Tag: Fantasy (Page 7 of 121)

BOOK REVIEW: Filthy Rich Fae (Filthy Rich Fae #1) by Geneva Lee

June 25, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

Filthy Rich Fae (Filthy Rich Fae #1)
by Geneva Lee
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Cate Holloway knows the unspoken rule of New Orleans: avoid the powerful Gage crime family at all costs. Of course, that was before her brother got caught in their chaos. Now

Cate has no choice but to confront the dark and forbidding prince of New Orleans himself and beg for her brother’s life.

But Lachlan Gage is as lethal as he is beautiful…and the only currency he’s interested in is her soul.

Because Lachlan isn’t just some ruthless criminal. He’s fae. And he has his own secret reasons for binding her to him.

Tricked and desperate, Cate is torn between humanity and the breathtaking Otherworld. A place filled with shadows and secrets, with members of each fae court plotting against her just as her captor’s motives for trapping her become more mysterious.

And if she can’t break this sinister bargain in the next thirty days, she’ll be bound to the inscrutable yet infuriatingly tempting fae prince and his deadly world…forever.

Review:

Filthy Rich Fae was a quick read that was a lot of fun! With a little bit of an enemies to lovers vibe and the heroine being a captive, I flew through this book. The banter and tension was done so well. And I loved that I was already smiling and laughing after a couple of chapters in. Plus, while I thought I knew where the storyline was going, those last few pages had me so excited for what’s to come next!

Unhinged. Vicious. Merciless. That’s what they called him. I’d followed him blindly, and now he had me trapped.

Cate Holloway bargained her life away to save her brother. And she found herself trapped with the fae. Lachlan Gage was a fae, drug lord, criminal, and not someone you would ever want to cross. Yet Cate had a death wish at times. She planned to kill the fae prince, so she could escape. Yet that’s not how her story played out at all!

“Like cute little garden pixies with wings? Is That what you are?”
His upper lip curled to reveal his sharp teeth, a guttural snarl rumbling from him.

Cate was selfless and someone who always wanted to take care of others. Yet she definitely made mistakes. The safety, oh girl, I was laughing at you for that one. But despite her being challenging at times, I liked her. I found myself easily rooting for her! And I wanted to know every single thought she had about Lachlan!

Wrong. It was so wrong. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that, but I didn’t care. Not as his hands swept up to cradle my neck and his fingers tangled in my hair. Not as I lost myself to him. Not as the line between my anger and my attraction to him blurred.

Lachlan messed with Cate so beautifully! I loved the sexual tension between them, and it was so much fun. But most of all I loved when Lach showed us that yes, he did have a heart. Yet there were so many secrets swirling around him, and at times he seemed to speak in riddles. I couldn’t help but be intrigued, just like Cate.

My soul was on the line, and I didn’t care. Not when the touch of his skin seared me to the bone. Not when I only felt alive kissing him.

I was fascinated with their world and felt like we only got little peaks here and there. For not only their magic but what is beyond the veil too. I’m excited to learn more in future book(s)! And my favorite side character was Lach’s sister, Ciara. I could easily read a book just from her point of view! I’ll definitely be reading the next book!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: Tower of Tempest (Stolen Crowns #3) by Tee Harlowe

June 21, 2024 / Jen / 2 Comments

Tower of Tempest (Stolen Crowns #3)
by Tee Harlowe
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
I might be sheltered, but I’m smart enough to know that I can’t fall for the playboy prince—or his charms.

I’ve spent my life locked in a tower with nothing but books and my gran to keep me company. Until the day she disappears. Despite Gran’s warnings about never leaving, I’ve finally discovered a way out, and I’m going to find her.

At least that’s the plan. Until some idiot decides to rescue me. Instead, he almost gets us both killed. Worse, I discover he’s Lochlan Aster, the famous playboy prince, one of the most eligible bachelors on the continent and a shameless flirt.

I don’t trust him, but his offer to help find my gran is too tempting. I know nothing about this magical—and dangerous—world around me, nothing about myself. As Lochlan and I work together, pieces of my past click together, and I learn more about who put me in that tower—and why. Yet the biggest danger might be the prince’s reason for helping me—a secret that won’t just break the trust I’m finally learning to build, but my heart along with it.

