3 Stars 0 Spice The villagers of Frostgard only desire to live quiet, simple lives. But the uptick in neighboring villages being burned and destroyed by3 Stars 0 Spice The villagers of Frostgard only desire to live quiet, simple lives. But the uptick in neighboring villages being burned and destroyed by the Urgs have destined the people of Frostgard to bare arms and use their heads to take on the on coming storm.
I would say this is a good book for a starter-fantasy reader like me. While there are a lot of characters, it's fairly easy to determine what they each bring to the table. The entire story is basically the start of a soon-to-be ongoing war between Frostgard and the Urgs, and each character plays their role within that war. Very action packed with a lot of strategizing which I found added an interesting layer to everything.
There are points where so many characters gets a little confusing - remembering how everyone is connected. And there are a few areas that felt a little predictable and repetitive. However, overall, this is a fun fantasy read....more
4 Stars 2 Spice Brynn has had a rough go of it after trying to deal with her very sudden divorce. She doesn't even connect much to the young bartender, 4 Stars 2 Spice Brynn has had a rough go of it after trying to deal with her very sudden divorce. She doesn't even connect much to the young bartender, Josh, who she agrees to let rent a room in her house in order to cover the mortgage. After Josh takes her home one night after a rough 'night out' with friends, a stranger appears at their door with a birthday cake and magic wish for the young woman. When she wishes for her happy ending, she and Josh both wake up completely submerged into the fictional world of her favorite teen drama, and they have to figure out the happy ending to the show before they can try to get home.
90's babies everywhere will love this! It's a very cute, small town, slighty-fantasy romance full of humor, witty banter, whimsy and just a touch of spice. It's very "Dawson's Creek" meets "Pleasantville" and has all the markers of a favorite 90's inspired romcom. I was immediately pulling for Brynn and Josh, even if it was unlikely they'd ever make it home if they ended up together. This was a nice palate cleanser and highly recommend for a sweet romcom....more
3 stars 2.5 spice (check trigger warnings) When Lily ends up in the afterlife after several previous lives already, she can't help but feel like she's m3 stars 2.5 spice (check trigger warnings) When Lily ends up in the afterlife after several previous lives already, she can't help but feel like she's missing something. Prior to reincarnating once again, she found a way to be helpful/useful for the demons at the gate of the universe and estabilished the Hellp Desk in order to help souls get to where they need to go. When Lucifer sticks his nose into her business, unbeknownst to Lily, suddenly a demon prince and commanding General of the demon army, Beleth, crosses her path. Now in a budding relationship she'd always wanted, Lily has to decide what the rest of her life might mean.
Written as a prequel to the popular Hell's Belles videos on Tik Tok, Jaysea does an amazing job at building this amazing backstory for one of my favorite couples of all time. This book is full of fun banter, awkward flirting, nerding out, trauma healing and positive, constructive communication and I loved it.
It's quite the read - over 600 pages, so there are parts that get a little slow. Also, I will say having watched Hell's Belles regliously totally helped to already know some of the lore and characters. ...more
3.5 stars 1 spice (one scene depicted though not overly described) It's just before Branwen's 18th birthday when she starts to remember things long forg3.5 stars 1 spice (one scene depicted though not overly described) It's just before Branwen's 18th birthday when she starts to remember things long forgotten about her past - and all the pasts before it. Branwen is the newest reincarnation of Evelyn, a centuries old soul whom, no matter what and no matter where she ended up, would not make it past 18 before being killed by Arden, her literal soul mate. This time, however, time is of the literal essence, as Branwen is a match for bone marrow her sister, Grace, needs to survive her cancer treatment, and Branwen has to convince the man who's already killed her a few dozen times over, to finally stop the cycle.
Overall, this was an incredibly interesting read. The time line jumps between 'current' time as Branwen, and all Evelyn and Arden's past lives and what each one brough to who they both currently were. There's a bit of a suspense element as Arden continues to find Evelyn through every life (lives where they've been best friends, where they've loved each other, where they've hated each other, etc) but even though she often asks him 'why' he won't tell her because he's afraid of how she'll react.
