Category: Review (Page 39 of 276)

BOOK REVIEW: House of Beating Wings (The Kingdom of Crows #1) by Olivia Wildenstein

September 14, 2022 / Jen / 2 Comments

House of Beating Wings (The Kingdom of Crows #1)
by Olivia Wildenstein
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
FREE THE CROWS, FALLON, AND THEY WILL MAKE YOU QUEEN.

Until an oracle predicted my regal future, I'd never imagined myself rising above the curve of my round ears. After all, I was the magicless halfling loved by beasts but loathed by every pure-blooded faerie at court. Well . . . by all but one.

Dante Regio, prince of Luce, had owned my heart since he gave me my first kiss. If gathering a slew of iron relics could help me overthrow the current monarch and crown his brother to rule at my side, then treasure hunting I'd go.

If only the oracle had warned me what winged demon I was releasing into the world.

And that I'd become this demon's obsession.

Fans of Sarah J. Maas and Mary E. Pearson will devour this epic fantasy romance full of deceit, betrayal, and false loves that could swallow a person whole.

Review:

House of Beating Wings completely consumed me. This magical world filled with fae grabbed a hold of my heart and refused to let go. There was peril and heart stopping moments within the pages! Truces were made with consequences attached to them. And the characters and story-line leaped from the pages! Fans of fantasy won’t be able to put this story down!

Antoni squeezes my waist. “One day soon, there’ll be peace.”
I frown because I hadn’t realized we were at war.

Fallon was a magicless halfling who was given a prophecy, free the crows and they will make you queen. Being loathed by the full blooded fae, Fallon was intrigued to go above her station. Especially since she saw a chance with having a future with her friend, Dante. Who was brother to the crown. Fallon’s world was changed forever when she started her quest to free the crows!

I’ve stolen a mythical, murderous creature. I shudder as the depth of what I’ve done folds over me like dark water.

I loved Fallon! She was brave, head strong, honest, had a good heart and loved her friends. Because of her rounded ears, she was discriminated against and it hurt my heart. Yet there was so much more to Fallon than meets the eye. She could supposedly charm the beasts that lived in their waters. And one of them captured my heart, I was just as nervous for his fate and I was for Fallon’s. I was also so nervous for Fallon because she seemed to have all of her faith and trust in Dante. And as her Grandma reminded her, they could never be. Yet the key to her future revolved around releasing the crows, so we jumped head first into a spellbinding adventure with Fallon!

“Don’t betray me and I won’t betray you.”

The romance in this book will keep you on your toes! It was brilliant how it all unfolded. I found myself vacillating between Antoni and Dante. I didn’t know which one would be the right choice for Fallon and I liked them both for different reasons. But hold on, because a few somethings happened and my mind was reeling. The story took me somewhere that had my pulse pounding, I beyond ecstatic and it was absolutely genius! Fans of slow burn romance are going to love it!

“You’re such an ass.”The chuckle that resounds between my temples widens my eyes. “Did you just . . . laugh, Morrgot?”
A charmless ass like myself laugh? You must be hearing things.

The crows, oh there is so much I want to say but my lips are zipped except for a few things. Dark sarcasm, it was phenomenal! The lengths that were went to to protect, oh my heart there was nothing that was off limits. And the way Fallon was led, there were so many secrets and twists within the pages. I loved watching the little pieces of the puzzle come together. Looking back some of my guesses were correct! Others I didn’t even see coming. I don’t even know how many times I gasped out loud or was muttering omg again and again to myself. This story blew my mind!

I’m not defective.
My lids burn. My chest hurts from how chaotically my heart beats.
I’m not defective.

With a richly imagined world, a dark and luscious story and characters that were brilliantly done, House of Beating Wings was a phenomenal start to a new series! This story kept me glued to the pages and consumed my every waking thought. The ending left us at the perfect stopping spot but I’m anxiously dying for that next book, I have to know what happens next. Fans of fantasy should definitely have this book on their tbr!

I won’t fail you, I whisper through the bond.

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

BOOK REVIEW: Unmanageable (In Vino Veritas #3) by Leslie McAdam

September 13, 2022 / Arielle / 0 Comments

Unmanageable (In Vino Veritas #3)
by Leslie McAdam
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
I’ve never been romantic. Just ask my ex-wife.

Since she broke up with me, I get my needs met any time I want, without putting my heart on the line. Exactly how I like it.

But when she is called overseas and leaves me with our child, my bachelor lifestyle ends faster than you can say, “Daddy, I want a pony.”

I need help.

Problem is, help’s come in the form of an incredibly hot nanny.

My employee.

Who is much younger than me.

And also … a guy.

I watch Scott care for my kid and can’t help feeling like he clicks into place in her life.

When he looks at me, though … I get an entirely different feeling. One that makes me long for things I can’t have.

Like him.

Unmanageable is a contemporary m/m age gap romance about a starry-eyed nanny who wants hot-air balloon
rides and singing telegrams and a grumpy single dad who most definitely does not.

Review

This one sunk its claws into me IMMEDIATELY. I’m not sure if it was because Scott was just so damn likeable or if it’s because the instant chemistry that he shared with Luke was so appealing. Either way, I flew through this one!

The way that Scott immediately meshed so well with Addi and ingrained himself into her and Luke’s every day life so easily, almost like he had always been there, made my heart so happy. Even though Luke was Addi’s father and still saw her when he could, I can’t imagine how overwhelming it would have been for him to suddenly be thrust into the world of being a full time parent after never having been one. That’s….a lot. With all that in mind I really loved the scene when Luke joined the book club and the book they had read dealt with a similar family dynamic so through the discussion about the book we as readers, and even Scott, learned more about how Luke’s specific situation made him feel. I think that was definitely a turning point in the sense that Scott better understood why Luke felt the way that he did about relationships and honestly I think the act of Luke speaking those words out loud was just as important for himself.

Overall I loved how this was wrapped up and that Scott got his very romantic happily-ever-after, just like he deserved!

Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!♥

BOOK REVIEW: The Sweetest Game (Southern U O’Brien Brothers #3) by Cookie O’Gorman

September 11, 2022 / Jen / 4 Comments

The Sweetest Game by Cookie O'Gorman
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Hopelessly in love with my best friend's brother.

That's what it will say on my tombstone. Here lies Junior "June" Dorsey. Tomboy. Car lover. Bookworm. She suffered from a severe case of unrequited love syndrome.

It's not like I haven't tried liking other guys. I have. It's just none of them measure up to him.

Baylor O'Brien. Beautiful. Cocky. Talented (on the field and in the bedroom—or so I've heard).

And completely oblivious to my love for him.

When Bay asks for my help, I can't say no. He needs my PR expertise to revamp his reputation and up his chances of being scouted after one scout—the one he really wants—dismisses him as nothing more than a party-loving playboy.

When he asks me to be his fake girlfriend, I accept his proposal.

But how am I supposed to act like I'm in love without revealing the truth? And why is Baylor so good at pretending?

One thing I know that's true:

All's fair in love and baseball.

Wish me luck,

June

This new adult sports romance features two friends destined to become lovers, one sizzling fake romance, and a sexy set of brothers guaranteed to make you swoon.

Review:

This laugh out loud romance was an instant favorite! With characters that were so easy to love, a story line that was absolutely adorable and an ending that will make your heart soar, this book was such a huge win! If you love the fake dating trope, you so need this book in your life! The Sweetest Game was heartwarming, swoon worthy and a beautiful love story!

The O’Brien brothers were off-limits.
At least to me.
Too bad my heart didn’t get the memo.
That rule had been broken the moment I met him.

I had already fallen for June and Baylor in the previous books. And while this one could easily be read as a standalone, I can’t recommend them enough. June had been in love with her best friend’s older brother, Baylor, since forever. Baylor saw June as just a really good friend. When Baylor’s pro-baseball dreams started to go up in smoke, he desperately needed to change his act. Enter June. Not only could she help fix his social media presence, but by being his fake girlfriend she could fix his image too. What’s a little fake dating to be able to reach ones dreams?

“Please don’t hate me for this.”
Before I could say I could never hate him, not in a million years, before I could ask what he meant or utter a sound, Baylor’s lips met mine……
and my world ignited.
His kiss set me on fire.

I absolutely loved June! She was sweet, heartfelt, such a good friend and a hard worker. She lived with her dad to save money while going to college. And she worked for him in the auto shop he owned. I adored the relationship she had with her dad! Plus the relationship she had with Emmy, Baylor’s sister. They loved and cared for one another so deeply! But doubt could be June’s worst enemy. She had no problem playing the part of Baylor’s girlfriend, but she didn’t think Baylor could be feeling what she was. There was no way!

It was all fake. I knew that— but then why did she keep breaking into my thoughts?

Baylor was someone you will fall hard for. He had so many layers to him and we got to see all of his different sides as the story progressed. Baylor was a player and loved baseball. He was destined to go pro, but had his sights set on only one team. When that team snubbed him, Baylor was desperate to do whatever to get in their good graces. Having June be his fake girlfriend? Of course! The things he did for June, to help her or just out of the kindness of his heart was swoon worthy. Baylor was kind, thoughtful and caring. But he wasn’t kind to himself. He didn’t think he was worthy of love or anything good besides baseball and having sex with random people. My heart ached for Baylor and I kept hoping he would see himself as June saw him!

Leaning in, he put his lips against my ear and said…
“I know this is supposed to be pretend, but I wish it was real.”
My breath caught in my throat.
“Then I could just kiss you whenever I want.”
He paused.
“Which is basically every time you open your mouth.”
Turning to him, I noticed he’d put on a playful grin.
“If this was real,” I breathed, “I’d let you.”
His grin slipped, and I couldn’t seem to stop staring—until someone cleared their throat.

Together June and Baylor were absolutely perfect. The chemistry between them was intense and sexy. And when they toed the line of friendship *fans face*, it was soooo hot! But mistakes were made along the way. Baylor was blind to June’s love and while he thought he knew June, I loved that she stunned him again and again. So watching their friendship turn deeper gave me all of the feels! Rounding out the story were side characters I adored! I loved Baylor’s relationship with his siblings and mom. They had such a strong bond, it made my heart so happy! And I loved how they could see beyond his cluelessness. Also keep those tissues nearby because there was a scene in this book that got me right in the feels and I cried ALL the tears!

She shook her head. “You told them I was off limits.”
“Yeah.”
“And what made you think you had the right to do that?”
“I had every right,” I said.
“Oh really, why?”
“Because you were mine.”
I took a step closer, watching her eyes flare.
“You are mine,” I said.

The Sweetest Game was sexy, hilarious and absolutely adorable! From that first page to the last, this book was smile inducing! The banter was a ton of fun and the characters captured my heart. If you love new adult romance, the fake dating trope, friends to lovers or sports romance you should definitely pick this book up!

“Want to know something, Sunshine?” he asked, his breath hitting the side of my neck.
I nodded.
“I’m mad at you too.”
My lips parted, and my breath caught as he nipped my earlobe.

PS I have a guess for the next book….. Masie and Dex??

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

BOOK REVIEW: Counterpoint (In Vino Veritas #2) by J.E. Birk

September 8, 2022 / Arielle / 0 Comments

Counterpoint (In Vino Veritas #2)
by J.E. Birk
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
One playboy. One perfectionist. So many secrets.

I’m considered the biggest playboy in Burlington, Vermont. The party boy. The guy who lives in the moment and makes decisions with no thought for the future. But people don’t know my past. They don’t know why I make the choices I do. Even my best friend doesn’t know the truth about me. Actually, there are a lot of things he doesn’t know…like the fact that I had a one night stand with his brother last year.

Did I mean to hook up with Aaron? Um, no. Mistakes were made, okay? But unlike most of my mistakes, this one has lasting consequences. Aaron works at the law firm where circumstances are forcing me to be their errand boy. Now we see each other every day. Aaron’s such a nervous wreck he keeps tripping over the copy machine. I’m surprised he hasn’t ended up in traction yet.

He and I are opposites in almost every way. He’s got a GPA higher than Mount Mansfield, and I’m barely going to graduate college. He grocery shops with a spreadsheet, and I’ve got YOLO tattooed on my body. But Aaron sees things in me that no one else does, and I see things in him he doesn’t see in himself. Before I know it, we’re sharing late-night office picnics, evenings out at the bar, and long, hot afternoons on my boat. I’m having the best summer of my life, but there’s no way this can end well. My bff will kill me if he ever finds out how thoroughly I’ve corrupted his brother…

Counterpoint is an opposites-attract forbidden romance featuring an incense-filled law firm, meddling friends, and angst and humor in (mostly) equal parts. It stars Jeremy Everett and Aaron Morin, who first appeared in the Vino and Veritas story Booklover, but Counterpoint is a standalone novel.

Review

The best part about all of these books within The World of True North is that you see characters from other books and it feels like you’re coming home to old friends. This book can essentially be called a companion novel to Booklover from the Vino & Veritas series because Aaron, one of our MCs in this book is Jamie’s brother from Booklover and Jeremy, the other love interest, is his best friend. SADLY (yes I know I am ashamed) that was one from V & V I haven’t gotten to yet but you better believe I will be soon after this!

One of the things I really enjoyed about Counterpoint was that it put me in my Moo U feels. Now, I’m not sure if people really do call the University of Vermont, Moo U but either way I feel nostalgic about it when I come back and read a mention of it and that to me is hilarious. I have never even been Vermont but somehow all of these books have me feeling like I HAVE lived there and that I have this network of family and friends there to visit/ come home to when I’m missing them.

Aaron and Jeremy in particular were two that I wanted to wrap up and hug multiple times throughout this book. After a soul crushingly bad review at the last corporate law firm he interned at, Aaron was doubting his ability to practice law once he graduated from Harvard which had him even more upset as he had only recently patched up a falling out he had with his family over leaving for law school in the first place. Jeremy is a playboy or, if we want to get fun and stay on brand, modern day rake who was ALWAYS up for a good time as far as anyone could tell. What we end up finding out is that he’s dealing with a LOT of family things (mainly a father who developed early onset Alzheimer’s and heavy tension with his mom in result of that) that he keeps hidden from everyone.

Everyone except Aaron. I’m a big fan of the dynamic in romances where one love interest is only able to confide in the other love interest, even way before they get together, because that person makes them feel completely comfortable. Aaron and Jeremy’s personalities might be night and day in comparison but as the saying goes, “opposites attract.” Throughout the book when Aaron is struggling with work and worrying about what people think of them/ letting them down he thinks “what would Jeremy do in this situation?” and that helps him more than one time let go of his anxiety and settle in to the confident, smart, and capable person that he is. Jeremy on the other hand learns from Aaron what it’s like to open up and let people try to help. How much that helps to lighten the very heavy load. The two have their faults but as all of their friends notice, they’re better together. Overall another winner in my book!

Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!♥

BOOK REVIEW: Wildfire (In Vino Veritas #1) by Garrett Leigh

September 7, 2022 / Arielle / 0 Comments

Wildfire (In Vino Veritas #1)
by Garrett Leigh
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A gorgeous new sexual awakening romance with sizzling first times, snarky British banter, and off-the-charts chemistry.

Life doesn’t always pan out as you expect. When it explodes in my face, literally, an old friend offers me a place to heal and a job renovating the kitchen of Burlington’s coolest wine bar.

V&V is a chill fest. Living above it should be a blast. But I’m not built to be a social butterfly. Not anymore. I’m a damaged man.

And I’m not its target clientele.

At least, I think I’m not until I come face to face with the most beautiful human I’ve ever seen. Joss is the new chef and my roommate. He has hair like spun gold and it’s as pretty as the rest of him. Crystal blue eyes. Megawatt smile.

I can’t stop staring. Or thinking about him. He chases my nightmares away. And when he spots my crush a mile off, his solution to our chemical attraction blows my mind.

An experiment of sorts. Science. Is this sexual exploration or sex education?

Either way, Joss is only here for the summer. He’s leaving.

I can’t fall in love with him.

I can’t.

Shame my foolish heart never got the memo.

WILDFIRE is a heartfelt MM friends-to-lovers, hurt/comfort romance in the True North world, with a brooding lumbersexual, a wild-hearted chef, sweet angst and all the Vermont food. Content warning: contains mentions of depression, ADHD, suicidal ideation, and PTSD recovery.

Review

When I saw that the first book to kick this series off was by Garrett Leigh, I was SO excited. Her book, Heartscape, which was in the Vino & Veritas series, was one of my very favorites! Like Heartscape, this one was definitely more emotional and dealt with Kai’s personal trauma after a work incident and the PTSD and insomnia that ensued, and in Joss’s case, ADHD with a case of non-verbal Tourette’s, too.

Right from the get go we get a small teaser that one of our MCs went through something very harrowing before jumping into the main story line of Kai getting a kitchen ready in V & V so that they can start serving food to their very hungry patrons. Joss comes in as the chef and an old friend of Jax’s who doesn’t typically stay in one place very long before moving on to greener pastures.

Joss moves into the apartment above the bar with Kai (gotta love that forced proximity) and immediately the two, who usually are up at all hours of the night not being able to sleep (Kai) or have excess amounts of energy to be burned and have trouble staying on track for more than 5 seconds (Joss), find a calm around each other. The two work perfectly together and form a very fast attachment. Kai, who has never officially been interested in men can’t help but notice Joss’s every move. And vice versa, honestly. The chemistry these two have was off the charts and I enjoyed seeing the evolution of their relationship throughout the book.

I can’t lie, I HAD been worried about the point in which Joss did decide to up and leave Kai/V & V/Burlington like he had in the past. Especially because like the rest of Kai’s friends, I was worried about the bb and wanted to protect him at all costs. Seeing as I don’t want to spoil what actually happens, all I will say is that I was satisfied with how things pan out for the two of them. The way that these two filled each others cups and fit so perfectly made my heart happy. This was the perfect start to this newest series in The World of True North!

Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! ♥