ARC/ALC Book Review: Lady Knight (The Diamonds #2) by Amalie Howard

April 1, 2025March 25, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: YA Historical Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Amalie Howard
Publisher: Joy Revolution
Release Date: April 1st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Bestselling author Amalie Howard delivers the unputdownable companion novel to Queen Bee, Lady Knight, which follows the daughter of a duke defying the rules of high society in regency-era London with the help of friends, including the resident rake.

Lady Zenobia “Zia” Osborn, a duke’s daughter, is frustrated that her entire life has been predetermined. What good is skill or intelligence if one is forced to suffocate it because of one’s sex? She’d much rather make her mark on the world than bat her eyelashes for the ton.

Zia only comes alive in the Lady Knights, a clandestine social club for rebellious girls. In it, she is free to compose music, fence, read controversial literature, and save orphans from destitution by any means necessary. Aside from her closest confidantes, no one knows about Zia’s indecorous other life. . . .

Until Mr. Rafi Nasser, a rogue with secrets of his own, finds out. Shocked yet intrigued by his best friend’s younger sister, he agrees to keep Zia’s secret—if only to help her avoid utter scandal.

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

I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS.

Let me tell y’all what I loved most about this book…any time Rafi and Zia were on the page together. Off the charts chemistry, incredible banter, and the best kind of heated interactions. I loved loved loved them so much. Their time together continually saved this book for me.

Now for what bugged me, the side quests and most of the rest of the plot. The themes were kind of shoved down my throat rather than woven in and it felt like the only thing anyone could talk about. And all of the Frankenstein commentary was boring.

There were some good scenes scattered throughout I enjoyed about friendships and family connections and following what makes you happy. I did love all of the painting and music composition aspects.

This was my first book by this author (I haven’t read the first book in this series and had no issues. This can easily be read as a standalone), and I’m unsure if I’ll pick up another?

Overall audience notes:

YA Historical Romance
Language: low
Romance: kisses

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

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

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

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

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: An Improper Agreement (Improper Agreements #1) by Audra Wells

February 14, 2025January 25, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 237 pages
Author: Audra Wells
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 4th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She refused to meet his eye, but he heard her quiet words, ground out behind clenched teeth. “I accept, Lord Eaton. And I plan to win.”

Clara has been missing from the London marriage mart for six years and is reluctant to return. That feeling only grows when she happens to meet Lord Eaton–a rather arrogant, proud Earl who vexes her from the moment they first meet. Not wanting to allow herself to be put down by a pompous, self-righteous man, she agrees to the silly game he proposes. The first to make the better match by the end of the season…wins.

Wesley had not intended to meet Miss Carrow in the hedge maze in the dark of night–but that is precisely what happened. He can’t help but get a rise out of her when he finds that she is entirely too entertaining to tease. Now, they are stuck in a cut-throat competition to see who can land the better match by the end of the season.

There are no rules in their secret game–a fact that Wesley overlooked when proposing the idea. Now his plan to pursue the daughter of a duke is quickly crumbling before his very eyes…and not just because of Miss Carrow’s meddling. Miss Carrow herself begins to prove to be an unwanted and unplanned distraction.

Will either opponent succeed? Or will they stumble upon something deeper as they spend more and more time in each other’s company?

LOVED THIS.

This is the first book by Audra Wells I have read and it won’t be my last. I thought this was an absolute gem of a read and had such a great time with it. It had this very slight modern tone to it and a bit of a rom-com vibe in the midst of a regency romance and I was all over how well it was written.

Wesley and Clara had my attention from the beginning. I loved the banter and the predicament they put themselves into. There were balls and forced proximity and carriage rides and all the things I love seeing that shows the development in a relationship I crave. Some of those moments in the second half had me SWOONING. And wow do I love a great kissing scene too.

I had a hard time putting this one down and thought it was beautifully paced and had the right level of drama and pull that kept me coming back for more. Can’t wait to read more books in this series!

Overall audience notes: