ARC Book Review: Love from Scratch by Kaitlyn Hill

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Rating: ★★★☆ (3.5)
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Kaitlyn Hill
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: April 5th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This summer, Reese Camden is trading sweet tea and Southern hospitality for cold brew and crisp coastal air. She’s landed her dream marketing internship at Friends of Flavor, a wildly popular cooking channel in Seattle. The only problem? Benny Beneventi, the relentlessly charming, backwards-baseball-cap-wearing culinary intern–and her main competition for the fall job.

Reese’s plan to keep work a No Feelings Zone crumbles like a day-old muffin when she and Benny are thrown together for a video shoot that goes viral, making them the internet’s newest ship. Audiences are hungry for more, and their bosses at Friends of Flavor are happy to deliver. Soon Reese and Benny are in an all-out food war, churning homemade ice cream, twisting soft pretzels, breaking eggs in an omelet showdown–while hundreds of thousands of viewers watch.

Reese can’t deny the chemistry between her and Benny. But the more their rivalry heats up, the harder it is to keep love on the back burner.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC.

WELL, I ADORED BENNY.

I really wanted to love this more than my review shows and while I did like a lot of it, there were some aspects that held me back. Something I did love was the setting!! I loved the concept of a company with online cooking videos and the like.

Benny. He was top notch one of the better YA love interests I’ve read in awhile. He was incredibly supportive, realistic, and charming. I love that he was the sunshine between the two and had a positive attitude. Benny was all things sweet and the grand gesture at the end was completely over the top and I loved it.

Reese. I was much slower to warm up to her. I didn’t mind that she was the grump in the relationship and I liked that they got together halfway through! She showed some growth and, but towards the end it got a bit stagnant. I didn’t love the way the conflict was handled and I felt my care for her decisions wane as she became increasingly whiny. It was okay.

I realize this is a contemporary romance and I love that. That’s why I picked it up. That’s what drew me in. Unfortunately the larger agenda of the book felt forced and pushy. Even for things I am all for and in support of, I felt suffocated by that storyline over what I thought was the main aspect of the plot (the romance).

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: light
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: skeevy older men, misogyny, slut-shaming

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Reading Wrap Up: March 2022

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We’re just going to pretend that I didn’t forget about February’s wrap up and then was too exhausted to make it.

Trying to remedy that by starting March’s earlier!

FAVORITES:

  • All my rereads
  • Every Nichole Van book
  • The Unknown Beloved
  • A River Enchanted
  • Our Last Days in Barcelona
  • Sweet Right Here (A Lost Story Bookshop Novel #1) by Jenny B. Jones
  • [Reread] A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOTAR #1) by Sarah J. Maas
  • Gallant by V.E. Schwab
  • [Reread/Novella] A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOTAR #3.5) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [ARC] A Symphony of Stars (The Gods of Men #3) by Barbara Kloss
  • Romancing the Rake (Brotherhood of the Black Tartan #2) by Nichole Van
  • The Siren of Sussex (Belles of London #1) by Mimi Matthews
  • [Novella] Evershore (Skyward #3.1) by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson
  • [ARC] The Unknown Beloved by Amy Harmon
  • How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan
  • Loving a Lady (Brotherhood of the Black Tartan #3) by Nichole Van
  • Under Locke by Mariana Zapata
  • Daughter of the Deep (The Children of Lyr #1) by Lina C. Amarego
  • Edgedancer (The Stormlight Archives #2.5) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Fly with the Arrow (Bluebeard’s Secret #1) by Sarah K.L. Wilson
  • A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence #1) by Rebecca Ross
  • Only A Monster (Monsters #1) by Vanessa Len
  • An Impossible Imposter (Veronica Speedwell #7) by Deanna Raybourn
  • Making the Marquess (Brotherhood of the Black Tartan #4) by Nichole Van
  • Just a Heartbeat Away (Forever Yours #1) by Cara Bastone
  • Remembering Jamie (Brotherhood of the Black Tartan #5) by Nichole Van
  • [Non-Fiction] Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alred Lansing
  • [Novella] Under One Roof (The STEMinist Novellas #1) by Ali Hazelwood
  • [ARC] Love Practically (The Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir #1) by Nichole Van
  • The League of Gentlewomen Witches (Dangerous Damsels #2) by India Holton
  • [Novella] The Emperor’s Soul (Elantris) by Brandon Sanderson
  • [ARC] Our Last Days in Barcelona by Chanel Cleeton
  • Queen (Fae Games #3) by Karen Lynch
  • [ARC] Luck and Last Resorts (Love, Lists & Fancy Ships #2) by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
  • Crimson Reign (Blood Heir Trilogy #3) by Amie Wen Zhao
  • The Lady Tempts an Heir (The Gilded Age Heiresses #3) by Harper St. George
  • [ARC] The Rightful Bearer (The Maiden Ship #3) by Micheline Ryckman
  • [Novella] Stuck With You (The STEMinist Novellas #2) by Ali Hazelwood
  • Bride of the Shadow King (Bride of the Shadow King #2) by Sylvia Mercedes
  • [Reread] A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR #4) by Sarah J. Maas
  • Love Off-Limits (Some Kind of Love #3) by Jenny Proctor
  • [ARC] The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
  • The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgertons #2) by Julia Quinn
  • Seatmate (Love Lines #3) by Cara Bastone
  • [Reread] The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams

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Book Review: The Lion’s Den by Katherine St. John

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Adult Fiction / Mystery
Length: 368 pages
Author: Katherine St. John
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: June 30th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Belle likes to think herself immune to the dizzying effects of fabulous wealth. But when her best friend, Summer, invites her on a glamorous getaway to the Mediterranean aboard her billionaire boyfriend’s yacht, the only sensible answer is yes. Belle hopes the trip will be a much-needed break from her stalled acting career and uniquely humiliating waitressing job, but once she’s aboard the luxurious Lion’s Den, it soon becomes clear this jet-setting holiday is not as advertised.

Belle’s dream vacation quickly devolves into a nightmare as she and the handful of other girls Summer invited are treated more like prisoners than guests by their controlling host-and in one terrifying moment, Belle comes to see Summer for who she truly is: a vicious gold digger who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Belle realizes she’s going to have to keep her wits about her — and her own big secret closely hidden — if she wants to make it off the yacht alive.

THIS WAS WILD.

My eyes were in shocked mode practically the entire time. I didn’t know what I was going to get from reading this, so an incredible fast-paced thriller was surprising and intense.

Have you ever watched the show Below Deck? Because this felt like instead of watching the crew, you were watching the guests. And the guests had utterly jumped off the deep end. I hated so many of them (and that was entirely the point so I wasn’t upset about it). The very few redeeming characters were the right touch for this kind of story.

I really didn’t see the biggest twist and I flat out shouted at my steering wheel while listening because I was SHOCKED. Which then amped the story even more. I loved Belle’s place in the novel and getting everything from her view. I wasn’t sure about the flashback chapters initially. As they continued and started making much more sense I was just as invested with those as the present story.

Definitely had some raunchiness I didn’t love, but this story was just too good to put down. Loved the audio version and I will be checking out her next book. This was highly entertaining and different from my usual reads which made it all the better.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: kisses, open & closed door scenes
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: sexual assault, rape, murder, drowning, suicide, suicide ideation, being drugged without consent

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ARC Book Review: A Symphony of Stars (The Gods of Men #3) by Barbara Kloss

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 576 pages
Author: Barbara Kloss
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: March 29th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Will Imari fall like every sulaziér before her?

In a desperate attempt to save King Jeric’s life, Imari drew upon the power from the Tree of Wisdom, hidden deep within the forsaken lands of Sol Velor. But Imari could not have known that by doing so, she would also free Zussa—the Great Deceiver—who had been bound between worlds since the beginning of time.

Thus freed, and now using Azir Mubarék as a vessel, Zussa will stop at nothing to exact her final revenge: to unravel the world as it is written.

With Trier destroyed and so many Sol Velorians and Liagé now under Zussa’s employ, it seems the Five Provinces are doomed to Zussa’s insatiable wrath. Jeric and Imari’s only hope is to return to Corinth, to gather whatever fighting men will help, but Jeric hasn’t been home in over two months. He can’t possibly know what awaits him there, or if he still has a throne.

Regardless of what they find, Imari soon comes to realize that her particular gifting as a sulaziér is crucial in their inevitable fight against Zussa. The only problem is that her flute—her talla—is broken, and she can’t channel Shah power properly without it. Jeric has miraculously discovered a new talla, but using it might come with a price that Imari is not willing to pay.

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of the book!

GREAT CONCLUSION.

There is something so satisfying about finishing a series. Especially when the last book concludes the things you need to close the book and appreciate all the words you’ve read.

I am just smitten with this romance. I adore Jeric and Imari. I would have loved even MORE of them because every time they graced the pages I would swoon. I loved all of the quiet moments and a lot of those ending scenes where they both fought for the love between them. Jeric never game up on Imari and I AM HERE FOR IT.

There were many points of view (I think even more than book two?) and it was nice getting different angles of the impending final battle. Seeing characters make turn arounds, finding new love, and coping with big changes. I have enjoyed this entire cast. The protagonists and antagonists. Both played their roles well which gave to an intense finale.

The first half was a bit slow for me as most of it was travel based (which is never a strong trope for me). By about halfway things definitely started picking up as kingdoms unraveled and the great deceiver maxed out the dial on their plans.

This series has been stunning all around and I am so happy to have found it! Available on KU and a great read for new adult fantasy lovers!

Overall audience notes:

  • New adult fantasy romance
  • Language: light
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: mild blood/gore
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: torture, physical and magical altercations, weapons violence, possession, near death experiences

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