comes in the form of twenty-four-hour television programming streamed directly from the domed city.

The residents of Snowglobe have fame, fortune, and above all, safety from the desolation outside their walls. In exchange, their lives are broadcast to the less fortunate outside, who watch eagerly, hoping for the chance to one day become actors themselves.

Chobahm lives for the time she spends watching the shows produced inside Snowglobe. Her favorite? Goh Around, starring Goh Haeri, Snowglobe’s biggest star—and, it turns out, the key to getting Chobahm her dream life.

Because Haeri is dead, and Chobahm has been chosen to take her place. Only, life inside Snowglobe is nothing like what you see on television. Reality is a lie, and truth seems to be forever out of reach.

Translated for the first time into English from the original Korean.

Content Warning: death

I have to start off by saying this is translated from Korean to English and for the most part it’s a pretty good translation with some words here and there that were a little off.

I haven’t read in a dystopia book in awhile and this sounded interesting! Famous and wealthy people live in a place called Snowglobe and everyone else lives outside of it. But people get to watch what happens in Snowglobe on their tvs. Plus Earth is in a deep, deep frost so everyone outside of Snowglobe is dealing with freezing temperatures and life is a struggle. Chobahm is one of these people who lives outside of Snowglobe and works in a factory with her family. She gets a chance to go there, she takes it without knowing what she is getting into.

When I started reading this book I didn’t know what was going on and then I told myself to think of it like the k-dramas I watch and I got into the story! I think what I really enjoyed were the twists in the story that come past the halfway point. The twists really surprised me and I was hoping for a resolution to the story but this is only the first book in a series it seems.

I don’t know if I will read the second book only because like I said some of the translations felt off but the twists were really pretty good and makes me want to find out what happens next.

My Thoughts:

This one was really interesting but some of the translations were kind of off which made some of my reading experience not the smoothest. I did love the dystopian atmosphere and the twists in the story though, and thought this would make a pretty cool K-drama show or series. I’m not sure if I will read the sequel but I do want to see what happens next, so we shall see.

Book Links:

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Compass and Blade by. Rachel Greenlaw | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Compass and Blade

Author: Rachel Greenlaw

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 2/27/24

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Sirens, Pirates

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

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

This world of sea and storm runs deep with bargains and blood.

On the remote isle of Rosevear, Mira, like her mother before her, is a wrecker, one of the seven on the rope who swim out to shipwrecks to plunder them. Mira’s job is to rescue survivors, if there are any. After all, she never feels the cold of the frigid ocean waters and the waves seem to sing to her soul. But the people of Rosevear never admit the truth: that they set the beacons themselves to lure ships into the rocks.

When the Council watch lays a trap to put an end to the wrecking, they arrest Mira’s father. Desperate to save him from the noose, Mira strikes a deal with an enigmatic wreck survivor guarding layers of secrets behind his captivating eyes, and sets off to find something her mother has left her, a family secret buried deep in the sea.

With just nine days to find what she needs to rescue her father, all Mira knows for certain is this: The sea gives. The sea takes. And it’s up to her to do what she must to save the ones she loves.

Content Warning: violence

+ I feel like this story started off strong. Mira and her friends and family on Rosevear are wreckers. When a ship wrecked on their shores, they pillaged the ship for survival. The world-building is interesting because it’s a world of survival in the seas and islands around Rosevear. There are pirates, magic and sirens.

+~ I liked the found friendship Mira has with the crew that takes her on her journey but again it would have been nice to get to know each of them more. The story needs more character building.

+~ The story moved quickly but at times I think too quickly. I wanted to learn more about the wreckers but Mira leaves the island right away into the story, so she can help save her friend and her dad who were caught by the watchers and are about to be hung. So she basically island hops in order to find this treasure her mother left for her and she thinks whatever this treasure is, can help her save her dad. I wanted to learn more about the Sirens but I just think we needed more world-building in general.

~ Mira was an interesting character until we had to follow her on this journey to find the treasure and she just came off so naive in so many situations. She falls for a boy she hardly knows – this story takes place in the span of one week – and her feelings for him puts her in the worst situations. Not to mention, he betrays her multiple times and she forgives him the first time! This girl had no business going on this journey without anyone she could trust, but she wanted to be a hero. And also she feels other things about another boy so yes there is a love triangle brewing. I was pretty frustrated with her as a character by the end.

My Thoughts:

This book had so much potential because I like a good pirate book but the more I read, the more Mira, the MC seemed so naive and clueless. I think she has a chance in book two to really embrace the side of her that will wreck vengeance on her enemies but yeah this book was just okay. I did feel like the writing is for a younger audience but there is a sex scene. Anyway, this was somewhat entertaining despite the love triangle, and the issues I have with the main character. I would love for more world-building and character building in the next book but I’m not even sure I want to read the next book!

