For Bryn Meara, a free trip to the exclusive and ultra-luxe Nightfall hotel and casino in Vegas should’ve been the perfect way to escape the debris of her crumbling career. But waking up from a martini-and-lust-fueled night to find herself married to Caiden Verran, the reclusive billionaire who owns the hotel and most of the city, isn’t the jackpot one would think. It seems her dark and sexy new husband is actual royalty—the fae king of the Night Court—and there’s an entire world beneath the veil of Vegas.
Whether light or shadow, the fae are a far cry from fairy tales, and now they’ve made Bryn a pawn in their dark games for power. And Caiden is the most dangerous of all—an intoxicating cocktail of sin and raw, insatiable hunger. She should run. But every night of passion pulls Bryn deeper into his strange and sinister world, until she’s no longer certain she wants to leave…even if she could.
My Review: 5 out of 5 stars
This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last! I really loved this book and am looking forward to going back and reading through Gina’s backlist.
This book gave me a lot of ACOTAR vibes but I’m here for it! Bryn and Caiden had amazing chemistry from the start and it only grew throughout the book. I loved both of their characters, as well as the side characters, especially Finn, Tier, and Fiona.
I loved Bryn’s sass and determination. Her banter with Caiden and some of the other characters had me laughing out loud several times.
I had a couple theories of what was happening throughout the book and was so excited when everything came together. I was not expecting that ending though!! I cannot wait to read the next book.
This was my first time listening to an audiobook with Avery Reid and Aiden Snow as the narrators and they were both fantastic. I enjoyed listening to them both and they did a great job of bringing the characters to life.
*I received an audio copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lizzie has made endless mistakes. Kitchen fires, pyramid schemes, bangs (of the hair and human variety), you name it, she’s done it… and made a mess of it too. One mistake she’s never made is letting anyone get closer to her than a single hook-up. But after losing yet another bakery job due to her uncontrolled ADHD, she breaks her cardinal rule and has a two-night-stand that changes everything.
Once burned, twice shy, Rake has given up on relationships. And feelings. And any form of intimacy for that matter. Yet something about charming, chaotic Lizzie has him lowering his guard. For two nights, that is. Then it’s back home to Australia and far away from the pesky feelings Lizzie pulls from him. But when Lizzie tells him she’s got an unexpected bun in the oven, he’ll do whatever it takes to be a part of his child’s life… except be emotionally vulnerable, obviously. He’s never going to make that mistake again.
Through a series of mishaps, totally “platonic” single bed sharing, and an underground erotic baking scheme, Lizzie and Rake learn that even the biggest mistakes can have the most beautiful consequences.
My Review 5 out of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book!
Lizzie is such a wonderful, relatable character. She is full of sunshine and lives her life to the fullest with no regrets. I love that she laughs loud and often. I also loved seeing the ADHD rep in this book. Lizzie’s feelings and the way her brain works were described in a way that really lets Rake (as well as the reader) get to know and understand her. Rake is an amazing character too. I love that he never judged Lizzie and accepted her as she is.
Lizzie and Rake had amazing chemistry together and I loved watching their connection grow throughout the book as they got to know each other better. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times while listening to this book. Though there were a ton of funny moments, there were also serious moments where important conversations happened.
Another thing I loved in this book was the friend group. Everyone needs friends like these and I can’t wait to read Indira’s book next.
I listened to the audio version of this book and loved the narrators, Summer Morton and Will Peters. They both did a wonderful job of bringing these characters to life. Will absolutely nailed Rake’s Australian accent, which just made the audio experience even better!
*Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for providing me an audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the SERWA BOATENG’S GUIDE TO VAMPIRE HUNTING by Roseanne A. Brown Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Title: SERWA BOATENG’S GUIDE TO VAMPIRE HUNTING(Serwa Boateng #1)
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents best-selling YA author Roseanne A. Brown’s middle grade debut about a pre-teen vampire slayer with a strong helping of Ghanaian folklore.
For most kids, catching fireflies is a fun summer activity. For twelve-year-old Serwa Boateng, it’s a matter of life and death.
That’s because Serwa knows that some fireflies are really adze, shapeshifting vampires from the forests of Southeastern Ghana. Adze prey on the blood of innocents, possessing their minds and turning them into hulking monsters, and for generations, slayers like Serwa and her parents have protected an unknowing public from their threats.
Serwa is the best adze slayer her age, and she knew how to use a crossbow before she could even ride a bike. But when an obayifo (witch) destroys her childhood home while searching for a drum, do Serwa’s parents take her with them on their quest to defeat her? No. Instead, they dump Serwa with her hippie aunt and cryptic-obsessed cousin in the middle of Nowheresville, Maryland “for her own safety.” Now, instead of crossbows and battle armor, she’s dealing with mean girls and algebra, and for the first time in her life she doesn’t have to carry a staff everywhere she goes, which is . . . kind of nice, actually.
Just as Serwa starts to get the hang of this whole normal girl who doesn’t punch vampires every day thing, an adze infiltrates her school. It’s up to her to whip some of her classmates into monster-fighting shape before all of them become firefly food. And when she uncovers a secret that upends everything she thought she knew about her family’s role in the slayer vs. adze war, Serwa will have to decide which side of herself–normal girl or slayer–is the right one.
After all, seventh grade is hard enough without adding vampires to the mix.
My Review 5 out of 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book. It had my interest from the very beginning, with things happening almost immediately. This book was full of heart, humor, action, suspense, and important conversations. I really enjoyed learning about the Ghanaian folklore.
Serwa was such a lovable character. I enjoyed seeing her grow throughout the story. I loved the unlikely friendships that she formed with some of her classmates, each of them bringing something different to the group.
There were twists that I didn’t see coming and I wasn’t expecting that ending at all. I am so looking forward to the next book.
About Roseanne A. Brown:
Roseanne “Rosie” A. Brown was born in Kumasi, Ghana and immigrated to the wild jungles of central Maryland as a child. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and was also a teaching assistant for the school’s Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House program. Her debut novel A Song of Wraiths and Ruin was an instant New York Times Bestseller, an Indie Bestseller, and received six starred reviews. She has worked with Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney among other publishers.
The day of their dreams was nothing short of a nightmare.
On the one-year anniversary of her wedding, Colbie Moore’s life looks nothing like it should. Still grieving the loss of the man she meant to spend her life with, Colbie prepares for a weekend away to take her mind off her heartache, but the simple plan results in much more than she bargained for.
A box of letters, meant for the bride and groom to open on their anniversary, is instead opened by Colbie and her three best friends—Miles, James, and Eric. And what it holds could ruin everything.
A mysterious note from a surprising sender shocks Colbie, propelling her down a dark path to discover the truth about the man she loved—his life and his death—before it’s too late.
Soon, Colbie begins to question everyone around her as the mystery unravels. What was Phil hiding from her when he died? What secrets are still hidden?
The closer she gets to answers, the clearer it becomes that someone has gone to great lengths to protect their lies. And if she pushes any more, everything she has left could be exactly what she stands to lose.
Is it worth risking everything to truly know the man she’s already lost? After all, she’s been warned…she might not be able to handle what she finds.
My Review 4 out of 5 stars
I honestly had no idea which direction this book was going to go, but I enjoyed the ride. The mystery and suspense had me guessing until the very end. Just when you think you have figured out what is going on, you really don’t!
This was such a unique plot for a story and I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. My heart ached for Colbie as she grieved and was hit with information that rocked her world.
This book had a totally different feel from Kiersten’s other books and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A lush, tropical island on an icy planet makes no sense.
Then again, not much makes sense anymore after waking up and finding myself not in bed but on a strange world populated by aliens. Since that moment, I’ve learned that nothing is normal anymore and I’ve got to roll with the punches. I can handle this, though. I’m strong and capable.
So… washed up on a tropical island? Got it handled.
Separated from the others in my group? Handled.
Stranded alone with a brutal but delicious alien man that can’t speak English but has great… ahem… body language? Yup, handled.
Add in the fact that my cootie – a symbiont I need to survive – has chosen my big, hulking alien friend as my fated mate? Let’s just say that the situation isn’t the only thing that’s going to be handled.
But it isn’t long before I learn that the tropical island paradise is a death trap and we’re all in grave danger, aliens and humans alike. To survive this, I’ll need my tempting guy to give me a hand with the situation… good thing he’s got four of them.
My Review 4 out of 5 stars
I’m officially onto the Ice Home series now and I really enjoyed this first look into the Ice Home universe.
It took me a little bit to get into the story but once the pacing picked up a bit, I was hooked and ended up finishing the book quickly. Lauren and K’Thar are wonderful together, even with their communication barrier. I love that they tried to hard to understand and learn what the other was saying.
I enjoyed learning a bit about the history of the tribes on the island and meeting some of the new characters. I am definitely interested in reading the rest of the books in this series.
