Tag: Adult (Page 2 of 54)

BOOK REVIEWS: Don’t Hex and Drive (Stay a Spell #2) & Firebird (The Fire That Binds #1) by Juliette Cross

June 9, 2025 / Jen / 0 Comments

Don't Hex and Drive (Stay a Spell #2)
by Juliette Cross
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Notoriously bad at peopling, Isadora Savoie spends most of her time in the greenhouse or at the local animal shelter, using her Conduit powers of growth and healing. Content to remain in the background of the Savoie sister shenanigans, she’s reluctantly roped into the mystery of missing neighborhood girls.

Now, she’s partnered with a flashy, flirty vampire to find them before it’s too late. Devraj Kumar has seen and done it all. Three hundred years roaming the earth as a Stygorn—a legendary vampire warrior who operates in the shadows—has its perks. But ennui has set in. That is, until he has a run-in—literally—with an intriguing witch while on a new assignment in New Orleans.

Fascinated by her resistance to his charms, Devraj can’t help but push her buttons in an effort to get to know the shy witch. Fortunately for him, she’s been recruited by the Lord of Vampires to assist Devraj on the case. Between a Bollywood marathon, supernatural dating app, secret package, and sexy driving instruction, Isadora is in over her head. And Devraj? After just one taste, he’s playing for keeps.

Review:

Don’t Hex and Drive was a paranormal romcom that was fun to listen to. It was steamy, cheesy, and this enemies to lovers slow burn kept me entertained. With an adorable family and lots of witchy vampire banter, I binged this one in two days. But I never fully connected to either of the characters, so it was a little bit of a miss for me in that regard. I can see many people love it though, but I won’t be continuing on with this series.

Firebird (The Fire That Binds #1)
by Juliette Cross
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A conqueror captivated…
A witch prophesied to save them all…
An unforgiving world where dragons rule Rome.

Julian Dakkia, Roman general and nephew to the emperor, has played his role as conqueror well. Yet, the moment he laid eyes on Malina, he was enthralled by the Dacian dancer. Years later, the fierce beauty stands before him, a captive on a scarred battlefield, her life in danger. He instinctively shifts into his fierce dragon form to save her, an action that may mean his head on the imperial gate.

The rules of their world dictate that he is the conqueror and she is the captured. But he and his dragon know one thing: their bond has nothing to do with the laws of mighty Rome. She belongs to them. And they belong to her.

Fierce and powerful, twenty-one-year old Malina has survived the loss of her family and she is determined to fight until her dying breath. Still, she can’t believe that the centurion who had once bestowed a secret talisman on her is the Roman general of legendary brutality…and now holds her life in his hands. Nor can she deny how her soul has always seemed to answer his. Slowly she learns that Julian is caught in his mad uncle’s machinations for domination, and helps him plot the downfall of the empire itself.

As they navigate a world where flying deathriders conquer and burn, their love will ignite a firestorm that can only end in heartbreak or death. Or both.

Firebird is an adult romantasy novel that contains dark themes, including slavery in Ancient Rome, which may be uncomfortable for some readers.

Review:

Firebird was a romantasy that had elements of a slave/master relationship, found family, magic, dragons, and political intrigue. I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed both of the narrators. They made it so easy to get lost in this book. The story was quick paced, had forbidden love, and I was kept interested. Plus, I loved seeing all of the different sides of them, especially Julian Dakkis. But at the same time, I didn’t feel the emotions the characters did. Yes there were moments of joy, fear, disgust, happiness, and more. But I need that connection to the characters to want to continue a series. Firebird ended with a happily for now, and we closed the book with some peace in mind. Yet, there was still so much unrest and more to come. I’m uncertain whether I’ll pick up that next book. I think that will be heavily weighted on other people’s reviews, since it’ll be told by two different characters we met in this book.

BOOK REVIEW: Unbound by Shadows by Avalon Griffin

June 4, 2025 / Jen / 0 Comments

Unbound by Shadows by Avalon Griffin
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Transported to another world, tempted by a dangerous passion.

Selene has never been one to make a fuss. She doesn’t mind it when the barista gets her order wrong, someone cuts her off in traffic, or she has to drop everything to mediate her family’s latest crisis. But when she goes through a portal to the matriarchal dimension of Aurelia, she discovers that being nice doesn’t always pay. Especially when she meets a demon whose smoldering gaze makes her wonder why she ever craved a life so ordinary.

