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Book Review: Fate Calls the Elf Queen (The Elf Queen #3) by J.M. Kearl

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 574 pages
Author: J.M. Kearl
Publisher: House Valor Books
Release Date: October 26th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The captivating third book in J.M. Kearl’s bestselling Elf Queen saga is filled with breathtaking romance and heated tension. Layala Lightbringer’s worst fears came true when she woke the wicked Black Mage, Hel. He claims she is a goddess reborn… and his wife. For her, the Elf King Thane is the love she desires, the one she fought for, and the one she wishes to marry. She wants nothing to do with her past. Until their lives are threatened and her relationship with Thane depends on remembering who she was in her previous existence as Valeen. But she can’t do it on her own. To get her memories back she must rely on the one she hates most, Hel, and working with him rather than against him poses its own risks. He is a dangerous temptation, and Layala finds herself pulled between two entirely different lives with two very different loves. Content this story contains violence, death, a villainous love interest, steamy content, and profanity.

THAT ENDING.

Every time I finish one of these books I am left with the best kind of cliffhangers. I love how the last 20% leaves me flabbergasted and begging to be handed the next book. The love triangle in this book had me feeling EVERYTHING. I was mad, I was smitten, I was being rolled around in circles trying to figure out how I felt and I love when a book can bring out all of that.

I enjoyed the continuation of the plot. It slows down a bit and there’s some added in flashback chapters that help round out and gear up for the last book. I am really into these audiobooks and I loved that this one had dual narration.

The first half had me a little flustered because I kept thinking that this entire book was just going to be two men arguing over a woman, luckily that slowly evolved to some great reveals and turns. I’m excited to see what happens next!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 1-2 open door
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: Beautifully Broken Pieces (Sutter Lake #1) by Catherine Cowles

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Romantic Suspense
Length: 300 pages
Author: Catherine Cowles
Publisher: The PageSmith LLC
Release Date: February 25th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A woman who’s lost everything.

Taylor is looking for peace and quiet away from the memories of all she’s lost. A small mountain town where no one knows her seems like the perfect escape.

A man battling the ghosts of his past.

Walker loves his life just the way it is. His town, his family, his brothers in blue. Everything simple and easy—until a chance encounter changes it all.

When Taylor’s solitude is interrupted by the rugged cop, they find that the very thing they were avoiding might be just what they both need. As their iron wills clash and passion flares…a killer lurks.

And you never know who might be caught in the crosshairs.

HERE WE GO.

I have loved Cowles most recent two series and wanted to dive back into some backlist series of hers too. This is one of her oldest ones and it has all of the same vibes of why I enjoy all of her books. I love that they have this formulaic vibe that I highly appreciate but with enough small twists that I feel always slightly shocked by the last 20%.

Taylor and Walker grew on me. I will say I didn’t feel as connected to them as I hoped but what can I say? I love a hot cop. Taylor was intensely stubborn about every single thing which got a bit dry, and I’m glad it’s a short book so it was remedied eventually.

The reveals at the end surprised me because I definitely had my eye on multiple other characters who I thought were causing the murders. I love the suspense elements and the found family happening and can’t wait to continue!

Overall audience notes:

  • Romantic Suspense
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 3 open door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, murder, serial killer, obsession, kidnapping, loss of a mother, loss of loved ones

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Reading Wrap-Up: June 2024

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SUMMER.

It was a slower month of reading because we got to do some traveling as well. I got through quite a few good ones!

Favorites this month:

  • Masquerade of the Heart
  • Scythe and Pen
  • First Test Graphic Novel
  • Beauty and the Beach
  • [Reread] The Way of Kings
  • Seven Summers
  • Unmasked
  • Beauty and the Baron
  • One-Star Romance
  • The Night Ends with Fire

Least favorites:

  • A Love Like the Sun
  • Refine (House of Oak #4) by Nichole Van
  • A Ballad of Stars (Thieves of Felshan #2) by Jacqlin Guernsey
  • Better Left Unsent by Lia Louis
  • [ALC] The Calculation of You and Me
  • Caught Up (Windy City #3) by Liz Tomforde
  • The Wren in the Holly Library (The Oak and the Holly Cycle #1) by K.A. Linde
  • [ALC] Masquerade of the Heart (Garden of the Cursed #2) by Katy Rose Pool
  • Scythe and Pen by A.C. Hobbs
  • [ARC] We Shall Be Monsters (We Shall Be Monsters #1) by Tara Sim
  • [ARC] First Test: Graphic Novel by Tamora Pierce
  • [ARC] Beauty and the Beach (Falling for Summer) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson
  • [Reread] The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archives #1) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Seven Summers by Paige Toon
  • Forever Reign (The Elementals of Iona #2) by V.B. Lacey
  • Summer Ever After (Falling for Summer) by Kortney Keisel
  • [ALC] The Undermining of Twyla and Frank (The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy #2) by Megan Bannen
  • Unmasked (Benevolence & Blood #2.5) by Lauren M. Leasure
  • [ARC] The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
  • This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
  • Beauty and the Baron (Forever After Retellings #1) by Joanna Barker
  • Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew
  • To Forge Her Fate (Hearts of Harewood #1) by Kasey Stockton
  • City of Mirth and Malice (Order and Chaos #2) by Alexis L. Menard
  • One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin
  • Beachy Keen (Falling for Summer) by Kasey Stockton
  • [ALC] The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
  • Where We Started (Stone Riders MC #1) by Ashley Munoz
  • [ARC] The Night Ends with Fire (The Night Ends with Fire #1) by K.X. Song
  • Awakening (Infinity Blade #1) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Plotting Summer (Falling for Summer) by Jess Heileman
  • [ARC] Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan

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Book Review: One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fiction + Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Laura Hankin
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: June 18th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A struggling writer is forced to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding with the man who gave her book a very public one-star rating in this fresh romantic comedy from Laura Hankin.

Natalie and Rob couldn’t have less in common. Nat’s a messy artist, and Rob’s a rigid academic. The only thing they share is their devotion to their respective best friends—who just got engaged. Still, unexpected chemistry has Natalie cautiously optimistic about being maid of honor to Rob’s best man.

Until, minutes before the ceremony, Nat learns that Rob wrote a one-star review of her new novel, which has them both reeling: Nat from imposter syndrome, and Rob over the reason he needed to write it.

When the reception ends, these two opposites hope they’ll never meet again. But, as they slip from their twenties into their thirties, they’re forced together whenever their fast-track best friends celebrate another milestone. Through housewarmings and christenings, life-changing triumphs and failures, Natalie and Rob grapple with their own choices—and how your harshest critic can become your perfectly imperfect match.

Thank you to Berkley #BerkleyPartner for the gifted book.

I LOVED THIS.

I wasn’t expecting to love this and I’m oh so happy I did. I did know prior that this is not a ROMANCE, but a fiction story with a side of romance. With that set in my mind I could really enjoy Natalie’s journey. I actually liked the time jumps in this one. The story telling was fantastic and that I didn’t feel like we were slogging through details that had happened, but instead pushing the story forward. It kept things from dragging and I had a hard time putting my headphones down for this book.

And even though this wasn’t a romance, I still loved the slow burn between Natalie and Rob. They both have to grapple with a lot that life throws at them. I liked that this felt true to life without being overly dramatic or feeling like it was nonsense. I could understand the thoughts and feelings and it is a book with such readability that it was easy to fly through.

I loved Natalie’s path. The ups and downs. Making mistakes and righting wrongs. Holding tightly to friendships and realizing the love of her life was so close to her for so long. It was a beautiful story and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fiction + Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Content Warnings: cancer (side character), a parent develops dementia

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