I listened to the audio version of this book. I was so used to listening to Hollie Jackson and Mason Lloyd for the IPB books that it took me a little bit to get used to the new narrators for the Ice Home books. Felicity Munroe and Sean Crisden both did an amazing job though and they were both nice to listen to. They did a great job of changing their voice for each character and really brought them all to life.
The stories were all wrong — Hook was never the villain.
For two centuries, all of the Darling women have disappeared on their 18th birthday. Sometimes they’re gone for only a day, some a week or a month. But they always return broken.
Now, on the afternoon of my 18th birthday, my mother is running around the house making sure all the windows are barred and the doors locked.
But it’s pointless.
Because when night falls, he comes for me. And this time, the Never King and the Lost Boys aren’t willing to let me go.
My Review 3 out of 5 stars
This was just okay to me. I don’t really feel like enough happened for me to comment on. I knew from other reviews that this ended in a cliffhanger, so I wasn’t disappointed by that. I think that was actually my favorite part of this book. The ending was interesting enough that I’m curious to see what will happen in the next book.
I listened to the audio version of this book. I’m not sure which male character was narrated by which male narrator, but it didn’t seem like any of them changed their voice very much to distinguish between different POVs. Because of this, the dialogue seemed to bleed together at times and it was hard to tell who was actually speaking.
Jordan Benoit and Fletcher Landry have been best friends since they were six. He’s always been The Guy. When she needed picked up, cheered up, or lifted up — like literally, to see the stage at a concert — Fletcher was the guy.
So when her boyfriend dumps her — on national TV — Fletcher immediately gets on a plane and comes to her rescue.
And when she ends up in a Vegas wedding chapel and needs someone to say, “I do” …yep, Fletcher’s the guy. Of course.
But being The Guy 24/7 is a lot. He just wants everyone to give him a freaking minute to get this marriage thing right. Including his sexy, sweet new wife who he’s wanted for three years. Who is exasperatingly, temptingly all-in from minute one.
Jordan knows what she wants. A life in her hometown. A job with alpacas. And Fletcher. Not necessarily in that order.
They’ve said the vows. They’d told the world. They’ve told their grandmas. Forget taking things slow. Forget just heavy petting. Forget any chance of backing out when things get tough. They’re going to have to go all the way, in every way.
After all, friends becoming lovers should be the easiest thing in the world. Right?
My Review 3 out of 5 stars
It took me a little while before I really started to get into and enjoy this book. With the way they rushed into getting married, it just seemed odd that Fletcher all of a sudden wanted to slow down.
I’m glad they did take the time to slow down and get to know each other better in certain areas. My favorite part of this book is when they both took a step back and really started to communicate with each other, to explain how they were feeling, and what they could do to try to get past or help whatever it was.
I love how supportive their family and friends are. I love all of the side characters and can’t wait to read their stories.
I love the parts with the animals as well, especially Chewy. That was so sweet and heartwarming. I couldn’t help but grin when Sugar made an appearance. I absolutely adore that little goat.
I listened to the audio version of this book and loved both of the narrators, Zachary Johnson and Mollie Stark.
Those words changed my life, and not for the better. They were wrong, of course. I wasn’t dead. But I was set up. After being charged with a string of offences–and made an example of by my political minded father–I’m eventually released back into Shadow Grove with one thing on my mind. Hate. Someone is going to pay for derailing my carefully laid out future. Someone is going to catch the full force of my hate. How very convenient that someone just moved into the bedroom down the hall from me. Archer D’Ath and his boys messed with the wrong chick and they’re about to learn just how cold Madison Kate’s hate can run.
My Review 3 out of 5 stars
I decided to try this series after hearing so many good things about it, but this first book just wasn’t that enjoyable to me.
It was pretty long and I don’t feel like much of anything happened. These guys set her up, she has to live with them now, and she got a couple small pranks in on them other than the bigger one on Archer, which didn’t even seem to have much of a fallout either. Madison Kate was constantly talking about how much she hated the guys but she sure didn’t act like she did.
Just when suspense started to pick up at the end of the book and it felt like something big was going to happen, it ended in a cliffhanger, which I already knew, but was still a bit of a let down.
I’m not sure if I’m going to continue with the series or not.
I listened to the audio version of this book and liked the narrators, Brooke Daniels and Lucas Webley. I also liked that it was in the duet style narration. That’s becoming my favorite kind to listen to
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the PAOLA SANTIAGO AND THE SANCTUARY OF SHADOWS by Tehlor Kay Mejia Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About the Book Title: PAOLA SANTIAGO AND THE SANCTUARY OF SHADOWS (Paola Santiago #3) Author: Tehlor Kay Mejia Pub. Date: August 2, 2022 Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook Pages: 352 Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Tehlor Kay Mejia’s third chilling story based on Mexican folklore. This time Paola Santiago faces El Cucuy, aka the Boogeyman. “Paola Santiago is a whip-smart Latina who dares to explore the shadows between folklore and middle-school friendship. A thrilling adventure.”–Nina Moreno, author of Don’t Date Rosa Santos
Paola Santiago has recently returned from Oregon, where she defeated the Hitchhiker ghost and saved her father from the vengeful spirit that was possessing him. The poor girl deserves a rest! But first she has to rescue Dante from the void, where he’s been imprisoned by some unknown force. Even though Dante has turned against Pao, she can’t just leave him there– they’ve been friends for too long.
Paola’s prophetic dreams seem to have dried up, so she has to find other ways to locate a new rift where she can enter the void. Signs point to Texas–but how is she going to get there from Arizona? It just so happens that Emma’s new group of politically active friends, the Rainbow Rogues, are planning a field trip to San Antonio. It’s the perfect ruse for Paola, if she can stand being with the judgmental girls for that many days. . . .
Relying on her wits, training from the Ninos de la Luz, and the emotional support of her bestfriend Emma, Pao makes it into the void. Once there she must face down not just one but two enemies: El Cucuy, the bogeyman . . . and someone even scarier who looks a lot like Pao herself. This third exciting journey into Mexican folklore has our lovable, intrepid protagonist making discoveries both wonderous and fearsome.
I thought this was a really great ending to this series. I’ve really enjoyed watching Paola grow throughout these books. She is such a strong and lovable character. One of my favorite things about this series is the messages that are spread throughout the books, ones that are great for young readers and even older ones too.
This book had a lot of action and suspense that kept me invested throughout the story, wanting to know how everything was going to turn out.
About Tehlor Kay Mejia: TEHLOR KAY MEJIA is a bestselling and award winning author of young adult and middle grade fiction.
Her debut young adult novel, WE SET THE DARK ON FIRE, received six starred reviews, as well as the Oregon Spirit Book Award for debut fiction, and the Neukom Institute Literary Arts Award runner up honor for debut speculative fiction. It has been featured on Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, and O by Oprah Magazine’s best books lists, and was a 2019 book of the year selection by Kirkus and School Library Journal. Its sequel, WE UNLEASH THE MERCILESS STORM, followed to continuing acclaim, while MISS METEOR (co-written with National Book Award Nominee Anna-Marie McLemore) was named to the American Library Association’s 2021 Rainbow List, honoring outstanding contributions in LGBTQIA teen fiction.
Tehlor’s debut middle grade novel, PAOLA SANTIAGO AND THE RIVER OF TEARS, was published by the Rick Riordan Presents imprint at Disney/Hyperion. It received four starred reviews, and was named Amazon’s best book of 2020 in the 9-12 age range. It is currently in development at Disney as a television series to be produced by Eva Longoria. Tehlor lives with her daughter, partner, and two small dogs in Oregon, where she grows heirloom corn and continues her quest to perfect the vegan tamale.
Six months after Paola Santiago confronted the legendary La Llorona, life is nothing like she’d expected it to be. She is barely speaking to her best friends, Dante and Emma, and what’s worse, her mom has a totally annoying boyfriend. Even with her chupacabra puppy, Bruto, around, Pao can’t escape the feeling that she’s all alone in the world.
Pao has no one to tell that she’s having nightmares again, this time set in a terrifying forest. Even more troubling? At their center is her estranged father, an enigma of a man she barely remembers. And when Dante’s abuela falls mysteriously ill, it seems that the dad Pao never knew just might be the key to healing the eccentric old woman.
Pao’s search for her father will send her far from home, where she will encounter new monsters and ghosts, a devastating betrayal, and finally, the forest of her nightmares. Will the truths her father has been hiding save the people Pao loves, or destroy them?
Once again Tehlor Kay Mejia draws on her Mexican heritage to tell a wild and wondrous story that combines creatures from folklore with modern-day challenges.
My Review 4 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this second book in the series. The pacing was a little slow at times but things were happening throughout the book that kept my attention.
I was sad at first to see how far apart Dante, Emma, and Pao had drifted from the first book. I was glad to see Emma be there for Pao when she needed her though and was so supportive throughout the rest of the book.
We were able to get some answers about Pao’s dad in this book and Pao was able to get some answers to some questions she had about herself.
I’m looking forward to seeing where things will go in the next book.
Bookworm Cafe 