Category: Review (Page 25 of 276)

BOOK REVIEW: The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams

July 18, 2023 / / 2 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: The Cheat Sheet by Sarah AdamsThe Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The friend zone is not the end zone for Bree Camden, who is helplessly in love with her longtime best friend and extremely hot NFL legend, Nathan Donelson. The only problem is that she can’t admit her true feelings, because he clearly sees her as a best friend with no romantic potential, and the last thing Bree wants is to ruin their relationship. But those abs . . .

Nope! Nothing but good old-fashioned, no-touching-the-sexiest-man-alive, platonic friendship for Bree. In any case, she has other things to worry about. After a car accident ended her chance at becoming a professional ballerina, Bree changed paths and now owns her own dance studio, with big dreams to expand it. But one more rent increase could mean the end of the studio entirely.

Then, as usual, Nathan comes to the rescue and buys the entire building. A stubborn Bree is not happy about it and decides to rebel with a couple—okay, maybe more than a couple—of tequila shots. Then her plan backfires as she spills her deepest, darkest secret to a TMZ reporter. One viral video later, the world thinks Nathan and Bree are the perfect couple. Before they can really talk about her confession, Nathan’s publicist proposes a big opportunity that could mean financial security for Bree. The catch? They have to pretend to be in love. For three whole weeks.

What will happen when Bree gives in to the feelings she’s been desperately hiding for so long, and could she be imagining that Nathan is actually enjoying it? Sarah Adams scores more than touchdowns in this exciting romantic comedy.

Review:

The Cheat Sheet was a friends to lovers sports romance that was a lot of fun.  With slow burn romance and fake dating mixed together, this book ended up being so adorable.  If you’re looking for a romance story that’s sweet and low on angst, definitely add this one to your tbr!

To my left is a floor-to-ceiling three-million-dollar view of the ocean, but to my right is the view I would give my soul to see every day for the rest of my life. Obviously, Bree doesn’t know I feel this way about her.

Bree and Nathan had been friends since high school and she had been in love with him for forever.  Yet Nathan treated her as just his best friend, while he dated everyone else. Although I had some guesses when it came to Nathan.  He would pause when saying something or the things he did to help her out were sigh worthy.  I loved trying to look for clues to see exactly how he felt!  So I was surprised that after a couple of chapters we also got his POV!  I was squealing with giddiness!  Especially since we got to know a tiny bit of how he felt in that first paragraph!  But there was still a lot of things to piece together, since we spent a lot more time with Bree.  So when drunk Bree admitted to a reporter her feelings, she found herself fake dating her best friend.  At least until the Super Bowl, since they were doing an ad together.  And the lines of what was real and fake definitely started to blur!

What’s happening?! Why am I reacting this way? It changes nothing really—except I feel like everything I knew has changed tonight. My foundation is shaking.

I loved Bree!  Her thoughts cracked me up and it was impossible not to laugh out loud at her.  Plus she was such a kind hearted soul.  She loved the students she taught dance to and would sacrifice for them, so they could dance.  Even if that left her scrambling for rent money.  And she didn’t want to rely on her bestie to help her.  I understood her need for wanting to make it on her own.  Especially when she pictured her bestie married to some other woman in the future.  So she tried her best to remain strong when it came to Nathan.  My heart hurt that she was jaded from the accident in her past.  She didn’t think she got to keep the good things in her life, and still struggled with that years later.  So the moments she would cave, or allow help from Nathan warmed my heart!  But Bree was in total denial that Nathan could ever want her.  Even though there seemed to be clues everywhere.  So of course Bree was nervous about crossing the lines of friendship while fake dating.  She didn’t think she could ever go back to normal after she crossed those lines!

I watch with a sinking feeling as Nathan’s head tilts ever so slightly and a grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. It’s a look I’ve never seen before, like I just got duped by a card shark when I thought I was playing Go Fish against a toddler.
He hands me the pen. “Oh, it’ll definitely be fun. I’ll make sure of it.”

