Book Review: Black Crown (The Darkest Drae #3)

Black Crown

Raye Wagner and Kelly St. Clare

2/5

The battle is finally here. Well, I say finally but it's been like two months since the first book and we're all the way to revolution but whatever. Ryn and Tyrrik are stronger than ever and ready to face her evil father. Unfortunately, he kind of has an advantage as he has the ability to control her mind whenever he wants. It's like they really barely know each other but also whatever they're ready to unseat an emperor who is thousands of years old. 

I thought maybe the other books would be okay and this one would be a heartfelt and intense conclusion. I thought wrong. This book dragged, it had a bunch of weird random elements that felt out of place. I probably should have expected it given the whole nature of their powers the entire time. The powers were entirely based on need and the protagonists were just way over powered, especially Ryn who had all the powers in the strongest possible way. It was a book based on convenience and it really owned that till the end. 

It had some good moments but I don't think I'm recommending it. At best, it's a kind of weak imitation of the elements that succeeded in ACOTAR. At worst, it's a weird and basic portrayal of dragons and a fantasy world. I don't think I should have finished it but I wanted the closure. Points for it being somewhat entertaining enough to make it to the end, but that's about all it is.

Book Review: These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights #1)

These Violent Delights

Chloe Gong

5/5

Picture this, 1926 Shanghai, two rival gangs, and a starcrossed romance. Roma and Juliette met when they were fifteen years old and they fell in love. It's been four years since they betrayed each other but now their gangs need each other's help and the city will fall apart without their cooperation.

It took me so long to finish this one because it's based on Romeo and Juliette and everyone knows how that ended. If a retelling was a carbon copy of the original though they wouldn't be any fun and this book really holds its own. Juliette is a beautifully ruthless protagonist, morally grey characters really hit the hardest and they're both pretty morally grey as they are the heirs to gangs. The culture in the book is also extremely well-written, not confusing as some people try to defer books with cultural representation as. 

And the enemies to lovers! It's so good because it's a legitimate slow burn but also like there's still some stellar interactions. I thought this was a standalone until I got to the end and I was so thankful it wasn't. I'm so excited to see where the duology goes and I'm so amazed at the depth of it all. I can't believe that this is the author's debut and that she's the same age as me. Plus the cover is gorgeous so this author is really just hitting all the marks. 

I would recommend this book strongly for fans of historical fiction, enemies to lovers, and just general action. I wish I had read this in 2020 because it would've definitely made my list of top reads then but the hold list was sooo long and obviously for a good reason. Can't wait to see where it goes in the future!

Book Review: Shadow Wings (Darkest Drae #2)

Shadow Wings

Raye Wagner and Kelly St. Clare

3/5

Ryn is trying to figure out her powers, she's a never before seen combination of Phaetyn and Drae and not everyone is happy about that. She's trying to reconcile her old life with her new one and she's having a pretty difficult time. She journeys to the Phaetyn land and discovers a whole new side of the world all while the psychotic emperor threatens her existence. 

Ryn was getting a little whiny for me. Tyrrik really didn't do that much to her and she was just kind of mad and confused and back and forth about it the whole time. I don't know if I really approve of their relationship but all the rejections and such were kind of shallow and weird. It just occupied such a huge portion of the book for no reason. 

Basically the same feelings I had during the first book, it has decent world building but a lot of weird dialogue. I'll finish the series off just because it's interesting enough as kind of empty reading. I don't know if I love it but I like it well enough.

Book Review: Blood Oath (Darkest Drae #1)

Blood Oath

Raye Wagner and Kelly St. Clare

3/5

Ryn was raised in one of the many starving sectors of Verald. They hate their king but the war keeps them from really doing anything about it. When her mother is killed and she is arrested for participating in a rebellion, Ryn discovers that the world is much crueler than she could have known. Lord Irrik is her enemy but honestly the least of her problems. 

