#BookReview: This Gilded Abyss (The Titan's Wrath Trilogy, #1) by @rebeccathornewrites

Synopsis: Sergeant Nix Marr is a damn good soldier. She’s also desperate to leave her haunted past deep in the bioluminescent ocean, buried alongside her best friend, Quian. So, when Subarch Kessandra, Valkesh’s favorite royal–and Nix’s loathed ex–requests Nix’s help investigating a massacre in the abyssal city of Fall, Nix refuses. Vehemently.

She should have known Kessandra would fight back.

Consigned as Kessandra’s bodyguard, Nix grudgingly boards the Luminosity, a luxurious submersible that offers the only transportation to Fall. But Kessandra wasn’t truthful–surprise, surprise–and her “investigation” isn’t about the massacre, but rather what caused it: an illness that incites its victims into a violent craze.

When another royal is brutally murdered, Nix and Kess realize the disease has spread–and no one on the Luminosity is safe. If they’re going to survive until Fall, they’ll have to trust each other… but considering Kessandra is responsible for Quian’s death, that won’t be easy.

#BookReview: Alchemy & Ashes (The Shadowbound Duet, #1) by @amy.e.yorke @victoryeditingngc

Synopsis: Perfect for fans of Danielle L. Jensen, Carissa Broadbent, and Sarah J. Maas, Alchemy & Ashes is a high-stakes, enemies-to-lovers romantasy where two sisters’ plan to assassinate the king who killed their father goes awry when one of them falls in love with him.

The daughter of a failed rebellion. The king who killed her father. A love that could tear the kingdom apart.

Sylvie has always lived in her sister Adria’s shadow. But at the Great Festival, she finally has her chance to step into the light: by striking down God-King Ronan, the man who destroyed her family. Adria may have led the rebellion, but Sylvie will be the one to finish it.

Ronan has spent years rebuilding a kingdom broken by the war that claimed his father and shattered his faith. But peace has come at a price. Surrounded by enemies and burdened by secrets too dangerous to reveal, he’s losing control: of his court, his magic, and maybe even himself.

The closer Sylvie gets to Ronan, the more she’s drawn to the man she vowed to kill. Wanting him would mean betraying not just her sister, but her people and the memory of her parents. Trusting Sylvie could cost Ronan the throne—or his life. Because even if Sylvie refuses to strike, Adria won’t hesitate to finish the job.

The road to the throne runs through his heart. And only one sister will claim it.

Alchemy & Ashes is the first book in the Shadowbound Duet.

#BookReview: A Fate So Cold (A Fate So Cold, #1) by @amandafoody & @cl_herman @torteen

Synopsis: A Fate So Cold is the first of a new blockbuster duology from the New York Times bestselling authors of All of Us Villains, Amanda Foody & C. L. Herman.

For most of the year, Summer reigns peacefully over Alderland. Then, for six brutal weeks, Winter rages, obliterating towns and wreaking casualties. Magicians bond with powerful wands of Summer to defend the nation, a duty that costs many their lives.

Domenic Barrow never wanted such responsibility―but destiny hasn’t granted him a choice. The greatest Summer wand has awakened for the first time in a century, warning that an icy cataclysm looms on the horizon. And despite his reputation as the least suited of his classmates, the wand Chooses Domenic to wield it.

Ellery Caldwell spent years striving to be a perfect Summer magician―and burying her fears of her own power. But her worst suspicions are proven true when she accidentally creates the first ever Winter wand.

Now, as the unprecedented Chosen Two, Domenic and Ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. And in trying to fulfill their destinies, they wonder if they were brought together for a second fate: to fall in love.

Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.

This is no love story. It's a tragedy.

#BookReview: The Nameless Land (The Witch Roads, #2) by @kateelliottsff @torbooks

Synopsis: Surprising betrayals, surprising alliances, and surprising discoveries of heritage abound in this energetic sequel to The Witch Roads.

When the royal party finds themselves in a land they never believed they could access, it will take all of Prince Gevulin's (admittedly impressive) diplomatic skills to forge a coalition with an unlikely group of would-be allies.

Meanwhile, as Elen mourns her lost love, an unwelcome visit to the land of her birth brings back the traumatic memories of the childhood she shared with her sister.

And a surprise visit from an unwelcome family member threatens to derail the plans of multiple opposing factions.

Loyalty cannot be demanded, only won

#BookReview: Save Us (Maxton Hall #3) by @monakasten, Rachel Ward (translator) @berkleypub

Synopsis: The third and final book in the international bestselling Maxton Hall series, now in English for the first time.