Tower of Tempest is book three in Stolen Crowns, a series of steamy standalone but interconnected fairytale retellings. This Rapunzel meets Anastasia retelling is perfect for fans of banter, (very) snarky heroines, and slow-burn romance.

Review:

Tower of Tempest was an adult romance retelling of Rapunzel mixed with Anastasia! If you adore adventure, found family, Disney meets romantasy, and some steam, then definitely add this one to your tbr! And while this can be read as a standalone, I can’t recommend reading the previous books in this series enough!

You couldn’t help but want to be around him just to bask in his light, that some of it might guide you out of your own darkness.

Poppy was a winged heroine who lived an extremely sheltered life. She had spent her life in a tower with her Gran. And if you have read the previous books, you’ll know that Gran having shadow magic was a huge red flag. While Gran may have loved her, there had to be more to the story. Of why Poppy was hidden away and Gran’s backstory. As the story unfolded, I loved trying to put the clues together to figure it out!

“Loch,” I whispered, his face so close to mine, “thank you for coming for me.”
“I’ll always come for you,” he said. “Haven’t you learned that by now?”

Lochlan Aster, the cinnamon roll playboy prince, had been dreaming of a woman trapped in a tower. When he finally came across that tower, I loved how his rescue of Poppy played out. I was laughing and smiling so much! Yet Poppy didn’t make Loch’s life easy. She was unsure of who she could trust, whereas Loch was used to women falling at his feet. He was so sure of himself, and I loved that Poppy made him work for it every step of the way!

“I think I might want to do that again,” I said. “At some point, I’m pretty sure I saw actual stars.”
“Give me a minute.” I felt his mouth curve into a smile against my head. “And I’ll show you every damn constellation in the sky.”

Poppy and Loch were absolutely adorable together. They were a sunshine x sunshine, and their banter was so much fun! Yet Poppy’s lack of trust made me struggle with her from time to time. Granted I grew attached to Loch in the last book, and I wanted Poppy to see all that I saw. Watching their friendship grow was heartwarming. And the carriage scene was one of my favorite moments in this story! Rounding out this story were Driscoll and Leoni and I am keeping my fingers crossed that Driscoll gets his own story! I love him so much!

Driscoll’s eyes widened. “Plot twist.”

Tower of Tempest painted a beautiful story that was so effortless to follow and enjoy. I loved how elements of the original tales were twisted into this tale. It made it exciting and fun! And while a few of my guesses were correct, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. So, if you’re looking for a retelling story that you can fly through while smiling and laughing, definitely give this book and series a try. I can’t wait to see what happens next, and I have all the guesses for who it’ll be!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW – Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

June 17, 2024 / Jen / 4 Comments

BOOK REVIEW – Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout Obsidian (Lux #1)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring...until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is.

Review:

*I reread this book and updated a few parts of my review from a decade ago ♥*

The Lux Series is what made me become obsessed with the enemies to lovers trope. This book was everything! Whether it was the infuriating, smug, sexiness that was Daemon, or the strong-willed Katy, or the energetic lovable Dee, or the duo that was Ash and Andrew, I LOVED all of the characters in this book. And the story-line? Not only did it have me grinning from ear to ear, but I kept finding myself saying “oh, just one more chapter”, and you know how that usually ends. Hours later and I couldn’t put this book down. JLA created the perfect world that I wanted to get lost in again and again.

For a moment, all I could do was stare at him. He was probably the hottest guy I’d ever seen in real life, and he was a total douche. Go figure.

Katy’s father passed away, and her mom was in desperate need of a fresh start. So they moved from Florida, to a small little town in West Virginia. And in need of getting directions to the local supermarket and a place to buy plants, Katy had one of the most memorable meet cutes. That had no part of cute in it lol. Daemon was sexy, shirtless and beyond exasperating. He seemed to know how to push Katy’s buttons without a second thought. From there I was glued to the pages. I loved following Katy on her journey to discovering that Daemon and his lovable sister, Dee were aliens. And how being friends with aliens can most definitely turn your life upside down and scrambling just to stay alive!

Okay. That was it. “You know, you’re right. How wrong of me to call you a douchebag. Because a douchebag is too nice of a word for you,” I said, smiling sweetly. “You’re a dickhead.”
“A dickhead?” He repeated. “How charming.”
I flipped him off.

