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ARC Book Review: The Lily of Ludgate Hill (Belles of London #3) by Mimi Matthews

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 432 pages
Author: Mimi Matthews
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 16th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Fortune favors the bold—but is a confirmed spinster daring enough to loosen the reins and accept a favor from the wicked gentleman who haunts her dreams?

Lady Anne Deveril doesn’t spook easily. A woman of lofty social standing known for her glacial beauty and starchy opinions, she’s the unofficial leader of her small group of equestriennes. Since her mother’s devastating plunge into mourning six years ago, Anne voluntarily renounced any fanciful notions of love and marriage. And yet, when fate puts Anne back into the entirely too enticing path of Mr. Felix Hartford, she’s tempted to run…right into his arms.

No one understands why Lady Anne withdrew into the shadows of society, Hart least of all. The youthful torch he once held for her has long since cooled. Or so he keeps telling himself. But now Anne needs a favor to help a friend. Hart will play along with her little ruse—on the condition that Anne attend a holiday house party at his grandfather’s country estate. No more mourning clothes. No more barriers. Only the two of them, unrequited feelings at last laid bare.

Finally free to gallop out on her own, Anne makes the tantalizing discovery that beneath the roguish exterior of her not-so-white knight is a man with hidden depths, scorching passions—and a tender heart.

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy and PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook.

CHARMING SECOND CHANCE.

Audiobook notes: I love two narrators for a two POV romance. I thought both were amazing and I was swept away to historical England.

This was another good read for the series! It does lean a little away from romance and focuses a lot on grief and self growth and finally severing the ties that are holding you back. I absolutely adored Felix. He was carrying so much on his shoulders and worked hard to make things work the best he could.

Anne, I struggled with a little. I thought her Mom issues held her down for SO long and I was waiting for that freedom moment where Anne had the spotlight. Because when she showed up in that dress? I SWOONED. Felix has been pining for years and that man deserved a break. I actually loved that this didn’t have big flashback chapters and that we got to see more at present what was happening.

I loved seeing the other Belles and just being back in this world. Mimi Matthew’s books are always wonderful reads for me and this was no different.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none-low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: toxic parent, mentions of child labor

ARC Book Review: Lost Kingdom (Lost Kingdom #1) by Laurel Black

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 460 pages
Author: Laurel Black
Publisher: 
Release Date: January 17th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Stripped of her memories and her magic, Raven has been left for dead.

As a prisoner in the enemy’s mineral mines, her only clue to who she is and where she came from is the mysterious map tattooed on her hand—a map containing hidden secrets that some people would kill for.

Jeddak is one of those people.

A warrior from the Kovak tribe, he’s hunting for the powerful Zavien stone to pay the corrupt king’s ransom. If he doesn’t return home with it by the new moon, his betrothed will be executed.

When Jeddak discovers that a prisoner named Raven has the only map that leads to the artifact, he allies with her as they navigate treacherous lands and battle against ancient magical forces to unravel the map’s secrets. But can Raven trust this stranger who’s helping her? If the map gets into the wrong hands, thousands of people will die.

As their feelings for each other grow, their tenuous alliance begins to fray. Until Jeddak is forced to make a decision—betray Raven or forsake his kingdom.

Choose wrong, and he’ll lose everything. 

Thank you to the author for a gifted copy.

WOW.

This was an incredible debut. I am so happy that I got a chance to read it early! It had a lot of those classic YA fantasy moments, but still felt new and intriguing and I will absolutely need the second book as soon as possible.

I loved the slow burn romance. It is slowwww and that’s my favorite kind of burn. I like that it’s not a linear path either. Some ups and downs, reveals and jaw drops that I can’t wait to see continue. I spotted possible other angles and now I’m theorizing all the things for this book.

Dual POV is my jam and I’m grateful we had it here. Seeing the hidden identities and lost memory tropes play out so well as they progression of the story moved back and forth between Jeddak and Raven. I loved Jeddak’s animal sidekick (Kah!!) and was the perfect addition to this traveling adventure. I thought that the world building was laid out well and I liked that I got see almost the whole world in this one book.

A wonderful debut and one I’ll happily be hyping to others. Definitely one to take a chance on!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little and light
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: sexual assault (brief, non-consensual kissing), non-consensual drugging, murder, loss of loved ones, blood depiction

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Book Review: The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 473 pages
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt
Release Date: July 7th, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape . . . and even less of being together.

Desperate to save her life, Lia’s erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komisar that she has a magical gift, and the Komisar’s interest in Lia is greater than either Kaden or Lia foresaw.

Meanwhile, the foundations of Lia’s deeply-held beliefs are crumbling beneath her. Nothing is straightforward: there’s Rafe, who lied to her, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom she always believed to be barbarians but whom she now realizes are people who have been terribly brutalized by the kingdoms of Dalbreck and Morrighan. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her very sense of self, Lia will have to make powerful choices that affect her country, her people . . . and her own destiny.

THE TENSION.

This is a reread review.

Y’all, I forgot just how many people Lia kissed in this book and how much tension there is between all of the parties. What a ride. Here I am, with one of the few love triangle books I can get behind, loving every minute of this reread.

Another fast paced action filled book. I like the change of location and really getting to know both Kaden and Rafe on a deeper level. There’s a lot of great character building and you really start to see the cast grow up and take on the bigger life altering challenges in front of them. I LOVE the growth in Lia and she is continually a formidable FMC who stands in her truth each time.

For a middle book, I have zero complaints. Things keep moving, the intensity will leave you breathless, and all of those kisses will have you shouting at the pages. The world building is unique with the interweaving of the lore and past stories of the lands. I love how everything comes together. If you haven’t read this series it’s a must for backlists!!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little light
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of child abuse and whipping, kidnapping, physical altercations, weapons violence, battle themes

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Book Review: A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Horror
Length: 464 pages
Author: Ann Fraistat
Publisher: Delacorte
Release Date: January 16th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A teen girl and her family return to her mother’s childhood home, only to discover that the house’s strange beauty may disguise a sinister past, in this contemporary gothic horror from the author of What We Harvest.

The house was supposed to be a fresh start. That’s what Libby’s mom said. And after Libby’s recent bipolar III diagnosis and the tragedy that preceded it, Libby knows she and her family need to find a new normal.

But Libby’s new home turns out to be anything but normal. Scores of bugs haunt its winding halls, towering stained-glass windows feature strange, insectile designs, and the garden teems with impossibly blue roses. And then there are the rumors. The locals, including the mysterious boy next door, tell stories about disappearances tied to the house, stretching back over a century to its first owners. Owners who supposedly hosted legendary masked séances on its grounds.

Libby’s mom refuses to hear anything that could derail their family’s perfect new beginning, but Libby knows better. The house is keeping secrets from her, and something tells her that the key to unlocking them lies in the eerie, bug-shaped masks hidden throughout the property.

We all wear masks—to hide our imperfections, to make us stronger and braver. But if Libby keeps hers on for too long, she might just lose herself—and everyone she loves.

Thank you to Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

NOT FOR ME.

I felt like trying a genre I don’t typically read and had high hopes. Unfortunately I clashed with the general plot of this book and it’s a total case of, it’s me not the book. So take this review as you will.

Most of this book revolves around seances, communing with spirits and and an exorcism vibe. Those are things that aren’t really my thing and thus, I felt disconnected from the book.

I thought the writing was great, it didn’t feel too long and I did enjoy the main characters. There were good moments and the subtle romance had some cute scenes too.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Horror
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of prior suicide attempt, suicide ideation, mentions of potential self harm, being possessed

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