Book Review: House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City #3) by Sarah J. Maas

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 848 pages
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: January 30th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The stunning third book in the sexy, action-packed Crescent City series, following the global bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath.

Bryce Quinlan never expected to see a world other than Midgard, but now that she has, all she wants is to get back. Everything she loves is in Midgard: her family, her friends, her mate. Stranded in a strange new world, she’s going to need all her wits about her to get home again. And that’s no easy feat when she has no idea who to trust.

Hunt Athalar has found himself in some deep holes in his life, but this one might be the deepest of all. After a few brief months with everything he ever wanted, he’s in the Asteri’s dungeons again, stripped of his freedom and without a clue as to Bryce’s fate. He’s desperate to help her, but until he can escape the Asteri’s leash, his hands are quite literally tied.

In this sexy, breathtaking sequel to the #1 bestsellers House of Earth and Blood and House of Sky and Breath, Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City series reaches new heights as Bryce and Hunt’s world is brought to the brink of collapse-with its future resting on their shoulders.

MASTERMIND.

Ohhh y’all know I loved this. It was incredible and brought so much more than I could have imagined. I LOVED how much world building happened and how this really built this book, but also built the future books too.

The romances actually took a little bit of a backseat. I wasn’t mad at all because I think the heavy plot focused helped with this one a lot. I did love the romances we got and seeing couples actually work through difficult issues and feelings. Learning to communicate better and help each other along is my favorite. I love Hunt/Bryce and Ruhn/Lidia the mostest.

I didn’t mind the switching of POV’s. It kept things moving and kept me turning pages. I actually like this style of chapter break-ups and love how everything came together. I cried, I shouted, I cheered and felt every emotion under the sun. I loved where things ended and I look forward to more!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 3+ open door
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: The Prince of Prohibition (Fae of the Roaring Age #1) by Marilyn Marks

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 554 pages
Author: Marilyn Marks
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: March 14th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The year was 1926. Glamour, riches and greed filled the air, but under the facade of glitter and gold lay truths much darker, more sinister, and entirely less human . . .

Adeline Colton was cursed. Everyone in Georgia knew the devil walked her farm, and maybe they were right, because each month she had . . . dreams. Visions of a dark prince and a shadowed forest. A creature so wrong, temptation lurked beneath her skin.

So after escaping to New York City, it’s no surprise when her bad fortune follows. Only this time, it’s in the form of Jack Warren: millionaire bootlegger, infamous gangster, and criminal who makes Addie his fervent obsession.

Jack is everything Addie should avoid, but the more she resists his pull, the deeper she’s drawn into his extravagant world. Lured by a life of freedom and desire, Adeline must make a choice: heed her family’s warnings or follow Jack into the dark. But when fate binds them together, Jack is revealed to be something else—not man, not beast, not even the devil, but a creature much, much worse.

DID I MISS SOMETHING?

I’m sitting here looking at all of these wonderful reviews for this book wondering if I have somehow picked up the wrong because this ain’t it. And I gave it 300 pages before I really hit a wall and skimmed my way to the end. It was trying to be a lot of books I’ve already read + the addition of 200 pages that weren’t necessary.

There was a lot of time spent doing nothing. Addie would be a stick in the mud about every little thing & Jack would sometimes try to help the situation. Too much time spent on the nuances of trying to get Addie to figure out her magic and plenty of running around trying to find all of the artifacts needed to turn Addie immortal.

The mate trope here also rubbed be the wrong way. It started off AWKARD. And then took a long time before I finally started coming around to them. I did like Jack and the his merry group of banished fae. They were all dandy. I think there was plenty here that would work for many people, I am just not that person.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical fantasy romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: open door + innuendo
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: physical and magical altercations, loss of a parent, near death experiences, alcohol use

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ARC Book Review: But He’s My Fake Fiancé (But He’s a Carter Brother #3) by Annah Conwell

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 275 pages
Author: Annah Conwell
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 4th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

My ex-boyfriend is engaged to my stepsister.

Yeah, it shocked me too. So much so, that when my ex tells me, I grab the first guy I see and pretend he’s my fiancé.

Somehow it only gets wilder from there, because the guy I grab happens to be Grayson Carter, notorious flirt and extrovert to the max. Also, the guy I turned down a month before while dating said ex-boyfriend.

Grayson surprisingly goes along with my plan, throwing pet names and flirty lines at me all while putting on this protective facade in front of my ex that makes my knees weak.

But when our little scene turns into a full-on scheme, I find myself questioning what’s real and what’s not.

The problem is, if it is real, I don’t know if I can risk loving someone like Grayson. I have a feeling if I gave him my heart, I’d never get it back.

But He’s My Fake Fiancé is a cozy fake dating romcom for fans of sweet summer love stories. It has all the sizzling chemistry you love, without any explicit scenes. Check out the third book of the But He’s A Carter Brother Series, a series based around four strong, protective brothers finding love.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

GRAYSON.

I love charming golden retriever men. Especially when the anxiety rep squeezes my heart. That hit on a few personal life levels and I love when a book can bring that kind of connection out in me.

Sloane and Grayson were the best of opposites attract. I loved the banter between them and oooooh those kissing scenes were on fire. Booking a trip to Hawaii specifically to go hiking to a waterfall ASAP. There were so many sweet moments interspersed throughout and I absolutely loved getting to see the whole Carter family again.

This is a quick read with a cozy summertime vibe. There’s not a third act break-up or too wild of drama (but that one scene SENT ME, IYKYK). It’s heavily focused on the forced proximity and romance between Sloane and Grayson. It’s my favorite kind of romance to enjoy.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: depictions of anxiety and panic attacks, brief physical altercation

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ARC Book Review: Betrothal or Breakaway (D.C. Eagles Hockey #3) by Leah Brunner

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Hockey Romance
Length: 310 pages
Author: Leah Brunner
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 4th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

My best friend—and unrequited love—has a hole in her heart. Literally and figuratively.

First, Amber’s fiancé left her when she told him she was pregnant, and then her daughter’s birth left her with complications from a heart defect she didn’t realize she had.

I’m devastated.

Of course I offer to pay for her surgery, but Amber (stubborn woman that she is) insists on wanting to pay me back, which I don’t understand. As captain of an NHL team, I have plenty of spare cash, and I’m more than happy to help. I want to help.

So I come up with a plan.

I’ll marry Amber, my health insurance will cover her surgery, I’ll help with the baby, and the gold band on my finger will get my parents—who seem to think I’m incapable of love—off my back.

It’s a win-win for both of us.

Two years of platonically wedded bliss before we amicably go our separate ways, and remain best friends, as always.

Only, how am I supposed to let Amber go when I’m not only in love with her, but also with her baby girl… who now feels like my own.

And I might have to let her go sooner than I ever wanted to.

Betrothal or Breakaway is a dual POV, fade-to-black romance with mild langauge. This book is light-hearted, but contains themes of minor heart surgery, broken engagement, and difficult parental relationships.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

THIS WAS EVERYTHING.

I don’t even know how to write this in a way to convince y’all that this is one of my new favorite sports romance, BUT JUST TRUST ME. If you get nothing else from this review, know that this is my new favorite Leah Brunner book.

I ADORED Ford. I can’t wrap it up into once concise sentence. I just loved him. His personality and how he handled situations, the way he communicated and the fiery blushes he could not control. The absolute way he was GONE for Amber and Nella. The heated looks and longing glances, the caretaking and family relationships. He’s everything I could have dreamed up and more.

I also loved Amber. Dual POV romances always hit better. Amber was filled with strength and hope that each day was going to be a step in the direction and life she’s longed for. I loved how she realized her connection with Ford was deeper than she expected and how everything was handled between them. The fade to black scenes only enhance the story and showed how tender and passionate these two are. It had the soulmate level chemistry.

And I appreciated how many of the side situations were handled too. A lot could have been blown out of proportion and instead things were nicely wrapped up in a satisfying way. There’s so many moments I could pick out that I loved and I already can’t wait to reread this.

……the way I need the next book after surmising who it’s about…….

Overall audience notes:

  • Hockey Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: minor heart surgery, broken engagement, difficult parent relationships

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