Category: Book Review

ARC Book Review: The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Holiday Regency Romance Novella
Length: 142 pages
Author: Joanna Barker
Publisher: Rose Petal Press
Release Date: November 21st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Christmas is the perfect time to fall in love—unless you’re pretending to be your twin sister.

Cassandra Bell is happy to stay in the shadow of her poised and proper twin sister. After all, her only goal for the Hastings’ Christmas house party is to not make a complete fool of herself. Vivian, however, has much higher aspirations—her heart is set on a proposal from the eligible Mr. Hastings himself. But when Vivian grows ill, she begs Cassie to switch places with her and keep the other conniving ladies away from Mr. Hastings. Cassie reluctantly takes on the role of her twin, certain the charade will end in disaster.

Anticipating a quiet Christmas in the country, Roland Hastings arrives home to learn his matchmaking mother has organized an entire house party to help him find a bride. The last thing Roland wants is to spend the Yuletide season fending off simpering ladies—that is, until he meets Miss Bell. Spunky and unconventional and refreshingly honest, Miss Bell sweeps into Roland’s heart like a whirlwind. A whirlwind he has no desire to escape.

Mr. Hastings is nothing like Cassie expected, and the closer she grows to her handsome host, the harder it becomes to hide her true self—and her true feelings. But falling in love was never part of the plan, especially since Roland believes she is someone else. With Vivian quickly recovering and the house party coming to a close, Cassie is torn between loyalty to her sister and the unexpected yearnings of her heart . . .

The Two Bells of Christmas is a sweet Regency romance novella that was previously published in the Timeless Regency Collection, A Christmas Promise. This edition has a bonus epilogue and new edits.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

LOOOOVED.

Joanna Barker’s books never let me down. Even her novellas are some of my favorites because she can captivate an audience beautifully with whatever romance she is writing. I AM HERE FOR IT ALWAYS.

I loved both of these characters. Roland and Cassie were the sweetest. There was plenty of interaction between them, lots of soft moments, and kisses in the snow. YAY.

The plot was handled amazingly too. I loved how the twin switch worked out between Cassie and her sister. I love when siblings love and take care of each other and this was no exception. Especially when the go get the girl line comes up? Done. I am a puddle of swoon.

All in all, perfect for the season. You’ll love these characters and this story and I hope it gives all the warm fuzzies it gave me.

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency Holiday Novella
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: none

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Book Review: This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Sci-Fi Romance
Length: 394 pages
Author: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: December 23rd, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet’s rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn’s blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

FASCINATING STORY.

The plot for this entire series continually keeps me on my toes. It’s really interesting and I like that it has a different vibe from sci-fi books I’ve read before. I’m not quite sure what all of the “whispers” and such will lead too, but I look forward to reading about them in the last book.

I did enjoy the romance for this one! Maybe more than the first? It’s another good enemies to lovers with plenty of outside plot that encourages the action and drama. There was a much better flow for them and even with a quick pace, it worked.

This book did a pretty good job with pacing. Sometimes it felt off, but it didn’t distract me too much. I do enjoy this writing style and how each book interacts with the next. It’ll be fun to see how everything comes together for the last book!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Sci-Fi Romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: gun violence, physical altercations
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: hallucinations, loss of loved ones, murder

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Book Review: A Duet of Sword and Song (A Tale of Stars and Shadow #4) by Lisa Cassidy

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 568 pages
Author: Lisa Cassidy
Publisher: Tate House
Release Date: April 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The time of the Shadowhawk was gone. Now he needed to be more.

In the space of a night Cuinn Acondor lost his crown and almost his life. Devastated by Talyn’s disappearance, he’s on the run, fleeing from Armun and Shadow hunters who want to destroy everything he stands for. But he won’t give up. Together with the resurgent Wolves, he begins preparing to take back what Azrilan stole from them.

After killing their Shadow betrayer, Talyn is captured and thrown in a Montagni labour camp. With no way of knowing what happened to Cuinn or her Wolves, she fights desperately to find a way out, to return home to them. Like Cuinn, she refuses to give up, no matter what… even if escaping means allying with her greatest enemy.

In the Twin Thrones, the Dumnorix are banding together and marshalling their forces. Firthland has brought war to their shores.

And they intend on fighting back. 

EPIC CONCLUSION.

This series owned me for a month and I am not upset one bit. I devoured all of these audiobooks and they were absolutely amazing.

EVERYONE GO READ THEM NOW PLEASE.

For a book with low romance to wrap me up this much, you know it’s gotta be good. I LOVE these characters!!! Talyn and Cuinn are both wonderful in their own right, and add them together, and the world is in good hands. I love how bada** Talyn is. She takes on thing after thing and I want to be her when I grow up. This is the kind of fierce heroines I want to read about when I pick up a fantasy book. Cuinn goes through the biggest character arc here and I adored him for it. Coming off a wild ending in the previous book he handled a crappy situation beautifully and found a new place for his focus.

Alongside the amazingness of the main characters, the found family is still here and still the best. I love this group of wolves and all they mean to the plot. Everyone is well created and truly adds to the story.

The plot is intense and it’s hard to take a breath. But within those breathes are the perfect little tender moments that help me love this book even more.

Basically I want to beg everyone to get this book in their hands and give it a chance.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: a little mild
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, battle scenes

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Book Review: A King of Masks and Magic (A Tale of Stars and Shadow #3) by Lisa Cassidy

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy + Romance
Length: 554 pages
Author: Lisa Cassidy
Publisher: Tate House
Release Date: April 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Vengeance rises in the shadows

A storm is coming…

The Shadowhawk has been unmasked to those he trusts most. Montagn, the most powerful empire in the world, prepares for invasion. And back in the tangled alleys and dark streets of Dock City, Vengeance lurks.

Badly injured after the ambush that nearly claimed his life, Cuinn Acondor is recovering in the Twin Thrones, determined to grow strong so that he can go home and do more. Be more. Find a way to make a better country for his people. Talyn Dynan, reeling from the news that Montagn has been using Vengeance as a tool to undermine Mithranar from within, has a single purpose… return and raze them to the ground.

But Vengeance isn’t their only enemy. The prince of night grows stronger, his grip on power in Mithranar tightening. A deadly strike to the heart of the Dumnorix family reveals a greater threat than anyone realised.

And when a dangerous revelation sends shockwaves through Mithranan society, Cuinn and Talyn must stand together and fight, or risk losing everything they love.

If you love epic fantasy with magical worlds, clashing cultures and complex, flawed characters, you’ll love this continuation of Talyn and the Shadowhawk’s story! Buy A King of Masks and Magic today!

WORTH THE WAIT.

Y’all know I’m a fantasy ROMANCE lover, and I was told I would have to really wait out the slow burn on this series. AND IT WAS WORTH IT. Ohhhhmygosh I love these two!!! They are my absolute favorite and I can’t get enough of every moment they have together. Lets also acknowledge there’s no third act nonsense here. Together forever.

The plot is still just as intense and wild. I love that this is fast paced and filled with great politicking and action. There’s twists and turns around every corner and a few times where I was completely flipping out needing answers.

I love all of these characters and this book left me in PAIN. PAIN I TELL YOU. Not pulling any punches are we Lisa Cassidy?! It just really makes for a fantastic series whenever I feel this connected to not only the two main leads but to multiple side characters.

I’ll be shouting from the rooftops for everyone else to READ THIS SERIES PLEASE.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: brief fade to black
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: near death experiences, physical and weapons altercations, battle scenes, kidnapping, torture, loss of loved ones

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