en-US Wed, 05 Mar 2025 21:45:53 -0800 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 45885495 There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His & Hers. Which means someone is always lying.

When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation. Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

His & Hers is a twisty, smart, psychological thriller. A gripping tale of suspense, told by expertly-drawn narrators that will keep readers guessing until the very end.]]> 304 Alice Feeney 1250266076 Apsara 0 currently-reading 4.03 2020
author: Alice Feeney
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/05
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 209823382
Poe Webb, host of a popular true crime podcast, invites people to anonymously confess crimes they've committed to her audience. She can't guarantee the police won't come after her "guests," but her show grants simultaneous anonymity and instant fame—a potent combination that's proven difficult to resist. After an episode recording, Poe usually erases both criminal and crime from her mind.

But when a strange and oddly familiar man appears on her show, Poe is forced to take a second look. Not only because he claims to be her mother's murderer from years ago, but because Poe knows something no one else does. Her mother's murderer is dead.

Poe killed him.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?]]> 420 Carter Wilson 1464226229 Apsara 0 to-read 3.76 2025
author: Carter Wilson
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 123429195
Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there―or who she is. A passing officer takes her to the police station, and not long after, a frantic man arrives. He's been searching for her for hours. He has her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos. He is her father. Her name is Mary. Or so he says.

When Lola slammed the car door and stormed off into the night, Drew thought they just needed some time to cool off. Except Lola disappeared, and the sheriff, his friends, and the whole town are convinced Drew murdered his girlfriend. Forget proving his innocence, he needs to find her before it's too late. The longer Lola is missing, the fewer leads there are to follow…and the more danger they both are in.]]> 297 Megan Lally 1728270111 Apsara 0 to-read 4.04 2023
author: Megan Lally
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 43879756
"The perfect binge listen." � Yahoo Lifestyle

Instant #1 New York Times bestseller.

This program includes a bonus interview with the author.

The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....

More praise for The Silent Patient:

“Absolutely brilliant� I read it in a state of intense, breathless excitement.� � Stephen Fry

“Smart, sophisticated storytelling freighted with real suspense - a very fine novel by any standard.� � Lee Child

“The Silent Patient sneaks up on you like a slash of intimidating shadow on a badly lit street. Michaelides has crafted a totally original, spellbinding psychological mystery so quirky, so unique that it should have its own genre.� � David Baldacci]]> 9 Alex Michaelides 1250317533 Apsara 3 silent patient aspect underdeveloped. And can we retire the infidelity trope in (domestic) thrillers already? It’s overdone and adds nothing new here. There were also too many red herrings left unresolved, and some character actions just didn’t make sense.]]> 3.85 2019
author: Alex Michaelides
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/24
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves:
review:
I’m surprised this is considered a cult favorite. While the writing is solid, I feel like I’m being generous with my rating. The so-called twist was far too predictable—I saw it coming from a mile away, and there wasn’t much more to it. Half the book focused on the psychotherapist’s personal life, leaving the actual silent patient aspect underdeveloped. And can we retire the infidelity trope in (domestic) thrillers already? It’s overdone and adds nothing new here. There were also too many red herrings left unresolved, and some character actions just didn’t make sense.
]]> 203695802
What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?

After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.

But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.

The truth is out there, if we just listen.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.]]> Amy Tintera Apsara 4 4.02 2024
author: Amy Tintera
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/17
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves:
review:

]]> 210450024
The Turn of the Key meets Parasite in this eerily haunting debut and Reddit hit—soon to be a Netflix original movie starring Blake Lively—about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit.

As a young, queer couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around. People pleaser to a fault, Eve lets them in.

As soon as the family enters their home, strange and inexplicable things start happening, including their toddler going missing and a ghostly presence materializing in the basement. Even more weird, the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. And when Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?]]> 10 Marcus Kliewer Apsara 2
I guess it's supposed to be one of those stories that makes you think and you have to draw your own conclusions but it doesn't work in my opinion. It’s one thing for a book to be a little ambiguous, but it’s another thing entirely to leave everything unexplained. I kept hoping it would eventually fall into place but it never came together into a cohesive narrative. Between the plot holes, loose ends, and way too many unanswered questions, it just felt like a huge letdown—especially since it had the potential to be so much better. I’m honestly annoyed that I wasted my time on it.]]> 3.55 2024
author: Marcus Kliewer
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/15
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves:
review:
I’m the odd one out here because� what was this? It was such a struggle to get through—I was bored the entire time and had to force myself to stay engaged. It seriously puts the “slow� in slow burn because nothing actually happens until the last 20%, and even then� still nothing! How is this winning awards on Reddit and getting picked up by Netflix?! I waited weeks on hold at the library for this. The premise sounded creepy, but where was the horror I was promised? Riley Sager’s books are scarier than this.

I guess it's supposed to be one of those stories that makes you think and you have to draw your own conclusions but it doesn't work in my opinion. It’s one thing for a book to be a little ambiguous, but it’s another thing entirely to leave everything unexplained. I kept hoping it would eventually fall into place but it never came together into a cohesive narrative. Between the plot holes, loose ends, and way too many unanswered questions, it just felt like a huge letdown—especially since it had the potential to be so much better. I’m honestly annoyed that I wasted my time on it.
]]> 218413193 Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner Alex Segura (Secret Identity) continues the Marvel Crime series of thriller books for adults with the all-new legal noir story of the Punisher on trial for the murder or the Kingpin—with Matt Murdock as his defense attorney.

When the call comes in that the Kingpin and a police officer have been killed and that Frank Castle (aka the Punisher) has turned himself in for it, Matt senses holes in the narratives the media and the streets are quick to run with.

Both criminals have been Matt’s nemeses when he dons the cowl of the Daredevil, and there’s no denying that New York is better off without its Kingpin and the Punisher behind bars. And yet, while the Punisher is a murderous vigilante, he doesn’t kill cops. And he doesn’t turn himself in.

Castle certainly deserves prison for all of the other crimes he has committed in the past. However, Matt’s indominable sense of justice insists that nobody should be sent to prison for crimes they didn’t actually commit. Representing the vigilante in court, Matt enters a contest of wills and guile with Castle to try and uncover the game beneath the game. And when Matt’s girlfriend takes the stand and complicates matters, there’s truly no rest for the wicked or the just. As the Kingpin’s absence has passions running hot in Hell’s Kitchen, Matt must decide if justice means the letter of the law, what’s best for the citizen on the streets, or where is heart is beginning to lead him.

Enemy of My Enemy continues the Marvel Crime series that began with Lisa Jewell’s Breaking the Dark, and brings fans into a grittier, street-level side of the Marvel Universe.]]> 336 Alex Segura 1368095364 Apsara 0 to-read 5.00 2025
author: Alex Segura
name: Apsara
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 220160814 Three women are connected by one man in this kaleidoscopic thriller.

Restauranteur Paddy Swann was the life of the party until the day a man pushed him in the path of an oncoming train, leaving his twenty-something daughter Ash and wife Nina devastated. Shortly after Paddy’s funeral, the two women receive a surprise in the mail: a note and package from Nick Ratcliffe, an old friend of Paddy’s, and a nondescript lighter that once belonged to him decades ago. This unexpected gift draws Nick and Nina closer together—much to Ash’s dismay.

Martha is a small-town florist with dreams of expansion. She lives with her second husband Al, her baby, and two sons from her prior marriage. But they never seem to have any money, and with his constant traveling for work, she feels like a single parent—especially when an emergency makes her realize something needs to change.

But Nick and Al may not be who they say they are, leading these three women on a shocking collision course, wishing they had heeded a warning: Don’t let him in.]]> 368 Lisa Jewell 1668033879 Apsara 0 to-read 4.00 2025
author: Lisa Jewell
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62103343
Following up her instant New York Times bestseller, A Flicker in the Dark, Stacy Willingham delivers a totally gripping thriller about a desperate mother with a troubled past in All the Dangerous Things.

One year ago, Isabelle Drake's life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally.

Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year.

Isabelle's entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster—but his interest in Isabelle's past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust... including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.]]> 10 Stacy Willingham 1250880874 Apsara 3 ~3.5 3.96 2023
author: Stacy Willingham
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/02
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves:
review:
~3.5
]]> 57434742
People don’t just disappear without a trace....

Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.

Now, 11 years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find....

In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense and New York Times best-selling author Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.]]> Mary Kubica 1488211698 Apsara 4 3.82 2021
author: Mary Kubica
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/03
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves:
review:

]]> 54493401
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.

All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.

His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.

And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.

Or does he?]]> 476 Andy Weir 0593135202 Apsara 0 to-read 4.49 2021
author: Andy Weir
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25574782
Now another girl has disappeared, with chilling echoes of the past. And it seems that she might not be the only one.

Claire is convinced Julia's disappearance is linked.

But when she begins to learn the truth about her sister, she is confronted with a shocking discovery, and nothing will ever be the same...]]> 432 Karin Slaughter 0062430874 Apsara 0 to-read 3.99 2015
author: Karin Slaughter
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 210223811 Two graduate students must set aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul, perhaps at the cost of their own.

Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality—her pride, her health, her love life, and most definitely her sanity. All to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world—that is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault.

Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the same conclusion.]]> 400 R.F. Kuang Apsara 0 to-read 4.03 2025
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 207670238
“What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.�

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.

In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile, undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.

According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?

To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.]]> 976 SenLinYu Apsara 0 to-read 4.73 2025
author: SenLinYu
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.73
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
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]]> 211974738
I regret nothing.
�
Okay, maybe I regret some things.
In my defense, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t get caught.
Also in my defense, I had no way of knowing that “The Incident� would go viral.

But Toronto’s most notorious billionaire isn’t exactly known for his generous or understanding spirit, and he doesn’t want to hear my excuses.
Not when my little public stunt cost him the biggest investment deal of his career.

What he does want is cold, hard revenge.
And that’s how I find myself backed into a corner, forced to strike a deal with the snarly, green-eyed devil.
I have no choice but to be at his beck and call 24 hours a day, succumbing to his every bossy whim.
But as his demands—and the blistering tension—become increasingly unbearable, I can’t help but start to bite back.

Adrien Cloutier isn’t a man to be messed with, though.
And as the old saying goes, bad girls deserve to be punished.

This is a full-length enemies-to-lovers romance with loads of spicy banter and laugh-out-loud moments, featuring a dimpled bosshole devil in a suit and the smart-mouthed woman who brings him to his knees. (Literally.)

� Enemies to lovers
� Fake relationship
� Only one bed
� Three slow-burn peppers
� Good girl]]> 434 Kyra Parsi Apsara 0 to-read 4.11 2023
author: Kyra Parsi
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 53142315
Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.

But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.

Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.]]> 363 John Marrs 1542017025 Apsara 0 to-read 3.97 2020
author: John Marrs
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 219603177 One train. No stops. A deadly game of survival and revenge.

In 1942, six people destroyed Anna Matheson’s family.ĚýTwelve years later, she’s ready for retribution.

Under false pretenses, Anna has lured those responsible for her family’s downfall ontoĚýa luxuryĚýtrain from Philadelphia to Chicago,Ěýan overnightĚýjourney of fourteen hours. Her goal? Confront the people who’ve wronged her, get them to confess their crimes, and deliver them into the hands of authorities waiting at the end of the line. Justice will at last be served.

But Anna’s plan is quickly derailed by the murder of one of the passengers. As the train barrels through the night, it becomes clear that someone else on board is enacting their own form of revenge—and that they won’t stop until everyone else is dead.

With time running out before the train reaches its destination, Anna is forced to hunt the killer in their midst while protecting the people she hates the most. In order to destroy her enemies, she must first save them—even though it means putting her own life at risk.]]> 400 Riley Sager 0593472403 Apsara 0 to-read 3.61 2025
author: Riley Sager
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 63610667 Listening Length: 11 hours and 16 minutess

They were eleven when they sent a killer to prison. They were heroes . . . but they were liars.

Naomi Shaw used to believe in magic. Twenty-two years ago, she and her two best friends, Cassidy and Olivia, spent the summer roaming the woods, imagining a world of ceremony and wonder. They called it the Goddess Game. The summer ended suddenly when Naomi was attacked. Miraculously, she survived her seventeen stab wounds and lived to identify the man who had hurt her. The girls� testimony put away a serial killer, wanted for murdering six women. They were heroes.

And they were liars.

For decades, the friends have kept a secret worth killing for. But now Olivia wants to tell, and Naomi sets out to find out what really happened in the woods―no matter how dangerous the truth turns out to be.]]> 12 Kate Alice Marshall 1250882443 Apsara 3 No One Can Know, earlier this year, and I was disappointed to discover that both books rely on the same plot devices: a group of three girls keeping a big secret from their childhood, lying to the police, and growing apart in adulthood. The main character was insufferable, and the dialogue felt like it came straight out of a Delaney Rowe skit (iykyk). While the story was different enough to keep me curious and engaged, some parts felt mediocre and predictable. The final twists, however, became overly convoluted, and the motives grew unclear. By the end, I was left feeling confused, with lingering questions that were never addressed.]]> 3.82 2023
author: Kate Alice Marshall
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/27
date added: 2024/12/08
shelves:
review:
I read her newest release, No One Can Know, earlier this year, and I was disappointed to discover that both books rely on the same plot devices: a group of three girls keeping a big secret from their childhood, lying to the police, and growing apart in adulthood. The main character was insufferable, and the dialogue felt like it came straight out of a Delaney Rowe skit (iykyk). While the story was different enough to keep me curious and engaged, some parts felt mediocre and predictable. The final twists, however, became overly convoluted, and the motives grew unclear. By the end, I was left feeling confused, with lingering questions that were never addressed.
]]> 58322614
Think you know the person you married? Think again�

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts � paper, cotton, pottery, tin � and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.

Rock Paper Scissors is the latest exciting domestic thriller from the queen of the killer twist, New York Times bestselling author Alice Feeney.]]> Alice Feeney Apsara 4 3.74 2021
author: Alice Feeney
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/08
date added: 2024/12/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 52389317 Fifteen years ago, summer camper Emma Davis watched sleepily as her three cabin mates snuck out of their cabin in the dead of night. The last she--and anyone--saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.

Now a rising star in the NYC art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings.. They catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the socialite and wealthy owner of the very same Camp Nightingale--and when Francesca implores Emma to return to the camp as a painting counselor, Emma sees an opportunity to find closure and move on.

Yet, it is immediately clear that all is not right at Camp Nightingale. Already haunted by surfacing memories, Emma is suddenly plagued by a security camera pointed directly at her cabin, mounting mistrust from Francesca, and, most disturbing of all, cryptic clues Vivian apparently left behind about the camp's twisted origins. And as history begins to repeat itself and three girls go missing again, Emma must face threats from both man and nature in order to uncover all the buried secrets--including what really happened all those years ago.]]> 13 Riley Sager 0525627243 Apsara 4 *4.25 3.61 2018
author: Riley Sager
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/24
date added: 2024/11/24
shelves:
review:
*4.25
]]> 61294937 Shannon Chakraborty, the bestselling author of The City of Brass, spins a new trilogy of magic and mayhem on the high seas in this tale of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries, in one woman’s determined quest to seize a final chance at glory—and write her own legend.

Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.

But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.

Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.]]> 483 Shannon Chakraborty Apsara 0 to-read 4.25 2023
author: Shannon Chakraborty
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 43822820 here.

Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am.

She soon learns not only the identity of her birth parents, but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood, worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. But what she can’t possibly know is that others have been waiting for this day as well—and she is on a collision course to meet them.

Twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old happily cooing in her crib in the bedroom. Downstairs in the kitchen lay three dead bodies, all dressed in black, next to a hastily scrawled note. And the four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.

The can’t-look-away story of three entangled families living in a house with the darkest of secrets.]]> 352 Lisa Jewell 1501190105 Apsara 0 to-read 3.93 2019
author: Lisa Jewell
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61481100
A lonely shopkeeper takes it upon herself to solve a murder in the most peculiar way in this captivating mystery by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties.

Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady—ah, lady of a certain age—who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges downstairs to find a curious thing—a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. In his outstretched hand, a flash drive. Vera doesn’t know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of . . . swipes the flash drive from the body and tucks it safely into the pocket of her apron. Why? Because Vera is sure she would do a better job than the police possibly could, because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands. Vera knows the killer will be back for the flash drive; all she has to do is watch the increasing number of customers at her shop and figure out which one among them is the killer.

What Vera does not expect is to form friendships with her customers and start to care for each and every one of them. As a protective mother hen, will she end up having to give one of her newfound chicks to the police?]]> 11 Jesse Q. Sutanto Apsara 3
The voice actor is the real star of the show! Her portrayal of Vera Wong was accurate and entertaining. Vera is the poster child for "delulu is the solulu." She is overbearing with no sense of boundaries, blunt, and putting her nose where it doesn't belong. Stereotypes always have some truth to them and as a South Asian, I could definitely resonate with how older women of our culture share her traditional (Chinese) outlook and mentality in life. I was laughing at all her antics.

But that's where the fun stops. This book has FIVE POVs which I really thought was unnecessary and overkill for this story. I only wanted to know everything from Vera's side. The remaining 4 POVs were of the other suspects who were ALL insecure whiny babies repeating the same self deprecating inner dialogue. It really took away from the murder mystery aspect because I felt like I was listening in on their therapy sessions. And as much as I loved the Asian representation, I think a little bit too much time was spent trying to teach the reader about different Asian cultures (ie. long descriptions of foods in the cuisines.) It felt inauthentic sometimes.

I expected more amateur sleuthing from Vera but all I got was her meddling in these people's personal lives. Although the ending twist was good and I didn't see it coming, the way she came to that conclusion was unsatisfying.]]> 4.05 2023
author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/14
date added: 2024/08/14
shelves:
review:
*2.5

The voice actor is the real star of the show! Her portrayal of Vera Wong was accurate and entertaining. Vera is the poster child for "delulu is the solulu." She is overbearing with no sense of boundaries, blunt, and putting her nose where it doesn't belong. Stereotypes always have some truth to them and as a South Asian, I could definitely resonate with how older women of our culture share her traditional (Chinese) outlook and mentality in life. I was laughing at all her antics.

But that's where the fun stops. This book has FIVE POVs which I really thought was unnecessary and overkill for this story. I only wanted to know everything from Vera's side. The remaining 4 POVs were of the other suspects who were ALL insecure whiny babies repeating the same self deprecating inner dialogue. It really took away from the murder mystery aspect because I felt like I was listening in on their therapy sessions. And as much as I loved the Asian representation, I think a little bit too much time was spent trying to teach the reader about different Asian cultures (ie. long descriptions of foods in the cuisines.) It felt inauthentic sometimes.

I expected more amateur sleuthing from Vera but all I got was her meddling in these people's personal lives. Although the ending twist was good and I didn't see it coming, the way she came to that conclusion was unsatisfying.
]]> 58065033 390 Bonnie Garmus Apsara 0 to-read 4.23 2022
author: Bonnie Garmus
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199700434 When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide.

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances.

Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet, The God of the Woods is a story of inheritance and second chances, the tensions between a family and a community, and a history that will not let any of them go.]]> 478 Liz Moore 0593418913 Apsara 0 to-read 4.09 2024
author: Liz Moore
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 217206738
Ruthless. Meticulous. Arrogant.

Dante Russo thrives on control, both personally and professionally.

The billionaire CEO never planned to marry—until the threat of blackmail forces him into an engagement with a woman he barely knows.

Vivian Lau, jewelry heiress and daughter of his newest enemy.

