Book Review: House of Roots and Ruin (Sisters of the Salt #2) by Erin A. Craig

October 9, 2024August 29, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: NA Fantasy Horror Romance
Length: 544 pages
Author: Erin A. Craig
Publisher: Delacorte
Release Date: July 25th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In a manor by the sea, one sister is still cursed.

Despite dreams of adventures far beyond the Salann shores, seventeen-year-old Verity Thaumas has remained at her family’s estate, Highmoor, with her older sister Camille, while their sisters have scattered across Arcannia.

When their sister Mercy sends word that the Duchess of Bloem—wife of a celebrated botanist—is interested in having Verity paint a portrait of her son, Alexander, Verity jumps at the chance, but Camille won’t allow it. Forced to reveal the secret she’s kept for years, Camille tells Verity the truth one day: Verity is still seeing ghosts, she just doesn’t know it.

Stunned, Verity flees Highmoor that night and—with nowhere else to turn—makes her way to Bloem. At first, she is captivated by the lush, luxurious landscape and is quickly drawn to charming, witty, and impossibly handsome Alexander Laurent. And soon, to her surprise, a romance… blossoms.

But it’s not long before Verity is plagued with nightmares, and the darker side of Bloem begins to show through its sickly-sweet façade…

A modern masterpiece, this is a classic Gothic thriller-fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Erin A. Craig, about doomed love, menacing ambition, and the ghosts that haunt us forever.

WHOA.

Ya know, this might be why I don’t read horror books? This got a bit WILD Y’ALL. And maybe that’s totally on brand for the genre, but your girl does not read books like this often.

I had a pretty good time with it. It’s interesting. The audio was good so I enjoyed listening. I was simultaneously quirking my head at what was going on and feeling that need to know what happens next.

The ending becomes absolutely off the walls. It’s pure chaos in the best ways. I loved how it ended because it really fit the whole books vibe. I do think that it was oddly sexual. It’s definitely not a YA book. It fits more into the NA category for sure.

So I don’t know if I’d say run out and read it, but if you’re in the mood for something wholly different than your usual with an ending that will leave you feeling all of the spooky vibes, try it!

Overall audience notes:

NA Horror Fantasy
Language: a little strong
Romance: innuendo + one vague scene + closed door
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, medical experimentation, loss of life, near death experiences

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Book Review: The Wren in the Holly Library (The Oak and the Holly Cycle #1) by K.A. Linde

October 8, 2024June 8, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Urban Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: K.A. Linde
Publisher: Entangled
Release Date: June 4th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Can you love the dark when you know what it hides?

Some things aren’t supposed to exist outside of our imagination.

Thirteen years ago, monsters emerged from the shadows and plunged Kierse’s world into a cataclysmic war of near-total destruction. The New York City she knew so well collapsed practically overnight.

In the wake of that carnage, the Monster Treaty was created. A truce…of sorts.

But tonight, Kierse—a gifted and fearless thief—will break that treaty. She’ll enter the Holly Library…not knowing it’s the home of a monster.

He’s charming. Quietly alluring. Terrifying. But he knows talent when he sees it; it’s just a matter of finding her price.

Now she’s locked into a dangerous bargain with a creature unlike any other. She’ll sacrifice her freedom. She’ll offer her skills. Together, they’ll put their own futures at risk.

But he’s been playing a game across centuries—and once she joins in, there will be no escape…

NOT A BAD START.

I thought this got off to a really good beginning. I was intrigued, and surprised to find that this was actually an urban fantasy (which now that I’ve gone back to read the summary, I can see that, but I’m a go in blind type). ANYWAYS. As someone who usually doesn’t like urban settings, I thought this worked pretty well. I liked the dystopian dynamics of a world post monsters and how things were divided with all of the political machinations.

Kierse was a good FMC. I liked her personality and her watching her figure out where she wanted to place her loyalties. The romance kind of grew on me? I thought it went a bit fast for the plot and that we didn’t get much of Graves character until later in the story. There’s still some world building and magic system aspects that I would love to have a deeper explanations of. The middle lost me for a bit, and the last quarter things picked up again. There were some good twists that had me side eying the sequel.

I loved the audiobook and definitely have plans to continue the series.

