Book Review: Speechless by Lindsey Lanza

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 328 pages
Author: Lindsey Lanza
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 17th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When life’s off-key, go to Malibu

Bestselling author Lucy Gold may write fairy tales for a living, but her own happily ever after is looking bleak. Seeking a fresh start after a sudden divorce on the eve of her thirtieth birthday, she decides to make a new life for herself and her service dog in Los Angeles. But when her living arrangements fall through just before takeoff, a handsome stranger offers to let her stay with him and his motley crew of musicians in Malibu. Her gallant hero? None other than Henry Turner, the award-winning composer whose music has held Lucy together while her life’s been crumbling apart.

Henry might be at the peak of his creative career, but his crippling anxiety throws his personal life completely out of tune. Yet all of that changes the longer Lucy stays with him and his housemates, swiftly becoming one of their own and offering Henry a glimpse of happiness he never thought possible. As their relationship deepens, Lucy’s attraction to Henry cannot be denied, but as she works through the aftermath of her divorce, she’s resigned to give up on love. Henry plays all the right notes and says all the right words. Will Lucy be able to hear them over her fear of the past repeating itself?

Speechless is a swoony saga about finding your people, overcoming your deepest insecurities, and choosing happiness no matter what life throws at you.

WONDERFUL DEBUT.

Ohhh my goodness I inhaled this book on the day it released. I could not put it down and now all I want is Lanza’s second book because this was a fantastic debut.

I LOVED all of the rep here and how both characters worked through and handled things. It wasn’t always linear and I love feeling the real and rawness of both of the main characters.

Henry was the sweetest cinnamon roll who was kind, genuine and there. Always there. My absolute favorite nuance. Lucy showed some beautiful character growth and I really appreciated the author’s note at the end that further made Lucy’s decisions clear.

There was a tender found family here too. I loved that Lucy got the chance to make true and lasting connections that she desperately needed (and deserved).

The whole book just kept me wrapped up in all the emotions. And the ending??? THE FEEEEEEELS. It was beautiful and everything and you definitely need to read this too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: a few vague, fade to black; low explicit
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: bullying, social anxiety and selective mutism, chronic illness (endometriosis), divorce, loss of a parent, grief depiction

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Book Review: The Lost Metal (Mistborn Era 2: #7) by Brandon Sanderson

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 528 pages
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: November 15th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Return to Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn world of Scadrial as its second era, which began with The Alloy of Law, comes to its conclusion.

For years, frontier lawman turned big-city senator Waxillium Ladrian has hunted the shadowy organization the Set-with his late uncle and his sister among their leaders-since they started kidnapping people with the power of Allomancy in their bloodlines. When Detective Marasi Colms and her partner Wayne find stockpiled weapons bound for the Outer City of Bilming, this opens a new lead. Conflict between Elendel and the Outer Cities only favors the Set, and their tendrils now reach to the Elendel Senate-whose corruption Wax and Steris have sought to expose-and Bilming is even more entangled. After Wax discovers a new type of explosive that can unleash unprecedented destruction and realizes that the Set must already have it, an immortal kandra serving Scadrial’s god, Harmony, reveals that Bilming has fallen under the influence of another god: Trell, worshipped by the Set. And Trell isn’t the only factor at play from the larger Cosmere-Marasi is recruited by offworlders with strange abilities who claim their goal is to protect Scadrial…at any cost. Wax must choose whether to set aside his rocky relationship with God and once again become the Sword that Harmony has groomed him to be. If no one steps forward to be the hero Scadrial needs, the planet and its millions of people will come to a sudden and calamitous ruin.

OMG.

I can’t help but sit in awe each time I read a Sanderson book because HOW DOES HE DO IT. I LOVE the Cosmere world and everything about it. The characters, stories, emotions, relationships. His books have it allllllll. And this era is slept on and I need more people reading this!

I do think it’s important to note that this series (especially this last book) have some key commentary and discussions about the Cosmere as a whole. I won’t say more than that, but read them. READ THEM.

Wax and Wayne are my favorite duo. I love the Western + Sci-fi combination. And for two genres I don’t read a ton of, I should not be surprised that Sanderson has made me love it. I love the gun slinging action, the magic system, and the countdown to the end that had me listening to this book faster than I expected.

Writing spoiler free is hard, especially for one of my biggest waited releases of 2022. I just loved it. I couldn’t comment on one thing about it that I needed to be different. Things ended as I kind of expected, and still filled with all of the hope and love these characters present against impossible odds. This bromance is one that will stand against time and I will now be impatiently waiting for the next Sanderson book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses + light innuendo
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: physical and magical violence, gun violence, explosions, near death experiences, loss of life

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Book Review: The Curse of Ophelia (The Curse of Ophelia #1) by Nicole Platania

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Nicole Platania
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The war is over.
The curse is lifted.
Malakai is gone.

It’s been two years since Ophelia has seen the boy she loves. When a treaty was signed ending the war and lifting the curse on Mystique Warriors, Malakai left to attempt the sacred ritual known as the Undertaking.

He never returned, and the Undertaking was forbidden. Ophelia’s world crumbled around her.

Since then, she has pursued a fruitless search for answers. When the deadly curse resurfaces only on her, Ophelia finds solace in the idea that when she dies, she may finally be reunited with her lost love. Then, a messenger appears, telling her that she alone may be the one to save her people.

With her closest friends by her side, Ophelia embarks on a race against death—one that will not only challenge her physically, but make her question the Mystique leaders, the Angels, and her belief in love.

Can she win the fight against fate before the curse takes her life, or will the betrayals exposed along the way kill her first?

With influence from Greek Mythology, this debut is the first in a New Adult Fantasy Romance series full of heart-wrenching love, shattering betrayals, and fighting for what you believe in. Fans of Throne of Glass, From Blood and Ash, and The Bridge Kingdom will love it.

GREAT STARTER.

I have been waiting to read this since hearing about it and I was not disappointed. I thought it was a good start to a series. Had everything I needed to want to keep going and find out what happens next.

You know in contemporaries with a meddling grandma? I don’t usually love those. But you know what I DO love? Meddling gods. And I can’t wait to see how this crew causes some chaos. I liked the world building alongside getting to meet a few of them. It was a good balance of understanding who was who and also their place in the world.

I looove warrior type FMC’s and Ophelia easily embodies that. I loved her and the whole found family crew!! I love found families. I easily fall in love with everybody and I need everyone to be happy in the end okay?! I loved getting to know all of these characters too.

The romance was very different from anything I’ve read in romantasy. It had a unique set-up that I was curious to see play out and now I just feel even more excited to see how that goes. It did take me a little bit to be interested with the reversal of storyline BUT they had me in the feels by the reunion.

Personally, I struggle with road trip type plots so for me there was a bit too much traveling. Otherwise though, I think this was a fantastic debut. Easily recommend for any fantasy romance lovers and can’t wait to see what happens next!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: one open door; + fade to black
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved one, torture, animal attacks, physical and weapons violence, murder, near death experiences

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Book Review: A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Mazey Eddings
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: March 1st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Harper is anxiously awaiting placement into a top oral surgery residency program when she crashes (literally) into Dan. Harper would rather endure a Novocaine-free root canal than face any distractions, even one this adorable.

A first-year dental student with a family legacy to contend with, Dan doesn’t have the same passion for pulling teeth that Harper does. Though he finds himself falling for her, he is willing to play by Harper’s rules.

So with the greatest of intentions and the poorest of follow-throughs, the two set out to be “just friends.” But as they get to know each other better, Harper fears that trading fillings for feelings may make her lose control and can’t risk her carefully ordered life coming undone, no matter how drool-worthy Dan is.

Blood, gore, and extra-long roots? No problem. The idea of falling in love? Torture.

LOOOOOOVED.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I picked this up. I had friends give it five stars, I had friends give it one star. And here I am shouting, YOU SHOULD READ THIS BECAUSE I LOVED IT.

The way I burst out laughing at the meet-cute between Harper and Dan gave me all the good vibes for a great read. I adored these two. Even better there’s dual POV meaning we get allllll the action from both sides. I love that both struggled with different pieces of their lives and the overcoming brought fantastic resolution.

I felt incredibly seen by Harper’s anxiety. I’ve been in many of those same positions and unfortunately have responded the same too. I appreciate the representation and how it was handled. I loved that her friends were a safe place to be and that therapy and other help were also available.

The romance was just so dang SWOONY. I was in a puddle every time one of them started confessing real feelings towards each other. It was incredibly tender and sweet. The passion fueled arguments that I can’t get enough of were here too and I LOVE IT ALL. And a grand gesture to end it?! YUP. All amazing. This romance will wrap you up and make you feel whole.

Loved everything about this. Felt all the feelings from tearing up, to laughing, and feeling my heart beat out of my chest. It was a great audiobook too and highly recommend you get your hands on this one!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: brief open door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: anxiety, on page panic attacks, sexism

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