Emily

Spoiler-Free Review:

I am forever blown away by Adrienne Young's storytelling ability. She weaves plot and character beautifully. I expected this to be a good read because I've really enjoyed her other works. Let's get into it... This story follows our female main character, Fable. Fable is a young woman who is on a mission to get off of the island in which she was abandoned as a child and find her purpose. She is picked up by a crew of great side characters, and that is where the story picks up. There are secrets and mysteries and intrigue, and at the end of it all a twist and cliffhanger that has me wanting to pick up Namesake pretty soon. I took off one star just because I felt like it needed just a bit more action. I think this will come in Namesake (book 2) but I felt like this was all groundwork and then it ended pretty abruptly. I am still looking forward to Namesake and then Last Legacy which also takes place in this world. I preordered Saint when B&N. Had their hardcover sale, and I'm curious, is it a prequel about Saint's life or is it a continuation. Let me know if you know! This is a pretty solid YA read, 14+

Spoiler-Free Review:

Another fun read from Elle Kennedy. I swear, these are the most fun books to binge. This is the third installment in the Briar U series which follows Hunter Davenport, who we met very briefly in the Off-Campus series, and Demi a student at Briar. This is a forced proximity, friends to lovers, and slow burn romance. The banter between these two is, as usual, so fun, and I often found myself laughing out loud. We get a glimpse of some of our favorite Off-Campus character, like Garrett and Dean, which I love seeing where they are in their [fictional] life. The spice between Hunter and Demi was so fun. I really enjoyed Demi discovering what she liked with Hunter, their romance was both sweet and spicy. I took off one star because I just wanted to see more resolution for the characters. Y'all know I like closure, and I feel like some things were left a bit more open that I would've liked. Overall, it was still an amazing read! I've enjoyed this series so much, and I can't wait to get to the next book. These books are so fun to read, and I feel so attached to this world that Elle Kennedy has created. This book hits topics that may be triggering so, as always, check trigger warnings. This is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content, language, and themes.

Spoiler-Free Review:

This was such a cute read! While I was deceived into thinking it was a holiday book based on the cover, the book actually takes place in July. I shouldn't have assumed since it's set in Alaska but either way, I enjoyed the book! Such a sweet romance, grumpy/sunshine vibes! The story was so cute and well written. I laughed (and even cried) while reading it. There's an amazing relationship between the male MC and his dog that was seriously the sweetest thing ever. This book kind of spoke to me. The FMC plans what she thinks is a once in a life time vacation full of excursions that keep going awry (I feel like this would happen to me because I'm always planning things that sometimes don't pan out). Tender tender romance, but if you're looking for spice look elsewhere this book was all fade to black and tension. I didn't mind it though since I was living the story- it didn't need the spice. I think this is adult maybe because of the age of the characters, but there was no smut and honestly I don't remember any language either. Just a nice cinnamon roll, feel good read.

Spoiler-Free Review:

This book was so good! I don't think I've read any regency since I read Bridgerton at the beginning of last year, and this was a great way to get back into it. I love books set in this time period and the escapism that they offer. While the ideals of this time period seem outrageous in today's time, I still love the richness of the genre. This book is an adult regency romance that follows Annabelle and Sebastian. Annabelle is a lowborn woman and Sebastian is a duke and they find themselves captivated with each other. There is amazing sexual tension and the payoff is so well written! I really like when everything is written in the same “language” and its time period, and Evie Dunmore executes this very well and tastefully. The duke is perfectly grumpy and broody, and he gives off extreme protective male vibes. There are even a few “who did this to you” moments. There may be a few topics in this book that can be triggering, and although not deeply discussed, check for triggers before reading. This book is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content.

Spoiler-Free Review:

I'm not sure why so long to read this book, but I'm thinking it was meant to be. Being back in this world with this culture was like getting a warm hug. I adore this world and the characters that Adrienne Young created for this series! This book takes place 10 years after the events of Sky in the Deep, and it follows the journey of Halvard (Fiske's brother) and Tova a woman from another clan. We do get to see some familiar faces from Sky in the Deep. I am a reader who loves closure, and so I love that we got a bit more on where the characters from the previous book ended up. The adventure in this book was just so well written. My heart was pounding for so many chapters. The detail and imagery that Adrienne Young writes with is unreal. I felt so present in the story and I love that. I took off one star because I craved more connection between the two main characters. They finally have a moment and then the book ended. I wanted a little more closure from them. Maybe an epilogue? The reader can assume where the story goes but I wanted to read it. Overall I loved this book and it was comforting to be immersed in their world for the second time this month. This book is pretty firmly YA there is violence and some “gore.”

I really loved this book (shocked? lol) After meeting Sofia in book 1, I was so excited to get to her book. I actually ended up relating and connecting with her character more than I thought I would! Sofia is Logan's sister and she finds herself in Lark Cove for an escape from the city gossips. Dakota works at the bar and finds himself in charge of training Sofia as a favor to Thea. The tension and spice with them is some of the best in the series in my opinion. I loved the evolution of their relationship and the growth the characters had. One more book in the series... ready to check another Devney series off the list! Tinsel is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content.

Y'all I cannot stop reading these books. They are like my guilty pleasure. Am I 30 years old and enjoying collegiate romance? Absolutely, and I will not apologize! This is the second installment in the Briar U series, and it follows Brenna Jensen (Coach Jensen's daughter) and Jake Connelly (Harvard's team captain). Their dynamic and banter was so fun to read, and I enjoyed every bit of it. I took off one start simply because I wanted to know more about their resolution and relationship after the book ended. I'm a closure kind of girl through and through, and I just kind of missed that here. This is an enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, and fake dating story, which are all things I love in a romance. The tension and spice was absolutely amazing. I love the way Elle Kennedy writes her characters, both male and female, with different traumas and struggles to overcome. I find the struggles her characters face in her books are realistic and relatable. Brenna has some skeletons in her closet that have caused her to put on a tough exterior. That exterior holds strong until Jake comes along to shake things up. I loved Brenna's healing from everything she went through, especially with her dad. Check triggers for this book, because there are some heavy topics. This is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content, language, and themes.

This book was so good! Unlike the first 2 books of the series, we get multiple POVs which is really cool because you get to see how everyone's stories are intertwined. I sense a big romantic conflict coming for book 4 and this is why I hate love triangles! Elloren has to come to grips with her newfound power while also battling some personal inner conflict. Vogel's power is growing super strong and I sense an epic battle also coming in book 4. Again this book (like the others) focuses on some difficult themes of race conflict and abuse (physical and sexual) so keep that in mind if you plan to read. There are some steamy scenes but they're mild and not graphic. I'd classify this as YA. My only complaint is that there's a cliffhanger ending and I have to wait until February for closure! So damn good. It's been a long time since I've read fantasy YA and have been so consumed and invested in the story. I think the next book is going to be full of adventure, battle, and conflict and I can't wait!

Spoiler-Free Review:

HOLY CRAP, y'all! That ending... That ending! Spoiler-free is always promised here, so feel free to slide into my DMs for all things spoilery. This book was such a ride! A long ride (she is a thick book) but a wild ride throughout. I love that we see so much character development. Not only with Bryce and Hunt but with the cast of side characters as well. I loved that we got so much insight into the lives of the side characters, and I feel like they have become some of my favorite SJM “cadre.” (credit to @nightnursereads for reminding me of the term) There is so much tension in this book. Sexual tension between so many people... it is all very present, and I was here for it. I love that SJM spiced this book up so much. It didn't feel as forced as other books, and I'm not sure if that's because of Bryce and Hunt's age or if I was so ready for payoff after all the tension in HOEAB. The spice was there, and I loved every bit of it. Hello Hunt and hello Ruhn. There is such a mystery to this story. I found myself wanting to figure it all out, but also not knowing who I could trust. I feel like SJM loves to write betrayal and we definitely see a little of that here. There are such amazing friendships in this book, and I continue to love that about every SJM series that I've read. I'm currently rereading ToG, and it's just opened my eyes to how well she writes friendships. We have the cadre and court, the inner circle, and now this amazing cast of characters in Crescent City. The romantic elements in this book were very present and I appreciated that. This book has me thirsting for the next ACOTAR and Crescent City book, but I know we will have to wait a bit.
This book is an adult fantasy, 18+ for themes and sexual content.

Another day, another Devney Perry book. I decided to start the Jamison Valley series and I am just obsessed with these watercolor covers! I must now own them all

I really wanted to absolutely fall in love with this book. There were moments I really enjoyed, but also some things that just fell a bit flat for me. Maybe my expectations were too high? Probably

Y'all I enjoyed this so so much! Helen Hoang's writing is just so good. Her ability to immerse you in a culture while also giving a story that is inclusive and moving. This book takes place after the events of The Kiss Quotient, and we even get a glimpse of Michael and Stella, which I love. This follows Michael's cousin, Khai who's mother is on a mission to get him married. She arranges for Esme to come to the United States from Vietnam to date him. Esme is a single mother who is willing to do anything to create a better life for her daughter. Khai is autistic and has a hard time with relationships and feelings, but with Esme's help, he is able to cope and process everything he is feeling. This is a forced proximity romance, and y'all, the spice is so good. I loved this story so much. It was emotional but also very fun, and if you liked The Kiss Quotient, I think you would really enjoy this book. I love how Helen Hoang gives representation in this series, it all warms my heart so much. I listened to this on audio from Libby and I really enjoyed the narration. It was a single narrator, but she did the different characters well. This is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content, language, and themes.

Still on my Devney Perry shit and definitely not complaining about it. Devney writes some of the best characters, and I've come to really love her stories. I'm loving the town of Lark Cove! Timid follows Jackson, co-owner of the Lark Cove bar, and Willa, a woman who has been crushing on Jackson since he came to town. Jackson has a dark past similar to Thea and has found solace in Lark Cove. One night, he finally notices Willa after she'd been crushing on him for years. This has everything I love about a Devney book: great banter, great plot, and great spice. Timid is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content

I started this series on audio because the library had it, and this first book did not disappoint at all! I love Devney Perry's writing and story telling, it's familiar and reliable. Tattered follows Thea, a woman with a troubled past who sought solace in Lark Cove, and Logan, a wealthy man from New York. After a one night stand 6 years ago, Logan finds himself in Lark Cove doing work for his foundation. He doesn't expect to run into Thea, the woman from 6 years ago, and he doesn't expect her to have a daughter. I loved the way this trope was written so much, it's not always a favorite, but Devney did it justice. I really liked the romance between Thea and Logan— tension, spice, all the things I like. A little bit of a mysterious/suspense element always keeps the pages turning, and this was no exception. Tattered is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content.

Devney Perry!!! I'm screaming, I'm smiling, I can't stop. Iykyk Isaiah!!! I had no idea but when it clicked, it clicked! I LOVE how Devney makes all these connections, not only across books, but also across her series!! Tragic is the fourth book in this series, and I really loved it. Did it punch me in the feels with emotion? Absolutely yes, but the story, the healing that takes place, seeing the characters from other books grow all have lives in Lark Cove

I just finished this book, and y'all, I have so many questions. I am having to use so much self control to not start book 2 right away! I want to be able to devote the time to it though so I'm going to hold off until maybe after the holidays when things slow down. It has been a very long time since a YA book has challenged me the way this one has. The story is more complex than most of the books I've been reading lately, and it was honestly so refreshing. For me, it was kind of slow to start, but by chapter 6 I was fully invested! Kazi and Jase have my heart, and I love them so much both individually and together. This book has lots of amazing tropes: forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and one horse. The sexual tension is absolutely exquisite and palpable. The book is YA so I knew there would be no spice, but the tension is amazing. The banter between the two main characters is so good. There are some parts in this book where my heart was pounding. It's all so well written: the adventure, the romance, the plot and character development. I can't think of anything I didn't like about this book. I absolutely devoured it, and I can't wait to get to book 2 because I have questions that need answering.