I will admit I totally ate this book up and was ready to 5 star it about half way through. I will admit, the end left quite a bit to be desired, mostly because I'm not sure I understand it. The entire book was build up to the very end, which felt rushed an not quite thought all the way through. Still a really good, really fun read, ut that ending it going to haunt me for a bit....more
4.5 Stars 2 Spice Single mom of twins, Ella MacKenzie, has been living her life in rural Colorado running her family's vacation property. When her broth4.5 Stars 2 Spice Single mom of twins, Ella MacKenzie, has been living her life in rural Colorado running her family's vacation property. When her brother, Ryan, who is stationed overseas, asks her to write to one of his platoon brothers with no friends or family outside of the Army, callsign: Chaos, she decides it's worth her time to try to make a new friend. It takes Chaos a while to come around, but when he finally read her first letter he was hooked and they continued writing. That is until, Ryan is KIA and gives his last letter to Chaos, asking him to take care of Ella because of all the loss she has experienced, she would need assistance. When Chaos shows up as his real self, Beckett Gentry, he tries to get to know her all over again, while helping her navigate a litany of soul crushing life events.
OH. MY. GOD.
This book WRECKED me. I had been warned this was an emotional read, and to be honest - that's true. This book hit me right in the feels within the first 60 pages. Then, I had thought I made it out alive. There's still some ups and downs regarding my feelings - trust needing to be rebuilt, lack of communication, worry about another character etc. But we made it out...and then the last 5% of the book hits and I have never cried they way I was sobbing at the end of this book! It hurt every feeling I've ever had, and I'm not sure I'll ever be over it. Well written, beautiful themes and characters and absolutely worth the read. Just...be ready, lol. ...more
2.5 Stars 4 Spice **VERY DARK. Read Trigger Warnings** Athena has no idea what future awaits her when she tries to break in to the fortress of Luca "Bone2.5 Stars 4 Spice **VERY DARK. Read Trigger Warnings** Athena has no idea what future awaits her when she tries to break in to the fortress of Luca "Bones" Bonetti in hopes of stealing his car for her boyfriend. Bones quickly catches her and brings her inside, with a plan to take her life for her discretion. But when he plans to deal with her as he deals with everyone who crosses him - he quickly learns Athena is very different from anyone else he'd every encountered, and his sudden desire to know everything about her crosses over into complete obsession.
Honestly - I was disappointed. I had seen this book recommended on Tik Tok and when I was told it was a dark mafia romance, of course I thought it was right up my alley. IMMEDIATELY, and for no reason at all, Bones starts in with a nickname - Butterfly. Now, I love nick names and I think Butterfly is super cute. But the reason he calls her that is flimsy at best. And then he NEVER STOPS USING IT. Again, I like nicknames and it makes sense he'd use it more than her given name, but he uses it when he doesn't need to. You use a nickname in place of a given name - not in every sentence. Also, the main climax of the book happens at about 60% in, and the rest of the book feels rushed. And then there's a random twist that was completely unnecessary and adds nothing to the story. Honestly, the "twist" scene could have switched places with the climax and I think it would have flowed better. It was also clear the Bonetti brothers were mentioned as a way to introduce more books in the series, but there was nothing to really build their characters - zero connection.
I did like how Athena was described and how she worked through her trauma with Bones. Again, it seemed a lot of additional things were added at the end, which I don't know was necessary because her life was literal hell being held captive by her father, abandoned by her mother, and her first boyfriend-ish person also abandoning her and making her feel worthless when she asked him for help. I don't know that we needed to randomly add "also she can't read" at the very end of the book. Does it make sense given her captivity - yes. But maybe we should have mentioned it earlier so it didn't feel like we were just throwing things in at the end. ...more
4 Stars 3 Spice **DARK. Check Trigger Warnings** The last thing Alistair Caldwell wanted was to be stuck in Ponderosa Springs with a family who literally4 Stars 3 Spice **DARK. Check Trigger Warnings** The last thing Alistair Caldwell wanted was to be stuck in Ponderosa Springs with a family who literally never wanted him. However, when his best friend's girlfriend is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Alistair promises to stick around until they find out what truly happened and bestow their own brand of vigilante justice. While harming and interrogating one of those involved, new student Briar Lowell, stumbles upon them and attempts to run from Alistair and his friends. When Alistair realizes he can't let Briar continue knowing what they've done, he decides to use her abilities for his own gains.
Definite "Devil's Night" (Penelope Douglas) vibes! This is definitely darker than DN, but has the same best friends, found family, bully romance tropes to pull the story along. Not only is Alistair morally extra gray, but all three of his best friends (the Hollow Boys) are equally as tortured and unhinged which brings a whole new layer to the story.
I will say the ending felt a bit quick - obviously in an enemies-to-lovers or bully romance, it's going to be a bit of a slow burn. But, and maybe I just missed it because I was a bit distracted when reading the end, but suddenly soul-darker-than-night Alistair becomes caring (as much as he's capable) towards Briar without a real understanding as to why. Again - clearly that was going to happen, it just would have been nice to see a kind of catalyst towards it. ...more
**Copy sent by author for review** 3.5 Stars 2 Spice Professor of marine archeology, Kenzie, has been hopelessly obsessed with the story of a pirate in t**Copy sent by author for review** 3.5 Stars 2 Spice Professor of marine archeology, Kenzie, has been hopelessly obsessed with the story of a pirate in the 1800's who stole a priceless headdress from the Royal collection of Queen Elizabeth II. The rest of her team and the National Archeological Society, do not agree that this treasure even exists, let alone agree to where it might be hidden. Turned down for funding, Kenzie finds out her best friend offers her a spot on a cruise to the Caribbean - right in the area where Kenzie believes the ship went down. Kenzie quickly runs into Burke, a cranky fisherman with a boat equipped for scuba diving. Together, they set off to find what then can discover. Things change quickly, however, when unknown mystery men begin to show up out of the woodwork, trying to take what Kenzie has found, proving pirates still exist.
This was a very intense and fun read. Literal pirates, treasure hunting, and strangers falling in love - there's a little something for everyone. I enjoyed the pace and chemistry in this book, and even though I didn't really understand it, there was a lot of technical explanation regarding deep sea scuba diving and archeological digs under water which appeared to be accurate which added to the realism of everything.
Thank you JM Schneider for trusting me with your book and letting me experience this really fun story....more
4.5 Stars 3 Spice Calla Litvin has been at odds with her childhood crush, Ambrose Casablancas, since she was a senior in high school. After asking Ambro4.5 Stars 3 Spice Calla Litvin has been at odds with her childhood crush, Ambrose Casablancas, since she was a senior in high school. After asking Ambrose to take her virginity so she could do it with someone safe, they are caught by none other than Calla's best friend - who's also Ambrose's younger sister. Calla spends the next several years separated from both of them until a family tragedy brings them back home. Now, Calla has to determine if making amends with Ambrose is the best thing for either of them.
This is a very fun, very sweet small town romance. With tropes like rivals-to-lovers, best-friend's-brother, and trauma healing, it's so easy to breeze through. Calla as a character is sometimes hard to read - she's very trauma ridden and has determined she's not allowed to have good things because she'll ruin them. But she's got such a redemption arch in regards to it and it makes it easy to get sucked into it. And Ambrose! Ugh, how much I love that man! Gravely, growly, but he will always do whatever it takes to protect and care for Calla. Book is also filled with witty banter, funny oneliners and so much sarcasm!...more
4 Stars 0 Spice. Cassie and her identical twin sister, Lenora, have been on the run for several years since that fateful day that would change their liv4 Stars 0 Spice. Cassie and her identical twin sister, Lenora, have been on the run for several years since that fateful day that would change their lives forever. Making a quaint life for themselves in the middle of nowhere at a former campground, old memories get churned up when the ownership of the camp ground changes hands and another family rents the cabin next door. The family's daughter goes missing one night, sending Cassie and Lenora on separate negative spirals trying to make sense of what they may - or may not - have been involved with.
