Tag: new adult romance

Book Review: From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

GoodeyReads4 Comments

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: New adult fantasy romance
Length: 634 pages
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Blue Box Press
Release Date: March 30th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A Maiden

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

LATEST OBESSSION.

Hello there, yes you. Have you read this yet? Are you reading trying to decide if you should? WELL I’M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD.

It took months of convincing and seeing it around Bookstagram to finally read this. And I can’t believe I waited so long because I loved it!

The romance for this was perfectly choreographed. That first seen between Hawke and Poppy? Hot dang. I looooved the banter and heated moments. The quiet murmurings and clear intent. It had some ACOMAF and The Bridge Kingdom vibes and if you’ve ever read anything of mine, you know I love those books. This gets added to New Adult Fantasy Romance favorite list.

I only ever struggled a tiny bit with the world-building. It wasn’t until the second half when the rest of the story began unfolding that I really understood what was happening and where the pieces fit. I had been confused about all the different creatures, but can say I have grasped it all.

You can see the major reveal coming from awhile away, but that never detracted from the story. I actually liked how it was laid out and even though I knew it was coming it still dragged at my heart and made me excited to see what happened next. I have so many questions for the sequel!?

This was just a gem of a book that needs more love. Highly recommend if this is a favored genre of yours!!

Overall audience notes:

  • New adult fantasy romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: kisses / make-outs; a few open door scenes, mildly detailed
  • Violence: bloody, gory and definitely violent; battle scenes, physical, murder, assault
  • Trigger warnings: sexual assault and harassment

Instagram || Goodreads

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: October 2020

GoodeyReads2 Comments

What a month!

I devoured another 31 books and can’t believe my eyes. I finished and caught up on series. Read a smattering of genres and really enjoyed my October reads!

Favorites: The Extinction Trials, the Wayfair Witches series, Kingdom of the Wicked, Empire of Storms, Code Name Helene, Enjoy the View

Least Favorites: The Guinevere Deception, Fire Study

  • Tunnel of Bones (Cassidy Blake #2) by Victoria Schwab – (☆☆☆☆)
  • The Extinction Trials (The Extinction Trials #1) by S.M. Wilson – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (☆☆☆☆)
  • Loved Up (Wayfair Witches #6) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Lost Roses (Lilac Girls #2) by Martha Hall Kelly – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1) by Katherine Arden – (☆☆☆☆)
  • [ARC] Kingdom of the Wicked (Kingdom of the Wicked #1) by Kerri Maniscalco (☆☆☆☆ 1/2)
  • The Boyfriend Project (The Boyfriend Project #1) by Farrah Rochon – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Steelheart (The Reckoners #1) by Brandon Sanderson – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Rocking Out (Wayfair Witches #7) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
  • The Guinevere Deception (Camelot Rising #1) by Kiersten White – (☆☆☆)
  • London Prep (London Prep #1) by Jillian Dodd – (☆☆☆☆)
  • [Reread] Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J. Maas – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • Fire Study (Poison Study #3) by Maria V. Snyder – (☆☆☆)
  • Acting Up (Wayfair Witches #8) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • The Kinder Poison (The Kinder Poison #1) by Natalie Mae – (☆☆☆☆)
  • London Prep No. 2 (London Prep #2) by Jillian Dodd – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Legally Red (Wayfair Witches #8.5) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • Swotting Up (Wayfair Witches #9) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
  • [Reread] A Reaper at the Gates (An Ember in the Ashes #3) by Sabaa Tahir – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • London Prep No. 3 (London Prep #3) by Jillian Dodd – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Age of Death (The Legends of the First Empire #5) by Michael J. Sullivan –(☆☆☆ 1/2)
  • Forget Me Knot (Wayfair Witches #10) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
  • [ARC] Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer – (☆☆☆ 1/2)
  • If It’s Perfect (The Wedding Business #1) by Summer Dowell – (☆☆☆☆)
  • The Storm Crow (The Storm Crow #1) by Kalyn Josephson – (☆☆☆)
  • All Hallowed Out (Wayfair Witches #11) by A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
  • Holiday Heist (Wayfair Witches #11.5) A.A. Albright – (☆☆☆☆)
  • [ARC] Enjoy the View (Moose Springs, Alaska #3) by Sarah Morgenthaler – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • Age of Empyre (The Legends of the First Empire #6) by Michael J. Sullivan – (☆☆☆ 1/2)

How was your month? Do you have a favorite book you read? Lets talk in the comments!

