Tag: simon audio

Book Review: Know Your Newlywed by Elena Armas

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 4 hours, 54 minutes
Author: Elena Armas
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Release Date: December 10th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf) and Mary Mouser (Cobra Kai) star in this swoon-worthy, full-cast rom-com! When two super-fans of a beloved dating gameshow hear that it’s being rebooted, they decide to team up and fake a marriage to compete in the hilarious new audiobook Know Your Newlywed, written by Heather Taylor and Hillary Nussbaum, and executive produced by New York Times bestselling author Elena Armas.

Cleo is a researcher with big dreams of a PhD in anthrozoology, and a guilty pleasure obsession with Know Your Newlywed, a decades-old gameshow where married couples compete by answering obscure questions about each other. She’s more invested in her career than in finding a relationship of her own, though—that is, until she comes across Javi’s dating app profile, which says he’s “looking for someone to win Know Your Newlywed with.”

Sparks fly, and when Cleo and Javi catch wind of a reboot of their beloved show, they apply on a whim, pretending to be newlyweds themselves. Before they know it, they’re cast as contestants, playing the part of smitten married couple better than they could’ve imagined. Their very real chemistry is impossible to ignore, and as the competition heats up, they quickly become America’s sweethearts. But how far can Cleo and Javi take their secret? And as they inch closer and closer to a life-changing cash prize, will the mounting pressure and their individual ambitions get in the way of their blossoming romance? Or is their connection strong enough to last once the cameras stop rolling?

Thank you to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

SHORT & QUIRKY.

There’s nothing SPECIAL about this book but if you’re looking for a good novella to spend an afternoon with, I’d recommend it. I was a big fan of the newlywed game once upon a time and I thought the play on that show was showcased well here. There’s quirky contestants and a little bit of drama and it’s a fun listen with the full cast.

I liked the romance between Cleo and Javi. It’s unconventional and works well. The sparks flew and they were just so sweet on each other. As I am prone to do, the third act bugged me a bit, but it’s fine. I liked how the novella wrapped up and the audio production was fantastic.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance Novella
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: one closed door

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Book Review: The Dagger and the Flame (The City of Fantome #1) by Catherine Doyle

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Rating: ★★★.75
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 510 pages
Author: Catherine Doyle
Publisher: S&S
Release Date: September 26th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the number one bestselling author Catherine Doyle comes the most fiery enemies-to-lovers romantasy of the year. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo and Stephanie Garber.  

In the dark underbelly of a beautiful city, two rival assassins are pitted against each other in a deadly game of revenge, where the most dangerous mistake of all is falling in love…

In Fantome, a kingdom of cobbled streets, flickering lamplight, beautiful buildings, and secret catacombs, Shade-magic is a scarce and deadly commodity controlled by two enemy the Cloaks and the Daggers – the thieves and the assassins. On the night of her mother’s murder, 17-year-old Seraphine runs for her life. Seeking sanctuary with the Cloaks, Sera’s heart is set on revenge. But are her secret abilities a match for the dark-haired boy whose quicksilver eyes follow her around the city?

Nothing can prepare Sera for the moment she finally comes face-to-face with Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. And Ransom is shocked to discover that this unassuming farmgirl wields a strange and blazing magic he has never seen before… Among rumours of monsters stalking the streets and the rival guilds grappling for control of Fantome’s underworld, Sera and Ransom are drawn together by something more than just magic and must face a deadly choice – forgiveness or vengeance? Kiss or kill? Dagger or Flame? 

Thank you to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS ONE.

Ooooo y’all. This review feels tricky. I enjoyed the story and characters in a vibe kind of way. I liked the audiobook and I was never upset at what I was reading, it just didn’t match.

For a “young adult” (it is definitely not YA) there was so much out of pocket language. I’m not generally bothered by language but with the way these characters were written it didn’t sync with the story. The writing felt young YA and the characters were trying to be new adult. I would categorize this as new adult too based off of the spice that felt very out of place and at the wrong times too.

The reveals are easy to guess from the beginning. I wasn’t surprised in any way. And while that’s not always a bad thing, since I wasn’t fully engaged by the time things were coming together I was ready to move on with a new book.

I do plan to read the next one, I’ll definitely keep going because I’m curious enough to see if book two shakes out these intro cobwebs. Once again begging for traditional pubs to make new adult an actual genre.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: high
  • Romance: 2 open door
  • Violence: high

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ARC Book Review: The Last Dragon of the East by Katrina Kwan

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Katrina Kwan
Publisher: S&S / Saga Press
Release Date: October 8th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Inspired by Chinese myths of ancient dragon gods and threads of fate, Katrina Kwan’s dazzling fantasy debut is an adventure perfect for fans of Sue Lynn Tan and Hannah Whitten.

At the spry young age of twenty-five, Sai has led a quiet life, keeping the family teahouse up and running—even if that means ignoring the past-due notices—and taking care of his ailing mother. But he has a not-so-secret gift that he’s parlayed into a side career: he was born with the ability see the red threads of fate between soulmates, which lends itself nicely to matchmaking. Sai has thus far been content not to follow his own thread, the only one he’s ever seen that’s gray and fraying.

But Sai’s ordinary existence is about to be turned upside-down by a pair of shining dragon scales. When his mother’s doctor sells them to him, claiming them as a miracle cure, Sai is pretty sure he’s being scammed. When the medicine actually works—and the terrifying, ruthless emperor catches wind—Sai is thrust into the search for a dragon long thought extinct that will lead him into the throes of a brewing war and deep into foreign lands, facing down challenges both magical and mortal on an unexpected adventure. And for the very first time, as his own thread of fate begins to move, he may be able to solve the mystery of his Fated One on the other end of the line.

Thank you to S&S / Saga Press and Colored Pages Book Tours for the gifted copy and Simon Audio for the audiobook.

A GREAT STANDALONE.

I know many are often on a quest for a romantasy standalone and I gotta say this was a great one! For a 300 page book it was substantially packed with good world building, dragons, and an endearingly romantic story too.

I loved that this was from Sai’s point of view. I feel romance book aren’t often written solely from the male main character and I enjoyed his journey a lot. There’s a fairytale-esque writing quality to it and I also listened to the audiobook and loved that format too.

There’s some intense action, some hidden identity and a love story that transcends time and place. I adored the very sweet and tender moments between the main characters and would absolutely love to read this author’s next story.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: low – moderate

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ARC Book Review: A Sky Full of Dragons (The Wand Keepers #1) by Tiffany McDaniel

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: MG Fantasy
Length: 352 pages
Author: Tiffany McDaniel
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

For younger fans of Witchlings and Eva Evergreen comes a light-hearted and whimsical middle grade fantasy about a young girl who must save her witch aunt from an uncommonly voracious hat.Where dragons take flight, through the dark of the night. Where the fire ignites, you will find the light. Aunt Cauldroneyes is always looking into cauldrons. She’s found everything from giggling moons to troll nose rings, but when she looks inside a purple cauldron one stormy night, she finds a girl with blue freckles. The old witch raises the girl and names her Spella. They live in Hungry Snout Forest in a crooked house with doors enchanted to smell like chocolate. In the attic full of floating fabric and biting buttons, Aunt Cauldroneyes teaches Spella how to make magical hats for creatures like unicorns and dragons, giants and goblins. When Spella turns eight, she receives an invitation to Dragon’s Knob, a school for wand witchery and wizardry. But on the very night Spella is set to leave, a stranger appears with a growling hat that swallows Aunt Cauldroneyes and steals her away! To rescue her aunt, Spella must go up into a sky full of dragons and to her new school. With protesters outside the gates threatening the school’s academic freedom and a deepening mystery within the walls, Spella and her new friend Tolden are thrust into the mystery of her aunt’s disappearance and a long-buried secret hidden somewhere in the school.

Thank you Tiffany McDaniel for the gifted copy and Simon Audio for the ALC.

A SWEET GEM.

I absolutely adored this book. It had all of the things I kind of look out for when reading middle grade. It felt like a book I could read to my little’s and that we could all enjoy together and I loved that vibe the most.

The world is whimsical and FULL of magical creatures. I liked the little footnotes explaining each one. It better builds the world and all of the different aspects to the plot. I loved the general theme of appreciating and taking care of nature. It’s playful and imaginative.

I am intrigued by the beginnings of some found family moments within Spella’s journey through her new school. I happened to have listened to the audiobook and thought it was fantastic too. I absolutely will be continuing this series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Middle Grade Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: none
  • Violence: low

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