A lot of the book was too obvious for me from the beginning. Like, I pretty much knew what was going to go down from the second she said "I pulled my cinnamon brown hair back". Ryn was just really bad at making decisions. People are tripping over themselves to save her and she's constantly just trying to undo all that work. I don't know, I don't think any of her reactions were as cool as she thought they were and she was kind of annoying me. 

Not to say I wasn't interested with the worldbuilding and everything. I see potential for her as a character and I already downloaded the next book so it did its job pretty well. I hope to see her grow up a little- the age difference between her and her love interest is creepy in that way that fantasy YA has somehow just decided that they love. I hope that we see some stronger character development before much else happens because I think she's really just sealing her own fate at this point. I can maybe recommend this as a Kindle Unlimited read for fantasy romance lovers but I think the next book will really determine that.

Book Review: Enchanting the Elven Mage (Kingdoms of Lore #1)

Enchanting the Elven Mage

Alisha Klapheke

3/5

In a Sleeping Beauty retelling, Aurora isn't just a princess, but a powerful water mage who has been hidden her whole life to protect her from a curse placed in her infancy. Prince Filip is an elf who is marrying her to protect both of their kingdoms from the imminent war. 

It was really creative, I love all the little unique elements which made it a great retelling. I will say that it dragged at points, the dialogue felt too much and then characters didn't really feel like they were all that intelligent in their decisions. I liked it for the premise more than I liked it for the writing mechanics. 

It was a pretty average read, I didn't have strong feelings one way or the other. I thought there were super creative pieces of it but I also thought that the ending was obvious and didn't really build up enough. I don't think I would strongly recommend it but if you're interested in Sleeping Beauty or general fairy tale retellings than it might be something that you'd like to read.

Book Review: Silence of Scandal (Unrivaled Regency #1)

Silence of Scandal

Jackie Williams

2/5

Alexander and Elizabeth are pushed into a marriage that neither of them knew anything about in order to settle the debts of Alexander's deceased brother. They get along much better than they assumed they would but as the threat of his brother's blackmailer continues to hang over them and without knowing where Elizabeth's loyalties really lie, it's uncertain if their relationship will survive.

I was pretty disappointed by the majority of this book. It was too wordy with nothing really going on. The threat was weak, I didn't really feel like it would ever cause any serious damage. The content is not all that historically accurate, like a duke could ever marry a farmer's daughter without some sort of backlash. There was really no consideration for the nuances and intricacies of society at the time. And above all else, the cover is not visually appealing at all.

I will say that I appreciate that the book did not try to give her the voice of an angel or anything, the depth of her disability was not completely explained away. I don't know what I was expecting from the book and I honestly don't know why I kept reading other than the fact that it was short. Her deafness was an interesting plot point but the secrets of her past could have been much more masterfully handled to make things a little more interesting. It wasn't bad enough for one star, but I didn't really enjoy reading it much beyond the basic motivation to finish reading.

Book Review: Before I Saw You

Before I Saw You

Emily Houghton

4/5

Alice was trapped in an office fire, surviving with forty percent of her body covered in burns. Alfie was in a car accident in which he lost a leg. Both were suffering traumas even beyond that when they were moved into neighboring little hospital cubicles. Though a curtain always separates them, they form a deep bond based on conversation and shared grief. When that time wears out, they both have to decide to take that risky and terrifying step back towards the real world and whether it should include someone they've never seen before. 

This was a sweet book. When it was compared to Me Before You I was nervous, but I think I like it a lot better than that. Think How to Walk Away, one of those stories that is so heartfelt and touching that you can't stop yourself from finishing it in one night. It was very close to a five star read for me, the authenticity of a relationship based on communications alone is so appealing. The differences between the characters really got me too, the angsty Alice and the cheerful Alfie who have really both been misunderstood in so many ways over their life times. 

The only thing that really took a star away for me was how there were a couple of moments where something very dramatic was built up to and then it was pulled away completely. I won't get into spoilers, but I felt that there could have been a bit more closure on multiple elements of the story line. I am the kind of person who likes to know everything about characters that I get attached to and I got extremely attached to Alfie and Alice and felt at a loss. That's a positive and negative, I wish that I knew more but I can't help but respect that the author inspired me to want so much more. 

The only problem with reviewing advanced reader copies is that I have to wait until I recommend this book to all my friends. Big thank you to NetGalley for providing me such a great book in exchange for an honest review. I would totally recommend this for contemporary romance fans and people who are looking for something that's sad but uplifting.

Book Review: A Lady's Formula for Love (The Secret Scientists of London #1)

A Lady's Formula for Love

Elizabeth Everett

3/5

Violet has spent the past five years building up her women's club for scientific advancements. She is focused, she is driven, and she is incredibly intelligent. When her life becomes threatened, her stepson hires her a bodyguard for protection. Arthur has been defending political officials for over twenty years and he's hoping that this is his last job. He can't help but be awed by the brilliance and drive of his charge and though he tries to fight it, he can't resist their connection. 

If you read Bringing Down the Duke, this one is very much in the same vein. I think that's the best way to explain it. It was an enjoyable read, but not as much back and forth as I would like from a book of this genre. I didn't mind the historical inaccuracies but this felt much more like a contemporary romance set in a historical period than a historical romance. Which is great in itself, look at the cover and know that this is a much more modernized attempt that can definitely appeal to many different audiences. If you're a hardcore regency romance fan though this probably won't be what you're looking for. But if you're a big contemporary romance fan then this would be a much more enjoyable book.

I think it went a little hard on just trying to convince us that Violet is perfect but not too perfect. She's quirky, but in a completely appealing way. She can't be social except when she's in social situations and even though she's awkward she's charming.  It just felt like too many lines were being straddled in an attempt to make her as likeable as possible. I liked her well enough without all the additional commentary about it. 

I think it just barely missed four stars for me, it would've been a lot better if we had seen more of her expertise and her role. But I really did love the emphasis on how a couple can have completely separate interests but still love what those interests bring out in one another. I also loved the character's authenticity with themselves and think that it was a cuter love story for it. Big thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early copy!

Book Review: Verity

 

Verity 

Colleen Hoover

4/5

When Verity, the author of a very popular mystery series, is incapacitated and unable to finish her books, Lowen is hired to step in and finish it out. She goes to stay with Verity's husband, Jeremy, and their son in order to get the information necessary. Lowen finds Verity's autobiography and from that point on it's just one weird thing after another with the truth being far from obvious. 

If you like liking the characters in a book, like you like rooting for them, this probably isn't the book for you. If you like psychological thrillers that have you questioning the truth the entire time, this would be the perfect read. The first fourth was boring but it really started picking up towards the middle and all the way through the end. The things that were written were constantly surprising me, superseding every previous event and just getting more bizarre and aggravating. Without spoiling anything all I can say is that it'll keep you on the edge of your seat. 

The dialogue was a bit stilted at points. I think that the interactions between the living characters were cut in favor of the flashbacks to the past. It was that same thing where way too much was revealed in dialogue in the first interaction just because one protagonist knew exactly the right questions to ask the other protagonist. 

Still though, would definitely recommend for fans of mysteries and thrillers. You may not be completely satisfied at the end but you'll definitely enjoy all the twists and turns that you hit along the way.

Book Review: The Memory of Babel (The Mirror Visitor #3)

 

The Memory of Babel

Christelle Dabos

5/5

I was very hesitant to read this, the third book in the Mirror Visitor series. Set nearly three years after the conclusion of the second book, Ophelia has gone those nearly three years without hearing anything about her husband. She is under close surveillance and has no idea who to trust. When the opportunity presents itself for her journey to another ark, she leaps at it. 

This book, unlike the other two, has brief POV switches to that of Victoria. Victoria is the young daughter of Farouk and Bernenilde. I wasn't especially partial to these switches but I think it's a great twist and adds depth as we are so disconnected from that entire half of the previous books. There's so much going on, the politics of the separate arcs are overwhelming in their complexity. I think that the author does a great job balancing this complexity with the personal conflicts of the main characters. The entire world might be in trouble and that's not ignored, but everyone still has their own respective plot line. 

