Tag: fantasy romance

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: January 2024

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New Year, New Books!

I was having a slower reading month and then the Improbable Meet-Cute series came out and changed what my month looked like. A pretty good month, but not as high as I was hoping for, ratings wise.

Favorites this month:

  • The Frozen River
  • Sadie and the Bad Boy Billionaire
  • The Ever King
  • Oceans of Sand
  • House of Sky and Breath
  • A Story Spun in Scarlet
  • The Anthropocene Reviewed
  • A Heart Sufficient
  • Say You’ll Be Mine
  • Worst Wingman Ever
  • An Improper Agreement
  • Ashes of You
  • The Game of Hearts
  • Wish You Weren’t Here
  • The Rom Con

Least favorites:

  • In a Not So Perfect World
  • Royal Valentine
  • The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
  • But He’s My One Regret (But He’s a Carter Brother #2) by Annah Conwell
  • Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden
  • [ARC] Sadie and the Bad Boy Billionaire (Oakley Island #3) Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor
  • Brisingr (The Inheritance Cycle #3) by Christopher Paolini
  • Secrets and Suitors by Joanna Barker
  • The Every King (The Ever Seas #1) by L.J. Andrews
  • The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo
  • [ARC] Where You Belong (The Abandoned Brothers #2) by Stacy Williams
  • [ARC] In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander
  • Oceans of Sand by Jessica Flory
  • The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
  • Dukes and Dekes (Chawton Falls in Love #1) by Torie Jean
  • [ARC] To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods (To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods #1) by Molly X. Chang
  • [Reread] House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City #2) by Sarah J. Maas
  • Shark Heart: A Love Story by Emily Habeck
  • [ARC] An Unexpected Roomie (Love Tucson #3) by Laura Langa
  • [ALC] The Search Party by Hannah Richell
  • [ARC] A Story Spun in Scarlet (Tales of Wonder and Woe #1) by Renee Dugan
  • The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
  • Drinker of Ink by Shannon Castleton
  • The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore
  • [ALC] The Trail of Lost Hearts by Tracey Garvis Graves
  • Love Redesigned (Lakefront Billionaires #1) by Lauren Asher
  • [ARC] A Heart Sufficient (The Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir #4) by Nichole Van
  • [ARC] Champion of Sorrows (Thieve of Sorrows #2) by Kristen M. Long
  • The Huntress by Kate Quinn
  • Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar
  • [Novella] The Exception to the Rule (The Improbable Meet-Cute #1) by Christina Lauren
  • [Novella] Worst Wingman Ever (The Improbable Meet-Cute #2) by Abby Jimenez
  • An Improper Agreement (Improper Agreements #1) by Audra Wells
  • [Novella] Rosie and the Dreamboat (The Improbable Meet-Cute #3) by Sally Thorne
  • [ARC] The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown
  • [ALC] Ashes of You (Lost & Found #5) by Catherine Cowles
  • [ARC] Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (Finlay Donovan #4) by Elle Cosimano
  • On Wings of Ash and Dust (On Wings of Ash and Dust #1-6) by Brittany Wang
  • [Novella] Drop, Cover, and Hold On (The Improbable Meet-Cute #4) by Jasmine Guillory
  • [Novella] With Any Luck (The Improbable Meet-Cute #5) by Ashley Poston
  • [Novella] Royal Valentine (The Improbable Meet-Cute #6) by Sariah Wilson
  • [ARC] The Game of Hearts (The Otherworlds #2) by Courtney Millecam
  • Into the Sunken City by Dinesh Thiru
  • [ARC] Wish You Weren’t Here by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • The Rom Con by Devon Daniels

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Book Review: Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy #1) by Lauren Roberts

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 523 pages
Author: Lauren Roberts
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: November 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites’ powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.

WHERE HAVE I BEEN.

WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME I SHOULD READ THIS SOONER. Good heavens this is EVERYTHING I love about enemies to lovers young adult fantasy romance. I was already thinking it was a five star read a quarter of the way through. And it DELIVERED.

I loved the banter between Paeydn and the prince. And the amount of scenes were I was kicking my feet can not be charted. There was a fantastic balance of intense action scenes mixed in with the soft and tender. I was smitten with them and can’t wait to see where this relationship goes.