Can they save themselves? Or will they destroy each other?

Ruby is in Her worst nightmare has come true, and now Oxford and all her dreams that finally seemed within reach are at risk. Worst of all, everything points to James as the one responsible, even after everything they’ve been through together. Ruby thought that she had met the real James—the one who has his own dreams, the one who makes her laugh and makes her heart beat faster with a single glance.

However, after an explosive fight between the two, they discover a terrible truth. Together, Ruby fights to graduate, as James tries to clear her name at school. But that means once again James must challenge his father and his expectations for him. And despite everything, James still threatens to break under the obligations to his family. Ruby and James must ask themselves if the worlds they live in are perhaps too different after all, or if they can finally find a way back to each other.

Amazon, Prime Video, and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates.

#BookReview: Throne in the Dark (Villains & Virtues, #1) by @akcaggiano @sourcebookscasa

Synopsis: His dark destiny awaits, and nothing will stand in his way. Except her.

Dark lord
Demon spawn
Prophesied realm destroyer

With a demon for a father, Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne’s destiny could be nothing but nefarious, and with the completion of his most vicious spell, Damien is on the cusp of fulfilling the evil inevitability all of his dark machinations have led to.

And then, her.

Bubbly
Obnoxious
Blonde

Harboring secrets of her own, a tiny yet troublesome thief calling herself Amma completely upsets Damien’s malevolent plans when she mistakenly gets chained to his side through magic, forcing him to drag her across the realm. Killing her would fix things, of course, but the nauseatingly sweet Amma proves herself useful on Damien's unholy crusade and then proves herself the source of something even more sinister: feelings.

Will Damien be forced to abandon his villainous birthright to help the tender thorn in his side? Or will he manage to overcome the virtue Amma insists on inspiring and instead cut it out at the heart?

#BookReview: Our Vicious Oaths by @nia.davenport @harpervoyagerus

Synopsis: Enter a new world of romantic fantasy from award-winning author N.E. Davenport—a journey of powerful magic, enemies-to-lovers, and political intrigue—as a warrior-princess and a vengeful king from rival fae courts form a fierce alliance to take down a merciless despot.

Princess of the Aether Dominion, Kadeesha wants nothing to do with fae politics. She is a warrior, first and foremost, and believes her greatest strength is leading her squadron of elite winged serpent flyers to protect her homeland. But bound since infancy to be betrothed to the Hyperion High King, ruler of all Dominions, she has no choice but to do what men have chosen for her.

Repulsed by the idea, she decides to spend one last night of freedom—in the arms of a dangerous stranger who takes her to sexual heights she’s never experienced before…but who is only using Kadeesha to set a trap for the High King.

For the High King and the kings of his six Dominions were responsible for the decimation of the Apollyon Court, and its new king, Malachi, wants his pounds of flesh.

On Kadeesha’s wedding day, Malachi and his special forces attack. Her father is killed, and Malachi wounds the High King, ultimately taking Kadeesha as hostage back to his land.

But she is no true hostage. The two form a pact: she will help lure the High King so Malachi can kill him once and for all, and he in turn will not harm Kadeesha or the Aether people. And as much as Kadeesha hates politics, she is now the Queen of her folk. Fae bonds are unbreakable…and so, perhaps, is the attraction Kadeesha and Malachi feel for each other. For even as they must publicly display their connection to provoke the High King’s jealousy, they struggle to resist the powerful allure between them in order to achieve their ultimate goals.

#BookReview: Ravenminder (Ravenminder #1) by @authorlindsaycummings

Synopsis: A kingdom at war. A girl with a gift. A destiny to be revealed.

Your new romantic fantasy obsession awaits in this captivating epic adventure, perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Sarah J. Maas.

………

The sky is a dangerous place for a girl without wings.

In the war-torn kingdom of Lordach, Ezer has spent two years as the Ravenminder of Rendegard. Chained in a prison tower’s aviary, she pays the debts of the man she calls uncle, who rescued her after shadow wolves killed her parents. With three glittering scars on her cheek and mystical ‘strangeties’ unlike any magic in their world, Ezer is haunted by dreams of her death at the hands of an unknown warrior.

Then a Sacred Knight arrives to recruit Ezer for the fight against the enemy, the Acolyte. When her affinity with birds reveals itself on the journey to Citadel, she is given a new mission: to help the Prince of Lordach tame one of the Acolyte’s captured raphons. Half giant raven, half black panther, these creatures are as loyal to the Acolyte as his strongest darksoul soldiers . . and only they can make the flight to infiltrate his lair.

While Ezer forges an unbreakable bond with the raphon, her heart becomes torn between the loyal Knight and the mysterious Prince. But as her dreams take on new clarity, she finds herself faced with a choice and a question: has the darkness been her destiny all along?

#BookReview: Good Spirits (Ghosted #1) by @authorbkborison @avonbooks

Synopsis: He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm

#AudiobookReview: The Tarot Trials (The Tarot Trials #1) by @katee_robert

Synopsis: In the tarot trials, betrayal is always in the cards . . .

Kestrel has trained to compete in the Tarot Trials her entire life. Winning means becoming one of the five Cinque – a position of influence and power that could reshape the lives of people living in her hometown slum, the Dregs. The position Kestrel’s mother should have had when she won the Trials twenty-two years ago as the Champion of the Moon. Instead, she was executed for treason after allegedly attacking the Minor Court.

Determined to find out the truth, Kestrel joins the trials as the Moon’s new champion, desperately trying to master her new powers of shadow and illusion – and find allies she can trust (or trust enough) to
survive both the Trials and the schemes of the Minor Court. Though enemies abound, she soon strikes some unlikely the coy and unnaturally lucky Wheel of Fortune, Vesper, and the arrogant powerhouse Sun, Cato. She’s equally drawn to the mysterious and brooding Tower — whose alliance with Death, the man who killed Kestrel’s mother years ago, may lead to the answers she seeks.

But in the Trials, betrayal is a question of “when,” not “if.” Kestrel will come to learn that winning the game isn’t about what she must do to win, but who she needs to survive.

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Dark Olympus series, this high-octane, fast-paced epic fantasy of tarot magic and deadly competition launches an explosive new series, perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab and Carissa Broadbent.

#AudiobookReview: To Dream in Darkness by @annliangwrites

Synopsis: Two gods strike a bargain that leads them on a journey with devastating consequences in this lush historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Ann Liang.

China in the age of brilliance, where gods freely wander the three realms. Amongst them is the cruel and beautiful Death God, who has never failed to collect a soul on time. Until now. For when he seeks out Rujia, the noble god of healing—and the only god he is fated to kill with his own hands—she makes him an offer he can’t she will help lift the excruciating, century-old curse placed upon him if he gives her a one-month reprieve.

Rujia knows she isn’t as noble as everyone believes. Her deal with Death is merely an excuse to buy herself time while she figures out an escape plan. But when her plan causes the Celestial Palace’s collapse and the beloved crown prince’s disappearance, she and Death are both held responsible. The only way to avoid the wrath of all the other gods is to travel across the realms and safely retrieve the crown prince themselves.

Yet the journey proves far more treacherous than expected. As the unlikely alliance between them blooms into more, and Death’s resolve to kill Rujia weakens by the day, neither can outrun their intertwined fate without devastating A mysterious plague. An empire-destroying flood. A thousand deaths—and rising—to restore the balance Rujia's disrupted. And if Rujia continues to live despite the will of the Heavens, this is only the beginning...

#BookReview: Monster, Monarch, Maiden by @raecarsonpics

Synopsis: A sweeping stand-alone fantasy from award-winning and bestselling master of the genre, Rae Carson. After she loses everything, Bria will do whatever it takes to survive—even pledge herself to a secretive young man on a perilous quest. Breathtaking adventure and swoon-worthy romance for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Ava Reid, and Rebecca Ross.

Bria Angarsold isn’t supposed to be a hero. She’s just a mountain girl. A mountain girl with a near useless Gift, living an idyllic life with her sister and her parents, running the family’s thriving inn. But then the raiders come, and Bria’s family is destroyed.

One of the last survivors of the raid, Bria isn’t sure she’ll live to see where the captors are taking her. Until the caravan crosses paths with a mysterious traveler and Bria’s luck changes again.

With no family or home to return to, Bria swears her life to this moody, secretive young man. Titus has been chosen to complete a perilous quest—one that will make Bria question everything she’s ever believed, from the magic that weaves through their world to the very gods themselves. As the journey unfolds, Bria realizes she has something—someone—new to believe in. She’d follow Titus to the Edge of the World, sworn oath or not, even if neither of them stands a chance at returning from it.

But Bria Angarsold is a survivor. She isn’t useless, and neither is her Gift. And this is her story.