I absolutely love Ophelia and Thorn. I was a little upset that the romance was put so much on the back burner in the other two books but I think it's once again a great representation of the author's ability to match the complexities of the worlds with the intricacies of their personal lives. Also, Ophelia and Thorn are so intensely awkward and bad at communication that it's comical. Not in a way that makes you want to throw the book and walk away, but in the way that you can genuinely understand how difficult it is for them to open up and form a relationship with one another and appreciate each of their interactions even more. It's not typical in any way, it has such a beautiful uniqueness to that I know I won't be able to get over for a while. 

I would recommend this book and this series wholeheartedly. It can certainly drag at points but it's completely worth it to get to the end. I don't know how I'm going to handle waiting until the English version of the fourth book comes out because the cliffhanger was honestly the best one yet. Ophelia has definitely secured a spot as one of my favorite protagonists and I'm so excited to see what she does next.

Book Review: King's Warrior (The Aermian Feuds #4)

 

King's Warrior

Frost Kay

4/5

When I read the first book and how she was describing trauma and just all of Sage's experiences, I didn't have super high hopes for the rest of the series but I was interested enough to keep going. Sage has gone through so much as a character and there's a really interesting dynamic presented, she's still struggling from everything as any normal person would but she's also so much stronger because of it. I wanted to say that Sage wasn't the best protagonist at the beginning and all of her back and forth was annoying but now I can see how well her arc is shaping up and it's getting really good. 

I will say in terms of just technique there are some elements of this series that can kind of detract from the experience. There are a few grammatical and spelling errors peppered in and the dialogue can feel so stunted and unnatural. I think it might be getting better from the first book but maybe that's just my growing attachment to the characters. It's not the worst, I've read quite a few bad books and this one just could use a bit of further editing. And the full length pieces of writing from the previous novel without any real changes are a real turn off that made me pretty mad.

The romance is also a lot better. I was previously doubtful of this being any good in a romantic scope at all but I think it really redeemed itself. Neither of them is pushing each other, instead of hiding from the trauma they've built a really nice support system on mutual respect. I also love their interactions with their separate families it just feels so much more wholesome and natural. I'm really concerned for them and scared for their outcome but right now they're doing so much better than they were. 

I think this got very interesting though and I can't imagine how much more exciting the next couple of books are going to be. I'm a little concerned with how you can fill a whole two full length books when it feels so close to the peak of the conflict, but it's not going to stop me from reading it.

Book Review: Enemy's Queen (The Aermian Feuds #3)

Enemy's Queen

Frost Kay

4/5

A lot of questionable choices in this one, the third book in the Aermian Feuds series. Sage is kidnapped and presented to the most villainous villain yet- we've had a lot of villains but this is the worst of the villains. Like look up a villain in the textbook and you get a picture of him he's truly just textbook. But Tehl and all her friends are trying to get her back from this impenetrable fortress and huge swaths of time are going by and it's just very bad for Sage. 

This book should probably come with some TWs for abuse and such, this man was manipulating her to new extremes. I'm not a therapist so I can't define it all but I think that the author did a great job of creating something beyond simple physical brutality. It was interesting and much more original than the other books in the series have been. Though I would definitely say that the book exited young adult and is firmly in new adult now- if it was ever YA. 

The switches in POV are getting a little annoying though, like what are the standards for giving someone a POV because it feels like just about everyone qualifies for it. That didn't detract too much from the story but I found myself much more eager to read Tehl and Sage's POVs. Also, Tehl has been so much better developed as a character. They have an unconventional relationship built on quite a few struggles and misunderstandings, I think it's only stronger for that. I understand him a lot better and I think it was a great book for him. 

I think I can recommend this series a bit more now after reading this. It kind of reminds me of Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes. It's kind of long before it gets exciting but I think it's worth it. 

