Category: Review (Page 69 of 276)

BOOK REVIEW: A Wicked and Beautiful Garden (Witches of the Island #1) by Katie McGarry

BOOK REVIEW: A Wicked and Beautiful Garden (Witches of the Island #1) by Katie McGarryA Wicked and Beautiful Garden (Witches of the Island #1)
by Katie McGarry
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Twenty-eight year-old Cassie Strega can’t escape fate.

All she wants is to live a normal, quiet life delivering the babies in her small town. But when she discovers she comes from a lineage of witches, her life becomes extraordinary—in the gravely dangerous type of way.

Then, she’s reunited with her first love.

Orion, the sultry Fae warrior who broke her heart years before, is searching for a baby. Not just any baby, but the queen of the Fae who will one day lead them in their final battle against the demons determined to rule the world. The same baby who has been calling to Cassie for help in her dreams.

Fighting the intense attraction of their former blood bond, Cassie and Orion work together to find the child. But when the heartbreak that nearly destroyed Cassie nine years before looms once more, she’ll have to decide whether getting involved in the supernatural war is worth losing everything, including her life.

Review:

A Wicked and Beautiful Garden was an enchanting tale that will sweep you away!  With magic, questions and the unknown swirling around, it made this book impossible to put down.  If you’re a fan of fantasy or urban fantasy, then you’ll definitely want this one on your tbr!

Once upon a time, I had fallen in love with him, and to him, I was nothing more than a momentary distraction.

Cassie Strega was kind, caring and felt so much around her.  She loved her job of delivering babies and living in her quiet, little town.  So when her ex walked back into her life, everything changed.  The loss of Orion had devastated Cassie years ago.  Little did she know that she would need his help soon.  The world was about to wake up knowing that witches exist, and Cassie was one of them.  But he needed her help too.  Orion, who was Fae, was searching for a baby.  She was their queen who was to lead them into battle against the demons.  And that same baby had been calling to Cassie.  With so much at stake and up in the air, their fates were irrevocably tied together…for now.

“Take what you need from me, Cass.” His hot breath tickled my ear. “Take everything and all you need. I’m yours.”

I wasn’t sure what to think of Orion MacAleese at first.  He was a warrior Fae that was tasked with finding their queen.  And while he didn’t always play by the rules, it was obvious that he still cared for Cassie.  Fiercely.  He would do anything to protect her and he showed her time and again exactly that with his actions and words.  While Orion could be thoughtful and caring, he also had kept many secrets from Cassie.  And Cassie struggled with his deception and secrets, while trying to ignore the passion that was running between them.

Making the strands a rugged mess, Orion shoved a frustrated hand through his hair. “What do you want me to say?”
I slapped my palm against the table. “I want the truth!” I whisper-shouted . “I want this black hole in my brain to be gone. I want to know what happened to us!”

I loved learning about Cassie’s powers right along with her.  She had always been able to read human’s emotions, but as she learned about controlling the elements I was fascinated.   I also loved watching what Orion was capable of, I was jealous of his transporting skills!  But with life and death situations surrounding them, and fate constantly pushing them together, it was hard to ignore all of the emotions there.  Cassie tried her best to keep Orion at an arm’s length away, but as we got peaks into their past it was so obvious how wonderful they were together.  As they continued to work on their common goal, to find the baby, it became harder to ignore that they belonged together.  And the chemistry, lust and love that swirled around them.

“Heaven, hell and earth, Cassie. I will move each and every single one for you.”

A Wicked and Beautiful Garden will keep readers hooked from beginning to end!  I’m so happy that the ending was the perfect stopping spot!  We got to breathe for a moment and even got a few answers, but there are still so many unanswered questions.  From how their world worked, to those around Cassie, to even her past, I can’t wait to learn it all!  If you’re a fan of JLA, I think there may be a good chance you’ll enjoy this book!  There were quite a few elements in this series that reminded me of a few of JLA’s series, so if you like her stories then I think you’ll like this one too!  I can’t wait for that next book!

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

BOOK REVIEW: Turnabout (Vino & Veritas #9) by Laurel Greer

BOOK REVIEW: Turnabout (Vino & Veritas #9) by Laurel GreerTurnabout (Vino & Veritas #9)
by Laurel Greer
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

“Auden and Carter are the swoony heroes I didn’t know I needed in my life! Turnabout is spectacular, and everyone should read it.” USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen

I don’t have time for an unplanned visit home to help out in my father’s struggling letterpress shop. My stint in Vermont will have to be short, for a couple of reasons:

One, I’m a busy executive trying to climb the corporate ladder.