Samael is a vengeance demon with a drive to punish wrongs. Kidnapped from the Underworld and brought to Aurelia as a boy, his demonic tendencies make him an outcast in a realm he can’t escape. When he becomes Selene’s guardian on a quest for a stone that could send her home, he plots to sacrifice her and steal it for himself. But as they travel together, their attraction grows. Until one day, they each must choose between finding escape and surrendering to temptation.

Unbound by Shadows is a standalone novel, the first in an interconnected fated-mates series that blends paranormal romance and fantasy in a setting rooted in urban mythology. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Ruby Dixon, and Kresley Cole.

Review:

With adventure, love and deceit laced throughout the pages, I never wanted to stop listening to Unbound by Shadows! This forced proximity, paranormal romance was so much fun! It had multiple dimensions, a brooding demon, and a wayward human. So if you’re looking for a new story to get devour, definitely add this one to your tbr!

A demon—a huge, fearsome creature straight from the Underworld—was trembling under her touch. Holding her body against his as if he would die without it.

Watching Selene’s resilience in a brand new world, had me cheering her on! She felt so bogged down and controlled in her old life, so I loved that she was starting anew. She was smart, endearing, and it was entertaining seeing everything unfurl through her eyes while she was in the Realm of Aurelia. But my favorite moments with Selene were when she was with Sam. I loved that she was able to find her voice, and true love too.

He felt a pull—deep and instinctual. A sudden overwhelming need to indulge her. To please and satisfy. To be the male, the only male, that could give her what she desired. It was disturbing… but undeniable.

We got this story from both of their povs, and I loved listening to all of Sam’s thoughts. He was a shadow demon who enjoyed reading erotica, so of course I loved him right away! He was protective, broody, deadly, and also could be oh so sweet. While his haunting past formed him into the demon he was now, he still had growing to do too. Right along with Selene!

“Remember your anger, sweet one! There is nothing more powerful than a female’s fury. Feel it, use it!”

With steamy kisses that go astray, perilous moments, found family, and a wonderful ending, Unbound by Shadows was a paranormal that you can get lost in. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did such a fabulous job making this story come alive! She made the world completely disappear around me! Also, I absolutely adored some of the characters we met, like Eldridge and Brunie. They were my favorites! They brought out sides of Sam that I was clambering to see, and there were so many memorable moments with them! And while this story ends in a happily for now, you can tell there are still more adventures for both Sam and Selene to go on together. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

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

BOOK REVIEW: Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli

May 19, 2025 / Jen / 1 Comment

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Engineer Trishara Malik once dreamed of being the first woman of color to smash the glass ceiling at WMC Purcell, but after years of dealing with white male privilege and blatant nepotism, she watches her hard-earned promotion go to her nemesis, Rafe Gallagher—the boss’s son. Teetering on the edge of burnout, Tris is stunned when she’s picked to attend WMC's corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii. It’s a chance to revive her stalled career and compete for a coveted spot in an executive training program—plus, three weeks in paradise! The only downside? Rafe is her co-attendee.

Tris plans to avoid Rafe entirely, but when she arrives in Maui, a booking error has them stuck sharing the honeymoon suite. Sure, it’s not all torture. Rafe is a smoldering ten—okay fine, an eleven—but after years of competition, they can barely stand being in the same time zone. As they vie against each other during aptitude tests and team-building exercises, Tris begins to realize Rafe might not be the villain after all. With her dreams at stake, can she learn to trust the man who might have been standing in her corner all along?

Review:

Not Safe for Work was a fabulous enemies to lovers forced proximity romance! With heavier relatable themes laced through this story, I devoured this one! The slow burn was drawn out beautifully, the characters were easy to adore, and the location made me want to be laying on a beach somewhere. It was so much fun watching them make each other laugh as they knocked down the walls that separated them. It wasn’t an easy process, but I was completely invested in Trishara and Rafe! I listened to the audiobook and it swept me away. The narrators did such a fabulous job of making me lost within this story. So if you’re looking for a romance that you could binge in a sitting or would be the perfect beach read, this is your 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: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

May 14, 2025 / Jen / 1 Comment

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it.

Review:

Great Big Beautiful Life was an emotional story that wove the past and the present. With mysteries and secrets abound, I enjoyed trying to figure out where I was being led. Yet I personally struggled, because I was never able to connect to any of the characters. Even though the grumpy sunshine and rivals to lovers tropes were done so well!