Book Review: Crown's Shield (The Aermian Feuds #2)

Crown's Shield

Frost Kay

3/5

This is the second book in the Aermian Feuds series and Sage has to deal with the consequences of the cliffhanger in the last book. She was discovered, the princes know her true identity now and her hopes to leave the rebellion fade away. They give her a role as a peacekeeper and she is dragged even further into the machinations of politics. 

It was okay but again, it really feels like Sage is trying way too hard to be not like other girls. I get whiplash from her she really can't decide if she wants to be awful and hateful or like them as her brothers or what. They're also talking about how great she is at making weapons but we've yet to see her actually do it. I'm waiting for her to do something that makes her as good as everyone keeps saying she is because literally every male protagonist is falling in love with her. 

Lots of questionable stuff and honestly can't even decide if this is a romance despite all of the characters who are romantically in love with her. I don't know, I'll keep reading because I want to know what's going to happen so that's definitely a point in its favor. But it also has quite a few flaws in the writing and the plot.

Book Review: Rebel's Blade (The Aermian Feuds #1)

Rebel's Blade

Frost Kay

3/5

Sage is a blacksmith by trade, working under the guise of her father's business and using his clients as people would never commission a woman to craft their swords. She also works for the rebellion, fighting for a better life in a country that she has seen fall apart. When she is captured by the crown prince, she becomes a pawn in political machinations that she could never have anticipated. 

I think this is ultimately fantasy romance, the romance was weirdly divided in this first book but I can see where it's going. I respected Sage's attempted strengths of character, it came across as a little too much at points but it was okay. The dialogue had some lapses where it just felt a little too literal, but it flowed fairly decently. I don't know if I like the crown prince, he made some really questionable remarks that I suppose could be justified by his need for information, but he also has a weird mix of no filter yet thinks he's political? I don't know if I like him.

I think the plot was interesting though. I'll never turn around a book about a female blacksmith, I think making swords would be a pretty great career. I hope that that facet of her life gets a little more focus in the sequel rather than just her propensity for the rebellion. I think authors forget that we are also interested in the more commonplace features of a fantasy world and I think that this world could really use some development. 

I liked it well enough to download the sequel and I'm looking forward to having some real conflict introduced. As Kindle Unlimited books go, it was pretty middle of the road. 

Book Review: The Camelot Betrayal (Camelot Rising #2)

The Camelot Betrayal

Kiersten White

4/5

The second book in the Camelot Rising trilogy, Guinevere struggles to reconcile her duties as queen and wife to Arthur with her inner conflict over the deception. She has magic and great power but she has no idea how or where she got it from and the lack of information continues to press on her. 

I was really not liking it at first. I was having a hard time remembering what happened at the end of the first and Guinevere was just so whiny. I was bored and wasn't sure if I could finish it for the first like hundred pages- that's the only reason I took off a star. I think it's important to remember the difficulties of her life, she is in an extremely elevated station and should be happy but she has to lie about who she is constantly. The person who she can be true with, the person who should know the most about her and support her the most, is never actually there for her. I think I would be extremely angry if I was in the situation she was in and people continued to try to placate me like they do here. 

It started getting super trippy at the end of the book and I suddenly felt like it needed to be a lot longer. I have no idea what's going to happen. Kiersten White does such an amazing job of taking history and transforming it so that you feel like you know what's going on but you actually have no idea. Arthurian legends have been done time and time again, but she provides such a unique twist to nearly every element of it. 

I'm very excited to read the last book in this trilogy and don't know how I'll wait a whole year. I would strongly recommend this for fans of historical fiction and fantasy, books with just like a dash of romance. Also if you like the show Merlin then this would be a great change while sticking with the same content.

Book Review: The Duke and I (Bridgertons #1)

The Duke and I

Julia Quinn

3/5

It was really difficult to rate this book because I think there was some great characterization and interactions overall. I watched it after watching the Netflix series, so I was expecting certain things to happen yet I was still disappointed by them. I gave it 3 stars because their communication is really well-written, their relationship generally not including that scene and what comes after. 