While there were some cheesy moments and miscommunication, it worked perfectly with the low angst in this story.  I did want to shake them and tell them just to be honest with each other.  To be brave.  To take a chance!  And for Bree to not run away when he was practice flirting with her. They had to make it seem real, since he was in the public eye.  So I was glad that Nathan stood his ground, one of them needed to be more mature about it.   And when Nathan started to test the waters to see if she was interested, ohhhh I was so happy!  I loved that he used his friends to help him figure out how to get out of that friend zone.  Their brainstorming session was one of my favorite scenes!  And Jamal was definitely my favorite friend of his!  I loved that his friends were rooting for them to get together, just as much as Nathaniel was!

That’s not me and Nathan in this picture. This is a couple who’s head over heels for each other.
I know why I see that blissful look on my face, but why is it on his too?

With scenes that are forever etched in my brain, I’m looking at you brownie batter! Failed attempts at seduction. Jealousy becoming amusing. Stress and anxiety brought about in an honest way. I loved how this book continued to have a light and fluffy feel to it, even though it covered heavier topics. And it made me so happy! The Cheat Sheet was an absolutely adorable closed door romance. I will definitely be checking out other books by Sarah Adams!

BOOK REVIEW: 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

July 17, 2023 / / 4 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Crush (n.): a strong and often short-lived infatuation, particularly for someone beyond your reach…

Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She’s travelled the world, and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Darcy’s twin brother Jamie saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy’s best efforts, Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. That’s the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty—ever since, she’s had to learn to settle for good enough.

When Darcy and Jamie inherit a tumble-down cottage from their grandmother, they’re left with strict instructions to bring it back to its former glory and sell the property. Darcy plans to be in an aisle seat halfway across the ocean as soon as the renovations start, but before she can cut and run, she finds a familiar face on her porch: house-flipper extraordinaire Tom’s arrived, he’s bearing power tools, and he’s single for the first time in almost a decade.

Suddenly Darcy’s considering sticking around to make sure her twin doesn’t ruin the cottage’s inherent magic with his penchant for grey and chrome. She’s definitely not staying because of her new business partner’s tight t-shirts, or that perfect face that's inspiring her to pick up her camera again. Soon sparks are flying—and it’s not the faulty wiring. It turns out one percent of Tom’s heart might not be enough for Darcy anymore. This time around, she’s switching things up. She’s going to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers.

Review:

99 Percent Mine was a hilariously sexy romcom that was laced with deeper moments filled with emotions. Darcy had known Tom Valeska since she was 8, and her twin claimed him as his best friend for life.  Tom was now engaged and was overseeing the cottage renovation of the twin’s late grandmother.  And usually when things got too emotional for Darcy, she bolted.  And flew somewhere distant.  Yet this cottage was a piece of her heart, and she was going to try her best to stick around. So she got a say in how it was renovated.  So while Darcy and Tom had been friends for a long time, there was definitely a sticky background there.  Darcy wasn’t the best with sensitive words or sensitive topics. And she hurt Tom years ago.  So nowadays, Darcy was obsessed with what percent she had of Tom and what part belonged to her brother.  And each time she won something, she bumped up that percentage a little higher.

I’m the liability he swore to take care of.

Darcy Barrett’s thoughts were absolutely hilarious and so ridiculous at times!  While she was rough around the edges, and maybe that’s an understatement, I loved her!  With her sugar and sweet wine addiction, the two didn’t go hand in hand with her lifelong heart arrythmia.  I will say as someone who’s so conscious of her heart issues, it did bother me that Darcy didn’t take better care of her heart *cries*.  Especially when it was obvious that alcohol was messing up her life.  She didn’t do photography anymore and seemed to be skating by in life while making some bad choices.  Life style choices, not great…alcohol choices, not great…job choices, not great.  I couldn’t wait for Darcy to actually face something.  And not run away like she always did in the past.  Darcy was definitely the queen at bailing on life!

“What do I get in return?”
“You know, heart, soul. The usual.”
“Oh, Darce.” He sighs like I’ve learned nothing. “You’re messing with me again.”

And then there was Tom. Ohhh Tom. He was my favorite. Some of Tom’s words knocked the breath out of my lungs. And I loved how he messed with Darcy and would make the reader laugh too. Especially with the underwear thing! Yet Tom saw so much. So I wanted to cheer when he would hit the mark in regards to Darcy. But at the same time, I wanted to wrap my arms around myself while stating that it was way harsh Tai! As they worked through things between themselves and each other, I was cheering for them each step of the way. That they could love themselves. That they both could heal. And that they would find love together.

