#BookReview: Destructively Mine (Webs We Weave, #2) by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie

Synopsis: Ex-grifter Phoebe Graves’ new life threatens to come crashing down around her in the next novel of the Addicted series.

As the daughter of a con artist, Phoebe Graves only knew a life of swindling the rich until her best friend and fellow grifter, Hailey Tinrock, proposed an idea to start a new, honest life in a wealthy college town of Connecticut. Once there, they decided to leave behind their deceitful tricks and be truthful for once. But you know what they say about best intentions. . . .

While Phoebe is fake-dating Jake Waterford, the third-born son to an uber-wealthy and influential family, she’s actually dating and falling deeper in love with Brayden “Rocky” Tinrock—Hailey’s older brother. To make matters more complicated, Phoebe’s mother shows up out of the blue with conniving match-making designs of her own.

Her mother’s arrival threatens to unravel Phoebe’s plans. To keep her love, her friends, and her newfound happiness, Phoebe will have to return to her old games . . . and win.

#BookReview: The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide

Synopsis: Set in Regency England, The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide is a queer historical fantasy of magic, murder, high heat and humour.

Lord Nicholas Monterris, the last remaining heir of a crumbling ducal house, must marry to save his family from complete decline. His father chooses Lady Leaf Serral, eldest daughter of his greatest rival, at which point Nic is sure it can’t get any worse. Until he learns the head negotiator is to be Dashiell sa Vare, an old flame he has neither forgiven nor forgotten, a man their rigid class structure forbids him to love.

Locked in the mouldering grandeur of Monterris Court (a house more haunting manifestation of dynastic ambition and ancestral guilt than home), the first dead body is troubling. The second, a warning that someone doesn’t want the contract to go ahead. But while Nic and his wife-to-be team up to banter their way through a secret murder investigation, it’s Dashiell he can’t stop thinking about. What would be worse? To love and have to let go, or to wholly deny the yearning of one’s heart forever?

Perfect for fans of Freya Marske and Alexis Hall, The Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide is the perfect blend of gothic and romantic – including a locked room murder mystery, forbidden love and otherworldly automatons.

#BookReview: Their Monstrous Hearts by Yigit Turhan

Synopsis: A haunting novel about the boundaries people will cross to keep their dreams alive.

A mysterious stranger shows up at Riccardo’s apartment with some news: his grandmother Perihan has died, and Riccardo has inherited her villa in Milan along with her famed butterfly collection.

The struggling writer is out of options. He’s hoping the change of scenery in Milan will inspire him, and maybe there will be some money to keep him afloat. But Perihan’s house isn’t as opulent as he remembers. The butterflies pinned in their glass cases seem more ominous than artful. Perihan’s group of mysterious old friends is constantly lurking. And there’s something wrong in the greenhouse.

As Riccardo explores the decrepit estate, he stumbles upon Perihan’s diary, which might hold the key to her mysterious death. Or at least give him the inspiration he needs to finish his manuscript.

But he might not survive long enough to write it.

#BookReview: The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner

Synopsis:
Sisters Cassie and Zoe Grossberg were born just a year apart but could not have been more different. Zoe, blessed with charm and beauty, yearned for fame from the moment she could sing into a hairbrush. Cassie was a musical prodigy who never felt at home in her own skin and preferred the safety of the shadows.

On the brink of adulthood in the early 2000s, destiny intervened, catapulting the sisters into the spotlight as the pop sensation the Griffin Sisters, hitting all the touchstones of early aughts fame—SNL, MTV, Rolling Stone magazine—along the way.

But after a whirlwind year in the public eye, the band abruptly broke up.

Two decades later, Zoe’s a housewife; Cassie’s off the grid. The sisters aren’t speaking, and the real reason for the Griffin Sisters’ breakup is still a mystery. Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, who’s determined to be a star in spite of Zoe’s warnings, is on a quest to learn the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.

As secrets emerge, all three women must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other—and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?

#BookReview: Kingdom of the Two Moons (Fallen Angels #1) by Alexandra Thomashoff

Synopsis:
"In the world of shadows, safety is a fleeting illusion. A gift can become a dangerous burden."

A dark, immortal angel.

A savage world on the brink of war.