I was mad in the show that the ending was resolved so quickly. It was like bam Simon is just okay with it all and we move straight into the epilogue. The book is a lot better in this respect because they actually talk it out and get to the root of the problem. Simon's decision regarding the letters was also very critical to his character arc which I think the show totally neglected. That would've been a great thing to include to just assure us that that chapter of his life had closed and he was ready to move past it. 

Getting into spoilers to talk about the scene that ruined it all. Daphne had no right to take Simon's choice away from him like that. He deliberately said no once he realized and she just ignored him from her position of power. He tried to justify it in his head afterwards but there's really no justifying that behavior, especially when alcohol is involved. I'm glad that they talked it out but I don't think Daphne felt any genuine remorse for it. It was just extremely questionable and could've have been done without. Daphne was such a nicely written character with so much consideration for others, that move was just so entirely selfish and out of character for her.

Other than that lapse in behavior, I think that the book is far superior to the TV show. Not saying that the TV show doesn't have its own benefits, but if you ever think that something was missing from their discussions and ultimate resolutions, the books will be where you find that. I would proceed with caution because of that scene, but I still think that the characters are well-written and worth reading.

Book Review: The Netherfield Fire

 

The Netherfield Fire

Timothy Underwood

3/5

There's a fire at the Netherfield Ball and Elizabeth finds her face permanently scarred through the act of saving someone else. It sets off a chain reaction that eventually leads to the misunderstandings which make this book so original. If you read it for the misunderstandings, I think this book perfectly portrayed it through numerous lapses on both parts. If you read it for the strength of the characters then this book is lacking a bit. 

There was a lot of historical information provided on the origins of the fire and other niche elements of the period which I feel added a lot to the story. It's easy to just say there was a fire but much more difficult to come up with a logical explanation for it and for why a singular person would have been trapped. I think that the author did a great job merging these elements into an original story. 

The strength in character felt lacking, Elizabeth whined for literally probably 60 percent of it all. I don't think that she was considered such a beautiful character that this would have hindered her so much. I don't think marriage was on her mind as much as the author pushes it. She wouldn't have needed so many people boosting her confidence and it was a bit insulting to her as a character. 

An interesting read overall though, I think things like this push the boundaries of convention and aren't really very likely twists but still fun to explore. I think it was pretty well-written and engaging all the way through the end.  

Book Review: The Innkeeper's Daughter (The Gentlemen's Spy Mysteries #1)

 

The Innkeeper's Daughter

Bianca M. Schwarz

4/5

Since her parent's death, Eliza has had a rather difficult time. Her stepfather is abusive and agreed to forcing her into a marriage with an even more abusive old man. After her stepfather tries to beat her into submission, she runs away and encounters Sir Henry on the street. He saves her life and brings her into his world of espionage and clandestine affairs.

I'll start with a trigger warning, this book contains depictions of sex trafficking that could be difficult for some people to read. This book also has a couple of spicier scenes, but I think they're written without being too overwhelming. 

When I first started reading, I really was doubting that I would like it. I had a difficult time liking the characters considering the inevitability that I saw in the ending. I just couldn't help not liking them though, there was such a nice mutual respect built from such unlikely and unequal circumstances. I think that regency romances can tend to ignore the harsh realities of the time period in favor of the more fantastical approaches and the desire to display love's ability to conquer anything. Not saying that there are particularly harsh elements of this book or some kind of tragic romance, it just follows the natural progression of what could be expected from a relationship between two individuals of such disparate circumstances. Again though, the respect and consideration that they showed for one another is something very beautiful and unique that you won't see in many books labeled romances. Their relationship is sappy at points and over the top, but they aren't the kind of characters who abandon reality and their responsibilities.

Eliza is a strong heroine despite how horribly life has treated her. She rises above her circumstances, she isn't whiny about anything that happens to her, and she's insanely clever. I hope that the next book in the series continues to explore how much of an asset she would be to any kind of espionage, I'll love seeing how these characters all grow and progress from this first novel. 

