Category: Review (Page 67 of 276)

BOOK REVIEW: Grace and Glory (The Harbinger #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

BOOK REVIEW: Grace and Glory (The Harbinger #3) by Jennifer L. ArmentroutGrace and Glory (The Harbinger #3)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Trinity Marrow has lost the battle and her beloved Protector. Even with both demons and Wardens on her side, Trin may not win the war against the Harbinger.

Bringing Lucifer back to the world to fight the Harbinger is probably a really, really bad idea, but they’re out of options—and the world’s ultimate fallen angel is the only being powerful enough to impact the outcome.

As Trin and Zayne form a new and more dangerous bond and Lucifer unleashes Hell on earth, the apocalypse looms and the world teeters on the end of forever. Win or lose, one thing is certain—nothing will ever be the same.

Review:

Grace and Glory was a stunning conclusion to The Harbinger Series! With tears, laughter, friendship and love splashed across the pages, this book was such a huge win! If you’re a fan of Jennifer L Armentrout or paranormal stories then you definitely need this series in your life!

“You can’t just be anger and hatred. That can’t be all that you are. You didn’t just start existing the moment you landed in the park. You had an entire life. You are kind and good and fair. You love. You grieve. You—”
“I am none of those things!” he roared, wings snapping out and spreading wide.

Zayne was back and alive, but not the same. He was fallen. So when he threatened Trinity, my heart was in my throat not knowing how this was going to be fixed. I desperately needed Zayne and Trinity back together. Not only did it feel as though the whole world was falling apart around them, but I desperately wanted them to get their HEA. With obstacles along the way, and even Lucifer coming topside, this book kept me glued to the pages!

This was him. It was his skin against my palms, and it was warm, no longer cool to the touch, his breath coasting over my cheek. It was him holding me.
It was Zayne.

Zayne will forever be one of my favorite book boyfriends. But he had so much anger and hatred when he came back. And while I should hate him for how he treated Trinity, there’s a huge but. Even while Zayne didn’t seem like himself, their physical need for each other was still there. Some of the scenes may have felt wrongish, since he was threatening to kill her lol, BUT they were sooooo scorching hot *fans face*. Zayne and Trinity had this love hate thing going on and I have to admit I loved every minute of it.

“You are all I ever wanted, even before I knew what I wanted. It was you. It was always you,” he whispered, voice raw.

The amount of sacrifice and risks they took blew my mind. We watched as Trinity had to have faith in herself and the love she had with Zayne, while she fought for them and the world. She was truly a heroine you could look up to and respect. And Zayne, he fell, it seemed like the greatest of sacrifices. I loved watching them fully embrace who they had both become. Ultimately I kept hoping that their love was powerful enough to conquer all. We all know how much Zayne suffered, even back in The Dark Elements Series. So I had tears at times because I just wanted them back together and happy.

Slowly, I lifted my head to Roth. I’d never been more disappointed in my life.
“They don’t get out much,” he said with a shrug.
“Kittens?” I whispered. “And a baby dragon? Seriously? You brought kittens and a baby dragon as backup? Are they a snack for Bambi?”
The black kitten hissed at me.

Zayne and Trinity thankfully had their friends by their side too. Layla, Roth, Bambi, Cayman and so many Wardens that wove their way into my heart. I loved them all so much. We even got to see a character from The Dark Elements Series, who I shouldn’t have been excited to see but I was lol. Plus Peanut, who I adored! And then there was Lucifer, who we weren’t supposed to like….right?! But he cracked me up and while I wanted more time with him, Lucifer also showed us his horrifically cruel side. It was a hard pill to swallow and left me feeling confused towards him. So make sure you hold on, because this cast of characters will take you on a wild and crazy ride!

“So, I’m told I’m needed to save the world.”
“Yeah,” I said hoarsely.
Lucifer smiled, and I’d never seen anything so beautiful and so equally frightening before. Goose bumps broke out over my f lesh. “Then let’s raise some Hell.”

With twists I didn’t see coming, deals to be bargained, risks that seemed too great and even betrayal, I loved every minute of this story! Grace and Glory owned every part of me! Plus I’m so happy that there was an element left open, so there can be a spinoff down the road. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that someday that will happen!

