Category: Uncategorized

By Sylvia Mercedes

Rating 3* – Cool Setting, suspense

Pub Date January 14, 2025

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“After her deception is discovered, Princess Faraine is trapped in the Shadow Realm and at the mercy of her new husband. She’s surrounded by enemies and far from any allies. Dissolving their marriage alliance would spell disaster for her people, not to mention break her heart.

With the instability in his realm growing daily, King Vor is more desperate than ever to find a solution. Only, it cannot involve his wife. At one time, he thought he might love her, but with his trust irrevocably shattered by her lie, he’s convinced their love cannot possibly flourish.

Circumstances require them to spend more time together, forcing Vor to determine what is truth and what is deceit between him and Faraine. He cannot deny the way his blood stirs in her presence. If their love is truly poisoned beyond recovery, why is there a flicker of hope in the darkness?”

REVIEW

This sequel to Bride of the Shadow King brings us back to the Trolde realm and pulls us up from the edge of the cliff. The sequel brings us some answers, but opens up other mysteries for which we beg for answers. Court intrigue is strong, Faraine begins to figure out why her power seems so tied to the crystals of this kingdom, and Vor finds himself questioning not only those closest to him, but also what is most important to him as an individual. There’s conspiracy afoot and a cult with highly questionable motives.

These stories are fast paced and being the sucker for mystery that I am in was invested. I’m still invested as there were some answers I’ve been waiting for since book 1, like I truly think Ilsevel is still alive and being married tonthe fae king and we have a spinoff series coming for us, but no confirmation yet. I find it super frustrating but the world is still cool and there are still a few characters that aren’t completely wearing on me. The MC is starting to annoy, which makes me sad because I really liked Faraine in Book 1, but the author is doing that thing where she’s super chosen and the only answer, whoch drives me nuts. I am really hoping that Heart of the Shadow King gives us some answers and brings us home, and also gives us more Haele who is my favorite.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

by Kate Stayman-London

Rating: 4*s – Excellent Bite- Drain ever spicy drop!

AVAILABLE NOW TO RANDOM HOUSE PUB GROUP

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Tess Rosenbloom is no stranger to the dark. An assault survivor and grad school dropout, Tess spends her nights managing a chic Brooklyn hotel and her days reading her favorite vampire novels, Blood Feud. She even dabbles in online conspiracies claiming Blood Feud is real—it’s fun to hunt for clues! But deep down, Tess doesn’t believe vampires actually exist . . . until one walks through her door.

It turns out the sexy villain of Blood Feud is trapped, and only Tess can rescue him. Eager to escape her life, Tess agrees to help, and soon she’s on a secret island where the sun never shines, surrounded by deadly vampires—and most terrifying of all, she’s falling in love with one of them. (Meanwhile, back in New York, Tess’s estranged best friend is having a sapphic paranormal affair of her own.)

Visiting the world of your favorite story is any fan’s dream, but can Tess outrun the demons of her past (and vampires of her present) before it becomes a nightmare? In this darkly glamorous rom-com, Tess will find out if it’s worth risking her neck—and her heart—for a chance to reclaim her future”

REVIEW:

I have recommended this book to many people. It’s the Vampire Fan Fiction fantasy that every romcom or vampire stan needs to read. It was lush, funny, and the characters were surprisingly well written. The romance was good and the world building was so interesting. I truly loved the alternate universe sci fi aspect that connected our world to the magical little vampire island in Blood Fued–just some multidimensional bar that was the hub of time and space? Such a neat touch. 

I also really felt for Tess, our MC. Trauma responses are real and the disconnection she felt she had to make was so difficult, but watching her grow and reclaim the parts of her life she missed was super empowering. And finding that power to fight for the truth and liberation of good folks and found family? Awesome.

Again. Highly recommend. ❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

by Julie Murphy; Sierra Simone, BOOK 3 in the A Christmas Notch series.

Rating: 4* – Super Hot –Perfect thing to warm you up in winter

NOW AVAILABLE FROM AVON HARPER VOYAGER!

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Part-time adult film actress/one-time adult film director/makeup artist Sunny Palmer has accidentally sold her very first screenplay to the Hope Channel. That was six months ago. Fast forward to a looming deadline, an uninspired Sunny has returned to the source of her inspiration in Christmas Notch, Vermont, to immerse herself in the local Christmas miracle on which her fever dream of a movie pitch was based.

Isaac Kelly, former boy band heartthrob and the saddest boy in the music biz, is the latest owner of the town’s historic mansion. After his years of heartbreak following his young wife’s death, Isaac’s record label is done waiting for new music. What better place to attempt his first holiday album than a snow-covered mansion where he can become a hermit in peace?

But after their best friends’ wedding leads to them waking up together in a freezing motel room with questionable wiring and a broken shower, Isaac takes a chance and asks Sunny to stay with him at his home. Surely the place is big enough that he’ll hardly see her or her unhinged cat. But when the two discover they’re both creatively blocked, they make a handshake deal: Isaac will help Sunny hunt down the truth behind the local lore, and Sunny will find Isaac a new muse.

And with these two opposites under one roof, there’s no way this jingle bell mingle could go off script…right?”

REVIEW:

]I am so sad this is the last of this series. I have been with it since day 1 and it really fed into my budding love of my now favorite genre, contemporary bbw romance, or as I currently like to call, “Thicc Queen Love Smut” – working title. 
I am so glad I had the opportunity to read and review this book. It’s so good. We finally get to explore our lovely Sunny’s potential relationship with sad boy Isaac when he offers her a room and the developing feelings between the two super deserving of something more people in our favorite little holiday themed town of Christmas Notch. Their story was fantastic-excellent heat, tension, conflict…the perfect rom com recipe. And the end!! It honestly tied everything up so well and I definitely got misty eyed. 

I really hope these authors team up again for another steamy little series. ❤️❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the advanced copy in exchange for this review!

Fae Flings and Corset Strings Book 1

By Tessonja Odette, Pub Date June 12, 2024

5*s, 5🌶️s. I cannot say enough about this one. I was so surprised and delighted by it!

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“They say never bargain with the fae. They also say don’t get drunk on fae wine. Yet romance author Edwina Danforth has managed a blunder with both on her first visit to the infamous faelands. Now she’s trapped in a magic-fueled bet she barely remembers with a man she’d be happier to forget. The terms? Whoever can bed the most lovers during their month-long dueling book tour wins a coveted publishing contract.

The win should be easy for Edwina. She’s known for penning scintillating tales of whirlwind romance. There’s just one problem: her imagination vastly exceeds her bedroom experience. But when failure means plummeting her career back into obscurity, losing isn’t an option.

Her handsome fae rival, William Haywood, poses an even greater challenge. Not only are his looks as aggravatingly perfect as his track record behind closed doors, but he has his own reasons for playing to win, and he won’t go down without a fight. Unless, of course, it’s a different kind of going down. In that case, he’s fair game.

Edwina and William clash in a rivalry of romance. But what happens when their objects of desire…turn out to be each other?”

Like Biting Into Fairy Fruit!

From the moment that Edwina steps off the boat on the Fae Isles, which was the first page, this book absolutely swept me away. It is definitely one of my absolute favorite tropes, rivals/enemies to lovers, and it was funny, heartfelt, and oh so so spicy! But you could probably tell that from the synopsis.

Edwina is a spicy romance author, and William Haywood is a poet. The tour was supposed to only be for Edwina, but complicates on her voyage made her miss at least two weeks of the paid tour. Now, she’s sharing the tour with the infuriating Haywood and there are stakes: the person who sells the most books during the tour will win a three book publishing contract. They both have their own desperate reasons to win. However, during an ill fated evening that included a fae drink that had the potential to cause an inflated ego and Edwina’s all too human constitution, they find themselves in the middle of a fae bargain. The bet? Which one can bed the most people throughout the tour.

The problem is, Edwina’s books are less based on experience and far more on flights of fancy. And Haywood? He’s hiding his true self under a mask that his desire and care for Edwina can’t hide. He has secrets that he can’t let get out, but he also doesn’t want Edwina to get away.

Honestly, the SPICE and the tension between Edwina and William are absolute *chef’s kiss* material. I was hooked from the first page to the last. I honestly have a mind to read this a second time and I NEVER do that. This was my first Tessonja Odette book and I am chomping at the bit to get into more of her work!

Thank you to Victory Editing, Tessonja Odette, and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for the above partial review.

By Avery Flynn. 

5*s. Best enjoyed when you want a super funny and spicy contemporary romantic romp. 

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Sometimes you just need to bang it out…

Shy paleontologist Thea Pope just wants to get through her sister’s ’80s-themed monstrosity of a TV reality-show wedding so she can get to her summer field work. The only problem? Her sister has turned into the ultimate bridezilla – as in pink parasols, organza hats, forcing people to shave and dye their hair levels of over-the-top, it’s-my-day antics – all while on location in a place literally called hell that reeks of sulfur and lost hopes. 

The only thing that can make it worse is when her sister declares that she never even wanted Thea in the wedding at all but that the producers insisted. Ouch doesn’t begin to express how much it hurts that her own sister didn’t even want her to be at her wedding. 

There’s only one thing Thea can do after her sister finally pushes her too far – she picks the one man at the wedding her sister cannot stand – the groom’s brother, Kade St. James – and has sex with him. 

Is it petty revenge that she’ll be rubbing in her sister’s face from now until eternity? Absolutely. Still, it seems like a great idea at the time, and really what could go wrong? 
Pretty much everything it turns out.”

Review:

I’ve been on a massive contemporary romance kick lately. I love smart, shy, thick MCs and dashingly dark, grumpy, bearded heroes that go from strangers to friends with benefits to fierce I-can’t-be-away-from-you-for-long love. It’s an itch that Anger Bang was definitely able to scratch. The cover is also super cute and the secret behind the be-tutu’d TRex covered in confetti is revealed early in the book. It was an intensely creative choice that I LOVED when I read it.

Should I also mention that Anger Bang  was ridiculously hilarious? There you go. I said it! I’ve read a few ‘reality show’ romances where the people involved really don’t want to be a part of it or just do because they want vengeance for some reason and end up falling in love with someone they never would have but is so perfect for them that nothing else matters. There’s just something about finding a bigger purpose in the middle of a shit show that really does something for me. 

Along with the hilarity of the circumstances, I can’t say enough about the spice. We’re talking ghost pepper levels of heat tumbling through the pages. Flynn can find her way around a visceral, spicey scene, let me tell you. That two people could collide this way and that Kade could find beauty in Thea’s perceived messiness is one of the biggest turn-ons for we academically inclined ladies. It touched something in my core and let in some heat in my chest cavity. 

The romance was sweet, the various conflicts amongst the characters (all well laid out) were somewhat short but very well written and heart breaking in those moments. The redemption arcs were like double rainbows all the way across the sky and I sincerely enjoyed reading—sorry, devouring—this page turner. 

The one problem I did have is the blurb for the next book, Walk of Shame, that was thrown in at the end, because damnit I was caught in those first two chapters and I have to wait a little while for my preorder to hit my Kindle. It was honestly just rude. I’m super excited to read the next book!

By Amélie Fléchais, pub date 10/17/23

5*s. Best enjoyed when you are in the mood for a dark fairy tale and a visual feast.

Publisher’s Synopsis

“An enchanting retelling of the Charles Perrault classic tale Little Red Riding Hood. 

Once upon a time there was a little red wolf who lived in a treehouse in a thick and mysterious forest. The young wolf sets out on a journey to bring his grandmother a rabbit when he is charmed by a nice little girl who offers to help him. But nice is not the same as good.

Lose yourself in the dark forests of Amélie Fléchais’ spectacular artwork in The Little Red Wolf, a gorgeously illustrated tale that turns the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood on its head.”

Review:

Little Red Hood is undoubtedly one of the most eerily beautiful graphic novels I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. It was an absolute visual feast with a dark an misunderstood fairy tale at the very core that played on the themes of cruelty, grief, trust, love, and misplaced blame that can quickly turn to extremely misplaced hatred and unearned violence. 

I could practically feel my pupils dilate when I first started reading. The illustrations lean heavily on a darker version of cottage core that perfectly sets the scene for this twisted tale. How quickly an honest mistake can turn into a disastrous and deadly situation. 

I truly loved the experience of reading this book. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 

By Laura Moher. Pub Date 8/22/2023

4*s. Best enjoyed when you need a cozy sassy/grumpy romance.

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Sexy Southern romance with a charming plus-size heroine and a gruff, grumpy hero.

Rose Barnes feels best when she’s invisible—so when she wins the lottery and is suddenly thrust into the spotlight where everyone wants something, hiding out in a small town in North Carolina makes perfect sense.

Rose has got curves for days—and to Angus, the big, burly, bearded contractor working on her new house, she’s just plum perfect. Rose is surprised to learn that Angus has a sense of humor and a soft heart beneath that gruff exterior. Angus can’t help noticing that wacky Rose is smart, funny, and has a sexy underwear stash that leads him to some very unprofessional fantasies.