Two, my ex is still my dad’s right-hand man in the shop. And I am not over him.

Nothing has changed at the Burlington shop. Auden still has his infuriatingly sexy Scottish accent. He’s still hot, and still stubborn. Between operating the antique press with his shirtsleeves rolled up, and moonlighting at Burlington’s hottest inclusive wine bar, he pushes every one of my attraction buttons.

My falling-in-love-again buttons, too. Except I’m his polar opposite. I love change, and taking chances. Everything he avoids in life.

So why am I trying to convince him to reach for more than we’ve ever dreamed of—the possibility of forever?

Turnabout is a second-chance romance with interfering family, groveling, and a large helping of artisan stationery geekery.

Review

Okayyyy I love this series SO MUCH. Every single one that I’ve read so far has featured such a range of characters and emotions and love stories that are completely unique and unforgettable. This one features a second chance romance between Auden and Carter. The two had met and fallen in love in college and are in the interestingly uncomfortable position of not ever having gotten rid of the other post-breakup due to the fact that Auden works with Carter’s dad at a his letterpress shop. Carter, who wanted to bring the shop into the 21st century and mayyyyybe didn’t present his ideas to his father in the best of ways, was heartbroken when his boyfriend and love of his life sided with his father instead of him.

Naturally, Carter, wanting to get the hell out, moved away to work with a bigger, more modern company and doesn’t visit home much. When he goes back temporarily to help both the shop (and Auden) and his parents’ marriage he finds himself thrown back into things with his old love and they find quite early on that even if their ideals on the shop still don’t align, those that they have about each other (in the attraction sense especially) pick up where they left off years ago.

I don’t know what it was about these two but between Carter’s bossy, white collared toned ass and Auden’s Scottish stubbornness I was entranced. On paper, the two shouldn’t make sense BUT THEY DID. Everything about them made my heart clench and expand. They both had their fair share of mental and emotional trauma to work through but of course, the power of love wins out. I loved every single bit of this story and I hope EVERYONEEEE make sure to pick this one up!

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

BOOK REVIEW: Twisted Love (Twisted #1) by Ana Huang

BOOK REVIEW: Twisted Love (Twisted #1) by Ana HuangTwisted Love (Twisted #1)
by Ana Huang
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

He has a heart of ice...but for her, he'd burn the world.

Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can’t escape.

Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.

But when he’s forced to look after his best friend’s sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:

A crack.
A melt.
A fire that could end his world as he knew it.

***

Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can’t remember.

But despite her broken past, she’s never stopped seeing the beauty in the world…including the heart beneath the icy exterior of a man she shouldn’t want.

Her brother’s best friend.
Her neighbor.
Her savior and her downfall.

Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen—but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both…and everything they hold dear.

Twisted Love is a contemporary brother’s best friend/grumpy sunshine romance. It's book one in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.

WARNING: This book contains a possessive antihero, explicit sexual content, and profanity. No cheating or menage, but if you're looking for a traditionally sweet, loveable hero, this is not the book for you. Recommended for 18+.

Review:

Her chest rose and fell with every breath, and she stared at me with nothing but trust in those big, brown eyes.
Oh, Sunshine. If you only knew.

Twisted Love was an emotional tale that will have readers addicted from that first page.  The writing was so easy to devour, the characters leapt from the pages and the story pulled at my heart.  If you’re a fan of NA romance then there’s a good chance you’ll want this one on your tbr!

“Josh has the worst taste in friends,” I bit out. “I don’t know what he sees in you. I hope that stick in your ass punctures a vital organ.” Then, because I’d been raised with manners, I added, “Thank you for the ride.”

I adored Ava, she had the hugest heart ever, lots of sass and I loved that she had no problem putting others in their place.  She found so much happiness in life while at college, even though she struggled with her past.  And her relationship with her brother, Josh, was so heartwarming.  But with Josh going away, he asked his best friend Alex to step in and watch his baby sister.  So when Alex moved in next door, I knew that was a recipe for disaster or would be the most fabulous thing ever.  Because while Alex attended their family holiday functions, and had been around Ava for years, they didn’t always mesh in the most fabulous of ways lol.

I could imagine myself lifting that shirt, tugging her bra aside with my teeth, and closing my mouth around those sweet, hardened peaks—
I yanked myself out of that startling fantasy fast. What the fuck was wrong with me? That was Josh’s sister. Innocent, doe-eyed, and so sweet I could throw up.

