Book Review: Spark of the Everflame (Kindred’s Curse #1) by Penn Cole

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 440 pages
Author: Penn Cole
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: June 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When old secrets catch fire, everything will burn.

In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by the Descended, their cruel offspring, Diem Bellator yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village.

Her mother’s sudden disappearance—and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past—offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind.

With the dying King’s handsome, mysterious heir watching her every move, and a ruthless mortal alliance recruiting her to join the growing civil war, Diem will have to navigate the unwritten rules of love, power, and politics in order to save her family—and all of mortalkind.

Spark of the Everflame is the first book in The Kindred’s Curse Saga, a four-book fantasy romance series. This slow burn, enemies-to-lovers epic is perfect for lovers of magic, dragons, angst, and banter and will appeal to fans of books like A Court of Thorns and Roses, From Blood and Ash, Gild, and The Serpent & the Wings of Night.

READ THIS ONE.

I’m always out on the hunt for great indie fantasy romance books and this one was SO DANG GOOD. It was balanced incredibly well between dialogue, world building, politicking, etc. that I never felt it was slow. Beautifully paced and completely engaging. I had a hard time putting this down.

I LOOOVE in fantasy romance series where the romance is a slowwww burn. I want to get to know the characters, I want to understand the world, choices and dynamics before running head first into a romance. I loved the way this played out and the subtle weaves being woven. I am smitten, I am here for it, and I HAVE THOUGHTS that I need confirmed in book two ASAP.

Diem was a great main character. I loved seeing her flaws and mistakes highlighted along with her strengths. She rights wrongs, takes in new information, and I love the passion she has for healing.

THE EPILOGUE THOUGH. I am once again sitting here saying GIVE ME ANSWERS. I can’t wait to read the next book and highly highly recommend getting your hands on this one!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: 2ish brief and vague
  • Violence: moderate-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, explosions, physical and weapons violence, loss of loved ones, injury descriptions, blood/gore depiction

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Book Review: When Kingdoms Fall by Callie Dahl

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 473 pages
Author: Callie Dahl
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 13th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Men feared monsters. Yet fear made men do monstrous things.

The gods are gone, leaving three races divided, broken, and without balance.
All that remains is a curse.
One to haunt and devour the mortals for their unholy betrayal.

A Mortal Girl. . .

Traifton has two rules: Never leave the safety of the walls and never enter the Wylan Woods. Those who enter never return.
Willa Thesalor is left with an impossible choice. Be killed by the monsters hiding beneath pretty lies and faces, or enter the woods and face its woes.

An Elf Prince. . .

Kauis Sylpetor is a prince with no kingdom to rule. He can feel his immortality and magic slipping slowly from his grasp. When the royal elf finds himself back in the cursed land of Kalandrae, he discovers something more addicting than his plans for retribution. Power. But to attain it, he must make a bargain and risk sacrificing all he has ever known and loved in the process.

A Fae Prince. . .

Sorean Valkian is a troubled prince with rare and unruly magic. He is days away from becoming the king of a hidden realm. Before taking the crown, Sorean must confirm the whispers about the worsening Wylan Woods. And why his mother has kept their kingdom off of the maps for centuries. But heavy is the bearer of a secret crown once Sorean uncovers more questions than answers within the god’s tainted lands.

When Kingdoms Fall is a New Adult Fantasy series intended for audiences 18+ and older. This is book 1 in a series

IMPRESSED.

Took a chance on this fantasy debut and I am HOOKED. I enjoyed this one so much!! It was interesting, had a romance set-up that I love and a story line I’m very curious about.

For the romance, I actually love (especially in a series) when there isn’t a rush to adding steam. It’s a very slow burn here, frankly I don’t know quite where it’s going and that’s my favorite part!! I’m getting to know the characters and dynamics and it makes my attachment level deeper. I can’t wait to see where this goes.

The plot kept me engaged and this seems to set-up the series really well. I liked the multiple points of view. I liked the conflicting sides of humans vs. elves vs. fae. The world building was spaced out well and the magic system connects well too. My only little ‘eh’ thing was the first half of the book I thought the chapters felt a little choppy. Each new chapter jumped kind of oddly and it took me a bit to get the groove. I do think this went away in the later half of the book.

