Tag: Romantasy (Page 1 of 6)

BOOK REVIEW: Between These Broken Hearts (These Hollow Vows #4) by Lexi Ryan

November 25, 2025 / Jen / 2 Comments

Between These Broken Hearts (These Hollow Vows #4)
by Lexi Ryan
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Princess Jasalyn has eleven days to live.

Jasalyn is facing the repercussions of a deadly bargain. Her life, and the future of the shadow court, are forfeit on her birthday unless she can stop the evil fae king Mordeus. She needs to face her greatest fears and find him before she runs out of time, but even after everything, Kendrick won’t let her face this alone.

Shape-shifter Felicity has vanished.

Felicity disappeared from King Misha’s dungeons, and her friends have been searching for her to no avail. But even if she’s found, Felicity will never be able to escape the oracle’s tragic prophecy for her and her family. In her lonely battle with fate, Misha is the last person she can ask to stand by her side, but the first one she’ll need.

Review:

Between These Broken Hearts was a beautiful conclusion to the These Hollow Vows Series! Games were played, plans went sideways, and with mysteries and magic lacing the pages, it made this book impossible to put down! I love how strong the sisterly love was throughout this story, and the found family was so beautiful! If you enjoy YA romantasy, definitely put this series on your tbr!

I traded everything for vengeance, and I can’t allow my mind to drift to what happens when there’s no more left to take.

Jasalyn faced an impossible future. With Mordeous having some level control of her body, everything looked so bleak. And with the ring not allowing others to remember her, she felt truly alone. I loved that she had those rallying behind her. Even if I wanted to hate one of them, *cough Kenrick cough *. But as truths came to light, my feelings towards those changed. Especially when we saw the lengths they would go to protect her. But I was terrified for Jasalyn. Time was running out, and there didn’t seem to be any answers in sight for how she wouldn’t die.

“Like what you see?” he asks.
I roll my eyes. As if I don’t care. As if the memories of his touch don’t haunt me.

This story alternated between Jasalyn and Felicity, and I was invested in both of their stories. With Felicity, while I started out confused, I loved the path her story took. Especially when Misha was on the pages, he was my favorite! I loved how forward he could be and his banter with Felicity was everything! I desperately wanted to know his thoughts! With prophecies and trying to protect those they loved, they both kept me on the edge of my seat with having to know what happened next!

This, I think. If I get to live, I want more moments like this.

With unlikely alliances, plans made that put those we love in precarious situations, gut wrenching truths, and so much at stake, this book easily became a favorite! I cried happy and sad tears. And that ending was incredible! We got to see HEAs for so many within this story! Now I can’t wait to see what Ryan writes next!

Other Favorite Quotes:

The pain that moves across his face makes me wish for a different life in a different world under a different set of stars.

“Everyone in this world has a fate they would personally rearrange the stars to avoid.” His gaze settles on my mouth for a beat before he takes a step back. “Don’t think I am so different.”

His gaze flicks to mine. If you’re so worried, you should probably stop looking at me like that.
Like what? Like you know how my mouth feels on your skin and you’re wondering when you can feel it again.
I gape at him and he lifts a shoulder as if to say he can’t help how I’m feeling.

His hands are gentle and he’s trying to hide the fear in his voice, but I am dying. I know it. Why fight this when I can take comfort in my final moments?

The rough pad of his thumb skims across my bottom lip and he bends down to speak softly into my ear. “When you’re in my dreams, you never look like the princess.”

He wanted to break me. He needed me to be so fragile that when the flames burned me to ash, I’d surrender. He wanted to make me weak, but he didn’t realize he was teaching me just how much pain I can endure and survive. I am so much stronger than he is.”

BOOK REVIEW: The Primal of Blood and Bone (From Blood and Ash #6) by Jennifer L Armentrout

September 22, 2025 / Jen / 0 Comments

The Primal of Blood and Bone (From Blood and Ash #6)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
In the shadows and flames, Primals will fall…

And from the blood and ash, new gods will rise.

What was dreamt.

Poppy was never meant to awaken, and the consequences are devastating and far-reaching, stirring ancient powers from their slumber and transforming Casteel and Kieran in ways even the Fates couldn’t have foreseen. But what that means is the least of their concerns. For now.

What was foreseen.

The Blood Crown has fallen, but what has risen is a far greater danger than they’ve ever faced. From flesh and fire, the Great Conspirator has returned to the mortal realm, and he wants only one thing. They must stop the true Primal of Death before he regains his strength, and it won’t be easy. Even weakened, his influence is undeniable. His power, unthinkable.