He laughs, and the afternoon sunlight turns the floating dust particles into glitter around us. It turns his eyes to whiskey, and they get me drunk. A guy like this? He’s the only one who’s ever made my stomach flip.

One thing that stuck out to me was that Darcy was a very sexual being and she had no problem sexualizing everything Tom did. It was so hot and you could just feel the tension electrifying between them! Yet miscommunication was the name of their game.  He thought she had a wild night?  She was truly at McDonalds lol.  And neither seemed to be completely honest with the other. But as the renovation unfolded, they worked together. Helped each other. And threw in a little jealousy here and there. If you love slow burns, this book is for you! Darcy and Tom had the most fabulous slow burn!

Fuck it. If he wants honesty, I’ll give it to him. “I would have undone your belt and got down on my knees, and made you pray to God.”
“Jesus,” he says with no air.

There were also deeper emotional moments within the pages. It shocked me how much it hurt to watch Darcy fight with her twin.  They both could be so stubborn. So I loved the relationship Darcy had with her bestie Truly. She told her everything! And I loved that Truly held her accountable and made her realize things. She was the most amazing woman! Yet the writing style wasn’t my favorite. It had very flowery, out there descriptions. Almost purple prose, but that’s not entirely the correct description. Once you read it, or if you already have, then you’ll know what I mean. So while I adored this book, I still had a few issues. But that epilogue was perfect! There was not only a 99 Percent Mine epilogue BUT also one for The Hating Games! And it left me closing this book with a smile on my face and being soooo happy!

His unforgettable eyes are the last thing I see before he pulls me up onto my tiptoes and puts his mouth on mine. Thunder cracks above us and then, the world goes silent.

BOOK REVIEW: Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

July 7, 2023 / / 4 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: Love, Theoretically by Ali HazelwoodLove, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people-pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and arrogant older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And he’s the same Jack Smith who rules over the physics department at MIT, standing right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

Review:

Love, Theoretically was a heartwarming, academic romance.  With a smidgen of enemies to lovers, this book was so easy to binge in a day!

I hate that I look at Jack Smith, with his good jaw and his good dimples and those good hands, and find him handsome.

Elsie Hannaway was a theoretical physicist.  She wanted to be a researcher, yet she was currently adjuncting at three different colleges.  So on the side to help pay for her bills, she was a fake girlfriend.  Her favorite client’s older brother was Jack Smith.  Who was my favorite *screams*, totally not biased at all haha!  Yet when Elsie went on an interview for a dream job, she realized Jack was actually Dr. Jonathan Smith-Turner, the head of the MIT Physics Institute.  Elsie hated that man with a passion.  His past published work ruined her mentor’s career and undermined her career field.  So with her nemesis standing in the way of her dream job, Elsie was determined, focused and set to get that job! 

I remember his hands, warm, unwavering around my waist, a hushed settle down murmured against my temple, and I suppress a shiver. Have I mentioned that I hate him?

My heart hurt for Elsie.  Her shock at who Jack was, was so palpable.  She got it all wrong.  And during that interview dinner, I was laughing way too hard.  Jack had no problems messing with her and I loved that.  But what I loved most of all was that Elsie was finally herself with Jack.  With everyone else, she tried to be who they wanted her to be.  Even with her best friend.  With Jack, she was always true to herself.  She let him know she hated him.  She let him know what he did to her field and how she has struggled because of that.  She let it all out!  As she continued to go through the interview process over the days, I loved that she killed it time and again!  Yet Elsie could definitely be her own worst enemy.  By not being herself.  By reading other people wrong.  By blinding following along.  And at times being clueless and assuming too much.

I notice it, the amused gleam in his eyes, like he knows exactly what I’m trying to say. I press my lips together, because I don’t want to encourage him, I don’t want to smile, but I’m about to. “I hate you.”
“Sure you do.”

While Jack Smith was closed off with his expressions and feelings, I just knew that time and again Elsie had to be reading him wrong.  Her preconceived notions made her see him in a completely different light than who he truly was.  I loved how he interacted with his brother.  I loved how much passion he had.  But most of all, I loved when Jack would mess with Elsie.  It felt like he secretly liked her.  So when he could see through her BS, facades and called her out on it, I was cheering!  He seemed to want what was best for her.  Even if he did damage her field of study in the past, but I knew there had to be a solid reason behind it.  He didn’t seem like the type to not have reasons behind his actions.  So as we got to watch Jack stand up for Elsie and protect her, I continued to fall for him.  He not only showed that he cared, but he was smart, kind, compassionate and beyond sexy.  And as Jack got vocal, sigh, he completely had me melting into a puddle!

“Bold of you to assume that the real me is my best hand.” That stupid, crooked half smile is back.
“Foolish of you to think it isn’t.”

Jack and Elsie’s progression had me grinning from ear to ear.  I loved the banter and sexual tension between them.  I loved that it wasn’t aways easy.  So as they slowly started to become friends, I loved watching them build that foundation.  And when more happened, ohhh their story was so steamy!  The side characters were my absolute fabulous too.  I adored Jack’s Grandma, his brother and Elsie’s bestie too.  AND we got to see Adam and Olive from The Love Hypothesis *cheers*!  My only hiccup with this book was I hate being pulled out of a story.  I don’t mind pop references, but political people no matter if I adore or hate them are a big no for me.  There were multiple references and each time it appeared on the pages I was pulled out of my happy place and put into the real world.  I desperately need a break from the real world when I’m reading and this book didn’t fully give me that, sigh.

“You could be my entire world,” he whispers in my ear before moving to my collarbone. “If you let me.”

This was just one of those stories where it’s so easy to sit down and read it in a day.  It flowed so quickly and was so much fun!  While The Love Hypothesis still holds the spot as my favorite Ali Hazelwood book, this story was so much fun!  It’s also a great book to buddy read with a friend and talk about!  I loved how binge worthy this story was, and I’m hoping that Ali’s next book will hopefully become my next favorite story ever!

BOOK REVIEW: The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

July 6, 2023 / / 2 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: The True Love Experiment by Christina LaurenThe True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached.

Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie?

Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work but when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.

Review:

With a fun and flirty vibe, The True Love Experiment was so easy to devour! This story took place one year after The Soulmate Equation, and I definitely recommend reading that book first!  There were so many easter eggs for feelings! This time around, a company was using the dating technology within a tv show. And watchers got to determine who would progress to the next level. Connor was in charge of the show and I loved that he knew he needed Fizzy to be the leading lady. So when Fizzy, an author, threw out that the males had to be tropey oh my heart exploded. I couldn’t wait to see how it all unfolded!

The world seems intent on beating us down, and I don’t remember the last time I was genuinely happy.

Fizzy was so different then I perceived her in The Soulmate Equation.  She came across as bubbly, happy and fun in the previous book and in listening to her thoughts in this story she was cynical, jaded and could be harsh on men.  She was stuck in a writing block, didn’t know if true love was for her and hadn’t had sex in a year. My heart hurt for her.  But I struggled connecting with her at first.  She could be so harsh and was quick to judge Connor without blinking an eye. She had no problems assuming and painting others as a villain.  I was so thankful when I got to page 58 because then I finally saw the Fizzy I had fallen in love with!  She started to mess with Connor and I loved that her playful ways were coming out!  And I love that her friends were horrified when they learned that her first impression of him was soooo wrong *cheers for Connor!*. While Fizzy wasn’t one my favorite Christina Lauren character, I was so happy to see that she grew in leaps and bounds. And I loved her by the end of this story!

You’re going to be setting her up with other men. The reminder crashes into the forefront of my thoughts, and I blink away.

I loved Conor within those first few pages.  I loved that he would agree to her outlandish terms!  I loved how he had such an open and honest relationship with his ex, the mother of his daughter.  That warmed my heart how he could confide and talk to her. She was such an amazing best friend for him.  And I loved how they co-parented their daughter.  Connor was sexy, good hearted, kind and loyal. The company Connor worked for was making a major pivot from socially conscious programming to reality television.  And Connor was in charge. I was happy to know that he wasn’t aware of who Fizzy’s true match was, so I kept trying to guess as the pages unfolded. But at the same point, I was wondering how Connor would match up with her since there was a definite spark between them. And as Connor was in the background during the shoots, Fizzy couldn’t ignore him. She was pulled to him, as strongly as he was pulled to her!