I would recommend it for people who like regency romance but want a darker twist. This isn't a fairy tale, it's not a tragedy but it has more of a real life twist to it that really enhances the experience. Special shout out to NetGalley and Central Ave. Publishing for providing me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Book Review: Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1)

Wicked Saints

Emily A. Duncan

3/5

I've had this book on my list for so long and I've kind of just been putting off reading it. It has two separate POVs though it kind of follows the progress of three characters. Nadya is a cleric and a voice piece for gods who are not universally valued or empowered. Her powers are derived from their favor. Malachiasz is a disgraced Vulture, a secretive and cultish faction of the blood mages, and Serefin is the high prince and also a powerful blood mage. The gods see blood magic as heresy and their entire country as a heretical land as a veil prevents their dominance. I say heresy twice because that was probably the top used word in the book and the best way to describe the god's perspective.

I didn't hate it, I honestly think that the second one will probably interest me a lot more. It just didn't feel super unique, I was reading it and feeling like I had read the plot a million times before. Maybe it was all the back and forth and how people couldn't decide if they were bad or good. I think that Malachiasz and Nadya both went back and forth a trillion times and it really took away from the whole story from me. 

I'll probably read the next one at some point because I didn't hate it and it was kind of interesting, I'm just not sure how original it is. Like I said, it had it's moments and the world building could definitely go somewhere cool, I'm just not seeing it at this minute.

Book Review: Silver Buckles

Silver Buckles

Grace Gibson

2/5

If Kindle Unlimited could stop recommending me almost exclusively Pride and Prejudice variations, that would be appreciated. I saw this one and I saw how great the reviews were and how short it was and I was like no problem. I don't know how a book can be so short yet so long. It's written but with the variation of additional banter between Elizabeth and Darcy after their first encounter which sets off a domino impact of fewer misunderstandings and a more constructive relationship between the two. 

Just kind of boring. No scandal, nothing super shocking, and it was difficult for me to finish in the end because it was just so obvious. They had some witty conversations I just don't think they were anything that added to the existing wittiness of the original content. Some people ended up with different people but not because of anything that the plot caused, rather just because of preexisting conflicts that this book just didn't address as well as Austen did originally. 

I think it was written pretty well I just don't know how much I really got from it. I think it could have had some more original content if it wanted to advertise itself as being something of an original twist to Pride and Prejudice.

Book Review: The Unseen Heir (Legends of Abreia #2)

 

The Unseen Heir

Kenley Davidson

4/5

I thought this series has been pretty great. Leisa is an amazing protagonist, dedicated and loyal to her beliefs and values through and through. Kyrion really opened up in this one and became much more than the masked bodyguard. I loved them both a lot and I think this book really capitalized on the values that made them so endearing in the first book. 

That being said, I'm going to move a bit into spoilers here. It was a little disappointing that Leisa's heritage could be so hyped up and then so completely abandoned. I don't know if it's something that will be addressed in later books or if she has decided that she has what she needs in Kyrion, but I wish that we had gotten to know more about her powers and why her parents did what they did. In reading the description for the next book, I see that it doesn't seem to be centered on their lives anymore. I respect that angle and wouldn't hate on the book for it, I just feel like there was some lost potential. 

I still really recommend the series though this one was a lot more romantic than the first one. I'd say the first one was much more of a fantasy action novel with very limited romance and this one just went into a speed round. I'm very excited to read the next one though I don't know how I'll wait a year.

Book Review: The Foxhole Court (All for the Game #1)

The Foxhole Court

Nora Sakavic

2/5

After a rough childhood, Neil receives an offer to play Exy (a made up sport) for Palmetto University. He's been told his entire life to lie low but he decides to enjoy it while he can as he hasn't had much good in his life beside the sport. Unfortunately, there are those around him who could reveal the specifics of his parentage and put him at risk of the very thing he's been running from. Full disclosure before I get into the review for real, even normal sports confuse me and I'm not usually a big reader of action novels so a lot of these things are very obviously opinion-based. 