Has come to be.

While the future of the realms rests upon them, they won’t stand alone. The gods have awakened—each harboring their own blood-soaked secrets. But they must navigate an unbalanced realm, where every choice—past and present—has the potential to not only undo everything they’ve fought for but also destroy the very bonds that have Joined them together.

For the Harbinger and the Bringer of Death and Destruction has risen.

Review:

The Primal of Blood and Bone was an emotional powerhouse. Dread and happiness swirled together, and shock too. I had no words and didn’t even know how to process some of the things that I read. But watching the way these three series wove together left me in complete awe and gave me chills. And having so many characters we love appear within one book made this story unforgettable. The Primal of Blood and Bone was a dark and gritty tale that will reach into your heart and own every last piece of you!

While I was a complete mess reading this story, the banter and teasing moments were everything. Here are some quick thoughts on some of my favorite characters. If you don’t want to know any of my feelings towards them, then skip this part ♥….

View Spoiler »

There’s many more I want to mention, but I can’t. You’ll definitely be pleasantly surprised, or screaming with joy like me, for who you’ll find within these pages!

As this story unfolded, we got so many answers! Yes, new questions arose, but I loved getting some long awaited insights! Yet……beware. As I was trying to piece together the clues, JLA beautifully placed in some foreshadowing that I didn’t catch until it was right upon me. The twists stole my breath. And we also got to see how decisions from the past affected the present. Plus having knowledge from the Flesh and Fire Series and The Awakening Series allowed us to see a few things coming. Yet this story still made me scream, jump, and left my mouth hanging open in complete shock as horrors happened before our eyes. Hang on, because it’s a wild ride!

With steamy moments, sacrifice, death, secrets, and love, this story unfolded in ways that will leave you on the edge of your seat. It was an emotional one too, I cried all the tears from happiness, relief, pain, loss, and suffering. Yet these characters will lift you up. Their love for one another, the friendship, and how far they will go to protect each other made my heart soar. But prepared, not only to have tissues, but for that ending. The Primal of Blood and Bone left us with the need to grab that next book now, that ending was powerful!

******I’ll be posting quotes in my review once we’re a few days out from release******

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

BOOK REVIEW: Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy #1) by Julie Soto

August 27, 2025 / Jen / 0 Comments

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Soto crafts a lush and dark romantic fantasy that’s filled with intrigue, magic, and an irresistible enemies-to-lovers romance.

The war is over, the dark forces have won, and the hero who was supposed to save them is dead.

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, the world as Briony Rosewood knows it is changed forever. Evil has won, and her people face imminent servitude, imprisonment, or death.

Stripped of her Magic and her freedom, Briony and the other survivors are quickly sold off to the highest bidders in an auction—and as Evermore's princess, she fetches the highest price. After a fierce bidding war, she’s sold to none other than Toven Hearst, scion of a family known for their cruelty.

Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost. Help—and hope—may yet arise in the most unlikely of places…

Review:

Rose in Chains pushed me outside my comfort. This book was gritty, dark, and held me in the palm of its hands. If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers romantasy and books that make the world fall away when you’re reading them, this is your book! I am not so patiently waiting for the next one to be released.

Briony was someone I instantly clicked with, and she easily pulled me into this story from that first page. Her pain, struggles, anger, and fight became mine. And as the past and the present wove together, I thought I understood everything from the beginning. Oh how wrong I was. As we truly started to see characters and their interactions, our world was made larger. So many things came into play, and Soto was a mastermind for how she made this story unfold.

While the plot, storyline and unique magic system were fascinating, the characters made this book for me. They all caused such strong visceral reactions in me. There were ones I loved, hated with every ounce of my soul, and others I was unsure of where they would land leaving my nerves buzzing inside me. But the ones I hated?! Oh. The atrocities that happened in this book were gutting. And as someone who will easily DNF a book that has SA, this one kept me reading. There are quite a few mentions of SA off the pages, one on page to another character, and shockingly I was able to keep reading. That is not normally how it pans out. Usually I throw my kindle or phone away from me, and I am done. But I was too invested in this story to stop, I had to know what happened next and that never happens.

Rose in Chains was a slow burn romance that was beautifully done. Watching that trust form, and then turn into more?! I was hooked. And when forced proximity was thrown into the mix, I was a goner. Also, there was a twist I didn’t see coming, but I should have. The clues were all there, but I was so focused on everything else I missed it. So while this book started out as a struggle for me, because of the mentions of SA, this book refused to be put down. And I will definitely be reading the next one when it releases!