Instagram || Goodreads

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: June 2020

GoodeyReads2 Comments

Halfway through the year!

I’m really happy I read 7 books this month! Things are still moving slowly, and that’s okay. I’m getting the books read that I need too and enjoying a handful of others. Excited for the second half of the year.

Favorites of the month: Beach Read and Drums of Autumn
Least favorite this month: Dawn till Dusk

  • Time of Ours Lives by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka – (☆☆☆ 1/2)
  • We Hunt the Flame (Sands of Arawiya #1) by Hafsah Faizal – (☆☆☆ 1/2)
  • Beach Read by Emily Henry – (☆☆☆☆☆)
  • [ARC] The Damned (The Beautiful #1) by Renee Ahdieh – (☆☆☆ 1/2)
  • Dawn till Dusk (Genesis Crystal Saga #1) by Tyffany Hackett and Becky Moynihan – (☆☆ 1/2)
  • My Calamity Jane (The Lady Janies #3) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows – (☆☆☆)
  • Drums of Autumn (Outlander #4) by Diana Gabaldon – (☆☆☆☆☆)

Instagram || Goodreads

Book Review: 180 Seconds by Jessica Park

GoodeyReads2 Comments

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: New adult contemporary romance
Length: 300 pages
Author: Jessica Park
Publisher: Skyscape
Release Date: April 25th, 2017
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Some people live their entire lives without changing their perspective. For Allison Dennis, all it takes is 180 seconds…

After a life spent bouncing from one foster home to the next, Allison is determined to keep others at arm’s length. Adopted at sixteen, she knows better than to believe in the permanence of anything. But as she begins her third year in college, she finds it increasingly difficult to disappear into the white noise pouring from her earbuds.

One unsuspecting afternoon, Allison is roped into a social experiment just off campus. Suddenly, she finds herself in front of a crowd, forced to interact with a complete stranger for 180 seconds. Neither she, nor Esben Baylor, the dreamy social media star seated opposite her, is prepared for the outcome.

When time is called, the intensity of the experience overwhelms Allison and Esben in a way that unnerves and electrifies them both. With a push from her oldest friend, Allison embarks on a journey to find out if what she and Esben shared is the real thing—and if she can finally trust in herself, in others, and in love.

OH MY HEART.

Reading this book constantly made me think, this book is going to destroy me, boy was I right. Staying up way too late to finish this was necessary because I NEEDED a happy ending.

I absolutely loved that this book was about a relationship and not as you see typically a book where the characters are moving towards a relationship. Esben and Allison get together pretty quickly into the book and the emotion and moments created behind this made it feel like so much more than insta-love. I felt the connection between them too during their 180 seconds.

Esben is a new book boyfriend. What a man y’all. I loved how passionate and caring he was. Yet alluring and handsome. Could joke and be serious and really kept his priorities in check. The way he treated Allison made me absolutely melt.

Now Simon. WHAT A DAD. If I thought about crying at any point, it was the moments where Allison really let Simon be her Dad. I can only imagine how hard adopting an older girl out of foster care would be and the way that Simon loved Allison made my heart burst. He is one of the BEST book Dads I have ever read.

Allison was an amazing MC. You really saw her character grow and grasp onto the concept of being brave. She slowly learned to let others in while taking her walls down. Even fully understanding that she does have people in her life that will love her always. Allison showed strength and raw humanity dealing with the trials before her.

The reason I took of 1/2 star was because towards the end I felt like a lot of the social media interactions really felt far-fetched and a bit unbelievable. They leaned towards being there purely to push the plot along because otherwise there wasn’t an option. I understood the dynamic, but thought it a bit ridiculous at times.

This is my second Park book, and based on the raving review I gave the last one (Flat-Out Love, pre-blog/Goodreads days) I can’t wait to read more of her titles!

Overall audience notes:

  • New adult contemporary romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: kisses, make-outs, a spectrum (this phrasing was used in the novel) of moments from kisses to a sex scene, a few love scenes; all little to mild detailed with fade to black, nothing fully explicit
  • Trigger warnings: high levels of anxiety, Ch. 19 – a main character describes finding a sibling after being sexually assaulted/raped (somewhat detailed)

Instagram || Goodreads