Tag: audiobook

Book Review: Starlight (Angels of Elysium #3) by Olivia Wildenstein

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Urban/Paranormal Romance
Length: 488 pages
Author: Olivia Wildenstein
Publisher: WildStone Publishing
Release Date: December 28th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

ANGELIC FACT NUMBER 100: Having wings doesn’t make one noble; it simply makes one fly.

Naya and Adam have nothing in common. Besides black wings. The same birthday. And fathers who are as close as brothers.

But nothing else.

Sweet, diligent Naya has always abided by the rules. Arrogant, uncivil Adam has made it his life’s mission to break each one.

She is the beloved daughter of an archangel. He is the guilds’ resident bad boy . . . well, bad fletching.

When Naya thrusts herself in Adam’s life to request a place on his clandestine team of guardians, he turns her away. The last thing his unsanctioned squad needs is an archangel’s attention, and the last thing he needs is a bubbly, blonde distraction with a sinful voice and soulful eyes.

Problem is, Naya suddenly, and inexplicably, becomes the only thing he wants.

SATISFYING CONCLUSION.

I have really enjoyed this series. I read it over a month which is unusually fast for me to binge a completed trilogy. While there are some magical system gaps and I still have questions about world building, I had SUCH A GOOD TIME with the stories. It’s intense, and romantic and swoony and all the things.

Naya and Adam’s story has been a long time coming and I love the slow burn edge this book took. There’s a really good build up and I loooove Adam’s alpha side. I can’t help myself. Naya is a strong FMC and if you’re looking for a darker vibe, this book has it. The plot is dark and full of shocking things and it often kept me on the edge of my seat.

This feels like an underrated paranormal romance series. I am so happy I took the chance on it and for someone who’s not usually a paranormal fan this checked off many of my boxes. And they’re fantastic on audio!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 3-4 open door; high explicit
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, kidnapping, medical experimentation, murder, high blood/gore depiction, physical and weapons violence

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Book Review: The Catch (Summer Nights #1) by Lauren H. Mae

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 420 pages
Author: Lauren H. Mae
Publisher: William St. Press
Release Date: January 11th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

With Catia Roday has learned the hard way that love always disappoints, so when she finds herself falling for Josh Rideout—the handsome, charming, seemingly-perfect guy she just met on vacation—only to find out they hail from neighboring towns, she has one question: what’s the catch?

Unwilling to let love make a fool of her again, Cat tries desperately to ignore the chemistry between her and Josh, but it isn’t easy when their vacation plans keep overlapping. With the universe constantly throwing them together, and her friends practically staging an intervention to tell her she’s making a huge mistake, she decides to prove her point once and for all. On the way home, she makes a bet. She’ll take her budding vacation romance back to the real world, and when she proves Josh is too good to be true, she wins! (And she avoids another heartbreak.)

What ensues is a series of tests and games with Josh one step ahead of her the whole time, until Cat realizes the friendly wager has her betting against the one man who may be able to revive her faith in love. Worse yet, it turns out Josh might not be the gambling type.

HARD PASS.

Oooooh this was not for me. And now I don’t even want to try any of the other books in this series.

We got off on the wrong foot by throwing in some one night stand vibes (almost went through with it). I have never loved that trope and this is what I get for not reading the synopsis.

I also hated the FMC. I thought she was manipulative and rude. Why would you bait your boyfriend into potentially flirting with someone else just so you can prove he’s not actually a nice guy so you can break up with him? THAT IS NOT OKAY. That scene and others enraged me to no end.

The drama with the third act was, you guessed it, as awful as the rest of this book. Over the top and since I was done with the book at this point I just wanted it to be over. There relationship got fully started before the halfway point and it never recovered. I wasted my time on this one.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: multiple open door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of prior divorce

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Book Review: Haley and the Yeti (Love Tuscon #1) by Laura Langa

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 357 pages
Author: Laura Langa
Publisher: West East Publishing
Release Date: January 17th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Her grumpy neighbor wasn’t part of the plan.

After her soul-crushing breakup, Haley Kineman is stepping out of her comfort zone, moving to sunny Tucson, Arizona, and shooting for the stars—literally. When she’s not working as a phlebotomist, Haley’s striving to meet her celebrity crush who’s filming locally.

Haley has even enlisted her grumpy next-door neighbor—affectionately nicknamed Yeti—to help her get onto the movie set. With his long enviable locks, masculine beard, and alpine mountain physique, he’s an obvious choice for an ally.

All Yeti wants is to quietly develop software in his home office, but Haley throws his protective nature into overdrive after being injured in an incident. Then Yeti has no choice but to accompany Haley on her sight-seeing, thrift-shopping, iguana-saving adventures.

But Haley’s bright demeanor keeps messing with his head, making him consider things that aren’t possible. Because with Yeti’s damaging past, no woman would want him.

As their friendship deepens, Haley’s not sure if she should stick to her star-studded plan, or if a real love story is closer to home.

GOOD READ.

I was seeking a quick contemporary in the midst of reading a big fantasy and stumbled upon this! I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading Laura Langa’s next book.

This concept was kind of quirky, but it worked. The fact that the Yeti was called Yeti for most of this book made me chuckle. And I think it played well into his back story and the things he was working to over come. This had an insta connection vibe that I actually really liked and I could feel the growing chemistry between Haley and the Yeti.

I was a little confused by one the plot aspects with the famous guy? It seemed kind of random and I don’t know that it helped any of the story that much. I did appreciate that when a silly third act break-up could have happened that it was worked out in a much more natural manner.

It was a good read and I liked the audiobook a lot. Look forward to the next!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: litttle
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: past verbally abusive/gaslighting relationship, past fire accident and trauma, donating blood

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Book Review: Threads That Bind (Threads That Bind #1) by Kika Hatzopoulou

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 352 pages
Author: Kika Hatzopoulou
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: May 30th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city.

Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante.

But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met.

But the investigation turns personal when Io’s estranged oldest sister turns up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players—before destruction comes to her own doorstep.

UNDERRATED.

I’m so glad this book was put on my radar because it was worth the read y’all. Absolutely loved the audiobook and can’t wait for the next book.

I loved the magic system and combination of meddling gods and powers. The thread idea was unique and I thought was well developed and explained throughout. I love how young adult this felt (in the best ways). One of those, this is why I love this genre, reads.

Io and Edei are a great match in chemistry and working together to solve the crime happening around them. There’s good betrayals and reveals and plenty of action to keep the pages turning. I liked the subtle romance, the sister relationships and other things throughout.

An easy book for me to recommend and say GO GET IT.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, loss of life, near death experiences, physical and magical altercations

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