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: This Vicious Dream (Kingdom of Death #1) by Stacia Stark

May 12, 2025 / Jen / 0 Comments

This Vicious Dream (Kingdom of Death #1)
by Stacia Stark
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Once, I helped save a kingdom.
Now, I’m trapped in a prison of thorns and nightmares.

My crime? Knowing the location of a power that could reshape the world—a grimoire I swore to protect with my life.

That secret is the only thing keeping me alive while my captors wait for me to break.

Until he arrives.

Beautiful. Ruthless.

Dark, inscrutable eyes. A dangerously wicked grin.

But he’s not here to rescue me. He wants the grimoire for himself––and he’ll destroy anyone who stands in his way.

My only choice is a fragile, temporary alliance with a man I can never trust.

Because there’s more at stake than just a stolen grimoire or an ancient grudge.

And behind his mask of effortless allure, he’s hiding something far more dangerous than a thirst for power.

Something that could destroy us all.

Review:

This Vicious Dream completely consumed me. With characters that captured my heart and twists that owned me, this story was impossible to put down. It’ll keep you on the edge of your seat while you find yourself falling in love and wiping away your tears. This story deserves all the stars!

When he glances at my collection of bodies, one dark eyebrow shoots up. I’m not sure if it’s appreciation or horror that makes his mouth twitch.

Madinia could be so vicious and ruthless, so I absolutely loved her! She had been held captive for the last three years inside of a tower, because she knew the location of a grimoire that would completely change their world. She was brave, tenacious, fearless, and would not be broken. So, when Calysian appeared, it set them on a path together. For the grimoire.

When I tuck the lock of hair behind her ear, she flinches.
Something twists in my chest.

Madinia and Calysian both struggled with their memory, but I loved that a common mission forced them together. Their banter was phenomenal and the tension that simmered between them was addictive! And as memories started to find their way back to Madinia, it forced her hand to become hard-hearted and throw remorse out the window when it came to Calysian. But he was tenacious, and he refused to give up Madinia without a fight. Even if she was the one who was standing in their way.

This woman would slit my throat if she could. And then she would gleefully burn my body to ash. There must be something wrong with me, because that look in her eye makes me want to crush my mouth to hers.

Calysian came across as dangerous and lethal, but I loved how he saw so much. It didn’t matter how much hate Madinia threw his way, he took care of her. And could be so kind and thoughtful. Calysian is a book boyfriend you will fall hard for. So, when he called her beautiful woman or sweetheart, it was impossible not to melt into a puddle. Calysian was everything!

“I hate you.”
“Well, sweetheart, I’m currently not too fond of you either.”
My eyes burn at the injustice. If I had a sword in my hand, I’d gut him.

As the story unfolded, I was terrified for them. They were being hunted and nowhere felt safe. Life and death situations were always around the corner. But through it all, they both had their dark and twisted humor. And their vicious rage. Together they were a formidable team. And with fabulous banter and steamy moments, Calysian and Madinia were a powerful couple that sailed right to the top of my favorites list!

“You never should have let me taste you. Now I’ll stop at nothing to make you mine.”

With forced proximity, brutal truths, only one bed, betrayal, and trust, This Vicious Dream is easily one of my top favorite books! Plus, the side characters captured my heart so easily too. Eamonn and Fox were two favorites, but we also got to see a few of our favorites from the series Kingdom of Lies. So, while you can easily read this as a standalone, I definitely think certain moments will hit harder if you’ve read the Kingdom of Lies Series first. I found myself crying 7 different times. With phenomenal twists that left my jaw on the ground, I found myself laughing and crying while dread pooled in my stomach in those final few pages. This story was beautifully crafted, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Other favorite quotes:

“I’ll make them pay.”

“You left me to die again.”
I give him a humorless smile. “And yet you’re still here.”

Sometimes in life, there are no good choices. Sometimes, it’s about making the choice with the least pain now and dealing with the consequences later.

“You want her?” Calysian asks, and my stomach sinks. “Come and take her from me.”
Wait, what?

Something wrenches in my chest. Something that feels almost like… betrayal.

I was stupid enough to let him in, and truly idiotic to let myself begin to feel something for him.
When he leaves— and he will— it will hurt.

Calysian steps in front of me. “Don’t talk to her. Don’t even look at her.”

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