I was already obsessed with Alex Volkov the first moment we met him.  He was a genius, who graduated early and had one of the most successful real estate development companies in the US.  Alex was the poster boy for alpha males.  And while I do love those types, he was a little too intense at times, even for me.  But regardless, I loved that he seemed cold and shut off to the world.  That he was able to control his emotions and could say the minimal while getting so much across.  He was a closed book that I definitely wanted to crack open.  But once Ava and Alex started spending more time together, he slowly started to open and oh my heart it was fabulous!

Every encounter with Alex, no matter how small, left me on edge.
I was nervous, yes, and a bit terrified.
But I’d also never felt more alive.

While Ava tested and pushed Alex at times, which could be so funny, he also messed back with her in the best way possible.  Yet every single interaction between them, even if it was a moment with disgusting cookies lol or a movie, was HOT.  The tension was so thick between them, and with Alex being sex personified, you’re in for a lot of steam in the pages!  And while I loved a lot of their sexier moments together, a few of them were not exactly my cup of tea.

I didn’t want to heal. I wanted to burn. I wanted to bleed. I wanted to feel every scorching lick of pain.
And soon, the person responsible for that pain would feel it too. One thousandfold. – Alex

Both of their pasts could be such a mystery, since one was locked away and the other hadn’t been divulged to us yet.  Alex was set on a path for revenge and Ava wanted to shed light on the years of her life that were filled with a fog.  So I loved getting clues and peaks into what made them the way they were now.  But I loved even more watching how they grew together.  Especially since Alex was dark, seductive, caring, dangerous and extremely protective and took care of Ava.  I also loved how he had no remorse for destroying those that did Ava wrong.

I wanted her, but it wasn’t a sweet, tender kind of want.
It was a dirty , ugly want, tainted by the blood on my hands and a desire to drag her out of the sunshine and into my night.

Twisted Love was gritty and rugged, seductive and erotic and twisted while being heartwarming.  The story was filled with a richness and depth that flowed through the pages and made it so easy to devour.  If you’re a fan of alpha males, stories that will twist your mind and a heroine you will be rooting for every step of the way then definitely check out this book!

Other Favorite Quotes:

I couldn’t resist— I scooted closer to him on the couch and pushed his shoulders forward so I could run my palm down his back.
His muscles bunched beneath my touch. “What,” he said in a tight, controlled voice. “Are you doing?”
“I’m searching for your control panel.” I patted his back, trying —and failing —not to notice the sculpted contours of his muscles. I’d never seen Alex shirtless, but I imagined it was glorious. “You must be a robot.”
 
Darkness craves light as much as it wants to destroy it, and here, in this ballroom, with her in my arms and my cock straining against my zipper, that had never been more clear.
I hated how much I wanted her, and I hated that she wasn’t smart enough to run away from me while she still had a chance.
Though let’s be honest, it was already too late.
She was mine. She just didn’t know it yet.
 
It was only a kiss, but it seemed so much more illicit. Dangerous.
 
A better person would tell her the truth, but I’d rather be the villain with her by my side than the hero who risked losing her because of a misguided sense of morality.

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

BOOK REVIEW: Darkroom (Moo U #7) by Kate Willoughby

BOOK REVIEW: Darkroom (Moo U #7) by Kate WilloughbyDarkroom (Moo U #7)
by Kate Willoughby
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

As a top draft pick from a family of hockey royalty, I'm under so much pressure that I’m losing my edge on the ice. I need something to snap my brain out of this self-destructive stress-loop. That’s where Indi Briscoe from my photography class comes in. She’s flirtatious and funny one moment, sweetly shy the next.

But she’s cagey. She has secrets. Also? She’s a virgin. Did I mention the pressure thing? Maybe I’m crazy for starting something with her. But we can’t seem to help ourselves...

Warning: this standalone novel contains heat, heart, familial expectations, extreme milkshakes, and a hamster with deep thoughts.

Review

I have been so deep in Moo U hockey over the past week and a half that I am going to be so confused reading another series with different characters when I pick up my next book, lol! I will say that I am very impressed with the range of topics that themes that this series has presented so far. There have been a lot of very different characters experiencing very different things and I really appreciate that.

