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Book Review: Beyond the Filigree Wall (Rivenwilde #1) by Melissa Wright

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 205 pages
Author: Melissa Wright
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 6th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A dark curse. A deadly secret. The ill-fated girl at the heart of both.

Antonetta Ostwind is about to get everything she’s ever wanted. If all goes to plan, she’ll end the fae, steal back what was stolen, and win the post she’s dreamed of since she was a girl.

There’s just one problem. His name is Gideon Alexander.

Gideon holds the key to her coveted post. He’s fantastic with a sword, looks amazing in uniform, and commands even the adoration of his great, beastly dog. He’s living the life Etta needs.

Gideon doesn’t believe Etta should have any of it. In fact, he’s planning to make sure she never does. And that’s a real problem, because if Etta can’t take her post as marshal, how can she have her vengeance and save the kingdom from the prince of the fae?

Slip into clean, slow-burn romance with a properly stabby heroine and the low commitment of a standalone series in this light regency fantasy romp for fans of Enchantment of Ravens and Little Thieves.

SOLID STANDALONE.

I needed something quick, fantasy and enjoyable and this hit all of those marks for me. It’s a 6-hour audiobook that brought some swoon, is in the sweet category and had some naughty fae causing chaos.

The main characters were great and I loved that it was dual POV. There’s not an over complicated plot and just enough happening that it works well within a short book. Definitely recommend for those wanted to mix things up and need a good slow burn.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: The Twisted Throne (The Bridge Kingdom #5) by Danielle L. Jensen

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 496 pages
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Publisher: Audible Originals
Release Date: October 10th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A commander who bled to defend her people, Ahnna is haunted by two beliefs. The first is that she failed to protect Ithicana from invasion. And the second is that saving her homeland means leaving it behind forever.

The Maridrinians left Ithicana in ruins and its people impoverished. So when the wealthy kingdom of Harendell claims her as a bride for its crown prince, Ahnna is prepared to do whatever it takes to gain influence as the future queen. And to control the gold that comes with the throne.

Yet Ahnna swiftly discovers that beneath the beautiful surface of Harendell’s court is a dark underbelly built upon schemes, duplicity, and the pursuit of power. The only individual who holds himself above the politics is not her future husband, but his infuriating half brother, James. And as she begins to question whether Harendell is the ally it claims to be, Ahnna finds herself drawn into a forbidden attraction to the wrong prince.

As deadly plots tighten around her, Ahnna must decide whether saving her people will be achieved as a bride…or as a blade.

AT LAST.

I am so happy to finally have this book in my hands (or ears because this is only audio right now). And I really loved that I thought it brought back some nostalgic original The Bridge Kingdom vibes (aka books 1 and 2). I do adore Kerris & Zarrah but I had a harder time connecting with their story so Ahnna and James’ was right up my alley.

I loved the new characters and the new ruthless areas that I hadn’t seen yet. There’s a lot more politicking and twists and betrayals. And I looove the way DLJ writes action scenes. They always put me on the edge of my seat.

Another forbidden romance that built slow and had intensely curious how this book was going to shake out. I loved the dynamic between Ahnna and James too. The passion and chemistry was there and sooo many good swoon moments. I loved getting more of Ahnna’s mindset and thoughts behind things that have happened over the series too.

I loved the dramatic cliffhanger and can’t wait for the last book!!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low-moderate
  • Romance: low innuendo, 2ish open door
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Mystery
Length: 336 pages
Author: Kara Thomas
Publisher: Delacorte
Release Date: April 19th, 2016
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Darkest Corners is a psychological thriller about the lies little girls tell, and the deadly truths those lies become.

There are ghosts around every corner in Fayette, Pennsylvania. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened there that last summer. Memories of things so dark will burn themselves into your mind if you let them.

Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the faces of her demons—and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.

Tessa and Callie have never talked about what they saw that night. After the trial, Callie drifted and Tessa moved, and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.

But ever since she left, Tessa has had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette—to Wyatt Stokes, sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the one other person who may be hiding the truth.

Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer—and this time, it won’t be so easy to run away.

Thank you GetUnderlined for the gifted copy!

NOT TOO BAD.

Another Kara Thomas book down and I liked this one too! It’s another fast paced read with some good drama with betrayals and twists I didn’t see coming. I didn’t get as involved with this story though. I don’t know why, just missing something. I would still recommend this book! I think the writing is fantastic and there is this quality of reading that draws you in. I love the complex characters and relationship dynamics that leave me guessing in the best ways.

It all came together well and I liked how things wrapped up. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Mystery
  • Language: low
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content Warnings: murder, death, kidnapping, abuse, drugging, gun violence, underage drinking, suicide, false imprisonment

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Book Review: Lake of Glass (Archives of the Warden #1) by V.K. Dixon

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Mystery
Length: 346 pages
Author: V.K. Dixon
Publisher: Xenia House Press
Release Date: October 18th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

An inheritance they never expected will change their lives, reveal long-held secrets, & expose a world they didn’t know existed….

Brothers and co-authors, Peter and Spencer Collins, are living the life of the struggling artist. When their estranged Great-Aunt leaves her house and extensive inheritance to them in her will, it seems their dreams can come true. Picking up their whole lives, the brothers move to the tiny town of DeVerre, WA, to become full-time authors. But as strange occurrences and a string of animal attacks arise in the town, the brothers begin to feel as though they’ve stepped into one of their own mysteries.
Questioning their choice to uproot their entire lives, Peter and Spencer find themselves thrown into danger they never expected as secrets and conspiracies are uncovered in DeVerre — along with a link to the supernatural.
The brothers must decide if the success of their career and the truth behind these life-changing secrets are worth potentially risking their lives as they are drawn into a mystery filled with the ghosts, phantoms, and beasts of the spirit world.

NOT WHAT I EXPECTED.

The cover of this book gave me some haunted gothic mansion vibes. And while that was there a little bit, ultimately this book wasn’t what I thought and didn’t keep me interested enough to want to read book two.

What this mostly consisted of were two brothers getting to know this tiny town that had “secrets.” And all of the townspeople kept repeating the same phrases of just get to know us and I’m sitting here thinking I still don’t know them. There were some convoluted family lines and bad blood scenarios and Spencer and Preston naively walked in thinking they could fix it all???

Not to mention the whole shadow plane + religious aspects didn’t pan out either. I was fine with the combination but the execution was lacking. I thought some thoughts didn’t quite work and pulled me out of the story.

This wasn’t a hate read by any means, just a not for me book that saddens me because I have been looking forward to picking this up for the fall.

Overall audience notes:

  • Mystery
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: flirting
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, near death experiences, ghost encounters

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