Showing posts with label 2 Stars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2 Stars. Show all posts

Thursday, January 23, 2025

#BookReview: That Dark Infinity by Kate Pentecost




By night, the Ankou is a legendary, permanently young mercenary. By day, a witch's curse leaves him no more than bones. Caught in an unending cycle of death and resurrection, the Ankou wants only to find the death that has been prophesied for him, especially once he begins to rot while he's still alive....

After the kingdom of Kaer-Ise is sacked, Flora, loyal handmaiden to the princess, is assaulted and left for dead. As the sole survivor of the massacre, Flora wants desperately to find the princess she served. When the Ankou agrees to help her find the princess, and to train her in exchange for her help in breaking his curse, she accepts. But how can she kill an immortal? Especially one whom she is slowly growing to understand—and maybe even to love?

Together, they will solve mysteries, battle monsters, break curses, and race not only against time, but against fate itself.


Friday, January 17, 2025

#BookReview: Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen




Inspired by Kailee Pedersen's own journey being adopted from Nanning, China in 1996 and growing up on a farm in Nebraska, this rich and atmospheric supernatural horror debut explores an ancient Chinese mythology.

The last thing Nick Morrow expected to receive was an invitation from his father to return home. When he left rural Nebraska behind, he believed he was leaving everything there, including his abusive father, Carlyle, and the farm that loomed so large in memory, forever.

But neither Nick nor his brother Joshua, disowned for marrying Emilia, a woman of Asian descent, can ignore such summons from their father, who hopes for a deathbed reconciliation. Predictably, Joshua and Carlyle quickly warm to each other while Nick and Emilia are left to their own devices. Nick puts the time to good use and his flirtation with Emilia quickly blooms into romance. Though not long after the affair turns intimate, Nick begins to suspect that Emilia’s interest in him may have sinister, and possibly even ancient, motivations.

Punctuated by scenes from Nick’s adolescent years, when memories of a queer awakening and a shadowy presence stalking the farm altered the trajectory of his life forever, Sacrificial Animals explores the violent legacy of inherited trauma and the total collapse of a family in its wake.


Friday, January 10, 2025

#BookReview: Full Speed to a Crash Landing (Chaotic Orbits #1) by Beth Revis




A high octane sexy space heist from New York Times-bestselling author Beth Revis, the first in a novella trilogy.

Ada Lamarr may have gotten to the spaceship wreck first, but looter’s rights won’t get her far when she’s got a hole in the side of her ship and her spacesuit is almost out of air. Fortunately for her, help arrives in the form of a government salvage crew—and while they reluctantly rescue her from certain death, they are not pleased to have an unexpected passenger along on their classified mission.

But Ada doesn’t care—all that matters to her is enjoying their fine food and sweet, sweet oxygen—until Rian White, the government agent in charge, starts to suspect that there’s more to Ada than meets the eye. He’s not wrong—but he’s so pretty that Ada is perfectly happy to keep him paying attention to her—at least until she can complete the job she was sent to pull off. But as quick as Ada is, Rian might be quicker—and she may not be entirely sure who’s manipulating who until it’s too late…

A phenomenally fun novella that kicks off a trilogy of sexy space heists and romantic tension, Full Speed to a Crash Landing is packed with great characters and full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.


Thursday, January 09, 2025

#BookReview: Party Favors by Sariah Wilson




For a party planner in awe of the royals, daydreams fit for a queen might come true in a captivating romantic comedy by Sariah Wilson, the USA Today bestselling author of The Hollywood Jinx.

For as long as she can remember, Everly Aprile has been obsessed with the Monterran royals, especially Queen elegant, self-possessed, and living a fairy-tale romance. As for Everly, her career as an event planner has stalled—and so has her love life. Then a wealthy new client wants a sweet-sixteen party that’s fit for an American princess. Practicing her “What Would Kat Do” mantra, Everly offers to bring it to life by immersing herself in everything Monterra.

