Book Review: Glorious Rivals (The Grandest Game #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Mystery
Length: 432 pages
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publisher: Little Brown Books
Release Date: July 29th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Millions, hearts, and lives are on the line in this heart-stopping sequel to The Grandest Game by #1 bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

Seven players arrived on Hawthorne Island, each with their own secrets and motivations to win the Grandest Game. Millions are at stake, but so are hearts—and lives. The players now must race to win the game, solve myriad mysteries, and survive the twists and turns of Glorious Rivals.

The stakes get higher, the game gets twistier, and everything heats up in this newest installment in the TikTok sensation Inheritance Games Saga.

GREAT READ.

I have such an enjoyable time reading these books. I’m liking this spin off a lot more after reading this book. AND BLESS, there are multiple narrators with multiple romances and multiple all the things. I like the complexity and diversity of each character and I am loving seeing where their decisions are coming from.

This had a fantastic cliffhanger and I loved seeing the characters from the previous books. The worlds colliding led to the intense kind of chaos and I will absolutely be picking up book three.

I know this all sounded really vague but it’s a middle book and I don’t want to spoil where everyone is!!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Mystery
  • Language: low
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Fever Dream (Emerald Lake #1) by Elsie Silver

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Rating: ★★★★.25
Audience: Cowboy Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Elsie Silver
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: May 19th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Elsie Silver comes a small-town, forbidden, rivals-to-lovers romance, the first book in the brand-new Western romance series Emerald Lake.

Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. He’s looking for a paycheck to save his family’s farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot new reality dating show, Romance Ranch, he’s already decided it’s all one big performance.

Until Julia Silva walks onto his property. Smart, snarky, beautiful, and off-limits in more ways than one. As the location consultant on set and the little sister of his most bitter professional rival, she’s the last woman who should pique his interest.

Julia has been warned about Emmett. She knows better than to fall for his cocky swagger, broad shoulders, and smoldering good looks. Plus, she’s sworn off relationships.

But as Julia and Emmett work together, mutual distaste grows into an unexpected connection and then… something more.

Soon, they find themselves searching for excuses to spend time together and out of reach of the cameras. Knowing glances. Stolen kisses. Secret rendezvous.

Still, Emmett signed up to play the role of an eligible bachelor searching for the one. His family’s land and legacy depend on him completing the show.

The problem is, he’s already fallen in love.

Just not with a contestant.

WELL HERE WE GO.

Alright, it might surprise many of y’all that I’ve only read one Elsie Silver book. But I ended up listening to my sister when she said to go read it and it’s DUET NARRATION so like, of course I had to??? And yes, I do plan on continuing!! I just really love a cowboy romance y’all.

My nitpicky thing is that I don’t love bachelor-esque plots. I kept getting frustrated over the TV drama and the awful people and wanted to keep going back to Julia and Emmett.

And wow did I love Julia and Emmett. I’ve read multiple books recently where the guy is tearful about something and these emotions are everything??? ILOVEITSO. Emmett is incredibly stoic until he isn’t and I’m here for his head over heels fall for Julia. The forbidden vibes did work for me at least. These two were hella magnetic.

Minus the TV show the setting was stellar. Give me all of the ranch settings with amazing side characters who are a cheering section for the leads. This a small town I can’t wait to see more of and the future pairs too!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Cowboy romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 4ish open door
  • Violence: mildish
  • Content warnings; mentions of attempted SA through drugging of a drink, attempted blackmail, illegal surveillance

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ARC/ALC Book Review: Armor for Liars by S.E. Grove

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Historical Fantasy
Length: 432 pages
Author: S.E. Grove
Publisher: Simon Teen
Release Date: July 21st, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A brilliant girl risking it all to infiltrate a secret society of enchanters gets unexpected help from one of their victims—now a vengeful spirit—in this historical dark academia novel by New York Times bestselling author S. E. Grove.

In a world where magic is drawn from the realm of the dead, enchanters—always men—go to great lengths to steal it. Voyaging to the spirit realm, an enchanter will claim a dead woman’s spirit as his own and make her a servant, a tool for his own magical ends. Enchanters maintain great secrecy around their practices, so only a wealthy elite have access to this members of a secret society shrouded within Commonwealth University, the nation’s premiere institution for the study of enchantment.