As their unlikely friendship becomes love, Angus becomes determined to help Rose overcome what he believes are financial troubles. But with Angus’s need to always give more than he receives, Rose’s multi-million secrets could mean the end of a beautiful relationship.“

REVIEW:

First of all, I had the hardest time putting this down while it was the current read in my Kindle. I read a chapter. Then another. Then another. Before I knew it, I was 60% of the way through this and it was definitely past my bedtime. 

Angus and Rose’s relationship was a slow burn. They did not like one another at first. Then they became great friends…then something far more. It was told over months of time, two people with hard pasts learning to open up and trust someone else to the best of what they could. The heat was mostly great, but it was the absolute care of compassion that they developed that really made this book what it was. 

I love thick girl contemporary. It’s a recent love of mine and I find it super entertaining and understandable, as I’ve been those characters. Thickness hasn’t always had its day, but it’s coming into its own as society loosens its grip on women’s soft bodies. It is a major turn on to read a book that explores us beyond just what we look like and our acceptance of ourselves, and this had that in spades. Rose experienced so much in her time that wasn’t necessarily driven by her size, but by someone using it against her after they had violated her. It explored that deep distrust when someone has been left alone and hurt like this character was. To be able to escape and find family in a place so far away from where you’ve spent your life is something incredibly special, and I love that arc for Rose. 

Angus accepting his own worth and allowing someone to give him care was also fantastic. To see him come alive throughout the story as Rose gives him a soft place to explore his feelings again and allow himself to love not only someone else but also the person inside was beautiful. For them to grow like this together? 

I really enjoyed this novel. I won’t lie, it was a little slow in some parts and I had to read ahead just to get to the conflict –I know, a cardinal sin! I loved how it was handled. It was a very realistic scenario between two people, and the resolution was very sweet, exciting, and left me feeling light hearted and gooey (it’s a romance…if that’s a spoiler, you’re probably new to the genre). 

I definitely recommend to anyone wanting a cozy romance where the plot doesn’t get too heavy and you like slow burn enemies to friends to something more romance.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for this honest review. 

An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology

By Various, Edited by Shane Hawk & Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

Pub Date 9/19/2023d

5*s. Best Enjoyed right now. It’s on sale today and it’s spooky season and you need this kind of visceral storytelling immediately.

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night. This belief takes many forms: for instance, Native Hawaiians believe it summons the Hukai’po, the spirits of ancient warriors, and Native Mexicans say it calls Lechuza, a witch that can transform into an owl. But what all these legends hold in common is the certainty that whistling at night can cause evil spirits to appear—and even follow you home.

These wholly original and shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts, curses, hauntings, monstrous creatures, complex family legacies, desperate deeds, and chilling acts of revenge. Introduced and contextualized by bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones, these stories are a celebration of Indigenous peoples’ survival and imagination, and a glorious reveling in all the things an ill-advised whistle might summon“

REVIEW:

Let me preface this review by first saying I love to learn about cultures I may or may not share. I appreciate folklore from around the world and have found that through stories, you can learn so much about the deep seated cultural beliefs of your fellow humans or your ancestors through the exploration of what they have found exciting, brave, adventuresome, and worth staking ones’ life on in addition to what scares someone, or how someone seeks revenge and the cause of it. This was a very interesting prospectus on the people of the Americas, whose land was taken and settled and what myths, legends, and beings still exist here beyond our sight and will continue to exist long after our bones are forgotten and tangled in the roots of the very soil that still belongs to them.

I first found out about this book in my ‘suggested reads’ through Amazon. When I found out it was an ARC I was desperate to get my hands on it. I was approved and that was the the beginning of a truly wild adventure into some of the most viscerally engaging horror stories I’ve ever read. It was a true bonus that they were all told from Indigenous voices. Not only do I continue to think about these stories weeks later, but the level of unsettling most of them gave me still gives me such pause and a depth of learning that continues to roll around in my subconscious like some sea serpent, surfacing on occasion into my conscious thought. 

One of the major benefits of reading these as an anthology is that you get to visit different heads and learn new fears you either had never been exposed to or fears you absolutely share with the author. Every one gave me a different kind of chill or a dark feeling or something new to really dwell on. Some had stories that caused me to rethink my perspective entirely and deepen my own understanding of cultural pitfalls that I myself do not experience. 

Regardless of how you want to approach this book, you should. 

This book is a must read for everyone and you can bet I’m going to be buying a copy of this to keep on my shelf. The cover is just a preview of the unsettling feelings you will get reading these stories.