Shadow and Bone meets Divine Rivals for an exhilarating journey and a slow-burn romance from the author of the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

#BookReview: Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (Finlay Donovan #4) by @ellecosimano

Synopsis: Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are―seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car―it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride. 

Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all―he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back. 

But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for―Marco's already dead. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike―and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side. 

If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down?

#AudiobookReview: Bound Lives (Steel Legends, #6) by @authorhelenhardt

Synopsis: He let her go.

Now he has to live with the silence.

Tabitha Haynes was the light that cut through Henry Simpson’s darkness. Their connection was instant and undeniable, but when Henry told her they had no future, she believed him. So she chose herself and an opportunity she couldn’t afford to pass up.

When Henry suffers an accident and asks for Tabitha from his hospital bed, she again chooses herself. Henry isn’t the only one carrying trauma. Tabitha has her own scars. Her own fears. Her own reasons for staying away from the man who once set her body afire.

But distance doesn’t erase chemistry. When fate forces them back into the same room, they must confront the truth.

Being together will demand sacrifices neither is ready for.

#AudioBookReview: Queen of Flames (Kingdom of Shadow and Ruin #4) by @alayawellswrites

Synopsis: In a kingdom of shadows and ruin, I dared to love a cursed king.

We’ve come to Irridain Court in disguise, clinging to a final thread of hope: a talisman that can break the curse before it kills Lore. Without it, he dies. No more stolen nights. No more whispered vows. No more us.

The talisman dangles from the princess’s throat like a challenge. To claim it, we must outwit ruthless fae in games where beauty is a blade, truth is twisted, and losing means more than defeat. It means death.

As rivals circle and secrets unravel, Lore burns brighter and darker by the hour. I see it in his eyes. The fear he won’t speak of. The hunger he barely hides. The curse is tightening, and we have only six days left before it kills him.

I didn’t defy the fates, survive a labyrinth, plus battle a mad wizard to lose him now.

He’s my only ever after. I’ll burn the world to ashes to save him.

Queen of Flames, Book 4 and the last book in the Kingdom of Shadow and Ruin series, is a romantic fantasy/romantasy with dark secrets. Expect a gothic world full of tricks and danger, a touch-her-and-face-his-fury hero and heroine, banter, all the yearning, he will adore her forever, and a sweet pet, because everyone loves a fluffy friend.

Trigger Warnings: pri*mal play, bi*ting/marking, blood, gore, injuries, violence, grief, death, mourning the loss of a prior love, references to trauma, killing attacking creatures and people. HEA guaranteed.

#AudioBookReview: Tides of Secrets (The Obsidian Academy Duet #2) by @authorarconwell

Synopsis: “Logic bows at the throne of obsession.”

When Wren discovers a body and Castien in the tunnels on the same night, she’s certain she’ll never be able to trust him again. But that doesn’t mean she no longer needs him.

In order to discover the killer taking down their fellow students, Wren is forced to rely on Castien’s strategic mind and his knowledge of the Obsidian Order.

Wren wants nothing more than a cordial alliance, but Castien is intent on winning much more than her loyalty. He longs for her heart.

As they learn to trust each other again, the secret of Wren’s stolen journal looms over their fragile happiness like a storm cloud on the horizon.

Will they be able to withstand the tempestuous winds, or will they be ripped apart in the end?

Find out in Tides of Secrets, the epic conclusion of the Obsidian Academy Duet, a love story tinged with obsession and drenched in yearning.

#AudiobookReview: By Blade, I Vow (By Blade, #2) by @penelopeskyauthor

Synopsis: Wolfe gives me an ultimatum—I tell my father or he will.

We only have one chance at this, so I know it has to be done the right way. Once my father knows that Wolfe has been sneaking around with me behind his back this long, he’s going to want to put Wolfe in the ground. The way we handle it is literally a matter of life and death.

But with all the funerals my father has to attend as well as rebuilding our property after Lombardi’s hit, we need to wait a little longer. This makes Wolfe go apeshit, especially after a family friend makes a pass at me right in front of him. I can only placate him so long, and once he’s officially initiated into the family, Wolfe knows we’re out of time.
But then a new enemy, Warren, puts a target on our backs. He provokes my father at a wedding, and when he makes the mistake of commenting about me, Wolfe loses his mind and starts another war.

Wolfe is so obvious about his feelings toward me, that it’s a miracle my father hasn’t noticed. The trust that Wolfe has earned among the syndicate is so strong that no one suspects his treason.