It’s important that I play this cool.
Fact: I have never played it cool in my life.

Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson were up against each other. They were both given the opportunity of a lifetime to write the biography of Margaret Ives. Right away, I liked Alice. She was funny and I adored her random thoughts and conversations. I loved how she messed with Hayden, while at the same time I loved learning his habits….like his obsession with that back corner booth. Hayden was such a grumpy, quiet soul. But he could be nice when he wanted to haha. And as they kept running into each other, I enjoyed watching a friendship start to form and turn into more.

“Alice?” he calls over the top of it.
“Hmm?”
“She lies to me too,” he says. “For whatever it’s worth, Margaret Ives isn’t telling me the truth.”

Margaret started her story back with her great-grandfather. We watched history unfold, and it was fascinating. We learned the stories of those before her and how it shaped the world she stepped into. We saw how the media painted them however they wanted, and the truth was damned. It was suffocating at times. And through it all, there was so much guilt, struggle, broken hearts, and not ever thinking you were enough mixed in with love.

“For the one you love? Anything. You unmake the world and build a new one. You do anything to give them what they need.”

The way we slid from the past to the present was seamlessly done. And my interest was intrigued as the book unfolded. But through it all, I never could find that connection to Margaret, Alice or Hayden. I’m one of those that desperately needs that connection to characters for a book to be enjoyable. So while this book closed with a wonderful happily ever after, I don’t think I’ll be picking up another book by Emily Henry. I dnfed Happy Place, because it pulled me down into a depression. And this one felt lackluster to me since I missed that connection. Here’s hoping you enjoyed this one so much more than I did!

BOOK REVIEW: A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher

May 13, 2025 / Jen / 0 Comments

A Simple Twist of Fate by April Asher
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A witch and a shifter get a second chance at love in this new paranormal romantic comedy from USA Today Bestselling author April Asher.

At the bright-eyed age of eighteen, witch Harlow “Harry” Pierce attended her first Fates Festival Finding Ceremony certain the Blue Willow Wisp would lead her to her Fated match, her cougar shifter boyfriend, Jaxon Atwood. But Fate had other plans, guiding her best friend to him instead. With a broken heart, all her belongings, and a vow to never return, Harry did the only thing a heartsick witch could do. Run.

Thirteen years later, she returns to her magical hometown―with her half-human, half-shifter goddaughter in tow―hoping that not only would the town work its magic on the troubled teenager, but that the local Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack could help Grace identify―and control―her fiery abilities.

Jaxon Atwood was a shifter of few words and even less patience… until his mother retired as Alpha of the Rocky Mountain Pack and left the running of things to him. It’s a headache he didn’t need, and one that brought the witch who’d ripped his heart from his chest knocking on his door.

Ever since the disappearance of the town’s Fate Witch over a decade ago, Fates Haven’s magic has been slowly going haywire. There hasn’t been a Fated Match made in thirteen years, putting the town in serious jeopardy of losing its title of Highest Fated Mates Percentage in the World. But now, something is stirring in Fates Haven, Colorado, and it smells like the past, tastes like change, and looks like A SIMPLE TWIST OF FATE.

Review:

A Simple Twist of Fate was an adorable, second chance, paranormal romance. With found family that will warm your heart, characters that feel like home, and a storyline that was all the fun, this book was so easy to enjoy!

Harlow Pierce possessed the ability to knock his feet out from under him without even trying, and it was clear that in her time away from Fates Haven— and him— that skill had grown more potent.

I liked and clicked with Harlow Pierce, aka Harry, right away. She had the biggest heart ever, and I loved how her thoughts like 9pm being after her bedtime were so relatable. After thirteen years she found herself returning to her small hometown to help her goddaughter, Grace. And there was no avoiding her ex, Jaxon Atwood. I loved that we also got this story from his point of view! He was a shifter who easily had me in his clutches with just a few words. Sigh.

Fuck Fate. Make your own.

With a fun and flirty vibe and moments that will have you giggling, this small town romance was so effortless to love! There was a hilarious and meddling Aunt, old best friends that had Harry’s back, and tension that was delicious. The steam was perfect, and I loved the mystery about what was going on with everyone’s magic. The ending will have you smiling for our couple, and I love that other characters stories were left open so we can revisit this world. I have all my fingers crossed that we’ll be back in Fates Haven. I loved this world!

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