Overall audience notes:

Urban fantasy romance
Language: moderate-high
Romance: 2-3 open door
Violence: high
Content Warnings: abusive ex-mentor (recounted, abusive father (recounted), non-consenual drugging, blood/gore depiction (mild)

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Book Review: The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman

October 7, 2024August 24, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: Magical Realism Fiction
Length: 272 pages
Author: Alice Hoffman
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: August 15th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the beloved New York Times bestselling author of The Marriage of Opposites and the Practical Magic series comes an enchanting novel about love, heartbreak, self-discovery, and the enduring magic of books.

One brilliant June day when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. The Scarlet Letter was written almost two hundred years earlier, but it seems to tell the story of Mia’s mother, Ivy, and their life inside the Community—an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts where contact with the outside world is forbidden, and books are considered evil. But how could this be? How could Nathaniel Hawthorne have so perfectly captured the pain and loss that Mia carries inside her?

Through a journey of heartbreak, love, and time, Mia must abandon the rules she was raised with at the Community. As she does, she realizes that reading can transport you to other worlds or bring them to you, and that readers and writers affect one another in mysterious ways. She learns that time is more fluid than she can imagine, and that love is stronger than any chains that bind you.

As a girl Mia fell in love with a book. Now as a young woman she falls in love with a brilliant writer as she makes her way back in time. But what if Nathaniel Hawthorne never wrote The Scarlet Letter ? And what if Mia Jacob never found it on the day she planned to die?

Nathaniel Hawthorne “A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.”

This is the story of one woman’s dream. For a little while it came true.

Thank you to Book Club Favorites and Simon & Schuster for the gifted copy.

WASTED TIME.

I’m grateful this book was short because it was not charming.

This was about Nathanial Hawthorne’s muse??? In the weirdest story I think I’ve read as of late. I don’t know what to even say about it. Just that I’m wholly confused how we got here. It was scattered and unfocused.

I’m not the audience for this one and I don’t feel like spending anymore time on this book.

Overall audience notes:

Magical Realism
Language: some strong
Romance: closed door
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: unplanned pregnancies, loss of a mother, stalking, living in a cult

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ARC Book Review: The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan

October 6, 2024October 3, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Katrina Kwan
Publisher: S&S / Saga Press
Release Date: October 8th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Inspired by Chinese myths of ancient dragon gods and threads of fate, Katrina Kwan’s dazzling fantasy debut is an adventure perfect for fans of Sue Lynn Tan and Hannah Whitten.

At the spry young age of twenty-five, Sai has led a quiet life, keeping the family teahouse up and running—even if that means ignoring the past-due notices—and taking care of his ailing mother. But he has a not-so-secret gift that he’s parlayed into a side career: he was born with the ability see the red threads of fate between soulmates, which lends itself nicely to matchmaking. Sai has thus far been content not to follow his own thread, the only one he’s ever seen that’s gray and fraying.

But Sai’s ordinary existence is about to be turned upside-down by a pair of shining dragon scales. When his mother’s doctor sells them to him, claiming them as a miracle cure, Sai is pretty sure he’s being scammed. When the medicine actually works—and the terrifying, ruthless emperor catches wind—Sai is thrust into the search for a dragon long thought extinct that will lead him into the throes of a brewing war and deep into foreign lands, facing down challenges both magical and mortal on an unexpected adventure. And for the very first time, as his own thread of fate begins to move, he may be able to solve the mystery of his Fated One on the other end of the line.

Thank you to S&S / Saga Press and Colored Pages Book Tours for the gifted copy and Simon Audio for the audiobook.

A GREAT STANDALONE.

I know many are often on a quest for a romantasy standalone and I gotta say this was a great one! For a 300 page book it was substantially packed with good world building, dragons, and an endearingly romantic story too.

I loved that this was from Sai’s point of view. I feel romance book aren’t often written solely from the male main character and I enjoyed his journey a lot. There’s a fairytale-esque writing quality to it and I also listened to the audiobook and loved that format too.

There’s some intense action, some hidden identity and a love story that transcends time and place. I adored the very sweet and tender moments between the main characters and would absolutely love to read this author’s next story.

Overall audience notes: