ALC Book Review: The Scorpion and the Night Blossom (The Three Realms Duology #1) by Amelie Wen Zhao

March 6, 2025February 17, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Amelie Wen Zhao
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Release Date: March 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In a world invaded by demons, one girl will face the ultimate test when she is forced to enter into an ancient, deadly competition for the chance to save her mother’s soul… before she loses her forever. From the New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes the beginning of a dark and opulent fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Throne of Glass.

Nine years ago, the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tore Àn’yīng’s family apart, leaving her mother barely alive and a baby sister to fend for. Now the mortal realm is falling into eternal night, and mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—roam the land, feasting on the flesh of humans and drinking their souls.

Àn’yīng is no longer a helpless child, though. Armed with her crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she has decided to enter the Immortality Trials, which are open to any mortal who can survive the journey to the immortal realm. Those who complete the Trials are granted a pill of eternal life—the one thing Àn’yīng knows can heal her dying mother. But to attain the prize, she must survive the competition.

Death is common in the Trials. Yet oddly, Àn’yīng finds that someone is helping her stay alive. A rival contestant. Powerful and handsome, Yù’chén is as secretive about his past as he is about his motives for protecting Àn’yīng.

The longer she survives the Trials, the clearer it becomes that all is not right in the immortal realm. To save her mother and herself, Àn’yīng will need to figure out whether she can truly trust the stranger she’s falling for or if he’s the most dangerous player of all . . . for herself and for all the realms.

Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook and Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

DON’T LET ME DOWN.

Here we are at the ending of another first book from AWZ. I have unfortunately felt let down two times over with the last book in her trilogy and previous duology. SO PLEASE. LET BOOK TWO BE GOOD. I liked this book y’all. I am maintaining hope.

The idea was a concept I’ve read before but I enjoyed the spin and take on the story line. There’s a little bit of a competition which moved the plot well enough. The romantic banter felt a little forced on the audiobook but when I was physically reading I liked it a lot more. It’s a good enemies vibe and there were enough movement and turns in the last few chapters that absolutely have me questioning where this will go.

The characters were well crafted, I do still very much enjoy the writing style and I’m looking forward to the sequel.

Overall audience notes:

NA Fantasy Romance
Language: mild
Romance: one vague open door
Violence: moderate
Content warnings: loss of loved ones, war themes, creature attacks

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: February 2025

February 28, 2025February 28, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

The month of love. And a lot of good books! I love seeing all of the covers together at the end of the month.

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang
[ARC] You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon
Here’s the Thing (The Seddledowne #4) by Susan Henshaw
[Short story] The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez
[ALC] A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall
Sweet Wicked Vows (A Wicked Dade Brothers Book #1) by Rachel Donnan
Kingdom of Claw (The Ashen #2) by Demi Winters
[ARC] If Tomorrow Never Comes by Allison Ashley
A Crown So Silver (Fair Folk #2) by Lyra Selene
We Redeemed the Rain (Meadowbrook Ranch #1) by Ashley Dill
[Short story] Please Be Mine by K. Sinko
[ALC] Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods
[ARC] One More Wish (Sugar Valley #2) by Lindsey Lanza
Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft
[Novella] A Churn in the Dark (Into the Churn #2.5) by Hayley Reese Chow
The Rose Bargain (The Rose Bargain #1) by Sasha Peyton Smith
Beautifully Broken Control (Sutter Lake #4) by Catherine Cowles
[ARC/ALC] The Scorpion and the Night Blossom (The Three Realms Duology #1) by Amelie Wen Zhao
Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen
The House of My Mother by Shari Franke
Beautifully Broken Redemption (Sutter Lake #5) by Catherine Cowles
[ARC] The Emerald Alliance (The Otherworlds #3) by Courtney Millecam
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion (Volume #8) by Beth Brower
[ALC] The Dark Mirror (The Bone Season #5) by Samantha Shannon
[ARC] The Serendipity (Only Magic in the Building) by Emma St. Clair
The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson
[ARC] The Magic of Light by Jordan Abitz
[ALC] Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
[ARC] Secret or Shutout (D.C. Eagles #4) by Leah Brunner
Under Your Spell by Laura Wood
Taken With Trouble (Caught in Chaos #2) by Jenessa Fayeth
We Will Be Heroes (The Vigil & Ante Files #2) by Megan McCullough

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ALC Book Review: Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods

February 18, 2025February 11, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 432 pages
Author: Kell Woods
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: February 18th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758.
For Lucinde Leon, the youngest daughter of one of Saint-Malo’s wealthiest ship-owners, the high walls of the city are more hindrance than haven. While her sisters are interested in securing advantageous marriages, Luce dreams of escaping her elegant but stifling home and joining a ship’s crew. Only Samuel—Luce’s best friend and an English smuggler—understands her longing for the sea, secretly teaching her to sail whenever she can sneak away. For Luce, the stolen time on the water with Samuel is precious.

One stormy morning, Luce’s plans are blown off course when she rescues Morgan de Chatelaine, the youngest son of the most powerful ship-owner in Saint-Malo, from the sea. Immediately drawn to his charm and sense of adventure, she longs to attend the glittering ball held in honor of his safe return and begins to contemplate a different kind of future for herself.

But it is not only Luce’s hopes at stake—the local fae are leaving Brittany and taking their magic with them, while the long-standing war with the English means Saint-Malo is always at risk of attack. As Luce is plunged into a world of magic, brutality, and seduction, secrets that have long been lost in the shadowy depths of the ocean begin to rise to the surface. The truth of her own power is growing brighter and brighter, shining like a sea-glass slipper.

Or the scales of a sea-maid’s tail.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

SQUEAKED OUT A FOUR STAR.

I kind of felt all over about this one. What I did love was the unique mash-up of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella. I could easily see the nods to the story but adding in the historical fiction elements really set the plot apart and it did feel fresh rather than a regurgitated attempt at a new story.

I enjoyed Luce’s character and her growth. Somewhat naive and under her father’s thumb she slowly moves away as she understands her history, falls in love, and finds out where she truly belongs. The love story was different than I was expecting but the more I sit with it, the more that I think it makes sense for the novel and the more I like it.

The middle dragged for me and I think I was hoping for something more. Everyone got their dues and I loved seeing all of the different faerie folk woven throughout. The ending had me almost throwing my phone across the room BUT LUCKILY the epilogue saved it and I feel good about how things went down. It’s a sturdy, well planned standalone.

Overall audience notes:

Historical fantasy romance
Language: low
Romance: brief open door
Violence: moderate
Content warnings: torture, loss of life

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Book Review: Onyx Storm (The Empyrean #3) by Rebecca Yarros

February 16, 2025January 24, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 530 pages
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Publisher: Red Tower Books
Release Date: January 21st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.

I NEED TO READ THIS A FEW MORE TIMES.

Oh wow. This was a read y’all. And I’m not going to lie, I am a *little* disappointed? It’s like I loved it, but didn’t LOVE IT, ya know?

I do think Xaden was the star of this show and I would do SO MANY THINGS to get his POV throughout the whole book. I appreciated the growth in his relationship with Violet and that we got to see some true communication start to come through. This relationship isn’t linear and I like that aspect the most.

I enjoyed most of the traveling plot. It did feel a dash repetitive and some points and I do think there was A LOT of information thrown at me that I didn’t get enough time to digest (hence why I want to reread this soon). I loved the expansion of the lands and seeing different people though. And how all of Andarna’s pieces were woven into the larger story.

I definitely have a ridiculous amount of questions and theories (which I admit is kind of fun). The ending dropped a cliffhanger but also felt a bit abrupt. I am just going to go stare at a wall for a bit until I come to terms with the fact that I have to wait another few years for book four.

Overall audience notes: