Book Review: Stone Cold Touch (The Dark Elements #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Urban Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Release Date: March 26th, 2019
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BOOK SUMMARY:

Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Her best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to her mysterious power of a soul-stealing kiss. Suddenly, the Warden clan that has always protected her is keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the forbidden demon prince who understood her in ways no one else ever could.

Rock bottom is only the beginning once Layla’s powers finally start to evolve. She’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden, finally getting what she has always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count piling up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing or able to pay.

LOVE TRIANGLE WOES.

I’m enjoying this series. I am, but gosh dang it, book two syndrome alive and well today.

All because of an unnecessary love triangle between Zayne and Roth. WE ALL KNOW IT’S ROTH Y’ALL. HE IS ENDGAME.

The plot was pretty much tossed aside until the very end for the romantic dilemma. Luckily the audio book is really great and it feels like an easy listen. I loooove all of the Roth moments and totally get why he’s hyped everywhere. He’s probably the best character of this series. I’ll stand by that statement.

Learning more about Layla and her powers was nice. Like I said, just wish there were more of this continuation. The ending dropped a few surprised and I’m excited to read the last book, but was mostly disappointed in this one.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Urban Fantasy
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: heated make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, death by animal, depictions of suicide

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Book Review: Pawn (Fae Games #1) by Karen Lynch

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Urban fantasy romance
Length: 289 pages
Author: Karen Lynch
Publisher: Tempest Press
Release Date: May 26th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Jesse James is a normal eighteen-year-old, even if her parents are the best faerie bounty hunters in New York. Jesse’s only concern is how to pay for college, but that changes the night her parents disappear.

Equipped with her parents’ weapons and her own smarts, Jesse enters the dangerous world of bounty hunting in search of her mother and father. In her quest, she encounters all manner of Fae, but the scariest is Lukas, the mysterious, imposing faerie who offers to help her find her parents.

But there are powerful forces at work, and Jesse is about to become a player in a dangerous game that could decide the fate of everyone she loves. In this world of magic and deception, it’s hard to tell her allies from her enemies in the race to find her parents before their time runs out. 

WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?

Well isn’t this a NA urban fantasy hidden gem! I was lovingly pushed into reading this and I can’t believe it took me this long to pick it up. I know I’m not an urban fantasy fan, but this is one of those that took me by surprise.

I adored Jesse James. She is strong and resilient. I love her take charge attitude and willingness to learn and use her senses as she works to become a bounty hunter. One of the best heroines I’ve read recently and the true star of this book.

The side characters are stunning too!! Jesse’s cute brother, Finch. The best friend, Violet. The other bounty hunters and faeries Jesse comes across. There were many and I felt like I remember them all well. A testament to great writing that built many personalities well.

The romance was a little left to be desired for me. I thought there’d be more. What I got, LOVED. Not mad about that. I just hope there’s a bit more in book two. I love learning about Lukas and his friends. I couldn’t put this book down and will be reading book two ASAP.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Urban Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, nonconsensual drugging, imprisonment

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Book Review: Chain of Iron (The Last Hours #2) by Cassandra Clare

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Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: YA Urban / Historical Fantasy
Length: 592 pages
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Walker Books
Release Date: March 2nd, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Shadowhunters must catch a killer in Edwardian London in this dangerous and romantic sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Chain of Gold, from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Cassandra Clare. Chain of Iron is a Shadowhunters novel.

Cordelia Carstairs seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming companions, the Merry Thieves. She is about to be reunited with her beloved father. And she bears the sword Cortana, a legendary hero’s blade.

But the truth is far grimmer. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with the mysterious Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it, while her father has grown bitter and angry. And a serial murderer is targeting the Shadowhunters of London, killing under cover of darkness, then vanishing without a trace.

Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James, and Lucie must follow the trail of the knife-wielding killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each is keeping a shocking secret: Lucie, that she plans to raise Jesse from the dead; Cordelia, that she has sworn a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power; and James, that he is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself may be the killer they seek.

BUT WHY.

I kept hearing about this *emotional ending*. I imaginged something catastrophic happening, tears being shed, etc. All I actually felt was RAGE. I know and expect a cliffhanger in Shadowhunter books. It’s fine, but sometimes they don’t match up well for me. This one seemed like it’s going to cause a lot more damage and I am not okay.

COI took a long time to pick up. It was hundreds of pages before I felt really connected to the story. Even with loving a character driven novel, I guess with some many switches between POVs I wasn’t feeling attached to anyone until later down the line.

Granted, once things got going, they got moving quickly. I really liked the second half. And I especially appreciate that this feels like more of a fresh take in the Shadowhunter world. It’s no secret that I’m slowly fading out of wanting to read this series. It’s a lot of books in one world, ya know?

For now, I’m continuing on. Definitely invested enough to read book three and see what happens next. There’s many ships I’m hoping set sail (or for that matter, REMAIN SAILING). I do adore this cast and the whole group of Merry Thieves.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Urban / Historical fiction Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses to closed door scenes
  • Violence: battles, demonic attacks, weaponry
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: alcohlism

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Book Review: The Heiress Gets a Duke (The Gilded Age Heiresses #1) by Harper St. George

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 316 pages
Author: Harper St. George
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 26th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Even a fortune forged in railroads and steel can’t buy entrance into the upper echelons of Victorian high society—for that you need a marriage of convenience.

American heiress August Crenshaw has aspirations. But unlike her peers, it isn’t some stuffy British Lord she wants wrapped around her finger—it’s Crenshaw Iron Works, the family business. When it’s clear that August’s outrageously progressive ways render her unsuitible for a respectable match, her parents offer up her younger sister to the highest entitled bidder instead. This simply will not do. August refuses to leave her sister to the mercy of a loveless marriage.

Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, has no intention of walking away from the marriage. He’s recently inherited the title only to find his coffers empty, and with countless lives depending on him, he can’t walk away from the fortune a Crenshaw heiress would bring him. But after meeting her fiery sister, he realizes Violet isn’t the heiress he wants. He wants August, and he always gets what he wants.

But August won’t go peacefully to her fate. She decides to show Rothschild that she’s no typical London wallflower. Little does she realize that every stunt she pulls to make him call off the wedding only makes him like her even more.

HIGHLY ENJOYABLE.

My first historical romance y’all. I’m not upset about it one bit. I really enjoyed this read and look forward to the next book.

One of the things that worked for me here was the open door scenes didn’t take over the book. I thought they fit in exactly where they should go and furthered the story rather than took me out of it.

Ohemgee, Evan. I loved him y’all. Such a great love interest. He was a “typical Duke,” but also seemed to really value what August wanted. He wanted to ensure she would choose him and not feel like she was being wholly forced into their marriage. It was really sweet and endearing to see his efforts.

August was a gem. I love her fiery attitude and strength of character. She knew what she wanted and took charge of the situations before her. August and Evan clearly had chemistry from the get go. I loved their meet-cute and the love story that followed.

The expected miscommunication didn’t arise intense feelings of annoyance in me. I actually thought it worked perfectly. It made sense for the plot and gave both characters an opportunity to breathe and see what they wanted. Not to mention, gave such a cute coming together at the end. All smiles for me!

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical romance
  • Language: a little strong
  • Romance: kisses to two open door scenes
  • Violence: boxing
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a loved one, forced marriage

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