Call it intervento divino when she meets dizzyingly handsome and charismatic Max Colby, who’s relocated stateside from the Monterran kingdom of her dreams. If Everly promises to be his New York City guide, he’ll teach her the customs and culture of Monterra so her party gets a boost of authenticity. Deal. As their friendship grows, Everly starts falling—but for what? Another unattainable obsession? Max is such a dreamboat that surely he sees her as just a friend.

Her royal to-do list is in order. She’s revamping her life and learning to believe in herself. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a chance for fate to bring Everly her happily ever after after all.


Friday, January 03, 2025

#BookReview: Soul of a Witch by Harley Laroux




Everly

I am the servant of a merciless God. I am the daughter of Its preacher. All my life, my power has been controlled by others. They raised me to be meek and stifled my magic.

But no more.

A brutal murder led me to discover a mysterious house full of magic - and the ancient, powerful demon within. He says my power can change the world, that I can kill the evil creature I once worshipped.

But at what cost?

Callum

For two thousand years, I've been alone. Slaughtering fallen Gods as I searched for the witch that haunted my dreams, begging for my help.

Now that I've found her, I will protect her with my life. But when the fate of Earth, Heaven, and Hell hangs in the balance, not even her soul is safe from destruction.

If a choice must be made, I'll let the world burn if it means having her as my own.

Soul of a Witch is book 3 in the Souls Trilogy . Each book within the Souls Trilogy is interconnected, following a different couple through a similar timeline in the fictional world of Abelaum.

Content Note
This book contains sexual scenes, kink/fetish content, horror elements, and drug use. Please see the book preview for complete CW.


Tuesday, December 31, 2024

#BookReview: A Secret Shared with Sirens (Gods from the Oblivion, #2) by Ariella Isabella



“She was the endless darkness between life and death. Bitter, and consuming. A poison I couldn’t stop drinking, and a cold lake I wanted to drown in. Their souls were one, but Isolde had taken everything Evlyn’s life had to give and sharpened it into power.”

Isolde:
Being pulled from the wreckage of an elven ship by bloodthirsty sirens, I was now surrounded by an entirely different set of creatures with claws and teeth. Achelous, the Father of Sirens and son to the blood mage Medea shines a light on Caspian’s hunt for the mythical blade, the God Killer. His finned daughters are nothing like how I had imagined them, they’re worse, and they are weary of my foul magic. Achelous is reluctant to join the war on the continent, but when the siren’s home is attacked by the Elf King, he’s Helbent on revenge. 

Everyday the darkness grows louder and more corporal, and I swear that I can feel its frigid breath on my neck when it whispers its sweet promises of power and revenge. After traveling with Cadmael, the messenger god who followed me overboard and onto the Elven ship, and the siren Thelxi to the City of Souls, we find out that Silas’ depravity knows no bounds.

If we usurp the treacherous Queen Athalia who will sit on the Arramorian throne? Who will be the voice of humans, in a war wielded by villainous gods and wicked creatures?

Death:
Watching Isolde die the first time was painful, and every other time was like ripping my heart in two. She now knew that I had taken her first life in a twisted deal with the darkness, but what she didn’t know was the depth of her attachment’s powers. This ancient, unfathomable being is manipulating her in front of my eyes and all I can do is plead with her to push it away. To not take the deal I did. 

The greatest fear of a creature who’s claimed power is that someone more cunning and vicious will steal it from him, and Isolde just might be that creature, but she still doesn’t know the whole truth. Her world with Caspian is a lie, and the truth might not set her free.



Sunday, December 08, 2024

#BookReview: Dirty Lying Faeries (The Enchanted Fates, #1) by Sabrina Blackburry




"Dirty Lying Faeries is a wholly entertaining new take on a familiar concept." –Fangirlish

For better or for worse, the newest changeling has arrived . . .

When Thea Kanelos’s best friend drags her to an art gala (that’s definitely not her thing), she doesn’t expect a chance encounter with Devin Grayson to change her life forever. The handsome stranger isn’t just anyone―he’s a powerful fae, charged with bringing Thea into his world.

Believing that she’s always been human, Thea must accept that everything she’s known about herself up until now has been a lie. She’s not human at all. She is a fae―funny, because she doesn’t even believe in faeries.


But with strange creatures now visible on the street and fangs and colors flashing in the shadows, it can’t be denied: faeries are real. And with the Winter Solstice approaching, a magnificent ball will bring her fully into the fae world and draw her closer to Devin with whom she has a deepening and dangerous attraction.

As her new powers awaken, Thea learns she plays a more pivotal role to the fae than she ever imagined. And when the barrier between the human and the fae worlds begins to crack, it will be up to her to save not just herself, but everyone she loves from a terrible fate.

Deeply sensual and darkly magical, Dirty Lying Faeries is the first book in an exciting new series that takes readers inside a universe filled with faeries, dragons and werewolves--and those that love them.


Tuesday, December 03, 2024

#BookReview: The Hunter's Gambit by Ciel Pierlot



 From the award nominated author of Bluebird comes a riveting, spicy fantasy, featuring malevolent vampires and a locked-room escape adventure, perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.

The city of Mavazem is plagued by aristocratic vampires who terrorise the human citizens. But Kazan Korvic refuses to cower. As an expert blacksmith with a sharp grifter’s eye, her specialty lies in crafting - and using - weapons designed to kill the vicious creatures.

But, it turns out, sword skills aren’t quite enough when a whole group of vampires attack her and steal her magical weapon. Kazan is captured and forced to attend the Vampire Court where she is forced to act as their ‘Queen’. For three days she will be waited and doted upon, until the lavish party where her reign will end in an extravagant feast… with Kazan as the main course!

Kazan plans to find her sword and get out except, with no allies in the castle, Kazan can feel the walls closing in. But she soon realises that she is not just trapped with these bloodthirsty bastards; they’re trapped with her too. And they’re not prepared for just how far she’s willing to go to survive.



Sunday, November 17, 2024

#BookReview: The Accidental Sereph (Carran Hollow Fated Mates) by Maci Aurora




When Atlas Black, a bad boy with a reputation in Carran Hollow, walks into The Hole-in-the-Wall bar investigating a demon sighting, it’s mostly business as usual until he comes face-to-face with his calix—his fated-mate. Except Ivy Day, oblivious to the world of serephs and demons, thinks she’s stranded in Carran Hollow because a stupid bus has broken down. She just needs a ride to get to the next bus in order to get to her sister across the country. While the guy in the bar hitting on her is hotter than any human has the right to be, unless he’ll give her a lift, she doesn’t have any patience for anything else. But little does she know, Atlas is about to take her on the ride of her life—that is, as long as they can get through the demons.


Sunday, October 27, 2024

#BookReview: A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated, #1) by Danielle L. Jensen



A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.

Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.

Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.

Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.



Wednesday, October 16, 2024

#BookReview: If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens



ABOUT THIS BOOK:
An enemies to lovers romance with a spooky twist where two feuding writers end up on a writers retreat together at a haunted castle in Scotland

It's been months since horror author Penelope Skinner threw a book at Neil Storm. But he was so infuriating, with his sparkling green eyes and his bestselling horror novels that claimed to break Native stereotypes. And now she’s a publishing pariah and hasn’t been able to write a word since. So when her friend invites her on a too-good-to-be-true writers retreat in a supposedly haunted Scottish castle, she seizes the opportunity. Of course, some things really are too good to be true.

Neil wants nothing less than to be trapped in a castle with the frustratingly adorable woman who threw a book at him. She drew blood! Worse still, she unleashed a serious case of self-doubt! Neil is terrified to write another bestselling “book without a soul,” as Pen called it. All Neil wants is to find inspiration, while completely avoiding her.

But as the retreat begins, Pen and Neil are stunned to find themselves trapped in a real-life ghost story. Even more horrifying, they’re stuck together and a truly shocking (extremely hot) almost-kiss has left them rethinking their feelings, and… maybe they shouldn’t have been enemies at all? But if they can’t stop the ghosts pursuing them, they may never have the chance to find out.

Full of spooky chills and even more sexy thrills, If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens is the funny, fast-paced romp romance readers have been waiting for!

Friday, September 27, 2024

#BookReview: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center



ABOUT THIS BOOK:
She’s rewriting his love story. But can she rewrite her own?

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up. 

Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme. 

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter―even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules―and comes true?

#BookReview: Love Me (A Romance Story) by Francesca Perillo & Stefano Cardoselli (illustrator)



ABOUT THIS BOOK:
Can a robot fall in love? In the bustling streets of New York City, sometime in the far future, robots like JoJo have taken on everyday jobs. Driving a taxi around NYC is all in a day’s work for JoJo, but when he meets the mysterious Gilda, it’s love at first sight!

New York City, sometime in the far future, where robots like JoJo have taken over the tasks humans no longer want to perform…like driving a taxi. JoJo is pretty happy with his lot in life but feels as though something is missing…then he meets Gilda and it’s love at first sight. But the course of true love is a bumpy one and JoJo is going to find that out firsthand when he discovers that Gilda is entangled with the mafia that runs his beloved city, and they're very much against this potential union for their own reasons. Watch out, JoJo!

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

#BookReview: The Housemaid Is Watching (The Housemaid, #3) by Freida McFadden



ABOUT THIS BOOK:
“You must be our new neighbors!” Mrs. Lowell gushes and waves across the picket fence. I clutch my daughter’s hand and smile back: but the second Mrs. Lowell sees my husband a strange expression crosses her face. In that moment I make a promise. We finally have a family home. My past is far, far behind us. And I’ll do anything to keep it that way…

I used to clean other people’s houses—now, I can’t believe this home is actually mine. The charming kitchen, the quiet cul-de-sac, the huge yard where my kids can play. My husband and I saved for years to give our children the life they deserve.

Even though I’m wary of our new neighbor Mrs. Lowell, when she invites us over for dinner it’s our chance to make friends. Her maid opens the door wearing a white apron, her hair in a tight bun. I know exactly what it’s like to be in her shoes. 

But her cold stare gives me chills…

The Lowells’ maid isn’t the only strange thing on our street. I’m sure I see a shadowy figure watching us. My husband leaves the house late at night. And when I meet a woman who lives across the way, her words chill me to the bone: Be careful of your neighbors.

Did I make a terrible mistake moving my family here?

I thought I’d left my darkest secrets behind. But could this quiet suburban street be the most dangerous place of all?

Thursday, September 12, 2024

#BookReview: Bloodguard (Old Erth #1) by Cecy Robson



ABOUT THIS BOOK:
One hundred years. Tens of thousands of gladiators. And today, only one will rise…

Everything in the Kingdom of Arrow is a lie.

Leith of Grey thought coming to this new land and volunteering to fight in the gladiator arena—vicious, bloodthirsty tournaments where only the strongest survive—would earn him enough gold to save his dying sister. He thought there was nothing left to lose.

He was wrong—and they took everything. His hope. His freedom. His very humanity.

All Leith has left is his battle-scarred body, fueled by rage and hardened from years of fighting for the right to live another day.

Then Leith meets Maeve, an elven royal who is everything he despises. Everything he should hate. Until the alluring princess offers him the one thing he needs most: a chance to win the coveted title of Bloodguard—and his freedom.

But in a kingdom built on secrets and lies, hope doesn’t come cheap.

Nor will his ultimate revenge…

Wednesday, September 11, 2024

#BookReview: How to Help a Hungry Werewolf (The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures, 1) by Charlotte Stein



ABOUT THIS BOOK:
What We Do in the Shadows with the small town feels of Gilmore Girls in this swoon-worthy romance that will leave readers delightfully cozy and hungry for more.

When Cassandra Camberwell returns to her hometown of Hollow Brook to clear out her late grandmother’s ramshackle old house, the last thing she expects is Seth Brubaker on her doorstep. Her former best friend was responsible for the worst moment of her high school life, and she can’t imagine he wants to do anything but torment her all over again.

Until she unearths the real reason this annoyingly gorgeous beast of a man keeps hanging around: he’s an actual werewolf, who’s certain she’s the witch that will ease his suffering. But Cassie just isn’t sure if she can trust him again. So Seth offers a pact: he’ll teach her all about her undiscovered magic, and she will brew the potions he needs. No feelings, no funny business, just a witch and a werewolf striking a deal.

Totally doable. Until they get hit with a do-or-die mating bond. And now the heat is rising, in between fights with formers bullies and encounters with talking raccoons. They just have to not give in. Unless giving in just might be the very thing they never knew they always wanted.

Friday, August 30, 2024

#BookReview: The Accidental Sereph (Carran Hollow Fated Mates, #1) by Maci Aurora




ABOUT THIS BOOK:
When Atlas Black, a bad boy with a reputation in Carran Hollow, walks into The Hole-in-the-Wall bar investigating a demon sighting, it’s mostly business as usual until he comes face-to-face with his calix—his fated-mate. Except Ivy Day, oblivious to the world of serephs and demons, thinks she’s stranded in Carran Hollow because a stupid bus has broken down. She just needs a ride to get to the next bus in order to get to her sister across the country. While the guy in the bar hitting on her is hotter than any human has the right to be, unless he’ll give her a lift, she doesn’t have any patience for anything else. But little does she know, Atlas is about to take her on the ride of her life—that is, as long as they can get through the demons.

Saturday, August 17, 2024

#BookReview: The Unbroken Queen (The Bone Throne, #1) by Terina Adams




ABOUT THIS BOOK:
Born illegitimate. Trained an assassin. Crowned a queen.

As an illegitimate princess, I’m bound by duty and betrothed to the crown prince of the House of Tannard, rulers of the nearby realms. However, beneath the royal façade, I serve as a loyal disciple of the formidable Sistern of Silence, the masters of soul voice. The sacred legacy of the death arts, a rare gift, courses through my veins, a heritage from my father’s line.

Upon reaching the distant shores of Tarragona to meet my betrothed, I discover I've been manipulated by the Mother of the Sistern. I was chosen to be the future queen for a reason I can’t yet fathom—a reason that could bring catastrophic consequences upon the realms.

As the northern realm's thirst for power intensifies and its enigmatic Razohan leader aims to reclaim the southern throne and the prized Etherweave, my disdain for my fiancé seems inconsequential, overshadowed by the imminent specter of war.

To protect the House of Tannard and maintain the delicate equilibrium of power, I must delve deeper into the clandestine pillars of the Sistern and awaken the lethal power of the death arts, lying dormant within me. 

In a world where treachery and concealed truths dominate, I must remember that in war, love and mercy are luxuries none can afford. I've pledged my allegiance to the House of Tannard, rendering the seductive Razohan leader—my persistent shadow—my adversary.

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

#BookReview: Of Starlight and Midnight by Amy Kuivalainen




ABOUT THIS BOOK:
Of Starlight and Midnight combines adventure, romance, magic, and Norse myth and shows that some Fates are worth fighting for, especially when the Norns get involved. It's been two years since light-elf brothers Aramis and Søren fought beside Anya in Russia. The Álfr mountain city of Svetilo is safe once more, but their books and relics are still scattered on the supernatural black market. When Aramis gets a lead on a book of magic, he and Søren decide to investigate and find more than they bargained for. Librarian Asta is still grieving over the death of her mother. All she wants to do is hide at the University of Oslo, unravel the mysteries of the strange book she inherited, and hang out with Tyra-the cool Norwegian cousin she never knew she had. The last thing she wants is to help arrogant Dr. Søren Madsen work on his book, no matter how good-looking he is, but she doesn't want to get fired so she reluctantly agrees. Søren knows Asta is hiding something and when they are attacked by dark elves, he and Aramis will stop at nothing to learn the truth about the two mysterious women. But Tyra has a past of her own, and she'll do anything to protect Asta's secrets, even if it means siding with the dangerous light-elf brothers in a deadly war of dark and light.