Emily

Literally, I am so incredibly shook by this book! I should probably take some time to process before writing my review, but I'm riding the high. This book moved me in ways I didn't think I could be moved by a YA fantasy. The storytelling in this book is impeccable. The whole experience of reading it was incredibly immersive. The imagery, the characters, the struggles, the pain... every bit of it was so well done. This is book 1 of 4 in the An Ember in the Ashes Series, and let me tell you, I will be downloading book 2 immediately after I write this review. @sabaa tells us the story of two individuals find themselves in desperate situations. One character craves freedom from a life of cruelty and the other longs for family. Both of these characters come together with a common goal of doing the right thing for the right reasons. Laia is a great female main character. Her longing and determination throughout the book are deeply felt. Elias... Oh Elias. This poor tortured and damaged man tugged on my heartstrings throughout the entire book. Reading his POV often created a visceral response from me. The way the author describes his desperation to be free and the things he has to do and witness stirred up all the feelings for me. I'm getting slow burn romance vibes, but we only get slight glimpses of that in this book... obviously hoping for more in future books! This book evoked so much emotion from me. I was angry one page, crying on others, cheering on my favorites the next. I love when a book checks all the boxes, and this one certainly did. There is a trials sequence, which has me on the edge of my seat with my heart pounding nearly every single trial. This is a YA Fantasy series, I personally think 16+ for themes and violence.

Spoiler-Free Review:

Dean. That's it. That's my review. One word... Dean. Not really, but y'all I think this might be my favorite of the three books that I've read! A drunken one-night stand turns a wild party boy into a romantic. I found that this book was spicier than the others and that the spicy scenes were definitely more frequent. Allie is a confident main character who is trying to find herself after exiting a four year relationship. Dean is a “hook-ups only” kind of dude who finds himself enraptured by Allie. Dean is dealing with some skeletons in his closet as well as figuring out what he wants to do with his life after college. The spicy scenes in this book are so fun and well-written. This book had me laughing out loud at parts and almost crying at others. I just feel so attached to these characters, and hope to get to more soon. This book, like the rest, has some triggering themes so be mindful before reading.

Spoiler-Free Review:

I'd like to thank the author for an ARC of this book! Life got a little wild this past week, so I am just getting around to finishing and reviewing this book. This is book 2 in The Cursed Queens series, and it follows the events of book 1, The Night's Chosen. This story, however, is told from two new points of view- Alvis and Myra. Myra is a trying to find her purpose after being freed from Amelia's clutches and finds herself as a servant in the The Golden Palace. Alvis is a prince whose parents are pressuring him to marry after the events of book 1. This is a Cinderella retelling, and the way it is done is so unique. E.E. Hornburg has a great ability to spin a fairytale, and I think I can sense what fairytale she will tackle next. This is a friends to lovers romance that delivers on the steam! I can't wait to read the next book in this series and find out where everything is going! This book is an adult fantasy romance, 18+ for sexual content

Did I just binge this book? Yes, I absolutely did! I can already tell that this series is going to be a guilty pleasure series for me. Is the storyline a bit predictable? Yea, but I don't even mind! I am obsessed with the characters that Elle Kennedy has created for the series, and I am starving for more. Does this mean I will continue on my binge? Absolutely. This book follows Logan and Grace and their journey. It starts off with one night stand vibes, but ends with Logan proving his love and his worth. Their romance is so tender and adorable. Logan carries a weight around with him that makes me want to jump through my kindle and just give him a fictional hug. Their sexual tension is thick, y'all! The payoff is worth it though. I am addicted to this series and cannot wait to binge the rest! As with the previous book, there may be some topics that are triggering, so definitely check the warnings before reading. This is an New Adult Romance, 18+ for themes, language, and sexual content.

I think it's safe to assume that I will binge this series over the next few days. I am absolutely blown away! I feel like in fantasy sometimes there is a second book slump, but no slump here! This book was just as action packed as An Ember in the Ashes! I can't rave enough about how immersive Sabaa Tahir's writing is. Reading this series is experiencing this series. I've felt just a spectrum of emotions since starting this book. We continue to follow Laia, Elias, and Helene with multi-POV which I love. Elias's POV was my favorite in An Ember in the Ashes, but I really loved getting inside Helene's head a bit in this book. Both of their stories are filled with such inner turmoil and conflict, and @sabaatahir writes this beautifully. I really enjoyed that this book was very “mission” driven. I loved that there was a big goal that really kept the pages turning. There is a bit of a glimpse into the potential for a romantic relationship, but it is the slowest burn ever. There is a “one horse” moment which is always super fun. This book is filled with twists and turns, tragedy, sacrifice, betrayals, struggles... everything! I think this series is much darker than the YA fantasy series that I've read in the past, and I'm really enjoying the complexity that brings. The main characters all have such depth and a complexity that I haven't read in a really long time. Will I be downloading A Reaper at the Gates immediately? Absolutely! This is a YA fantasy series, 16+ for violence and themes.

Spoiler-Free Review:

Y'all, I have been on a fantasy kick and I am loving it. How am I going to ever recover from so many amazing reads back to back?! Book 1 of this duology, Dance of Thieves, was amazing, and the ending had me starving for book 2. It did not disappoint at all! Kazi and Jase have carved their names in my mind, and I couldn't be more happy about it! There is some of the best banter between them throughout the book, and their romance is so tender. The romance is such a sweet piece of this book. The friendship between Kazi, Synove', and Wren is so fierce and everyone needs friends like them. I feel like I held my breath for most of this book, constantly needing to know what was going to happen. It kept me turning the pages with so many unexpected twists. There's action, mystery, romance and an amazing story of forgiveness. The writing, the imagery, the plot all were so incredible. This book has it all and if you haven't read this duology yet, you need to! This is a YA series and in my opinion appropriate for all YA readers.

Thank you to my friend, Rhi for recommending this book to me. Being from the south, I know very little about hockey, but that did not stop me from enjoying these books! I quickly became consumed by Hannah and Garett's stories and could not stop reading. This book starts out with a fake dating trope and quickly develops into more. They have the sweetest romance and the spice was so good! I love the escapism that I felt going back to collegiate years and living through Hannah. I loved that they came from completely different “worlds” but found each other. Both of them have pretty traumatic pasts that effect the way they experience each other at first. Hannah and Garrett find peace in each other, and help one another overcome difficulties of their pasts. Check trigger warnings for this book because there are definitely come triggering topics that are discussed. This is a New Adult Romance and 18+ for themes, sexual content and language.

Potentially Spoilery Review (if you haven't read The Witch Collector yet):

Holy Moly, Charissa Weaks! What have you done to my heart? What have you done to my brain? I am BEGGING you all, if you haven't read The Witch Collector yet, please please please read it! This series has everything I love about adult high fantasy. Complex world building with twists, turns, and connections you don't see coming, action scenes that had me holding my breath, spicy romance, and it's multi-POV. If y'all have been here a bit, you know I love a multi-POV story. I love how much more rounded out the story feels by seeing it on all sides. When I wrote my review for The Witch Collector, my only critique was that I wanted more from Alexus, and boy do you get more of him in City of Ruin— so much more! The story continues where it left off in TWC. The pacing for me was pretty fast , but I am also super invested in these characters' stories. We meet more amazing side characters which include many strong females and diverse characters, which I loved. Charissa upped the spice in this book, and I was here for every bit of it! There's a one horse moment (underrated trope in my opinion and on of my favorites) and a ‘good girl' moment

Another great read from Elle Kennedy that I devoured in like 24hrs! This is book picks up where Misfit left off, but this time the main storyline revolves around Casey. We still get glimpses of RJ and Sloane with I enjoyed because I love them. Casey is Sloane's younger sister, and she was involved in an accident that's left her with some memory loss and ptsd. The mystery of what happened that night still haunts her but she eventually finds friendship and solace in Fenn. I really like Fenn and I guess I sort of have a soft spot for him. The book is written in multi POV so there are some subplots happening in the background, but the main focus is Casey and Fenn's navigation of turning from friends to lovers. It also centers on Casey coping with her trauma and feeling like her father and Sloane have put her in a bubble with their overprotective tendencies. I wouldn't say this is a spicy book. There are definitely a few scenes but they're not frequent. There's mystery, there's secrets, a twist at the end, an amazing cast of characters, and so many things I love, and as usual the writing was great! I took off one star because I found Casey hard to connect with. Maybe that's because she is an older teenager and I'm 31– I'm not sure, but I enjoyed it over all. This is a new adult series, 18+ for sexual content, language, situations.

There's something about reading a book that a friend loves and loving it so much yourself. It's just so special to share love for the same stories and share what you experienced while reading. I have loved the movie, Practical Magic, for a very long time, but I never had read the book. I'm usually very much a read before watching girlie, but I didn't even realize the film was adapted from the book until a few years ago. This is a beautiful story of mothers and daughters, sisters, friendship, and love. It's a much deeper look into the lives of our favorite Owens women and their relationship with love and everything that love brings with it. This edition has an introduction written by the author, and she spoke about how she hears often from readers of how their mothers shared this story with them. This story is truly multi-generational— you have the aunts, Sally and Gillian, and Antonia and Kylie (Sally's daughters). Three generations of Owens women determined to not be like the generation before them, but through life discovering the importance of love and family. As someone who has sisters, friends I view as sisters, and three daughters, this story really spoke to me! Practical Magic is adult fiction, 16+ for language and content.

Spoiler-Free Review:

I went into this book mostly blind and I really enjoyed it! Based on the cover, I could tell it was going to be a love triangle which I don't always hate. I really loved the ending of this book! I cannot go into details without being spoilery, so if you're curious, and want spoilers, just shoot me a message. This story follows Molly. She is returning home for the summer before college after spending her senior year at a boarding school. She is not met with a warm welcome from her peers after the events that happened before she went to the boarding school. Gabe and Patrick are brothers and both enamored with Molly. So hard to not be spoilery here. Both guys play games with Molly's heart and mind. If you like a YA contemporary or coming of age, I say this is for you. This is pretty firmly YA, 16+ for mentions for mentions of sexual content (there are no explicit scenes) and language

Returning to Cottonwood Cove as my first read of the new year was the perfect choice. I love Laura Pavlov's writing and stories so much. She creates amazing characters and worlds that just suck you in. On the Shore is book 3 in the Cottonwood Cove series, and it follows Brinkley Reynolds, a sports reporter recently let go from her job, and Lincoln Hendrix, an NFL football player seeking some quiet time in Cottonwood Cove. Brinkley and Lincoln's paths had crossed before, but it wasn't a positive encounter, so they were surprised to see each other in Brinkley's hometown. This story is enemies to lovers bliss! There's a strong female lead, great communication, and no third act breakup! Not to mention the romance is

DNF 49% pacing is too slow for me

What an emotional rollercoaster this book was! This was such a good read. It felt wholesome and I felt very connected to the main character while reading. Breathless is a YA novel about two teens who find themselves on the same island one summer. These characters both have had life events that brought them to the island, and they end up finding each other and start to make peace with their pasts. I loved the setting of this book. It's set on an island off the coast of Georgia, and I appreciated the nod to all things southern. Everything from the mossy live oak trees to the need for insect repellant to the noisy cicadas of summertime, it was all described beautifully. This was a coming of age story centered around our main female character, Claude- short for Claudine. At 18, she is discovering so much about herself, her friendship, her sexuality, and her family. There were moments where I could reminisce on my angsty teen years, especially in her relationship with her mother. This story touches on family trials, the importance of friendship, and first loves. I took off one star because I simply wanted more closure for the two main characters. I was so invested in their journeys, and I wanted so much more for them. As a reader I hope they both got what they were searching for, but I wanted to know for sure. There are some things that could be triggering so check the warnings or DM me if you can't find any. Amazon says 14+ but personally I feel like there were themes that were more mature so I'm going to say 16-18+. There was a lot of focus on sex and while it wasn't graphic or “on page,” I still feel like it would be a little too mature for 14.

It is always a good time being back at Briar University, but this book reinforced why I love Elle Kennedy so much. The Dixon Rule follows Diana, cheer leader for Briar and BFF to GiGi Graham, and Shane, member of Briar's men's hockey team. Shane Lindley is a MMC that I know will be stuck in my head for a while. He's literally the whole package: he's sexy, kind, and communicates like a dream. Diana and Shane find themselves living at the same condo complex, which Diana doesn't love. Some events transpire which leads them to set aside their rivalry and pretend to be dating—which we all know leads to development of real feelings swoon. I loved everything about this book. It is funny, it is sexy as hell, and it was emotional. With tropes like forced proximity, fake dating, enemies to lovers what's not to like? The Dixon Rule reminded me so much of some of Elle Kennedy's earlier works and I loved that! This book does cover some heavy topics so please check trigger warnings or DM me. The Dixon Rule is an adult sports romance 18+ for content and themes.

What an emotional ride! This book was everything I wanted and more! Following the events of The Long Way Home, BJ and Magnolia have to navigate their new reality with the help of their box set. So much healing happens in this book, but it is definitely an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, cried, got angry, and everything in between. The way the Jessa Hastings has written these characters is truly art. It's so bittersweet that this is the last Magnolia book, but I couldn't be happier with the resolution they received. The found family in this series is truly one of a kind, and I love them so so much! These are definitely character driven books, but I love the characters so much I didn't mind it one bit. I absolutely cannot wait for the next Daisy book because I think lots of things are happening that we don't get to see (yet). This book should have come with a trigger warning I think. If you've read the rest in the series, then it may not be triggering for you. I found this content to be much heavier than previous books. Feel free to dm me if you want more info on warnings. The Magnolia Parks Universe is Adult Romance 18+ for sexual content and themes

I thought this was a super cute and fun novella. Wanted a bit more development from the characters but didn't expect it knowing it was only a novella.

I haven't read many Peter Pan inspired books that I've enjoyed, but this one I liked a lot. Never follows Daphne, Wendy's great great grand daughter. The majority of her teenage years, her grandmothers wait for Peter Pan to come and take Daphne to Neverland as he did with them many many years ago, but he never comes. At 17 she thinks that he may never come for her, until one night he appears in her window. Daphne is taken on an adventure to Neverland and everything she thought she knew and understood to be rational is challenged. Neverland is full of secrets and mysterious characters like faeries, mermaids, and pirates. This book does have a love triangle, but I find myself rooting for one of the characters significantly more than the other. Fans of the writing style that Jessa uses in the Magnolia Parks series will like the style used in this book. This is a very character driven book, so if you're looking for a more plot driven story, this may not be for you. I found the characters frustrating at times, but I think it's intentional in the writing and to the story. I am very much intrigued and can't wait for book 2! Never is an Adult romance, 18+ for some sexual content and themes

When I saw this book on my library's app I didn't know it was part of a series, so alas I've read them out of order. It did not affect my reading experience for this book and I still feel like I got the whole picture. Plot Twist was such a cute and sexy read with emotion woven throughout. I thought the writing and representation was great! This story follows Sophie, an author on a deadline, and Dash, a former actor. This story is one of discovering yourself and looking beyond the things you think make you unlovable. I loved it and thought the audiobook was well done with a single narrator. Plot Twist is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content and themes. Reach out or look up possible triggers. I did not see a trigger warning page in the ebook, but I think there should be one.

Ford Grant

Am I emotionally stable enough to write this right now? Probably not, but I just have to get my thoughts out. This is the fourth installment in The Black Witch Chronicles, and it did not disappoint at all. I didn't give it 5 stars, however, because for me the pacing was a bit slow the first 70% of the book. That last 30% though- oof, I couldn't stop turning the pages. I really enjoyed the fact that this book was multi-POV (literally everyone's POV)but I do feel like maybe some of it could've been condensed or maybe written as a novella. This book follows the events of The Shadow Wand, and it further explores the heartbreaking reality of prejudices among different communities and their impact on the world. It opens different groups' eyes to the fact that they will need to look beyond their issues in order to fight the bigger evil. The characters explore the hardship of being a young adult in times of conflict while also navigating simply being a young adult and all that comes with that. There so much growth for so many of the amazing cast of side characters that Laurie Forest has created. There are moments of romance, longing, and tension. The anxiety and urgency I felt in the last 25% of this book... I am not okay, but I am definitely hungry for the fifth book. If you've read this book, feel free to message me all of your thoughts! There are some things that may be triggering for readers, so I would check for trigger warnings. This is a YA Fantasy series 16+ for themes.

Finn and Lexie! Ugh I loved this so much! NS Perkins book are always a treat and this was no exception. Where We Belong is the second book in the Evermore series and follows after Where Time Stands Still. The story follows Finn and Lexie. It's a sports romance story centered around gymnastics which was super fun to read because I don't feel like I've seen that often. There's forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine (but she's the grump), tension, spice, all the things! I loved this so much and will continue to read anything NS Perkins writes! Where We Belong is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content. Release is 11/21/23

I'm so sad this series is over! It's been such a fun journey with these amazing characters that Elsie Silver has created for us. The conclusion of this series is so bittersweet, because as sad as I am that it's over, I'm so excited to see what else Elsie has in store for us! Hopeless follows the final Eaton sibling, Beau. He is hardened from his time in the military and suffering from PTSD. One night at a bar he sees Bailey, a bartender from a family with a bad reputation that she is trying to get away from. They make a bet that being with an Eaton won't make the town see her differently (enter fake fiancé trope)! Right off the bat there is so much tension. And the spice... the spice is definitely spicy! I loved Bailey's naivety and Beau's ability to be so sweet and tender with her but also extremely sexy! Both Beau and Bailey are trying to escape things and end up finding themselves in each other. It's really such a sweet romance! Age gap, fake fiancé, a little forced prox drizzled in there. Hopeless is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content and themes

It was nice to be back on Rebel Blue Ranch! I really enjoyed Done and Dusted so picking up Swift and Saddled was a no-brainer. Swift and Saddled follows Ada, an interior designer looking for a fresh start, and Wes, one of the Ryder siblings who wants to make his family proud. I really loved the mental health representation in this story and the openness with which it was talked about. I felt like the story was good and the romance was definitely 5 Stars. The third act break up felt unnecessary to the story. I also felt like the book itself could have been longer. Look, I love that her books are shorter and aren't these 500+ page chunkers, but I think the characters could've been a little more developed. I would have loved a deeper look into Wes and Ada because I loved the bits she did give us. Overall I liked it. I will definitely be picking up the next one when it releases. Swift and Saddled is an adult romance, 18+ for sexual content

Spoiler-free review:

I picked up this book for 2 reasons. First, you never know when you will need a quick read to fill space, and second, I love the movie Stardust! The book was very similar to the movie and it was nice to be able to picture the characters from the movie to visualize those in the book. Obviously things were different in the movie for dramatic effect, but I found it to be fairly similar. This was a quick read (only 233 pages) and such a sweet fairytale. Epic adventure, fantasy and even a little romance thrown in there. I docked a star simply because the writing style was hard for me to understand at times. If you're looking for a quick read with lots of adventure, definitely pick this up!