Do you read books before you watch a show or movie? Normally, I am 100% that person. I like to read the book first and know what I'm getting myself into with the show. Well, in this instance, I didn't know that The Flight Attendant was based on a book. I watched season 1 of the HBO show when it released, and recently started season 2. It is such a fabulous show! I don't normally like suspense/mystery, but there's a comedic spin with the show and it's just so good. Well, I was browsing Libby looking for my next book to pick up on audio, and I saw this and immediately was like “I didn't know! Now I must read it!” Y'all, It is so good! The narration is so good. There is a full cast of narrators for the different POVs, so I stayed immersed in the story the whole time I listened. This story follows Cassie Bowden who is a flight attendant with a habit of getting very drunk and reckless. She wakes up after a night of drinking to find herself in bed with the body of the man she was with that night. The book follows her journey to help solve his murder. There's secrets and double agents, this book is packed with it all. I loved this book, and I think the TV adaptation is actually pretty close to the actual story while adding some details and side character's stories. This is an adult psychological thriller, 18+ for language and themes.

I finished The Poppy War last night and haven't been able to stop thinking about it. The story, the writing, the characters, the heartbreak. This was my first R.F Kuang book, and it won't be my last. There were moments where I felt so immersed in the world that she created. I did a combined audio and physical book read. The audiobook was extremely well done. Single narrator, but she did an amazing job of bringing the different characters to life. The Poppy War tells the story of Rin, a war orphan who ends up being much more than that. The story is one of the tragedy and brutality of war, and parts of the book were very difficult for me to read. I don't think I'll stop thinking about this book any time soon, and I look forward to seeing the rest of the story play out in books 2 and 3. The Poppy War is an adult fantasy, 18+ for content, themes, and violence.

Continuing down my collegiate romance rabbit hole, I picked up the first book in Elle Kennedy's next series Briar U. It follows after the events of the Off-Campus series. This book follows Fitz and Summer. We get a few glimpses of Fitz throughout Off-Campus and bit of Summer in The Score. I enjoyed this book a lot! Fitz is an introverted collegiate hockey player, and Summer is recently transferred to Briar looking for a fresh start. Close proximity leads to a slow burn romance filled with sexual tension and steamy pay off! I really enjoyed this book and continuing in the world that Elle Kennedy created. I took off one star simply because it didn't consume me quite as much as some of the others did. There are some themes that can be triggering, so check warnings prior to reading. This is a new adult romance, 18+ for themes, sexual content, and language.

I loved this book! I'd met Emmeline and Nick briefly in the Clifton Forge series, but I loved getting to see their beginning and love story. Emmeline thought she would never see Nick again after he left her in Vegas on the night of their marriage. When she takes a job in a small town in Montana to escape the city, she certainly never expected to run into him at a party. There's tension and pining and spice along with everything I've come to expect and love about a Devney Perry book! One character from this book who we meet in another series made me very sad and iykyk but that's all I'm saying to keep things spoiler free! The Clover Chapel is an adult small town romance, 18+ for content

Spoiler-Free Review:

I have been feeling the holiday hangover, y'all, and I read so many amazing books in December that I hit a bit of a slump. Enter Sky in the Deep to save the day! I read this book as part of the Bibliovert Podcast's Sisterhood of the Traveling Books where we send our favorite books to a group and each person annotates it. I read this book for the first time at the beginning of 2021 after hearing Jacklyn from Bibliovert Pod talk about it on one of their episodes. It was a 5 star read then, and it is still a 5 star read! This is a YA enemies to lovers story that follows two young adults from enemy villages. The storytelling that Adrienne Young does in this book is phenomenal! The imagery is excellent and the plot so well thought out. Amazing world building without being terribly complex, which makes it a nice easy read. I am once again simping for Fiske, who is profoundly loyal. Eelyn, the female main character, has such amazing growth and revelations throughout the book. There's amazing friendships and found family! Overall such an amazing read, and so many of the themes could be applied to modern culture. This is very comfortably YA of any age. This was a reread for me but it felt like reading it for the first time. I picked up on so much more this time around, and I definitely this is going to be a comfort read for me from now on!

Possibly Spoilery Review:

The final leg in the An Ember in the Ashes journey has finished, and let me tell you guys, I was not at all prepared for the way this series would end. This book continues to follow our three main characters: Elias, Laia, and Helene and their journey to fight for the greater good. @Sabaa Tahir is a genius and you can't convince me otherwise. This book was the culmination of an amazing series set in an amazing world that is rich in culture, character development, and plot. This series isn't leaving my mind or my heart anytime soon. The depth that the author writes with is beautiful and thought provoking, and I was emotional from the dedication down to the last page. I have said it in every review that I have done of this series, but I will say it again: to read these books is to experience them. Our three main characters come together to fight a common enemy, and their journey to get there is full of tragedy and unexpected twists and turns. So many character arcs that I won't get into because spoilers. I just loved this series so much, and it will now sit up there next to my favorites of this genre. This is a young adult fantasy, 16+ for violence and themes.

I saw this book in the book store and bought it not knowing much about it. I will say, I don't think this book was for me, but it was still a 3 star read. American Queen is a retelling of King Author, Guinevere, and Lancelot's story. I honestly know very little of the tale of King Author, so this didn't really pull my opinion either way. This is an adult 18+ book. Lots of sexual content. Lots of language. I felt like the writing over all as well as the smut was well written. The kinks explored in the book aren't things that I personally gravitate toward, but the writing style was good. I did enjoy the characters and their development. This was my first Sierra Simone book, and I knew it was going to be spicy/smutty which doesn't bother me. However, check trigger warnings because some things/kinks explored throughout the book may not be your cup of tea. Overall, I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I think the writing style is what got me to give it 3, rather than 2, stars. I plan to read other Sierra Simone books, but I will not be continuing this particular series for the reasons I've posted here.

All. Of. The. Emotions. I was ill prepared for the amount of feelings that this series, and specifically this book, would make me feel. This series is the third installment in the An Ember in the Ashes series, and we continue to follow Elias, Laia, and Helene after the events of A Torch Against the Night. I still have so many questions and crave resolution for these characters that I am clearly over attached to. The genius that is Sabaa Tahir... y'all. The writing in this series is superb, and there are so many touches that just are so small but impactful. There is a developing romantic connection that I am craving resolution to because the tension is so thick. In this book, we begin to see the unveiling of some of the secrets that have been building throughout the series. The series is just so raw in the best way. The story is just so raw and beautifully written. I feel like I am experiencing the journey with all of these characters. I cannot wait to dive into book 4 soon and start to see how the story ends. The series has been building up beautifully and I can't wait to see the culmination of the characters' stories.So far, there have been so many unexpected twists and turns and mysteries. I have been thoroughly moved by this series so far, and I honestly think it may become of of my favorites of all time. This is a young adult fantasy, 16+ for violence and themes.

Spoiler-Free Review:

This series has been such an adventure and so much fun. I wish I could say book 4 was just as good as the first 3, but this one fell really flat for me. At the end of The Score, you get an idea of what The Goal is going to be about, and I was thinking that I wouldn't like it as much as the others before I even started. It kind of bothered me that book 3 and 4 happen like in parallel time. So events that had already happened in book 3 hadn't happened yet at the start of book 4 and that was a bit confusing at first. I went into these books completely blind, so I'm not sure if that is discussed anywhere. The male main character, Tucker is attending college at Briar which is up north, but he is from Texas. I found the author's use of southern verbiage a little over the top. Being from the south, I can tell you that most of the guys here do not say “darlin'” that much. I'm not sure if this was done to show like the difference in culture between him and Sabrina, the female main character, but either way it just kind of annoyed me. Lastly, this book revolved around the pregnancy trope, and it's just not my favorite. I have only read a few books where there is a surprise pregnancy that I have enjoyed, and this just wasn't it. The romance is sweet. One-night stand turned lovers, and the spice is well-written. I was very happy with the ending and the way it all wraps up, but it just did not compare to the other books in the series. This is a New Adult Romance, 18+ for themes, sexual content, and language