A sinister prophecy. And a girl who holds the power to change it all forever.

In a world where destiny is a cruel captor, Melody has never known freedom. Her life has been a prison, shackled by a ruthless magic harvester hungry for her rare gifts. She has been a pawn in a game she cannot win—until one fateful night, when she manages to escape.

But her fleeting hope is crushed when the mesmerizingly beautiful fae warrior Riven captures her and drags her into the shadowy Court of the Two Moons, ruled by the Dark Lord Caryan, a fallen angel cloaked in icy cruelty.

Enslaved and with her destiny now in Caryan’s unforgiving hands, Melody begins to unravel the harrowing truths behind her captivity. Little does she know, she is ensnared in a treacherous web of lies and longing, caught between her deep, rippling attraction toward Riven and the otherworldly allure of Caryan, whose very essence is everything she fears—and desires.

When her own slumbering powers awaken, they bind Melody helplessly to Caryan’s unholy magic, and to a sinister prophecy that cleaves her soul into pieces.

As mighty armies clash and shadows threaten to consume this world, she must make a decision that could cost her everything.

Who can kill an immortal angel?

Only a silver elf. 

And Melody just happens to be the last.

#BookReview: Bad Blood by Sarah Hornsley

Synopsis:
A double murder. A toxic past. A family secret. There's no law against keeping secrets...My name is Justine Stone.I left home twelve years ago, never to return.Now my ex-boyfriend, Jake, has been accused of a double murder in the town where we grew up. It's my job as a barrister to make the case against him.But to face the courts, I need to know the truth. The real truth about what happened when we were young - not just the story I'll spin the jury.To reach the heart of it, I must face up to the part my own family played.Even if it means risking my life.

#BookReview: Dragonhart (Dragonhart #1) by Abbie Eaton

Synopsis:
The brand new Sunday Times bestseller fantasy romance debut for fans of Sarah A. Parker and Rebecca Yarros. The dragons are gone, and the kingdoms are falling. Not even the gods can save them now…

Arla Reinhart, personal assassin to the King of Hadalyn, doesn’t believe in the gods and their dragons who once served the people – not after they abandoned her when she needed them most. But when shipments start going missing and the kingdoms begin to crumble, they may be the only ones who can help.

Forced into working with the arrogant – yet unmistakably handsome –ambassador of the kingdom that killed her parents, Arla must place her hatred for Hark Stappen to one side as they journey across kingdoms, dining with royalty and fighting in taverns, and make an alarming discovery that shatters her heart and forces her to question everything – and everyone – she knows…

#BookReview: Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen

Synopsis:
"I'm in your blood, and you are in mine…"

The Netherlands, 1887. Lucy's twin sister Sarah is unwell. She refuses to eat, mumbles nonsensically, and is increasingly obsessed with a centuries-old corpse recently discovered on her husband's grand estate. The doctor has diagnosed her with temporary insanity caused by a fever of the brain. To protect her twin from a terrible fate in a lunatic asylum, Lucy must unravel the mystery surrounding her sister's condition, but it's clear her twin is hiding something. Then again, Lucy is harboring secrets of her own, too.

Then, the worst happens. Sarah's behavior takes a turn for the strange. She becomes angry… and hungry. 

Lucy soon comes to suspect that something is trying to possess her beloved sister. Or is it madness? As Sarah changes before her very eyes, Lucy must reckon with the dark, monstrous truth, or risk losing her forever.

#BookReview: Exquisite Ruin (The Labyrinth #1) by AdriAnne May

Synopsis:
In this darkly romantic reimagining of the Minotaur myth, a sorceress and a demon are entwined in sensual battle to escape a deadly maze and reclaim their freedom.

In this deadly maze, the most dangerous thing may be the passion between them.

Sadaré wakes in a labyrinth, remembering nothing except that she is a powerful sorceress. Her only companion is a hostile immortal named Daesra—beautiful, dangerous, and demonic—who bound his divine soul for power and revenge.

Despite their animosity, the two have no choice but to work together to reach the center and defeat the monster who prevents their escape. But the longer they wander, the more deadly and alive the maze becomes—and the more Sadaré finds herself drawn to Daesra in ways she can't explain.

As sorceress and demon develop a tenuous truce, the labyrinth gives Sadaré glimpses of their shared history of passion and pain that make her question everything she knows. Unlocking the secrets of her past may be the only way to survive and heal their entwined fates—but as she learns more about the betrayals that brought them to the labyrinth, Sadaré begins to fear that the monster at the center could be Daesra ... or even herself.

#BookReview: Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen

Synopsis:
Love, family, and food collide in this sparkling Romeo and Juliet-inspired romance.

Julie Wu and Randall Hur used to be best friends. Now they only see each other on Saturdays at the Pasadena Farmers Market where their once close families are long-standing rivals.

When Julie and Randall are paired with ultra-rich London Kim for a community-service school project, they are forced to work together for the first time in years. It quickly becomes obvious that London has a major crush on Julie. But Julie can’t stop thinking about Randall. And Randall can’t stop thinking about how London is thinking about Julie. Soon, prompted by a little jealousy and years of missing each other, school project meetings turn into pseudo dates at their favorite Taiwanese breakfast shop and then secret kisses at the beach—far from the watchful eyes of their families.

Just as they’re finally feeling brave enough to tell their grandmas, the two matriarchs rehash their old fight and Julie and Randall get caught in the middle and Julie’s brother finds out they are dating. Their families are heartbroken.

But it’s the Year of the Dragon, an auspicious time to resolve disagreements and start anew, and Randall isn’t going down without fighting for what—and who—they love. Could the Lunar New Year provide not only a second chance for Randall and Julie, but for their families as well?

Jennifer Chen’s Hangry Hearts is a funny, big-hearted romance about friendship, family, and first love—and being brave enough to have it all.

#BookReview: Blood Beneath the Snow (Blood & Souls Duology #1) by Alexandra Kennington

Synopsis:
A heart-pounding romantasy following a rebellious princess who must compete to the death against her siblings for the crown to ensure justice, while fighting her feelings for her country's most powerful enemy by debut author Alexandra Kennington.

Revna is no stranger to struggle. As the only member of the royal family without a magical ability, she is seen as an embarrassing mistake to her kingdom and a blight on her family tree. Luckily, Revna has found family in other outcasts in her kingdom. But when her two closest friends’ lives are put in danger, she is determined to save them by any means necessary, no matter the cost. The Bloodshed Trials—a competition where the last sibling in the royal family standing takes the throne—might just be the ultimate price.

Revna turns down her arranged marriage and commits to competing for the throne only to be kidnapped by the mysterious and terrifyingly powerful Hellbringer, the general of her country’s greatest enemy. He has the ability to rend souls with the flick of his wrist and is every inch as intimidating as the war stories say he is. But Revna wonders if there may be some humanity left in him—especially when he reveals there are other parties who want her on the throne for their own furtive reasons.

#BookReview: Soul Hate (Soul Hate, #1) by Hannah Kingsley

Synopsis:
The Holy States teach that everyone is born with a Soulmate. But every coin has two sides…

Renza di Maineri is the youngest elected leader her city has ever seen. Devoted to the citizens of Halice, she is determined to prove herself and finally step beyond her father’s shadow. But her world falls apart when she meets her worst nightmare, Idris Patricelli.

It’s bad enough that Idris is her main political rival, but fate is playing a cruel game. Idris is also her Soulhate, the person she is fated to destroy, and every moment in his presence she fights an urge to rip his throat out.

As gossip spreads and her ability to lead is challenged, Renza is desperate to salvage her reputation. But fate is not quite finished with her yet… can she uncover who can be trusted among those closest to her, when she cannot even trust herself?

#BookReview: Dance with the Fae by Elisabeth J. Hobbes

Synopsis:
Kit Arton-Price’s engagement party is overshadowed by a mysterious epidemic that leaves his fiancée in a coma. As he uncovers the truth, Kit is drawn into a dangerous, magical world of fae—and forced to confront a secret that could shatter everything he holds dear.

#BookReview: Crown of Hearts (Twisted Crown Trilogy #2) by Leané Giliomee

Synopsis:

True power comes at a price, and Elara’s heart might be the cost.

In a kingdom torn by rebellion and betrayal, Elara must navigate a court filled with deceit, assassination attempts and dangerous alliances. 

With enemies closing in on every side and the threat of war looming on the horizon, she knows the only way to survive is by making a bargain with King Cai of Norrandale. 

Still reeling from his abandonment on the day of the rebellion, Elara knows she can’t trust her old ally. 

But how much is she willing to risk to ensure the fate of the kingdom . . . and her heart? 

Crown of Hearts is the second book in the Twisted Crowns Trilogy, following an uncommon thief as she fights to survive among ruthless royalty while fighting against forbidden desire, injustice and a kingdom of secrets.

#BookReview: A Steep and Savage Path by J.J.A. Harwood

Synopsis:
From the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of THE THORNS REMAIN comes an enemies-to-lovers journey to the underworld unlike any other, for fans of THE CRIMSON MOTH and THE CRUEL PRINCE

An immortal vampire. A mortal bride. A vow that even death can’t break. 

Irina is about to be married to a dead man. She is the willing village sacrifice for the Wedding of the a desperate ritual designed to lay the hungry vampire that has been terrorising her Transylvanian village to rest. Irina’s beloved sister’s soul is trapped in the land of the dead. If Irina can retrieve it, she could bring her back – but Irina would need a guide, one who can walk between the living and the dead.

Irina strikes up a deal with her new husband – if he agrees to get her safely there and back again, then he can drink her blood as much as he wants.

They begin a perilous journey through the afterlife together, in which Irina realises Stefan isn’t the cruel and terrifying monster that she thought. In a land of three-headed beasts, winged creatures and walking corpses, the last thing Irina would have expected was to fall in love.

Only, Irina learns that by bringing Stefan to the land of the dead she has put him in grave danger, and will be faced with an impossible choice. Will they be able to make it out, undead or alive?

#BookReview: Whisper of War and Storms (Heirs of Elydor #1) by C.L. Mecca

Synopsis:

A spellbinding, epic romantasy adventure of tangled secrets and dark magic for fans of Sarah J Maas, Callie Hart, Rebecca Yarros and Jennifer L Armentrout. A lost princess. A forbidden love. A destiny she never knew awaited her.

When a forgotten ring reveals Mevlida Brennan’s true heritage as the long-lost princess of Aetheria, a kingdom of immortals and magic, her world is turned upside down. But there’s just one problem—Mev didn’t know she was missing.

Thrust into a realm on the brink of war, Mev is caught between her newfound legacy and a dangerous political game. A powerful king holds the key to restoring the ancient portal that connects their realms, but his son, Kael, stands in her way. Brooding, relentless, and dangerously irresistible, Kael is sworn to protect his people—even if it means kidnapping Mev to keep her from uncovering the truth.

As dark forces rise and her dormant powers awaken, trust is a luxury neither can afford, yet their hearts may leave them no choice. Mev must embrace her destiny or risk losing everything. Because the storm isn’t coming—it’s already here.

In a battle of elemental magic, loyalty, and love, one whisper could spark a war.

#BookReview: What Lies Beyond the Veil (Of Flesh & Bone #1) by Harper L. Woods

Synopsis:
Once, we’d worshipped them as Gods.

For nearly 400 years, the Veil has protected us from the Fae of Alfheimr. In their absence, our lives have shifted from decadence and sin to survival and virtue under the guidance of the New Gods. I’ve spent my entire life tending to the gardens next to the boundary between our worlds, drawn to the shimmering magic like a moth to the flame.

Then, we died on their swords.

All of that changes the day the Veil shatters, unleashing the fae upon our world once again. The magic of faerie marks those of us they mean to take, but the Mist Guard protecting Nothrek will kill us all before they let the fae have us. There’s no choice but to flee everything I’ve ever known, not if I want to live to see my twenty-first birthday as a free woman.

Now, they’ll claim what’s theirs.

But before they capture me, Caelum saves me from the Wild Hunt. Fae-marked and on the run, he is able to fight back in ways I only dream of. From tentative alliance to all-consuming passion, our bond strengthens as the fae close in and evil lurks ever nearer. With my life on the line, he is everything I shouldn’t dare to want and a distraction I can’t afford. I can’t seem to stay away, not even with something greater on the line.

My heart.

Author’s Note: This book is intended for readers who are 18 and older. It contains mature language, graphic violence, and explicit content with darker elements. This is book one in a series and ends in a cliffhanger.

#BookReview: The Starlight Heir by Amalie Howard

Synopsis:
A bladesmith blessed by the stars. A prince with a dangerous secret. A god bound in shadows. From USA Today bestselling author Amalie Howard comes a scorching new romantasy that will leave you spellbound.

“His Imperial Majesty King Zarek requests your presence as his esteemed guest.”

When the gold-dusted court invitation arrives at Suraya Saab’s forge, she believes it’s a joke. Nobles might seek her skills as a bladesmith—one of few who can imbue her work with precious jadu, the last source of magic in the realm—but she has no qualifications as a potential bride for the crown prince. Still, the invitation is the chance at adventure, and the means to finally visit the capital city her late mother loved.

But what awaits her in Kaldari is nothing she could have imagined—and fraught with danger. It’s not the crown prince, but his impossibly handsome, illegitimate half-brother, Roshan, who captures her interest…and her ire. The invitation isn’t a quest to find a suitable bride, but a veiled hunt for the Starkeeper—a girl rumored to hold the magic of the stars in her blood. And across the city, unrest is brewing between the noble houses and the rebel militia.

When the rebels attack, Suraya and Roshan find themselves on the run, trying to deny their simmering attraction and the knowledge that Suraya herself might be the Starkeeper. But Roshan is guarding secrets of his own. And with no control over the power stirring within her, Suraya has drawn the attention of a dark god, an immortal whose interest might be the biggest threat of all.

#BookReview: Of Prophecies and Pomegranates by T.C. Kraven

Synopsis:
A spicy retelling of Persephone and Hades and the first in the Dark Fates series, centering around Greek deities and Otherworlders, for fans of Sav R. Miller, Jaysea Lynn, and Katee Robert.

Persephone, Goddess of Spring, struggles to meet the impossible demands of her overbearing, manipulative mother, Demeter. Sequestered to the Upper Realm, far from the politics and intrigues of Olympus, Persephone begins to crack under the pressure, sure that she will never be enough.

But the Fates have other plans, and when Persephone meets Hades, brooding God of the Underworld, she finds that they may have more in common than she could have ever believed. He calls to the darkness dwelling deep inside of her with a kinder hand than any she's ever known. Over secret rendezvous, the two connect and wild passions ignite.

When Persephone's very freedom is threatened by an arranged marriage, she must decide to either remain the obedient, subservient wallflower her mother forced her to be, or to stand on her own, embracing herself and the dark power inside of her in the Kingdom only Hades can offer.

As Queen of the Underworld, Persephone blossoms into power far greater than any the Olympians have ever witnessed, but the scorned Goddess of the Harvest won't make it easy for her to leave. Facing war and famine but aided by fellow Olympians Artemis, Hecate, Dionysus, and Hephaestus, Persephone and Hades fight for their freedom and their realm, until Zeus steps in with a devastating edict.

In this irresistible, epic love story, the forbidden romance between an empowered Persephone and delectable Hades sets in motion a chain of events that will challenge the very fabric of Olympus. T.C. Kraven's traditional debut Of Prophecies & Pomegranates is a steamy, tantalizing start to a series that champions kink dynamics and queer representation.

Rich bonus features: 
Gorgeous full-color artwork inside 
New chapters 
A guide to the deities of the Dark Fates series 
And more!

#BookReview: The Tale of Kore (The Fruit of Life and Death, #1) by Amanda L. Rautio

Synopsis:
In the heart of academia, Corey, an ambitious master’s student, yearns for a life beyond the confines of dusty books and lectures. After making a fateful wish, Corey becomes a key player in a cosmic drama that unfolds following a re-enactment of an Ancient Greek mystery cult dedicated to Demeter and Persephone. 

Whisked away to the shadowy depths of the Underworld, Corey discovers a world teetering on the brink of chaos. Dark forces stir, with ancient gods either missing or perishing. To restore balance, Corey must brave the labyrinthine passages of the Underworld, confront mythical beasts, and uncover long-buried truths to revive the goddesses of justice, memory, and spring—before true darkness takes hold.