I’ve heard some of the folklore growing up in Northern, MN, but not the depth here. It’s always enraptured me, the various spirits that I always believed still existed around me in the woods and lakes of the wild North, and the ways that one would prevent falling prey to them. I walked into this with a healthy respect, and I hope you do, too.

I’ve been followed by books I’ve finished in the past, but I haven’t been haunted like this one haunts me. I don’t reread books usually, but there are definitely some stories here that I plan to reread, if only to get them out of my head like a song turned earworm you play on a loop to dislodge. Wish me luck.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced copy and to all of the authors who contributed. 

Hell’s Belles #1, Sarah MacLean.

4*s, Best enjoyed if you like your Victorian romance with some spice and a kick–literally.

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“After years of living as London’s brightest scandal, Lady Sesily Talbot has embraced the reputation and the freedom that comes with the title. No one looks twice when she lures a gentleman into the dark gardens beyond a Mayfair ballroom…and no one realizes those trysts are not what they seem.

No one, that is, but Caleb Calhoun, who has spent years trying not to notice his best friend’s beautiful, brash, brilliant sister. If you ask him, he’s been a saint about it, considering the way she looks at him…and the way she talks to him…and the way she’d felt in his arms during their one ill-advised kiss. 

Except someone has to keep Sesily from tumbling into trouble during her dangerous late-night escapades, and maybe close proximity is exactly what Caleb needs to get this infuriating, outrageous woman out of his system. But now Caleb is the one in trouble, because he’s fast realizing that Sesily isn’t for forgetting…she’s forever. And forever isn’t something he can risk.“

Review:

This took me way longer to read than I want to admit. I’m a mood reader, so if I’m not in a certain mood, the vibes of a book may throw me off a little until I “feel” it. Again, I’m a little ashamed, because I am a big fan of Sara Maclean and this book was really great. 

I loved the dynamic between the MCs was a delight. There were plenty of buried secrets to be unearthed for both characters, a couple I honestly did not see coming. 

I loved how strong Sesily was and how much she cared about Caleb. I also loved her convictions and desires to be seen as more than just a beautifully scandalous woman, but also someone’s everything. Not to mention her very active work righting society’s wrongs in secret ways. That’s one thing I’ve absolutely loved while reading books like this. Usually it’s the men who are the spies or disrupters of society for the sake of justice, but this one it’s a group of badass women who want to make life easier for all women and children at all levels of society. 

Caleb clearly loved his friends and family. It was a struggle to understand his spartan ways, physically, emotionally, and etc. When you learn why, it all makes sense. I loved how often he was magnetically dragged into Sesily’s late evening adventures, and how very much he cared for her when he let her see it. But it was also great to see a female MC turn around and fight for her desired partner. 

This was a refreshing historical romance read and I’m very excited to finish reading the second installment in the Hell’s Belles series. 

Thank you to Avon Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for this review!

By Briar Boleyn. Book 2.

4.5 Stars

Publisher’s Synopsis:

“Bound to a man she hates more than she ever thought possible…

Everything Morgan Pendragon knows and loves is gone as she wakes in the dangerous court of the Siabra. The man she was falling in love with is dead, and in his place is a man she barely knows. Surrounded by liars and knives in the dark, all Morgan wants to do is run the other way but Kairos Draven is determined to keep her by his side.

As Morgan and Draven’s lives become even more irrevocably entwined, little do they know the sins of the past are coming for them both…”

REVIEW:

I was super excited to read this as I loved the first book in the series. This one had a ton of court intrigue, though it didn’t feel as gritty. It was very reminiscent of ACOMAF in that we get to see where Draven comes from and meet his crew. We also learn his deep, dark secrets and get some hints as to Morgan’s past as well. I loved reading about the trials that Draven had to go through as well, and Morgan’s first experiences with this new fae reality into which she has been thrown. 

This was also a tad spicier than the first, which is always a plus, but it’s definitely a book you should not pick up unless you have read Queen of Roses beforehand.

I did feel that the “oh, he’s not who I thought he was–stabstabstab” went on a little longer than it needed to. I get it, Morgan is far from the people she loves, was unable to safe at least one of her best friends, and her entire kingdom is at war. Plus, yes, of course—the man she trusted with her life and vice versa isn’t exactly who she thought he was on the outside. It’s a difficult situation, so the timing is understandable from a realism perspective, but it felt like it was getting in the way of the plot pacing at points. This was by no means a serious indictment and is only me being picky. 

I truly loved the side characters and the new aspects of the story and I will be so excited to explore them when the third book comes out later this fall!

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and Starwater press for the advanced copy in exchange for this review.