Tag: Book Review

Book Review: Blade Breaker (Realm Breaker #2) by Victoria Aveyard

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 578 pages
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: June 28th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The fate of the world rests on a blade’s edge.

Fighting beside her band of unlikely companions, Corayne is learning to embrace her ancient lineage and wield her father’s powerful sword.

But while she successfully closed one of the Spindles, her journey is far from over.

Queen Erida’s army marches across Allward with her consort, Taristan, right beside them, opening more portals into nightmarish worlds, razing kingdoms to the ground.

Corayne has no choice but to assemble an army of her own if she’s to save the realm as she knows it. But perilous lands await her and the companions, and they face assassins, otherworldly beasts, and tempestuous seas all as they rally a divided Ward to fight behind them.

But Taristan has unleashed an evil far more wicked than his corpse armies. Something deadly waits in the shadows; something that might consume the world before there’s any hope for victory.

WHO KNEW.

I’m here with another five star read for this series and I’m as surprised as you are. I have been really loving the audiobooks and the whole way this world is set-up. It’s complicated and intricate and I love that we got to explore the world a lot more in the second book.

NOT TO MENTION. This series currently has me cheering on the villains and I don’t know what to do with that information. I’m kick your feet in the air giddy whenever Taristan is on page. LIKE HOW. It’s fine. I’m here for it. Though I’m also so very curious how that plot line will work out in the finale.

This is the kind of epic fantasy I really enjoy and I also appreciate that it is a true young adult book too. There’s twists and big action scenes. Quiet moments and political intrigue. It’s been great, can’t wait for more!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: closed door (between a married couple)
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: blood/gore depiction, mass murder and war themes

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ARC Book Review: A Tale Told by Traitors (Tales of Wonder and Woe #2) by Renee Dugan

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 653 pages
Author: Renee Dugan
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 8th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Set sail into the swoony, pulse-pounding, high-stakes second installment in the TALES OF WONDER AND WOE, a series of sequential standalones each focusing on a new romantic fantasy adventure!

LIONYRA VARA is not who she seems.

A humble immigrant baker living in Mithra-Sha, Lio hides a bitter she is truly the sole inheritor of the ruling regime in the neighboring country of Amere-Del. And now, against her will, Lio is going back—to the land of her worst fears and lifelong nightmares.

And she won’t be going the life of her oldest friend hangs in the same cruel balance. Their only hope for freedom is to outwit the people who seek to enslave them to the fate they left behind.

But to do it, they must first find their way back to each other.

RYKER KASSIAN is a man caught between desperation and redemption.

A legendary pirate swimming in insurmountable debt, Ryker sees only one way to slip the noose for himself and his beloved by offering the runaway Delina as a ransom for a lofty sum. But when the lost heir offers him a chance at something more—by helping her hunt down her missing friend—Ryker seizes the opportunity without a second thought.
It might be his only chance to fix everything he’s broken…and save his crew from slaughter.

As their hunt takes them to hidden pirate cities, sinister port towns, and the treacherous heart of Amere-Del where revolution threatens to ignite, all of their secrets and schemes collide. Backed against the tenuous balance of an impending civil war, Lio and Ryker have no choice but to confront the bitter truths they’ve fled from, the causes they’ve betrayed, the schemes for their destruction…and a rising attraction they both deny.

And with a ruthless regime seeking both their heads, they must choose which side of the line they stand on—whether they remain enemies divided, or become allies in the fight to shape their own destinies.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

A NEW FAV.

This might be my new favorite book by Renee Dugan. I know the page count seems daunting but I love that this wasn’t split up into a duology. Give me those longer page counts and also give me a full story and this delivered on both counts. I enjoyed being back in this world and getting Lio’s story.

I loved the pirating aspects and all of the hidden identities. The slow burn was incredible and there were definitely some good and swoony moments. And the action was dark and intense. There’s a gruesome angle to this book that I thought fit the pirating theme well. I was clutching my pearls and gasping on the treadmill wondering who was actually going to make it to the end of the book.

I had such an enjoyable time reading this book. I love Renee Dugan’s writing style and the craft that goes into each tale. Lio had an amazing character arc and I was absolutely cheering for her when the final change happened. I loved how strong and supportive Ryker was and how stalwart he became about being in her corner. I am in love with this entire book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate – high
  • Content Warnings: blood/gore depiction, loss of life, murder

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Book Review: How Jenna Became My Dilemma (Famously in Love #2) by Kortney Keisel

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 302 pages
Author: Kortney Keisel
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 22nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I’m fake dating a man I don’t even like. When a tabloid breaks a false story that I’m in a relationship with my co-star, Cody Banner, I’m positive my acting career is over before it’s even begun. I’m Done. Finished. But approval ratings skyrocket overnight, putting the rumors on the front page of every news outlet. Now I’m forced to make a deal with Hollywood’s most notorious bad boy and chain dater. It’s either go along with the fake-dating charade or single-handedly bring down both our careers. No, big deal. If only the lines between fake and real weren’t starting to blur, leaving my heart wondering if Cody’s just a really good actor or if he’s starting to fall for me too. How Jenna Became My Dilemma is a celebrity fake dating romantic comedy. It brings all the banter, sizzle, and chemistry while keeping the romance closed door. This is the second book in the Famously in Love Series.

ENJOYABLE.

I liked this one a lot. It’s a really fast read and I loved how easy it was to fly through. I love how Kortney Keisel writes a sensual/steamy type of read without being spicy. It was written so well in that vein and I love that vibe.

I really liked Jenna and Cody. The enemies banter was there and there were many great celebrity moments that allowed for that kind of forced proximity I love. Even the fake dating was fun to venture into to as well.

What I didn’t love was what felt like forced promotion of the authors other books through Jenna and Cody acting in movies of them. I don’t know, to me it came off kind of odd and took me out of the story multiple times.

Otherwise, an honestly good read. There were many swoony moments I loved and I thought the ending was wonderful.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of previous custody battle/divorced parents

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ARC Book Review: Across the Ages (Timeless #4) by Gabrielle Meyer

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction + Romance
Length: TBD pages
Author: Gabrielle Meyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: November 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Caroline holds a deep secret. Existing in 1727 and 1927 simultaneously, each night she goes to sleep in one life and wakes up in the other. Searching for answers to her unique existence, Caroline stumbles upon a letter from her mother that hints at her own experiences as a time-crosser, sending Caroline on a quest to uncover the truth. In 1727, chasing the mysteries of her mother’s past, Caroline disguises herself as a cabin boy and joins a ship sailing for the Bahamas, her mother’s last known location. Amid treacherous waters, she crosses paths with Marcus Zale, a ruthless but handsome pirate, and finds herself caught in a web of secrets, deception, and unexpected alliances. Meanwhile, in 1927 St. Paul, Minnesota, Caroline grapples with her other life as the daughter of a renowned preacher. Her two older brothers have strayed from their upbringing into the corruption rampant during Prohibition, and Caroline struggles to protect her parents from the truth that could shatter her father’s career. As her search for answers about her time-crossing leads her to the dangerous speakeasies of St. Paul, Caroline enlists the help of police officer Lewis Cager, a childhood friend. But when her family’s future is put at risk and loyalties are tested, Caroline is faced with a life-altering decision that could reshape her destiny.

Thank you to the author and Bethany House for the gifted copy.

BEAUTIFUL.

This book found me at a great time (and low point) in my year when I needed reminded of some very key facts about life. I loved the faith themes woven throughout about forgiveness and making positive choices and the right ones for your own life. It came together in this powerful way that resonating across the plot in those final chapters. I was surprised by some of those moments (in a good way) that they took a direction I wasn’t expecting.

I thought the romance plot for this book was awesome. I appreciate that every book has a different feel with the romance and that it’s not repetitive. This allowed space for a nice platonic friendship and a romantic swoony one too. I loved the side characters and all of the well researched historical aspects too. I loved seeing Caroline’s growth and self discovery and her resilient nature to figure out key elements of her past.

Another fabulous book for this series you won’t want to miss.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction + Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content Warnings: miscarriage (side character), infidelity (side characters)

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