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

Other Favorite Quotes:

“You’re going to wear yourself out.” His lips ghosted across the curve of my jaw, sending a fairly inappropriate shiver dancing over my skin . “And then what, little nephilim? No grace. No daggers. It’ll just be me and you.”
“It’s always been just you and me, Zayne.”
“There’s no way Roth is planning to get Lucifer topside. That would make no sense, right?” Zayne looked at me, and I shrunk as far as I could into the cushion. “Because wouldn’t that jump-start the biblical apocalypse and cause us to have even more problems to deal with?”
“Weeelll,” I repeated. “We’re sort of hoping that God will overlook his presence since we’re trying to save mankind and Heaven, and you know.”
“No. I do not know.” Zayne stared at me.
“I am not worthy of you.”
“That’s the farthest thing from the truth.”
“It’s not. You’re brave and strong. Fearless. You’re intelligent, kind and loyal.” His large hands slid to my hips. “You’re breathtaking.” He kissed my neck , and I shuddered. “I want you, now and always.”
“So, Lucifer did come topside, and good news is he did agree to help. Was actually pretty enthusiastic about it.”
There was a pause and then Nicolai said, “Okay?”
“But we, uh…” My entire body and brain cringed. “We sort of lost Lucifer.”
Zayne’s gaze met mine when I looked up. He nodded as he said, “Agreed. We need to go at him fast and hard.”
“That sounds dirty, Stony,” Roth purred.
I shook my head at the phone.
Reading Order & Links:
Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)

Storm and Fury #1
Reviews:

Jen
 
Rage and Ruin   #2
Reviews:

Jen

Grace and Glory #3
Reviews:

Jen

BOOK REVIEW: Heartwood (Speakeasy Taproom #2) by J.H. Croix

BOOK REVIEW: Heartwood (Speakeasy Taproom #2) by J.H. CroixHeartwood (Speakeasy Taproom)
by J.H. Croix
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

She needs a fresh start. He wants a second chance…

My new job as a chef in a small town was supposed to be my ticket to peace and quiet. I didn’t expect to run into the former hockey star who gave me the hottest nights of my life. And, oops, he’s sort-of my new boss. So much for keeping my past where it belongs.

Ty still thinks I’m the fun party girl. He has no idea how much things have changed. One thing that hasn’t changed: the spark between us. It’s hotter than the blowtorch I use on my crème brûlée.

I’m already keeping secrets, so what’s one more? Our tryst is forbidden, it’s fun, and it gets complicated as fast as you can say “check, please.” I didn’t expect to have a future with Ty. And I definitely didn’t expect to have a baby with him.

Some falls are harder than others. But it depends on who’s there to catch you...

Review

Once again, what a winnerrrrrrr.

And talk about learning new things. I swear this entire World of True North project has been exposing me to characters that I have never read about in romances before and I LOVE seeing them represented. Ty had a pretty standard childhood with a shitty dad who cheated on his mom and has trouble with deep romantic connections because of it. Belle on the other hand discovered she has Bipolar disorder when she was deep in a manic phase in college and stole one of her professor’s cars without realizing she had done anything wrong. Because she had been on such a high before that with success in Law School, her confidence took a HUGE hit and she is constantly second guessing herself.

It was actually quite the interesting coincidence because my husband and I have been re-watching Shameless and we’re actually on the season where Ian gets diagnosed and is trying to deal with that and figure out meds and Monica makes an appearance as well. Not knowing anyone personally who deals with Bipolar disorder, seeing it affect these people differently was pretty eye-opening.

I also liked that this was a sort-of second chance romance in the sense that Belle and Ty actually had known each other in college and had hooked up several times back then. While they didn’t ever really have a “falling out” when they went their separate ways, neither one of them had forgotten each other either. That of course did kind of affect their relationship in the present in the sense that Belle was nervous that Ty would have this different view of her since he knew her back when she was on her high versus knowing her now. Ty took that all in stride and never let that change how he thought of her at all.

There are of course a few points of tension, as there almost always is in romances. While I wouldn’t say I disliked how things ended, I did weirdly feel like the characters changed a little bit with how things were executed at the end. I spent the entire book feeling like they were solidly into adulthood and then suddenly a few major things happen and they suddenly were reading like super young people fresh out of high school?? I don’t even know how to describe it other than it feeling slightly disjointed for me. Either way I liked the book overall and need moreeeee!

Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion

BOOK REVIEW: Touchstone (Speakeasy Taproom #1) by Karen Stivali

BOOK REVIEW: Touchstone (Speakeasy Taproom #1) by Karen StivaliTouchstone (Speakeasy Taproom)
by Karen Stivali
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Sam doesn't think love is in the cards. The cards disagree.

When Phoebe Stevens' life implodes in a spectacularly public fashion, she's desperate to escape Manhattan. So the offer of a job setting up a new Vermont gastropub couldn’t come at a better time. Driving a U-Haul on winding mountain roads is Phoebe's personal version of hell. But when the caretaker of her guesthouse answers the door tousled, shirtless, and baking cinnamon rolls, her first impression of Vermont dramatically improves.

Sam Trembley believes everyone gets one true love, but he’s already blown his chance. He's spent five years avoiding relationships. Now he’s back in Colebury where sunrise tarot draws and moonlit hikes soothe his soul. But why do the tarot cards keep showing him this nonsense about soulmates? Could it have anything to do with the jaded city girl on his doorstep?

Playing tour guide is fun, but taste-testing her culinary creations as she shimmies her luscious hips around his kitchen is downright irresistible. Soon their chemistry burns hotter than the pub's wood-fired oven.

Has fate brought them together for a summer of love...or a lifetime of happiness?

Touchstone contains craving-inducing menu planning, a sassy white witch grandma, seismic sexy times, and tarot cards on a mission to prove soulmates are real.

"A romance with sweet, spicy, and sumptuous on the menu in the kitchen and the bedroom." Kirkus Reviews

Review

Okay I had been DYING for this series to start coming out ever since I first got the list of what we were going to be seeing within the World of True North. I am very pleased to say that I don’t think it could have started off any better. This book features Sam and Phoebe whose lives, in a general sense, are quite different. Phoebe winds up in Colebury after her DICK of an ex invites her to dinner only to tell her that #1 he’s been having an affair and #2 he’s booting her from the restaurant they had been looking to open together (and the cherry on top is that she was turned into a meme over the whole ordeal). Having previously been in culinary school with our lovely Audrey, she was invited down to help open Speakeasy Taproom and build their menu. Sam is a sweetie who helps run his grandmother’s crystal shop and was burned pretty badly by a past relationship. When Phoebe moves into his grandmother’s guest house, the two connect INSTANTLY and the chemistry between them is so delicious.

Knowing absolutely nothing about crystals and tarot and that kind of this, I loved seeing it be such a normal, every day part of Sam’s life. I definitely learned a lot and also loved the soulmates aspect (I’m a sucker for that). Honestly between reading about Phoebe making food, Sam’s smile and overall personality, and their smoking hot chemistry this story was near perfection. Highly recommend!

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

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Curse of the Specter Queen (Samantha Knox #1) by Jenny Elder Moke

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Curse of the Specter Queen (Samantha Knox #1) by Jenny Elder Moke

I’m so excited to be on the tour for Curse of the Specter Queen! I absolutely loved this story! So check out my 4.5 Star Review below and enter to win a copy of this book! Enjoy!♥

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Curse of the Specter Queen (Samantha Knox #1) by Jenny Elder MokeCurse of the Specter Queen (Samantha Knox #1)
by Jenny Elder Moke
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A female Indiana Jones meets Tomb Raider when Samantha Knox receives a mysterious field diary and finds herself thrust into a treacherous plot. After stealing a car and jumping on a train, chased by a group of dangerous pursuers, Sam finds out what’s so special about this book: it contains a cipher that leads to a cursed jade statue that could put an end to all mankind.

MAY THE HAZEL BRING YOU WISDOM AND THE ASPEN GUIDE AND PROTECT YOU...

Samantha Knox put away her childish fantasies of archaeological adventure the day her father didn't return home from the Great War, retreating to the safety of the antique bookshop where she works. But when a mysterious package arrives with a damaged diary inside, Sam's peaceful life is obliterated. Ruthless men intent on reclaiming the diary are after Sam, setting her and her best friend, along with her childhood crush, on a high-stakes adventure that lands them in the green hills outside Dublin, Ireland. Here they discover an ancient order with a dark purpose - to perform an occult ritual that will raise the Specter Queen, the Celtic goddess of vengeance and death, to bring about a war unlike any the world has ever seen. To stop them, Sam must solve a deviously complex cipher - one that will lead her on a treasure hunt to discover the ancient relic at the heart of the ritual: a bowl carved from the tree of life. Will she find the bowl and stop the curse of the Specter Queen, or will the ancient order bring about the end of the world?

Indiana Jones gets a refresh with this female-driven mystery adventure, set in the 1920s, full of ciphers, ancient relics, and heart-stopping action - the first in a brand-new series!

Review:

Curse of the Specter Queen was impossible not to devour in one sitting.  The story brimmed with adventure, friendship and a sprinkling of romance.  This is a story that will stay with me for a long time to come!  If you’re a fan of books that are impossible to put down, characters with tons of heart and stories that play out like you’re watching a movie, then you definitely need to pick up this book!

She had solved one puzzle only to find another. It beckoned her, laying out cryptic clues and drawing her in like a trap.

Sam lived a quiet life in the 1920s restoring books until a damaged diary ended up in her hands.  From that moment on, her whole life turned upside down.  While trying to protect those she cared about, from men who would do whatever it took to get that diary back, Sam took off on an adventure of a lifetime with her childhood best friend and her best friend’s older brother.  You guys!!  This book was so much fun and a breath of fresh air.  The story quickly picked up pace and there were some fun twists and turns as the story unfolded.  I even jumped and screamed at one point.  Be prepared to get pulled into this world and to not want to ever leave it!

What if, instead of leading them to the answers, she was leading them to disaster?

 I adored Sam!  She seemed so content living her quiet life surrounded with books, but there was so much more to her then meets the eye.  As the story unfolded, we got to learn about her past and her love of solving puzzles and riddles.  Sam was brilliant, clever and I loved how she persevered time and again.  She refused to be stumped trying to decipher a two hundred year old letter and finding a missing relic.  They discovered they had to stop a ritual to raise an ancient god that would end the world.  But through it all, there were so many heartwarming interactions between her, Jo and Bennett.  I loved the three of them together!

“Like I used to say at the academy, good luck and don’t get caught.” Joana gave her a mock salute before disappearing around the side of the house.

Joana aka Jo had been Sam’s best friend, but circumstances pulled them apart from one another.  You could tell that they cared deeply for one another, so I loved watching them mend their friendship.  And Jo, oh she was a blast and so much fun!  I loved how adventurous Jo was and how she loved those around her fiercely.  It was fun watching her help pull Sam out of her shell and seeing the two of them work together.  Especially since Sam wasn’t afraid to take risks like “borrowing” cars lol or giving her brother, Bennett, a hard time or two.

“Doesn’t she look fabulous?” Joana prompted, when no one had said anything for several long moments.
“Like a vision,” Bennett said softly, the words slipping out before he could take careful stock of what they might reveal. Sam’s breath caught somewhere between her mouth and her lungs in a painful lump that got beaten about her chest by her rapidly thrumming heart.

Bennett, eeps!  I fell so hard and quickly for him.  He tried his best to protect Sam and Jo, to send them back home to safety, but neither of them were having that!  They joined Bennett on his quest to go visit his Professor in Ireland.  And we got to see firsthand that while Bennett and Jo were extremely smart and worked seamlessly together, Sam usually one upped Bennett.   I loved that!  There’s so much more I want to say, but my lips are zipped!

Bennett was right: to stay could be disastrous— it probably would be, if she was honest with herself.
But she couldn’t leave . Not now. Not when she was so close to an answer. Not when the fate of the world might be at stake.

Thievery, curses, friendship and adventure were sprinkled throughout the pages making this book impossible to put down!  With magic, unknown enemies, and puzzles to piece together, this book was entertaining from beginning to end.  If you’re a fan of movies like The Mummy, Indiana Jones or National Treasure then you definitely need to pick up this book!  I’m so glad I did and now I can’t wait to go read Jenny Elder Moke’s other book, Hood!

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

 

 

Find it: Goodreads I Amazon I Kindle I Audible I B&N I iBooks I Kobo I TBD I Bookshop.org

 

 About  Jenny Elder Moke:

Jenny Elder Moke writes young adult fiction in an attempt to recapture the shining infinity of youth. She worked for several years at an independent publisher in Austin, TX before realizing she would rather write the manuscripts than read them. She is a member of the Texas Writer’s League and has studied children’s writing with Liz Garton Scanlon. She was a finalist in the Austin Film Festival Fiction Podcast Competition in 2017 for her podcast script, Target. When she is not writing, she’s gathering story ideas from her daily adventures with her two irredeemable rapscallions and honing her ninja skills as a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Jenny lives in Denver, CO with her husband and two children.

 Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of CURSE OF THE SPECTER QUEEN, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/1/2021

Fire and Ice

Excerpt

6/2/2021

Lisa Loves Literature

Review

6/3/2021

YA Books Central

Excerpt

6/4/2021

Jazzy Book Reviews

Excerpt

6/5/2021

Rajiv’s Reviews

Review

Week Two:

6/6/2021

The Reading Wordsmith

Review

6/7/2021

Kait Plus Books

Excerpt

6/8/2021

A Court of Coffee and Books

Review

6/9/2021

The Bookwyrm’s Den

Review

6/10/2021

Stuck in the Stacks

Review

6/11/2021

Do You Dog-ear?

Review

6/12/2021

Christen Krumm

Review

Week Three:

6/13/2021

What A Nerd Girl Says

Review

6/14/2021

Nay’s Pink Bookshelf

Review

6/15/2021

Thindbooks Blog

Review

6/16/2021

History from a Woman’s Perspective

Review

6/17/2021

Emelie’s Books

Review

6/18/2021

Eli to the nth

Review

6/19/2021

@fictitious.fox

Review

Week Four:

6/20/2021

Books Are Magic Too

Review

6/21/2021

Star-Crossed Book Blog

Review

6/22/2021

Book-Keeping

Review

6/23/2021

The Momma Spot

Review

6/24/2021

The Book View

Review

6/25/2021

Momfluenster

Review

6/26/2021

onemused

Review

Week Five:

6/27/2021

Book Briefs

Review

6/28/2021

Always Me

Review

6/29/2021

The Book Review Crew

Review

6/30/2021

celiamcmahonreads

Review

 

BOOK REVIEW: Goalkeeper (Moo U #10) by Andi Burns

BOOK REVIEW: Goalkeeper (Moo U #10) by Andi BurnsGoalkeeper (Moo U #10)
by Andi Burns
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Winning games has always been his focus, but will winning her heart become the ultimate goal?

Everyone at Moo U knows the party doesn’t start until Paige Underwood arrives. Not only is she beautiful, she’s fun and charming too. Guys want to date her, and girls want to be her best friend. All Paige wants is to have a good time and make videos for her beauty channel--and maybe get that girl down the hall to do her eyeliner correctly. Is that too much to ask?

According to her parents, yes. They’ve said the party’s over and that it’s time to get focused.

Spencer Briggs knows all about focus. He’s had one goal since he set foot on the ice as a kid: make it to the NHL. After years of hard work and endless practice, he’s the starting goalie for Moo U and mere steps away from his dream. He can’t afford distractions, and isn’t interested in relationships. And he definitely can’t afford to flirt back with the gorgeous girl in his lit class.

He needs to stay serious. She needs to get serious. But now serious sparks are flying . . .

Review

Okay I just have to get this out of the way–in almost every single one of these books either one of both of the MC’s have the the most UNSUPPORTIVE parents of all time AND IT HURTS MY HEART. Gahhh.

Anywayyyys this was a good one. I freaking loved the element of Paige’s YouTube channel because I was big into watching a few different vloggers a few years ago and I have always had an appreciation for the amount of content they put out week after week. You could obviously tell that was her passion and the way she went about it in a teaching manner, wanting to help her subscribers feel pretty in their own skin—pure perfection.

Spencer wasn’t my TOP favorite guy of the series but he was still great. As much as I know NOTHING about hockey other than from reading so many hockey romances (lol) I do enjoy the books that feature the goalies and learning how their training and jobs on the ice are so much different than the rest of the team’s.

I thought the two had great chemistry and again, as much as I cannot stand that just about every parental in this series sucks, I was really glad that the two were able to understand each other in that way and be there for each other as well. Overall a good book to round the series out with *catch me crying now that it’s all over*

Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

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