Book Links:

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A Tempest of Tea by. Hafsah Faizal | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: A Tempest of Tea (Blood and Tea, #1)

Author: Hafsah Faizal

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 2/20/24

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Categories: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Peaky Blinders, Vampires, Heist

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

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

On the streets of White Roaring, Arthie Casimir is a criminal mastermind and collector of secrets. Her prestigious tearoom transforms into an illegal bloodhouse by dark, catering to the vampires feared by society. But when her establishment is threatened, Arthie is forced to strike an unlikely deal with an alluring adversary to save it—and she can’t do the job alone.

Calling on some of the city’s most skilled outcasts, Arthie hatches a plan to infiltrate the dark and glittering vampire society known as the Athereum. But not everyone in her ragtag crew is on her side, and as the truth behind the heist unfolds, Arthie finds herself in the midst of a conspiracy that will threaten the world as she knows it.

From the New York Times–bestselling author of We Hunt the Flame comes the first book in a hotly-anticipated fantasy duology teeming with romance, revenge, and an orphan girl willing to do whatever it takes to save her self-made kingdom. Dark, action-packed, and swoonworthy, this is Hafsah Faizal better than ever.

Content Warning: violence, blood drinking, fire, death

+ I love when a book totally catches me off guard and surprises me. This book was full of surprises! How do you combine King Arthur, Vampires and Peaky Blinders (never watched it though I’ve always wanted to) together and make it work? I don’t know but this author just did it! I also loved how she adds historical fiction to the mix as she covers the colonization of countries liked Ceylan (in our reality that would be Ceylon-now Sri Lanka). This story is set in Ettenia which I’m assuming is England. And the vampires are just a race of people that live among them. This book just had everything I wanted, things I didn’t even know I wanted in one place and I loved it all. There are a lot of twists and turns in the second half of the book and that cliffhanger ending left me wanting book two now.

+ I am in love with Arthie and Jin. I love their story, their friendship, their love for one another – even though this story had hints of a romance for Arthie (a love triangle even that never came to fruition-an no it didn’t involve Jin), the love between Arthie and Jin appeased my soul. I also loved that this was told in multiple POVs because Jin’s voice was important to this story. He is Arthie’s right-hand man and I loved that he was the lightness in their relationship. They are found family, they are to one another the siblings they never had, they are soulmates and I knew they would have each other’s back no matter what. Also, I need Jin to have a happy ending, that guy deserves the world!

+ Because this story is about a heist, there are other characters involved and part of the crew. Flick, Matteo and Laith. All of them intriguing and we do get Flick’s POV but not Matteo and Laith who are very intriguing and added to the story in various ways. I like how they all have complex backgrounds.

+ Arthie is a complicated character which I love. She’s had trauma and holds a lot of secrets, not only her own but she’s a phoenix who basically rose out of ashes. I love that she was smart, and still allowed herself to love (Jin and Spindrift) even though she doesn’t open herself to anyone else. She is flawed. I love that she is a business woman and she’s the leader of their crew.

~ I can’t call what was in this book a true love triangle. There is flirtation, there is desire that Arthie doesn’t want to explore because she is a person who is in control at all times. But I think it makes her mistrust even more heightened. She has a crew of people she doesn’t totally trust (except Jin) and her weakness was a good-looking mysterious man. She isn’t perfect, she can only hold so many of the right cards in her hand and I honestly loved every part of whatever romance was building for her because the tension between them was delicious!

~ I think Flick’s POV was the weakest and she seemed like the weakest link because she’s not like the rest. She grew up in luxury as a lady’s daughter but she has her own agenda. Out of all of them I felt like I didn’t trust her the most because all she wanted was to please her mother and she had such a shiny upbringing.

My Thoughts:

Why was I surprised that I loved this book? I loved the We Hunt the Flame series. The writing is so good, the slow burn in the romance is enticing and the relationships are heartfelt. Honestly, Arthie and Jin, they have my heart. It might be a slow build in the beginning as the pieces are set on the chessboard but I was riveted from the moment I started the book. Once the pieces started moving, it was a fun, twisty, emotional ride to the end. And then of course we get a crazy cliffhanger that made my jaw drop! I need the second book asap and this book solidifies that this author is a must-read for me.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Review | We Hunt the Flame ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

We Free the Stars | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Heartless Hunter by. Kristen Ciccarelli | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Heartless Hunter (#1)

Author: Kristen Ciccarelli

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 2/20/24

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult/New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Witches/Witch Hunters. Magic

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

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

A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history.

On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.

Content Warning: violence, blood magic, mentions of self harm, mentions of abuse, death, mentions of drug use

+ I went into this book not knowing what to expect and wow was I delightfully surprised at how engaged I was with this story. I loved the game of cat and mouse that Rune and Gideon play. Rune is a witch in secret and Gideon is a successful witch hunter. I didn’t want either of them to catch the either because I was rooting for them both at times – but they did entrap themselves with their attraction to one another which was intense. There was even a steamy scene between them which is why I mention this as a New Adult book because I did feel like the characters seem older.