Katy is by far one of my favorite heroines. She never backed down from a challenge, didn’t take any of the garbage Daemon was constantly throwing at her, she tried her hardest to be fearless, while also being the best friend ever! She was an admirable girl that anyone would be lucky to call their friend. But my favorite thing about her? Her sassiness! She was one of the few people who took a stand against Daemon, and put him in his place. Her comebacks were hilarious, yet at the same time I couldn’t help but have my heart break each time Daemon was cold to her. What did she ever do wrong? Why couldn’t she be friends with his sister Dee? And why does he radiate so much pain when he lets his guard down for two seconds?

My lips pressed into a hard line. “You’re such an ass. Has…anyone ever told you that?”
He flashed a genuinely amused smile. “Oh, Kitten, every single day of my blessed life.”

Daemon was the ultimate book boyfriend! He made aliens sexy, and I never thought that was possible. Daemon had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He alone felt responsible for past horrific events, taking care of his sister, and sending Katy running away as far as humanly possible. Yet, Daemon’s feelings towards Katy were a conundrum, that at times felt like whiplash. You never knew if you were going to get the cold Daemon, or the one that had you begging for more. Daemon will lull you into his web, and even if you want to hurt him, it’s impossible. His heart shines through in moments that will have you clamoring for more. Plus he was the embodiment of infuriating sexiness. And heaven help me, but I fell so hard for him.

Holding my breath, I reached up and brushed back a strand of hair. My fingers barely grazed his skin, but he sucked in a sharp breath and closed his eyes. I pulled my hand away, not sure why I’d done that.

The characters were addicting and impossible to get out of my head! The chemistry between Katy and Daemon was through the roof hot. I found myself smiling so much at their passionate banter! And the story progressed at a perfect pace that always kept me intrigued and begging for more. Obsidian was an enchanting story that effortlessly captured my heart. And a decade later, this is still one of my top favorite series ever!

Then I shifted my gaze, and my eyes locked with Daemon’s. Even though several tables separated us, my breath caught. There was something…wicked in those emerald-colored eyes. Consuming. I couldn’t look away, and he didn’t either. The distance between us seemed to evaporate.

PS I highly recommend reading Shadows (A Lux Novel) by Jennifer L. Armentrout before reading this book!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Shadows #0.5 Reviews: Jen	Obsidian #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Onyx #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Opal #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Origin #4 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Obsession (Companion novel) #4.5 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Opposition #5 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Oblivion #Companion Novel OBSIDIAN, ONYX & OPAL Told by Daemon Black Reviews: Jen

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BOOK REVIEW: A Queen This Fierce and Deadly (Kingdom of Lies #4) by Stacia Stark

May 31, 2024 / Jen / 2 Comments

A Queen This Fierce and Deadly (Kingdom of Lies #4)
by Stacia Stark
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The price of love is loss.
We all pay it eventually…

In every life…

Some moments are too painful to be endured.
Some moments will break you if you let them.

And yet I can’t afford to let anything break me. Because we have one chance to win this war. One chance to create a better life for everyone across the four kingdoms.

Even as our enemies ally with each other, and our own allies are forced to betray their kingdoms, their people…and themselves.
And even as Regner plans something so cruel, so wholly evil, he’s poised to douse the last remaining spark of hope in this world.

Unless we kill him first.

Review:

A Kingdom of Lies has become my favorite romantasy series! I know that’s such a bold claim, but this series was breathtakingly beautiful. The characters will embed themselves into your heart forever, and this story is one that was impossible to put down. If you love fantasy, romantasy, romance, enemies to lovers, and found family, I can’t recommend this final book and series enough!

“In every life, wildcat. No matter what happens, you hold on to that. It’s you and me in every life.”

A Queen This Fierce and Deadly absolutely wrecked me in the best way possible. This story had a wonderful recap and then started exactly where A Crown This Cold and Heavy ended. The perilous moments in this book made my heart race and left me struggling to breathe normally at times! The friendship and love that conquered all, was breathtaking. And the found family will melt your heart. So while bargains were made and trust was put in precarious positions, I was cheering them on every step of the way!

My rage was endless, as if it might swallow me whole.

Within those first few pages, I was already crying all of the tears. And I found myself crying so many other times from the beginning to the end. There were tears because I was terrified for who would live and die in this world, especially with the upcoming war. I sobbed tears of relief and joy. And there were also tears from pain because of moments that cut my heart into a million pieces. This book will make you feel everything!

Every time I’d escaped certain death, every person I’d killed to save my own life, every near miss and lesson learned…all of them had led up to this.
It was me or him.

The characters in this story were unforgettable. People’s actions shocked me in the best and worst of ways. So when new light was shown on things, my mouth was on the floor multiple times! We also got answers to unknowns and questions from previous books, and it was beautiful seeing all of the pieces fall into place. But with war on their doorsteps, I loved watching those that were born to be leaders take charge, have clear heads, and rise above it all. I actually clapped my hands out loud so many times. But within these pages there was also so much death and destruction. And the stakes were so high. It all led to heart pounding action that laced throughout these pages!

This was all Prisca’s fault.
That bitch got beneath my skin. She made me care.
Now, I would be forced to watch as these people died one by one.

We got multiple POVs again, and each one had my full attention. My heart would beat faster as we left someone we cared for in a precarious situation! But then that feeling would be back all over again, once we left the next one. There were heartwarming moments that we could breathe and see them enjoying life within that moment. Also there were steamy moments that were sigh worthy and so seductive. This book truly had it all!

Whoever said vengeance didn’t help was lying.

I loved A Queen This Fierce and Deadly with my whole heart! It was the most beautiful story of perseverance, friendship and love! With perilous action, spies in the midst, sob worthy sacrifice, heart warming loyalty, beautiful found family, and everlasting love, this series was everything!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Spoiler Quotes……

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BOOK REVIEW: Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber

May 14, 2024 / Jen / 0 Comments

Finale (Caraval #3)
by Stephanie Garber
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Welcome, welcome to Finale, the third and final book in Stephanie Garber’s #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series!

A love worth fighting for. A dream worth dying for. An ending worth waiting for.

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time: only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Welcome, welcome to Finale. All games must come to an end.

Review:

Finale was a fabulous conclusion to the Caraval Trilogy! We alternated between Tella and Scarlet in this story, and I kept my fingers crossed that they would both get their happily ever afters! As someone who read OUABH first, I lost a lot of the peril that could be found in the pages. I knew the ending, and how quite a few pivotal moments would unfold. While it affected my reading of this story, there was still so much to love. The characters made this final book, and I loved watching them fight for their happiness every step of the way!

Her steps faltered, but she didn’t stop. If anything, she ran harder. The Fates had won another round.

Finale was so different from the previous two stories. There wasn’t a Caraval, so the magic, intrigue, and mystery from the games were missing. Yet those elements could still be found elsewhere, in the characters and the world around them. And as someone who adored Scarlett and Julien’s book a little more than Tella and Dante, I was shocked that Tella and Dante stole the stage. While I still loved my moments with Scarlett and Julien, Tella and Dante felt otherworldly to me. When they were around one another, it was like the sun shined brightly. The tension between them was palpable. I just wanted to push them together!

He smelled like dirt and tears and perfection. And she decided then that she was never, ever letting go of him.

But then there was also Jacks, and he was the prince of pulling on one one’s heart. I never knew if I could truly trust him, yet I wanted to! And the moments that Tella was in the middle of Jacks and Dante, oh it all made me so giddy! I loved the jealousy and strong emotions that were invoked. While I only had my heart set on one boy, I loved that he gave her an impossible choice. Yet Tella had such a strong head on her shoulders and ultimately knew what she wanted. I loved that she wasn’t willing to bend for her HEA!

Tella had never been attracted to Julian, but for a moment she’d hated how jealous she’d been of what her sister had with him. Enough would never be enough for Tella.

Finale was filled with revelations, twists and happily evers for both sisters. While the ending wasn’t exactly perfect in my eyes, I felt like we got to see more of Scarlett’s than Tella’s ending. Regardless, I still adored how the story ended. This is a series I’ll definitely want to reread down the road, and I can’t recommend it enough for ya fantasy fans!

PS On page 255, there was something foretold…..does this mean we will get another series in this world? I have my fingers crossed!