The characters weren't likeable to me. On top of the kind of convoluted plot with a ton of elements that were difficult to follow, I wasn't feeling a strong connection to any of them. They didn't have moments of vulnerability or heart-to-hearts and they fought a lot. And not normal fights either, highly illegal fights with elements that make me concerned to read any further in the series. Again, that's just probably personal preference because I'm a very HEA type of person. But so many things just didn't make sense to me that I was hoping to at least like the characters. 

It's not totally without value or anything, if you like action then it would probably be a good choice for you. If you're more into the other books that I've recommended on my blog then this might not be the most exciting read.

Book Review: The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy #1)

The Awakening

Nora Roberts

3/5

Breen has been working a job that she doesn't like for years, suffering from the guidance of a mother who desperately wants her to stay in her lane. When she discovers a hidden bank account from her absent father, she uses it to finally escape her debt and take some time for herself. In doing so, she accidentally discovers the destiny which her father left for her and a world that she never anticipated. 

Much better than the other Nora Roberts book that I read, simultaneously having the same issues though. There's no need for the writing to be so listy, there's no need for the dialogue to tell me exactly what is going on in the character's head and their motivation for every choice. The flow of it all is just heavier than it needs to be and a little awkward. 

The plot is pretty exciting though. I think it could benefit from some originality, a lot of it feels like stuff I've already read before. But it's something that hits well and I think it would be a lot more popular if it wasn't written the way that it is. I think it has a lot of potential and has the potential to be a lot more interesting in future books. 

Again, better than the other stuff that I've read by Nora Roberts so it's probably due to personal preferences. I also just want to say that her experience with publishing agencies in this book is probably the most farfetched fantasy element but we'll just use the suspension of disbelief on that one. If you like that paranormal/urban fantasy kind of vibe this is written exactly the way you'd expect from it.

Book Review: Fantasy of Freedom (The Tainted Accords #4)

Fantasy of Freedom

Kelly St. Clare

4/5

I finished the series and I'm definitely not disappointed. I think that it was a great way to merge all the things that had been happening throughout the other books. I was especially satisfied with the resolution, I was afraid that there was going to be some politically infeasible solution made, but I think it all worked out rather well. 

It's really tricky to know what Kindle Unlimited books are going to be worth it, I think there are times where the covers really detract from the personality of the series. I feel that this series is no exception, the cover looks like it would be a different book with less depth than it had. I'm not saying that I feel as though this series is world changing like some I've seen on KU, but I think it definitely deserves more attention than it's gotten. 

Overall, I completely recommend the series and I hope that more people are able to enjoy it. I think the romance was very well-paced and that the overarching politics of it all keep you wanting more.

Book Review: One of Us is Lying (One of Us is Lying #1)

One of Us is Lying

Karen M. McManus

4/5

I was a little scared to read this book, I got it as a gift and getting into contemporary high school books is kind of difficult for me at this point. After being pranked into detention, four high school students watch one of their classmates die from an allergic reaction. Given Simon's notorious reputation for his gossip website, the police are quick to suspect foul play and those four students are the prime suspects. 

I'm not going to say I knew everything that happened, there were a couple of fun twists mixed in that gave the book additional depth. I've seen a lot of people referring to it as The Breakfast Club but with murder which is a fairly apt description. The mystery and pacing of it all reminds me of a book I read a few years ago, Burning Blue, which I also really liked. I think that it was just very well-written and interesting from start to finish. 

I'm not usually a fan of so many first person POVs either, but the author did a great job of phasing them all together. The one thing that felt weird at the end was Nate's reaction to everything, felt like it was kind of just rushed to be problematic then rushed to a solution via an epilogue. Other than that lapse in character arc though, I think they all had a lot of positive growth through tragedy. 

Would totally recommend it for fans of mystery. It's contemporary and set in a high school so might be difficult to get into, but I really like the pacing and the way the plot twists were presented. I don't know if I'll read the sequel, it's definitely a great start though.