I’m excited for book two and think this was a fantastic debut. I hope this review convinces you to take a chance too!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: two super brief scenes
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, kidnapping, creature attacks, near death experiences, physical and magical altercations

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Book Review: Dream On by Angie Hockman

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Angie Hockman
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release Date: July 5th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What would you do if your dream man turned out to be real?

When law student Cass Walker wakes up after surviving a car accident, she is flooded with memories of her boyfriend, Devin. The only problem? Devin doesn’t exist. But everything she remembers about him feels so real, like the precise shade of his coffee-brown eyes; the texture of his favorite hand-me-down scarf; even the slightly crooked angle of his pinkie, broken after falling off a trampoline in third grade. She knows he’s a figment of her imagination—friends, family, and doctors confirm it—but she still can’t seem to get him out of her head.

So when she runs into the real Devin a year later in a Cleveland flower shop, she’s completely shocked. Even more surprising is that Devin actually believes her story, and soon they embark on a real-life romance. With her dream man by her side and an upcoming summer job at a prestigious law firm, Cass’s future seems perfect. But fate might have other plans…

NOOOPE.

Y’all. This was not for me. I thought maybe, and was let down at every dang turn.

I did not like how this love triangle between brother’s was handled. It felt drama filled (and not the good kind). I continually felt annoyed with everyone involved and wish it would have been focused on her connection with one of the men.

This mostly was about the FMC struggling with her career choice. Which is fine, but the romantic plots were inherently weak and this combination took me out of the story.

NOT TO MENTION, and this may be considered a spoiler so read at will, there’s a OPEN DOOR love scene at the LITERAL last minute of the epilogue. Why is this enraging? I’m generally fine with a little bit of spice, or don’t mind skipping over, BUT, when you’ve created a book that comes off as sweet/super closed door and then add something in like that it creates a jarring effect. Don’t try to add something in that doesn’t fit with the entire vibe you’ve already created. It’ll make both camps (no spice & spice lovers) upset.

Ending this rant fest. I did not like this book and I think I’m done reading this author’s books.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: a little strong
  • Romance: one open door scene
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: short term memory loss & coma from a car crash, manipulative father

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ARC Book Review: Betting on the Best Friend’s Brother (Betting on Love #2) by Melanie Jacobson

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Melanie Jacobson
Publisher: Four Petal Press
Release Date: June 14th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I don’t want a dating coach. Especially not one I’ve been in love with since junior high.

My roommates say I’m a workaholic. But when my boss temporarily suspends my extra lab time, my best friend and bossiest roommate makes fixing my love life her summer project.

My love life is non-existent, but makeover schemes and blind dates with her weird library patrons are not the answer. When she takes drastic measures and calls in her brother, Joey—one of Austin’s hottest heartthrobs—to consult, it’s my worst nightmare.

I fell for Joey when I was fourteen, and no other guy has ever measured up.

I’ll do anything to keep Joey from finding out—including putting up with a bombshell transformation—if it hides my true feelings when he looks at me. He rejected me once, and it nearly broke me. I’ll never give him that chance again.

Opposites attract in this swoony romcom. A brilliant geneticist versus a hotshot trendsetter she’s secretly loved more than half her life. Dive in for meddling roommates, quirky neighbors, Ahab the cursing parrot, found family, a sneaky matchmaker, and makeover shenanigans.

Betting on the Best Friend’s Brother follows characters introduced in Book 1 of the Betting on Love series but is written as a standalone.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

THIS WAS GOOD.

I love when a book feels easy to finish in a day because you’re enjoying it that much. I’ve been liking this new series and happy that book two was a great read (the first is currently my favorite!).

Sweet Ava and Joey were the definition of opposites attract and it played well into their chemistry. I wanted even more of them and wish it didn’t take until about halfway to some more proximity moments. The dating coach aspects were fun and I love that Joey kept crashing everything Ava was attending. JUST CAN’T RESIST.

I loved Ava. I loved that she stayed true to herself and also looked at how her currently work/life balance was affecting her. Working through the past and adding some fun back into her life. Joey was such a sweetheart too!

I do wish there was less Ruby. I know she’s the instigator of the bet and Joey’s sister, but I daresay it felt like she was in the book more than Ava.

Also, I have to mention that kissing scene was FIRE. AND MY FAVORITE. Everything I love about a sweet rom-com. Bring on the steamy kisses.

Realllllly excited to see who’s story is next!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a father (recounted), parental abandonment (recounted)

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