+ I like how complicated this story was because of Rune’s background – she’s a witch and trying to survive by keeping that secret. She’s also the Crimson Moth, a witch going around helping other witches escape from prison. And then there is Gideon, who was abused by a which he had been in love with and when he set himself free and helped take down the witch Queens who ruled them, he became a changed young man – a hardened one. They both think they are doing their life’s purpose.

+ The twist in the story was so good, I only caught it 3/4ths into the book! I did not see it coming at all until it was too late but I love that it caught me off guard. I was so involved with Rune and Gideon’s game of cat and mouse that I didn’t question anything else happening around them.

+ The world building is great and I love the magic system. I like that we get the history of the Queens and the revolution. The killing of witches did get graphic especially when Rune recalls how her grandmother died.

+~ I personally love how this enemies to lovers, forbidden romance transpired. Gideon really hates witches and Rune really is trying to help any witch she can. I loved the cat and mouse but how could these two people ever be together? It seems doomed from the start because they are both pretending to get something from the other. There is a slight love triangle which some readers won’t like but I didn’t mind it because of what happens in the story. But Gideon is as hardened a character as I ever saw and with the way things end – is there a way the two of them could ever believe the other? But I so loved the way he softened towards Rune (even if it was at first pretend) and the things he did to woo her – I don’t blame her for falling for him!

My Thoughts:

I was really transported into this story and was riveted by the cat and mouse game between Rune and Gideon. I love the moments when they gave into what they were feeling but they have so much to work through. I love the world-building and the magic which was easy to follow. There’s a great tension that builds in the story because of Rune’s secrets, the cat and mouse game, the forbidden attraction and the twist in the story. I’m sad I have to wait for the next book!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Edgewood by. Kristen Ciccarelli | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Last Namsara by. Kristen Ciccarelli ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ASAP by. Axie Oh | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: ASAP

Author: Axie Oh

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 2/6/24

Publisher: HarperTeen

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Second Chance Romance, K-Pop, Contemporary

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

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

New York Times bestselling author Axie Oh’s ASAP is the much anticipated companion novel to beloved romance XOXO, following fan favorites Sori, the wealthy daughter of a K-pop company owner, and Nathaniel, her K-pop star ex-boyfriend, in a swoon-worthy second chance love story.

Sori has worked her whole life to become a K-pop idol, until she realizes she doesn’t want a life forever in the spotlight. But that’s not actually up to Sori—she’s caught between her exacting mother’s entertainment company and her father’s presidential aspirations. And as the pressure to keep her flawless public image grows, the last person she should be thinking about is her ex-boyfriend.

Nathaniel is off limits—she knows this. A member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world and forbidden from dating, he isn’t any more of an option now than he was two years ago. Still, she can’t forget that their whirlwind romance was the last time she remembers being really happy. Or that his family welcomed her into their home when she needed it most. . . .

So when Nathaniel finds himself rocked by scandal, Sori offers him a hideaway with her. And back in close quarters, it’s hard to deny their old feelings. But when Sori gets an opportunity to break free from her parent’s expectations, she will have to decide: Is her future worth sacrificing for a second chance at love?

Content Warning:

+ We are back in the XOXO world and I’m loving it. I loved XOXO, so I really needed to read ASAP – asap…haha okay lame joke. But I loved the characters and knowing this was Sori and Nathaniel – I had to have it. I love the insider look into the life of a K-pop idol and it’s even more interesting because Sori is giving up the chance to be an idol, so I liked how she was trying to find a new path in her life. I like that she eventually was brave enough to tell her parents what was important to her. That’s something relatable.

+ The XOXO boys are back but there isn’t too much of Jaewoo and Jenny. Which is only right because this isn’t their story. But I love this cast of characters! I thought it was interesting we got more of Sun though – is it because he’s such a grump that I am totally attracted to this XOXO member and want his story the most? I know there is going to be a good story for him but I guess I have to wait, I feel like his would be the last book in the series. I love how Sori is close to these boys because of their time in training to be an idol – she’s got a level-headedness about her that I like. I like how strong she is.

+ The romance is a second chance romance which isn’t my favorite trope. But I did love that Sori and Nathaniel had a second chance at it. I just felt bummed at the little things that kept them apart – well I thought that the issues were so minimal – but to a K-pop idol or trainee like the characters in this book, it’s BIG problems like dating, scandals (that don’t even seem scandalous), and other issues like that. I hated that the same issues that pulled them apart was threatening their love again. It’s a sweet romance though, Sori and Nathaniel are so comfortable with one another, I thought that was comforting – by the way, I need all of these books in this “series” to be a K-drama. It would be perfect!

~ I’m older so sometimes I find all this perfection in these stories a bit too much. The characters have some troubles here and there, but they are perfect – because they have to be for their idol statuses. They are gorgeous, they are talented, my goodness the pressures they put on themselves! It just goes to show how much sacrifice these trainees and idols have to make for their success.

My Thoughts:

If you like K-pop and you loved XOXO, you will love ASAP. If you like sweet, fluffy romance that makes your heart flutter, you will like this book. I’ll be looking forward to the next book in this series!