Talk about suspenseful! This is told in multiple view points on different time lines and I swear I never truly knew what was going on. While there were definitely some dry parts, the plot itself was very intoxicating and easy to get lost in the "need to know what happens next" kind of thing. I did not see the twist coming at all, and I think most of the book sets up to have you believing a particular timeline, only to rip the rug out from under you right at the end. ...more
3.5 Stars 2.5 Spice Dani Espinoza is running from a huge secret and finds herself across the country in sunny California renting a room from a bubbly st3.5 Stars 2.5 Spice Dani Espinoza is running from a huge secret and finds herself across the country in sunny California renting a room from a bubbly stranger. This bubbly stranger helps her get a job at a seedy bar which is frequented by the Heaven's Reject motorcycle club, and this is the night she meet the club's VP, Hero. Lust and attraction is instant, but when Hero believes Dani is in bed with a rival MC, he's happy to cut ties immediately. However, Dani's past and her constant issue of being betrayed ends up regularly finding herself in trouble and right in Hero's path.
I will say my rating for this book dropped as it went on. The plot is SO GOOD and very interesting and I devoured the first 60% of this book easily. I would say over all there is probably a decent 70/30 split between plot/spice, but all the spice is in the same 10% of the book which makes it feel spice heavy. Also, it gets quite repetitive which makes it a little hard. Other than that, the story is interesting, the characters are SO FUN, and I'm definitely interested in reading the rest of the series, as each one follows a different member of the MC....more
2 Stars. 4 Spice. Jewelry influencer Chloe Hallman has felt for a long time there was something deeper, something darker lurking beneath her skin. What 2 Stars. 4 Spice. Jewelry influencer Chloe Hallman has felt for a long time there was something deeper, something darker lurking beneath her skin. What she didn't know, is there was also something darker sitting just outside her window. Jack, a local firefighter has been keeping an eye on Chloe for the last two years from afar, until a chance meeting changes everything.
Honestly, I was quite disappointed by this. It started out really interesting, with the double side of Chloe (her perky influencer persona vs. her after-dark vixen personality), and how Jack seems to fit both of those sides. But...that's the whole plot. The fact that he stalks her, he's keeping a big secret from her (which is the fact he's been stalking her)...that's it. It's quite spicy and while well written, it's very repetitive. Overall, disappointing considering the ad I saw for it likened it to "Butcher and Blackbird" and "Lights Out" and this is neither....more
1.5 Stars. 3 Spice. Beat Dawkins and Melody Gallard are the children of rock and roll legends, Steel Birds, who broke up mysteriously and completely thi1.5 Stars. 3 Spice. Beat Dawkins and Melody Gallard are the children of rock and roll legends, Steel Birds, who broke up mysteriously and completely thirty years ago. With a reunion being begged for by fans, and both Beat and Melody having their own needs for quick money, they agree to be live streamed for a reality show while they try to convince their mothers to get the band back together.
I was really disappointed by this. I have heard great things about Tessa Bailey, and maybe this just wasn't one of her best. The plot was interesting, though fairly convenient if I'm being honest. A live streamed reality show about two people who are supposedly trying to convince their parents to get back together musically, though they really don't make any progress with it. It becomes mostly about them and their insta-crush heating up. There are some sub plots going on - Beat's consistent struggle with guilt and Melody's painstaking shyness, but after about 50%, it's like those doing really exist. There's a small level of kink in this book, which is meant to be tied to Beat's guilt (like make himself hurt to avoid hurting others kind of thing), but it barely makes sense. It feels like it was thrown in there just to have it in there.
And the spice was not good, in my opinion. Incredibly cringey, poorly chosen dialog and reminded me of satire to really bad adult movies. Overall, other than Melody being very quick witted, which I enjoyed, there was nothing very salvageable to me regarding this book. ...more
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