But when the war comes to a head, secrets are revealed and everything is destroyed. The business, my family, everything…up in smokes

The only person I have left is Wolfe.

My ride or my die. The person I trust most. The love of my life.

He would do anything for me—and I him.

#AudioBookReview: By Blade, I Protect (By Blade, #1) by @penelopeskyauthor

Synopsis: My father runs the only arms operation in Sicily, and now that the Skull King is monopolizing the drug empire in all of Italy, we’re in hot water. Because everyone wants to take our business for themselves—because they aren’t strong enough to handle the Skull King.

Just when things are looking bad, Wolfe shows up looking for a job. He was born to inherit the throne of Cosa Nostra, but a mysterious falling out has forced him to turn his back on the only family he’s ever known. None of us are sure we can trust him, so he has to start at the bottom and prove his loyalty. With a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eyes, he does what he’s told. But the second he sets eyes on me—I become the real thing he wants. I’m not dumb enough to get involved with one of the guys at the syndicate, no matter how insanely hot he is, so I tell him it’s never going to happen. But this man doesn’t stop.
I’m a nurse who stitches bullet holes and keeps my father’s men alive on top of everything else I do for the business, and Wolfe continually hurts himself because he knows it’s the one way to get me alone. While I stitch him up, he stares and smirks at me . . . like I’m already his. Even when my father is present, he stares at me the same way—like he doesn’t care if this obsession gets him killed. He’s honest, passionate, and smart—but I also think he’s a little crazy. I finally give in, saying it’s just for the night, but this man wants all of me before he ever touches me. An affair turns into the most intense relationship I’ve ever had, and Wolfe wants to tell my father about us, even if it gets him killed. But that’s way too risky with our enemies moving in and a snitch in our midst—and everyone thinks it’s Wolfe. Our relationship becomes clandestine and forbidden, and while that would be fun for other men, Wolfe disagrees. Because he wants me—forever. When so much is set against us, I’m not sure if our relationship will survive. But Wolfe believes it will—because he’ll die for it.

#BookReview: Defy the Dusk (The Sundering Duet #1) by @danielleljensen

Synopsis: When darkness means certain death and survival depends on reaching the dawn, the woman whose magic broke the world will carve another path: defy the dusk. From the #1 New York Timesbestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom comes the first book in a gritty post-apocalyptic fantasy duology.

In the Sundered world, there are two options: Ride the dawn, or face what rises in the night.

Twenty years ago, Lirien’s magic fractured the world and unleashed nocturnal creatures that brought civilization to its knees. Amidst the carnage came salvation: The most powerful survivors were invited to board Dawnrider, a high-speed rig that would deliver those aboard into a new era.

The rest of humanity was left to die.

Instead, a king rose from the darkness to lead them.

In the years since, Lirien has dedicated her magic to Dawnrider while secretly plotting to overthrow the tyrant who rules the rig with an iron fist. But just as Lirien is ready to strike against him, she is violently abducted by Vox—the king of the feralists.

The mercurial Vox gives her two choices: Fight the creatures that hunt the night or be fed to them. Lirien agrees to join his ranks, but embarks on a strategy of seduction that will return her to Dawnrider.

Yet as Vox pushes the limits of her magic, Lirien begins to question whether defying the dusk is the true path to salvation. Intoxicated by both Vox and his war against the night, Lirien must decide where her loyalties truly lie—and how far she’s willing to go for redemption.

#BookReview: Mooncursed (The Drowned King #1) by @authorhollyrenee

Synopsis: A cursed sea king, a stolen bride, and a fate meant for another.

They say madness dwells in the ocean's depths…and in the eyes of the Drowned King. Cursed to take a human bride and break her mind the moment she sees his face, the Drowned King spends his life in torment, watching. Waiting. 

Lou was never meant to be chosen. Branded from birth as a saltwitch, she has always been seen as the cursed shadow of her moonblessed twin. Now, veiled and bound in marriage to a man she must never see, she's thrust into a life of ancient gods and unraveling fate…and unspeakable desire.

Yet even as fear becomes tangled with a perilous longing for the Drowned King's heated touch, the truth of her choosing looms over her like a siren's song. It rages louder with every breath she takes as whispers travel through the kingdoms: rumblings of war, of ancient goddesses awakening, of a queen with saltwater on her lips who will change everything.

There is no stopping fate, for though she was never meant to be chosen, the moon has already summoned the tide.