Book Review: Kingdom of Souls (Kingdom of Souls #1) by Rena Barron

March 14, 2022May 29, 2021 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 496 pages
Author: Rena Barron
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 3rd, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

THERE’S MAGIC IN HER BLOOD.

Explosive fantasy set in a world of magic and legend, where one girl must sacrifice her life, year by year, to gain the power necessary to fight the mother she has never been good enough for.

Perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Tomi Adeyemi and Black Panther

THERE’S MAGIC IN HER BLOOD.

Arrah is a young woman from a long line of the most powerful witch doctors in the land. But she fails at magic, fails to call upon the ancestors and can’t even cast the simplest curse.

Shame and disappointment dog her.

When strange premonitions befall her family and children in the kingdom begin to disappear, Arrah undergoes the dangerous and scorned process of selling years of her life for magic. This borrowed power reveals a nightmarish betrayal and a danger beyond what she could have imagined. Now Arrah must find a way to master magic, or at least buy it, in order to save herself and everything she holds dear.

An explosive fantasy set in a world of magic and legend with a twist you will never see coming.

COULD NOT GET INTO IT.

I listened to this on audio and physically read it and both couldn’t sway me to enjoy this. The best I can say is that there’s potential and I know others will enjoy, but for a YA fantasy, I expected a lot more.

The first 100 pages or so was spent with Arrah complaining relentlessly about the fact she doesn’t have magic. We get it, it sucks, lets move the plot along. About the time things start to go in her favor she’s then CURSED. So nearly the entire book her curse prevents her from doing anything. Which kept the plot completely stagnant as she watched everyone else in the story try to actually do something. Without Arrah’s full participation I got lost in the world and magic system.

I wasn’t prepared for how dark it was. I didn’t like some of the scenes and I think that just sent me further away from this book being redeemable. There were also some repetitive phrasing and comparisons. It’s something I rarely notice unless it’s written MULTIPLE times. Time to change it up.

This book seems overall liked. Didn’t work for me, but it could work for you!

Overall audience notes:

YA Fantasy
Language: a little
Romance: kisses
Violence: physical altercations, magic attacks
Trigger/Content Warnings: mass murdering of children, torture, child abuse, rape, sexual assault

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Book Review: A Twist of the Blade (Shadows and Crowns #2) by S.M. Gaither

March 12, 2022March 9, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 548 pages
Author: S.M. Gaither
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: January 28th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Mercenary. Survivor. Queen.

Who is Casia Greythorne?

Still reeling from an unimaginable loss and the revelation of an identity she isn’t sure she wants to embrace, Casia has one plan: Try to control something. Something like the strange magic awakening inside of her. Mastering that magic will take her and her friends on a quest through cursed lands, into the dwellings of old gods, and deep into a southern empire filled with deadly foes and unlikely allies.

Meanwhile, the foundations of the Kethran Empire continue to crumble. The king-emperor clings to his crown with increasingly bloodied hands. Monsters and soldiers alike stalk Casia’s every step, determined not to let her return to claim a throne that is rightfully hers. Still, the greatest threat to her possible rule may not lie in the king-emperor, but in a former captain of his army—a man that she came dangerously close to falling in love with.

Elander Revenmar thought he knew who he was. He had a mission, a plan, a god he was content to serve. Then came Casia. A woman as mysterious as she is dangerous. One he should have stayed away from, and whose life he never should have saved.

Because salvation always comes with a cost.

And some debts can only be paid for in blood.

ANOTHER GREAT READ.

Ohhhh my goodness. Wow am I loving this series!! These audiobooks whisk me away on an adventure filled with fighting monsters, romance, found family, twisted sibling dynamics and more. LOVE IT ALL.

The Throne of Glass vibes are one of my favorite aspects. I really like when books take after some of my all time great reads without feeling like a copycat. This is definitely different and I am wholly attached.

I like how well paced out everything is. There’s movement from high action filled with battles and massive monsters all the way to quiet moments between forbidden lovers that just have me absolutely swooning. It has just the right dash of steam and I need more Elander and Casia.

THAT CLIFF HANGER had me in full riot mode. THE AUDACITY. Though it really only solidified how much I am attached to the series. I need more. I can’t wait until the next audio book is available because it is the perfect format for me to read these.

Overall audience notes:

NA Fantasy + Romance
Language: some
Romance: one brief open door
Violence: battle/war themes, physical and magical altercations, loss of loved ones

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Book Review: The Dating Plan (Marriage Game #2) by Sara Desai

March 11, 2022March 9, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Sara Desai
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: March 16th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Daisy Patel is a software engineer who understands lists and logic better than bosses and boyfriends. With her life all planned out, and no interest in love, the one thing she can’t give her family is the marriage they expect. Left with few options, she asks her childhood crush to be her decoy fiance.

Liam Murphy is a venture capitalist with something to prove. When he learns that his inheritance is contingent on being married, he realizes his best friend’s little sister has the perfect solution to his problem. A marriage of convenience will get Daisy’s matchmaking relatives off her back and fulfill the terms of his late grandfather’s will. If only he hadn’t broken her tender teenage heart nine years ago…

Sparks fly when Daisy and Liam go on a series of dates to legitimize their fake relationship. Too late, they realize that very little is convenient about their arrangement. History and chemistry aren’t about to follow the rules of this engagement.

YAY FOR FAKE DATING.

This was a charming read!! With one of my favorite tropes: fake dating/fake fiance I was charmed from the beginning. I listened to it on audio too and really enjoyed that format.

I don’t think this was anything ground-breaking in the contemporary romance department but I found it an easy, entertaining read that flew by. I had a hard time putting it down and found myself smitten with Liam. His antics had me bursting out with laughter (especially playing with a sword, NOT a euphemism haha). I loved his story and learning everything about him and his family. His connection with Daisy was instantaneous and the fire was immediately lit again. I adored the banter and romance between them.

What I did not love were the very cringey love scenes. Something about the dialogue and the way it was written did not mesh well with me. It was like the initial banter and flow went out the door to try and add steam when I think it could have been directed in a better manner.

I also haaaated the conflict/resolution. It was roll my eyes, bad Hallmark movie worthy. I couldn’t believe how Liam handled it and everything that went along just to stretch out the story. I wish something else would have been used to further the plot rather than this gross miscommunication.

I love that Daisy was an engineer and found her niche among her friends and her job. It was an aspect I always appreciate in a story. It was nice to get both points-of-view between Liam and Daisy to get the full scoop from both sides.

Overall audiece notes:

Contemporary romance
Language: some strong
Romance: kisses to open door scenes
Violence: motorcycle crash
Trigger/Content Warnings: domestic abuse (off-screen), parent abandonment

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Book Review: Romancing Her Rival (Promise of Forever After #2) by Joanna Barker

March 10, 2022January 13, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance Novella
Length: 156 pages
Author: Joanna Barker
Publisher: Love Letter Press
Release Date: August 5th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

He stole her inheritance. She stole his heart.

Daphne Windham has depended upon one thing her entire life: inheriting her beloved great-aunt’s estate, Cheriton Hall. With her mother desperate to marry her off to the highest bidder, Daphne is relieved to escape to Cheriton for the summer—until she learns that her aunt has decided upon a different heir entirely. Cole Everard, the steward’s son and Daphne’s childhood friend. Former friend, that is.

Raised on the grounds of Cheriton, Cole Everard never imagined he would be named heir, but he is determined to prove himself worthy of the position. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done, especially when Daphne arrives claiming he is anything but worthy. Instead of their close friendship, Cole is met with cold indifference—which would sting much less if he wasn’t entirely in love with her…

Hurt and betrayed, Daphne believes her only choice is to undermine her new rival and reclaim what is rightfully hers. But that plan becomes increasingly difficult, what with Cole’s infuriating charm and kindness. When fate offers Daphne a second chance, will she take it or risk it all for the promise of love?

Romancing Her Rival is the second in a series of books about five friends. The other four novellas will be written by authors Sally Britton, Megan Walker, Heidi Kimball, and Arlem Hawks.

SMITTEN.

An absolutely charming regency novella. I was grinning for ear to ear by the closing scenes and I am falling more in love with Barker’s books as I go!

This is a super quick read (150 pages) and is excellently paced. I liked that there was enough background mentioned between Daphne and Cole to know that they had a history prior to the book. I feel like that’s always really critical for a novella. An established past helps fuel the connection we get to see on page.

And what a connection it was!! I immediately saw the chemistry between our main couple and I loved the progression of their romance. The critical conflict scenes weren’t out of bounds I I am here for a passionate confession of feelings accidentally in front of the other person.

Super smitten with this whole read. One of those moments wondering why it took so long for me to pick it up in the first place. Can’t wait to read more!

Overall audience notes: