Category: Book Review

Book Review: Know Your Newlywed by Elena Armas

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 4 hours, 54 minutes
Author: Elena Armas
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Release Date: December 10th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf) and Mary Mouser (Cobra Kai) star in this swoon-worthy, full-cast rom-com! When two super-fans of a beloved dating gameshow hear that it’s being rebooted, they decide to team up and fake a marriage to compete in the hilarious new audiobook Know Your Newlywed, written by Heather Taylor and Hillary Nussbaum, and executive produced by New York Times bestselling author Elena Armas.

Cleo is a researcher with big dreams of a PhD in anthrozoology, and a guilty pleasure obsession with Know Your Newlywed, a decades-old gameshow where married couples compete by answering obscure questions about each other. She’s more invested in her career than in finding a relationship of her own, though—that is, until she comes across Javi’s dating app profile, which says he’s “looking for someone to win Know Your Newlywed with.”

Sparks fly, and when Cleo and Javi catch wind of a reboot of their beloved show, they apply on a whim, pretending to be newlyweds themselves. Before they know it, they’re cast as contestants, playing the part of smitten married couple better than they could’ve imagined. Their very real chemistry is impossible to ignore, and as the competition heats up, they quickly become America’s sweethearts. But how far can Cleo and Javi take their secret? And as they inch closer and closer to a life-changing cash prize, will the mounting pressure and their individual ambitions get in the way of their blossoming romance? Or is their connection strong enough to last once the cameras stop rolling?

Thank you to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

SHORT & QUIRKY.

There’s nothing SPECIAL about this book but if you’re looking for a good novella to spend an afternoon with, I’d recommend it. I was a big fan of the newlywed game once upon a time and I thought the play on that show was showcased well here. There’s quirky contestants and a little bit of drama and it’s a fun listen with the full cast.

I liked the romance between Cleo and Javi. It’s unconventional and works well. The sparks flew and they were just so sweet on each other. As I am prone to do, the third act bugged me a bit, but it’s fine. I liked how the novella wrapped up and the audio production was fantastic.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance Novella
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: one closed door

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Book Review: The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Alexandra Christo
Publisher: Fiewel Friends
Release Date: October 10th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From Alexandra Christo, the author of To Kill a Kingdom, comes The Night Hunt, a dark fantasy romance about a monstrous girl who feeds on fear and the Gods-cursed boy who falls in love with her.

Atia is a monster who feeds on fear. As the last of her kind, she hides in the shadows of the world to escape the wrath of the unpredictable Gods. Silas is a Herald, carrying messages and ferrying the dead as punishment for a past he can’t remember. Stripped of his true name, he yearns to recover his identity.

Atia would never dream of allying with someone like him, but when she breaks a sacred law and the Gods send monsters to hunt her, Silas offers an irresistible deal: he’ll help avenge her family and take on the Gods who now hunt her, if she helps him break his curse and restore his humanity. All they need to do is kill three powerful creatures: a vampire, a banshee, and one of the very Gods who destroyed both their lives. Only together can they finally rewrite their destinies.

I LIKED IT.

This book doesn’t have great ratings, but I enjoyed it? I did listen to it so that might have swayed me, but if you’re in need of a quick young adult fantasy standalone, I’d say give this a go.

I loved all of the mythology aspects and how they were used in this setting and world. The monsters concept was great and I feel like this had some interesting concepts I haven’t read recently.

There’s a little bit of a romance that grew on me. An unlikely partnership turned more is one of my favorite romance tropes. I also liked the found family pieces too. I love a group of people who come together and find peace and friendship with each other.

I thought it had an awesome closing fight scene and battle. I haven’t picked up a book by Christo since To Kill a Kingdom and maybe I’ll pick up the next!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high

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ARC Book Review: Gate to Kagoshima (Ancestor Memories #1) by Poppy Kuroki

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance (Time Travel)
Length: 320 pages
Author: Poppy Kuroki
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date: January 28th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this exciting historical romantasy in the spirit of The Hurricane Wars and The Time Traveler’s Wife—Outlander set in Japan—a young Scottish woman is magically transported to the last Samurai era, where she encounters ghosts from the past, her own Japanese ancestry, and a love that transcends time.

While in Japan researching her family’s history, a vicious typhoon sends Isla Mackenzie 128 years back in time, to the dawn of the Satsuma Rebellion. There she meets her ancestors, and a charismatic samurai, Kei, with whom she unexpectedly finds romance.

But, unlike her Beloved, Isla knows about the looming Samurai rebellion—and Kai’s fate. Should she attempt to change history or somehow make her way back to the life she’d had before?

Compulsively readable, historically grounded, and irresistibly immersive, Gate to Kagoshima is an unforgettable tale of duty, and of timeless love.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC and LibroFM for the audiobook.

I’LL READ BOOK TWO.

And sometimes that’s the best review I have. I also think the audiobook did a great job of upping my thoughts on this book. I was able to breeze through it quickly and the narrator did an amazing job.

This is definitely in the Outlander vibe but less wide scale. I was surprised at how short this book was and how much history it was trying to cover at the same time. I loved the historical aspects though and learning more about samurai’s and the culture of the time period.

The romance took a bit for me to get behind and I think it could have used a few more romantic notions buuut the ending scenes were super good. They very much increased my desire to read book two and see how this will continue to progress.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: vague open door
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle #3) by Christopher Paolini

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 748 pages
Author: Christopher Paolini
Publisher: Knopf
Release Date: September 20th, 2008
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Oaths sworn… loyalties tested… forces collide.

It’s been only months since Eragon first uttered “brisingr”, an ancient language term for fire. Since then, he’s not only learned to create magic with words — he’s been challenged to his very core. Following the colossal battle against the Empires warriors on the Burning Plains, Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have narrowly escaped with their lives. Still, there is more adventure at hand for the Rider and his dragon, as Eragon finds himself bound by a tangle of promises he may not be able to keep.

First is Eragon’s oath to his cousin, Roran: to help rescue Roran’s beloved from King Galbatorix’s clutches. But Eragon owes his loyalty to others, too. The Varden are in desperate need of his talents and strength — as are the elves and dwarves. When unrest claims the rebels and danger strikes from every corner, Eragon must make choices — choices that will take him across the Empire and beyond, choices that may lead to unimagined sacrifice.

Eragon is the greatest hope to rid the land of tyranny. Can this once simple farm boy unite the rebel forces and defeat the king?

BEST SO FAR.

I felt like I was actually interested in what was happening finally. Book two was kind of a slog for me so I’m glad that this one picked up. I like what’s happening with Eragon. I absolutely adore Saphira and the story is really amping up to an intense finale.

I love having Roran’s POV too. It really adds to the story and getting more sides of everything. There were many intense moments and this had a lot of those hallmark older fantasy plot lines that feel nostalgic and enjoyable to read.

The audiobooks for this series are great and I can’t wait to continue the series!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high

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