When Sam—the son of islander immigrants of modest means—dared to use magic to blend into the blueblood world of Commonwealth, it cost him his life. Now a spirit, he’s determined to avenge his murder and uncover the secrets of the Cisneros Society from beyond the grave.

When Sam encounters Clementine Quinn, a young woman disguised as a male student at Commonwealth, he quickly sees that Clem is putting herself in grave danger at the school. But as he tries to warn her of the peril, it becomes clear that his past and her fate are inextricably entwined. To avenge his murder and prevent hers, they’ll need to help one another and thereby prove, ultimately, that friendship and love can transcend everything, even death.

Thank you to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook and Simon Teen for the gifted ARC.

NOT FOR ME.

I kept trying to get into this and nothing ever GRABBED me.

I think the point of view was an intriguing idea but kind of lost me in connecting with the other characters. Maybe the beginning was a bit more confusing than I’m remembering? It was more clear as things went on what the situation was so that at least made for an easier read.

The mystery worked for me on some levels though I think if the pacing/page count was tightened up a bit things would have moved better. There’s a lot of meandering and trying to combine Sam’s story with Clementine took a long time. Then to add a “romance” in the epilogue? Not quite what I was expecting. And I’m still not sure how that works.

There’s some dark academia, secret societies, and a historical fantasy vibe. Things that usually work for me but might work for you with this book. I also did like the characters. They weren’t part of the issues I was having with the overall plot.

🎧: I do think the audiobook narrator was great. If you’re going to try this book out, that can be option for format! I liked the narrator.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Historical Fantasy
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: racism, sexism, loss of a parent

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Book Review: When Sisters Collide (The Gifts of the Gods #2) by S.E. Bouvier

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: New Adult Fantasy Romance
Length: 620 pages
Author: S.E. Bouvier
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two sisters, torn apart by fate, now stand on opposing sides of a brutal war.

High in the snowy mountains, Alena trains harder than ever under the watchful eye of an Amazon warrior. Driven by her sister’s heartbreaking choice, she’s determined to embrace her destiny as the Omega and fulfil the Mother Goddess’s command—defeat Emperor Tarquinius before his legions conquer the Western Lands and his greed destroys the remnants of the old gods. But when her closest allies are captured and enslaved, Alena’s world descends into chaos. She soon realises her sister’s treachery was only the beginning…

Meanwhile, Katell, now leader of the Black Helmets, battles on the war front against the Ice Kingdoms. Wielding the dangerous magic of Laran’s Tears, she is more powerful than ever, but at a steep cost to her health. When a rescue mission goes awry and she mistakenly attacks a legate, her loyalty to Rasenna is called into question. To prove her worth, Katell is sent to the besieged city of Tiryns with a single end the siege by any means necessary and capture the rebels hiding within its walls.

Under the gods’ unwavering eyes, the sisters’ paths draw them together once more. With loyalty and love hanging in the balance, they will be forced to decide where their true allegiances lie—and what they are willing to sacrifice.

Full of adventure, magic, and steamy romance, WHEN SISTERS COLLIDE is the second book in THE GIFTS OF THE GODS, a thrilling epic romantic fantasy series perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, An Ember in the Ashes, and Greek mythology.

Please note the series is New Adult and contains moderate steam/spice, some violence, language, and mature situations. Recommended for ages sixteen and up.

I’M GOING TO NEED YOU TO GO PICK UP THIS SERIES.

OH Y’ALL. I loved book one and this sequel held up. HELD UP. I can’t help but get hesitant when I see a book over 600 pages, but let me tell you, all worth it. I’m obsessed.

The romances are everythinggggg. And not always what you’re expecting or the typical route. Which is probably why they make me drool. I love when fantasy romances accomplish this kind of longing and betrayal and angsty tension that you can’t look away from. There’s multiple romantic plot lines (and even a new POV that might have one too???).

And while the romance sing the plot lines hold their own elite status. It’s a great combination of politicking, travel, battles with gods and more. Every chapter brings you something new. This may have taken me awhile to read but that was only because I was enjoying it so thoroughly I didn’t want it to end.

Overall audience notes:

  • New adult fantasy romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2ish open door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: loss of life, war themes

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