Paedyn was amazing. I loved her. She was strong and capable, and when she went there she WENT THERE. I was impressed with the turns this book took and how it continually kept me guessing. There’s some subtle Hunger Games vibes that I fit well and the competition was fierce.

THE ENDING THOUGH. I am a sucker for an incredible, make me shout kind of cliffhanger shocker. IYKYK why this is one of my favorite endings. I will now be telling anyone who will listen that this is the next fantasy book they need.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: low
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle themes, loss of life, murder, mentions of child abuse, torture, loss of loved ones

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Book Review: The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #30 by Mary E. Pearson

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 684 pages
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt
Release Date: August 2nd, 2016
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lia has survived Venda—but so has a great evil bent on the destruction of Morrighan. And only Lia can stop it.

With war on the horizon, Lia has no choice but to assume her role as First Daughter, as soldier—as leader. While she struggles to reach Morrighan and warn them, she finds herself at cross-purposes with Rafe and suspicious of Kaden, who has hunted her down.

In this conclusion to the Remnant Chronicles trilogy, traitors must be rooted out, sacrifices must be made, and impossible odds must be overcome as the future of every kingdom hangs in the balance.

IT’S JUST SO GOOD.

This is a reread review.

Good heavens. Mary E. Pearson is a brilliant author and I love all of her books and I have loved rereading her entire set. THEY ARE ALL AMAZING.

I forgot how absolutely intense this entire book is. I felt like it rarely let up and just kept hammering home the nature of everything daunting the cast was facing.

And the romance??? THE ANGST, THE WILL THEY OR WON’T THEY. I also found myself freaking out trying to remember how it all specifically worked out because Pearson does not hold back on creating the drama and the hope that Lia ends up with her best match.

I liked how the other side romance went too. Such a sweet and tender romance that was built between them (vague because spoilers) and seeing both of these couples again in DoT & VoT is an even bigger highlight.

There’s so much action, politicking, betrayals and twists. It has all the feels, and all you need in a fantastic YA fantasy trilogy.

READ THEM.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some mild
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle and war themes, loss of loved ones, physical violence, weapons violence, childbirth

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ALC Book Review: Courting War (Viscious Gods #1) by Hazel St. Lewis

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 360 pages
Author: Hazel St. Lewis
Publisher: Hidden Siren
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The number one rule in never make a deal with Death…even if Death is your sister.

Theodra, Goddess of War, knows not to break this rule. But like all arrogant gods, she does just that. Unable to hold back, she destroys a ship full of traffickers, unaware there are girls on board. When one of them dies, Theo trades with Death for a soul she will someday love. A soul for a soul. A good deal, in her esteemed opinion, since she is incapable of falling in love.

Unfortunately, Theo might have been mistaken.

Thirteen years later, as a punishment for killing too many wicked men, she is sentenced to play as a mortal in a deadly tournament called The Sacrifice. The games are played in pairs, and her partner is the sinfully handsome Prince Kellyn. Even though they despise one another and can barely work together, sexual tension burns between them. But if their hatred turns to love, it will cost Kellyn his life, for Death is always waiting to collect.

Courting War is a new adult fantasy romance novel and is a standalone book within a larger series. Featured tropes enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity (only-one-bed), forbidden love, and immortals.

Thank you Book of Matches Media and Hazel St. Lewis for an ALC.

A GOOD STANDALONE.

Audiobook notes: I loved the narrators! There’s two for the dual POV and that’s my favorite way to listen to romance books. Both narrators did an amazing job, definitely recommend that route if you want to read this book!

This was a solid debut and I enjoyed the mythology aspects that were woven into the story. A bunch of villainous gods who just have fun meddling with human lives. It’s a bit dark and a bit gritty and those are some of my favorite fantasy vibes. I liked the soft enemies to lovers and thought for a standalone the romance was paced well. It’s a good slow burn that grew on me the longer I got to know Theo and Kellyn.

Some of the world building aspects were a bit confusing to me. The competition and scoring, exactly how and why the gods were meddling and a few other things. This is a standalone in a bigger world so hopefully in the next book things will be further expanded and explained.

I’m not mad one bit I picked this up and I would love to try book two as well. There’s many fantasy romance aspects that I love seeing that are in here and those moments were written very well.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 1-2 open door; some innuendo throughout
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: dyslexia rep, suicide ideation, grief depiction, loss of life, torture

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