This book features Indi and Hudson. Indi was born in China and adopted by an American couple when she was a baby. She has a port-wine stain on her face that she now covers up very thoroughly with makeup after being bullied for years as a kid. For a good chunk of this book she also denies any and all attempts to connect with her Chinese heritage until her roommate helps her realize that part of the reason why she has so vehemently rejected that part of herself is because she associated it with her birth parents having abandoned her at a Chinese orphanage. Delving into that part of herself really got to me because I’m sure plenty of other people struggle with that very same part of their identity as well after being adopted, especially if it was from a country other than the one they now live in.

Hudson comes from a hockey dynasty. There has been a member of his family in the pros since the league was formed about a hundred years ago. He struggles with some really intense pressure and anxiety over preforming well in front of others and also find out over the course of the story about a medical issue involving his hearing that also really takes a toll on him as well.

While I overall really enjoyed reading about how all of those aspects of life affected and shaped Indi and Hudson both separately and together, there were times that I became frustrated with Indi especially. It’s brought up one time by her mom after she blows up at Hudson but it could really be overwhelming for me when she went from 0-100 with her anger and verbally lashed out at people. Sure it was realistic but I just didn’t vibe with her as much as other characters. Still, it had a great ending and I was so happy for how both of their journeys were wrapped up by the end!

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

BOOK REVIEW: Halftime (Moo U #6) by Kim Findlay

BOOK REVIEW: Halftime (Moo U #6) by Kim FindlayHalftime (Moo U #6)
by Kim Findlay
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

There’s no halftime in hockey, but maybe there’s one in love…

Drunk dialing your girlfriend to tell her that you didn’t really cheat is a bad idea--a lesson Seb Hunter learned the hard way. It was no surprise when she cut him completely out of her life. Now he’s finally moved on, and he’s looking forward to sophomore year at Moo U. Until his ex arrives on campus.

For goalie Faith Devereaux, cheating is a hard pass. She grew up knowing all too well how destructive infidelity can be. She’s gotten over Seb and picked the college of her dreams. The fact that he’s a student there will not be a problem. Hockey is her priority. Not guys, not dating, definitely not exes.

But when an exhibition game forces them into close proximity, it isn’t long before their old attraction flares. Regaining trust is hard, though, when the heart plays a good defensive game.

But when the goal is love, one more shot might be all they need.

Review

I feel like I’ve mentioned this in previous hockey romance reviews but it is freaking hilarious to me that I have become to entangled in these books and I know NOTHING about hockey. Seriously. Like the fact that Faith also played hockey in this one made it 10x better to me for whatever reason and again, it’s not because I am a rea life hockey fan lolol. Really though, this book, along with Sarina Bowen’s, Bombshells has me so excited for future books featuring players from the women’s league. I really love that dynamic and learning more about how much of an unfair advantage those ladies are at compared to their male counterparts.

To get more into this story though, we start out the book about a year before the main events actually happen. Faith (who has grown up with seeing her dad cheat on her mom for YEARS) gets a drunken call from her boyfriend, Seb. He’s so drunk and distraught that he’s not making any kind of sense but from what she can decipher, he’s cheated on her. Not wanting to deal with that shit in her own relationship and life, she completely cuts ties and blocks him on every platform imaginable.

Fast-forward to a year later and the beginning of the semester at Moo U. Seb is at the rink with a few of his teammates when he catches sight of a goalie. A female goalie. One whose very movements on the ice were as familiar to him as his own. He did NOT know she’d be attending and high tails it out of there. The two ~of course~ end up bumping into each other and eventually wind up back in each other’s lives.

Let me first start out by saying, THANK YOU Cooper. He’s Seb’s best friend, teammate, and roommate and helps play matchmaker throughout the entire damn book LOLLL. At one point he says, “The two of you are worse than Romeo and Juliet. If there was any poison around here, you’d both be dead.” Wiser words were never spoken. Even though these two have always had explosive chemistry, obviously the cheating thing is problematic. Just as I had expected/hoped. Seb didn’t cheat on Faith. He was drunk and missing her, a girl crawled into his bed, and when he realized it wasn’t her, he FLIPPED out. Of course, the fact that Faith THOUGHT he had for an entire freaking year isn’t just going to go away.

I am glad that they did talk about that and that she came to terms with how that could affect their relationship down the road. Seb really was an all around great guy, possibly even one of my top favorites of this series so far. He was kind, loving, honest, and I just wanted to wrap him up in a tight squeeze considering how he felt forgotten within his own family. I really thought these two were great together and the quote that I added below that is from the epilogue 10000% solidified how much I loved this book. It seriously gives me goosebumps every time I read it.

The puck dropped. My wife deflected the first shot on goal. My daughter and I cheered.
It was perfect.


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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