I know what love looks like— and I’ve written it so many times— but I’ve never felt it myself.

I loved watching Connor and Fizzy form a true friendship as the story progressed.  It was so effortless, once they got past their beginning hiccups. And we got to alternate this story between the two of them!  Yet Fizzy wanted more. And I loved seeing how Connor wasn’t capable of compartmentalizing his feelings like Fizzy. He knew he couldn’t get his heart invested. So with Connor being the voice of reason, I wondered how long that would last haha. Because lines were crossed. And they both made not the best life decisions. Especially with contracts dictating behavior ack. So while their times were hot, they were also a recipe for disaster. And I kept waiting for it all to blow up in their faces. I loved them together, but it left a bad taste in my mouth that she wasn’t being in good faith for the show.

“This is a plot twist I should have expected,” I grumble.

So while I had so much fun devouring this story, I still had my hiccups. I struggled with Fizzy’s behavior at times, I didn’t like an aspect of Connor’s past, and their struggle later in the book just showed me that they could both be dumb at times *shrugs*. But things have a way of working out the way it should, and I loved the ending of this story! If you’re looking for a beach read and don’t have some of my issues, then this book is definitely will be it!

The sneakiest of thoughts escapes, unguarded: As great as these Heroes are, none are him.

BOOK REVIEW: A Soul of Ash and Blood (Blood and Ash #5) by Jennifer L Armentrout

July 4, 2023 / / 6 Comments
BOOK REVIEW: A Soul of Ash and Blood (Blood and Ash #5) by Jennifer L ArmentroutA Soul of Ash and Blood (Blood and Ash #5)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Only his memories can save her…

A great primal power has risen. The Queen of Flesh and Fire has become the Primal of Blood and Bone—the true Primal of Life and Death. And the battle Casteel, Poppy, and their allies have been fighting has only just begun. Gods are awakening across Iliseeum and the mortal realm, readying for the war to come.

But when Poppy falls into stasis, Cas faces the very real possibility that the dire, unexpected consequences of what she is becoming could take her away from him. Cas is given some advice, though—something he plans to cling to as he waits to see her beautiful eyes open once more: Talk to her.

And so, he does. He reminds Poppy how their journey began, revealing things about himself that only Kieran knows in the process. But it’s anybody’s guess what she’ll wake to or exactly how much of the realm and Cas will have changed when she does.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout revisits Poppy and Casteel’s epic love story in the next installment of the Blood and Ash series. But this time, Hawke gets to tell the tale.

Review:

A Soul of Ash and Blood wove an enchanting tale between the past and the present.  It was a phenomenal addition to the From Blood and Ash Series! I thought I was prepared for this story, I was so wrong.  New light was shone on scenes we thought we knew, things arose that left us with burning questions, and those final pages cumulated into a heart stopping ending!  Cas’ story will capture your heart!  A Soul of Ash and Blood was intoxicating, gritty, smile inducing and absolutely impossible to put down!

What he’d said was something I’d already learned the hard way, but his words…
They felt like a warning.
An omen of things to come.

The story started out in the present and within those first few pages my heart was already in my chest.  I shouldn’t have been surprised that it was emotionally intense, or that I cried within that first chapter.  Because while some of those tears were happy, there were others filled with sadness and scared of the unknown.  Something wasn’t right with Poppy.  Cas and Kieran knew it, and Nektas seemed to possessive knowledge that I wanted to pry out of his brain.  That draken could be so blunt, but he cracked me up time and again!  So as Poppy went into stasis, Cas took us back to before he met Poppy.  I loved how JLA skillfully immersed us in a world we already loved, but through Cas’ eyes it was unique, addictive and so much more than I ever could have hoped and dreamed!  As we alternated between the past and the present, this book turned out to be EVERYTHING I didn’t realize I needed!

Kieran shook his head as he turned his stare to the moon. “A Maiden with a wolven-bone dagger and, at the very least, no fear when it comes to using it?” One side of his lips tipped up. “Why do I have a feeling we may have underestimated her?”
I let out a short, low laugh. “Because I think we did.”

Cas took us back to before he met Poppy and was a guard.  I loved his moments with Vikter, oh how I have missed him.  Their interactions were phenomenal!  But most of all I loved getting to hear Cas’  preconceived notions about Poppy, even as he got clues of who the Maiden truly was from others around him.  And when he got to meet her in person, his reactions were all consuming and I always had to know how he would handle the next moment they were together! I could not stop smiling, I could not stop my shouts and screams of happiness, and it was impossible not to laugh at the most inappropriate things.  Seeing violence through Cas’ eyes, well it was hard not to think how he thought haha. His anger and vengeance were electrifying and it seemed to bubble under the surface at times. I loved when things would get violent and each time I fell even harder for him.  One thing that hurt so much though, was getting to see deeper into who Cas was.  His past.  The horrors.  And how it haunted him in the present.  It literally ripped me apart and I felt like I was drowning at times.  I know Poppy said in FBAA what she had felt from him, but I didn’t realize how much it truly consumed him.

“I know you want to do something irresponsible and reckless, but you can’t kill him,” he said. There was no greeting. No need to ask questions. He knew why I was here.
“I’m not going to kill him,” I replied. “I’m only going to murder him.”
Kieran sidestepped, blocking me. “That’s the same thing.”
“No, it’s not. Killing someone implies it could’ve been an accident. What I’m about to do will be completely intentional.”

Getting to hear Cas’ explanations for the whys he did something was absolutely phenomenal!  His dark, humorous thoughts were addictive!  And watching him do things I had no clue he was doing, ohhhhhh be prepared to be surprised again and again by this story!  But one of my favorite things was seeing Poppy through Cas’ eyes.  How she affected him.  How she seeped into his thoughts.  And how his progression of thoughts towards her changed.  It was consuming and will fill your heart with joy!  You know how in FBAA we got to learn the world right along with Poppy?  I felt that all over again with Cas.  Yes he has knowledge for what is truly going on, but he was in the dark for other things.  And watching as light was shown on certain aspects to Cas, it blew my mind.  We got to see so many different sides of Cas.  How he could be his own worst enemy.  How he could be someone’s savior.  How he could be their demise.  And most of all, how he was able to enchant Poppy’s heart and soul.

Their blood was on my hands.
And as fucked-up as it sounded, I could live with that. I had to. But what was hard to swallow? That I’d caused her pain.

As the story unfolded, we got to see lots of fan favorite moments from FBAA, and scenes that weren’t in FBAA too. But some of those scenes that are our favorites, oh we were none the wiser.  So when Cas filled in certain things, wow.  You think you know something, but you truly don’t!  And seeing how he felt through each of those times, fans of this series are going to be clinging onto his every word and thought!  We also got to see Kieran through Cas’ eyes and watching Kieran handle certain situations was epic and shocking.  There are no other words!  And Emil.  Oh poor Emil.  I laughed so hard in a certain situation with him that I should probably feel guilty about, but I don’t haha.  And while I went from desperately wanting to stay in the past, there came a point in the story where the present had us hanging onto every word and moment.  And those final pages?!  Hold on because it is heart pounding and left us desperately wanting that next book!

I wanted to be a good man who would walk away from what he knew he wasn’t worthy or deserving of. The kind Kieran believed I was. The type I had been raised to be. But I wasn’t a good man.
I was just hers.

A Soul of Ash and Blood will have you falling in love with Cas, Poppy, and this series all over again.  Plus the steam in this book through Cas’ eyes *fans face*, it was scorching hot!  I’m so grateful we got this story!  And now I’ll be counting down till that next book releases!

Spoiler Quotes:
View Spoiler »

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

Reading Order & Links:

Amazon (click on covers) & iBooks (click on titles)


From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash Series) #1
Review:
Jen
A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire (Blood and Ash Series) #2
Review:
Jen
The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and Ash Series) #3
Review:
Jen

A Shadow in the Ember Ash (Flesh and Fire Series)  #1
Review:
Jen
The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash Series) #4
Review:
Jen
A Light in the Flame (Flesh and Fire Series ) #2
Review:
Jen

A Soul of Ash and Blood (Blood and Ash Series)  #5
Review:
Jen
A Fire in the Flesh (Flesh and Fire Series) #3
Review:
Jen
Visions of Flesh and Blood (Blood and Ash Series) #5.5
Review:
Jen
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✮Books We Could Re-read Forever

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