It doesn’t matter how beautiful or charming she is. He'll do everything in his power to destroy the evidence and their betrothal.

There’s only one problem: Now that he has her...he can't bring himself to let her go.

***

Elegant. Ambitious. Well-mannered.

Vivian Lau is the perfect daughter and her family’s ticket into the highest echelons of high society.

Marrying a blue-blooded Russo means opening doors that would otherwise remain closed to her new-money family.

While the rude, elusive Dante isn't her idea of a dream partner, she agrees to their arranged marriage out of duty.

Craving his touch was never part of the plan.

Neither was the worst thing she could possibly do: fall in love with her future husband.

King of Wrath is a steamy arranged-marriage billionaire romance. It includes explicit content and profanity. Recommended for mature listeners only.]]> 398 Ana Huang Apsara 4
As much as I like Vivian because she has a witty and mature personality, I can't stand the people pleasing side of her. It was driving me up the wall. I understand not wanting to disappoint your parents but there's a limit, my God. Family was her excuse every time she chose not to stand up for herself and just stay miserable.

I wish this book was a little bit longer. In comparison to Twisted Hate and Twisted Lies, this is short. I wanted certain scenes to play out longer with more detail. Parts of the book felt rushed due to a lot of telling and not showing.

I will say, out of all the couples in Ana Huang's universe, Dante and Vivian are my new favorite. They have usurped Josh and Jules. Even though they're opposites, their chemistry and compatibility was palpable.

Merged review:

Now y'all KNOW I'm a sucker for the arranged marriage trope so I ate this up! The backstory of how and why the deal was made, the fallout and family drama–it was all very juicy and entertaining lol.

As much as I like Vivian because she has a witty and mature personality, I can't stand the people pleasing side of her. It was driving me up the wall. I understand not wanting to disappoint your parents but there's a limit, my God. Family was her excuse every time she chose not to stand up for herself and just stay miserable.

I wish this book was a little bit longer. In comparison to Twisted Hate and Twisted Lies, this is short. I wanted certain scenes to play out longer with more detail. Parts of the book felt rushed due to a lot of telling and not showing.

I will say, out of all the couples in Ana Huang's universe, Dante and Vivian are my new favorite. They have usurped Josh and Jules. Even though they're opposites, their chemistry and compatibility was palpable.

Merged review:

Now y'all KNOW I'm a sucker for the arranged marriage trope so I ate this up! The backstory of how and why the deal was made, the fallout and family drama–it was all very juicy and entertaining lol.

As much as I like Vivian because she has a witty and mature personality, I can't stand the people pleasing side of her. It was driving me up the wall. I understand not wanting to disappoint your parents but there's a limit, my God. Family was her excuse every time she chose not to stand up for herself and just stay miserable.

I wish this book was a little bit longer. In comparison to Twisted Hate and Twisted Lies, this is short. I wanted certain scenes to play out longer with more detail. Parts of the book felt rushed due to a lot of telling and not showing.

I will say, out of all the couples in Ana Huang's universe, Dante and Vivian are my new favorite. They have usurped Josh and Jules. Even though they're opposites, their chemistry and compatibility was palpable.

Merged review:

Now y'all KNOW I'm a sucker for the arranged marriage trope so I ate this up! The backstory of how and why the deal was made, the fallout and family drama–it was all very juicy and entertaining lol.

As much as I like Vivian because she has a witty and mature personality, I can't stand the people pleasing side of her. It was driving me up the wall. I understand not wanting to disappoint your parents but there's a limit, my God. Family was her excuse every time she chose not to stand up for herself and just stay miserable.

I wish this book was a little bit longer. In comparison to Twisted Hate and Twisted Lies, this is short. I wanted certain scenes to play out longer with more detail. Parts of the book felt rushed due to a lot of telling and not showing.

I will say, out of all the couples in Ana Huang's universe, Dante and Vivian are my new favorite. They have usurped Josh and Jules. Even though they're opposites, their chemistry and compatibility was palpable.]]> 4.05 2022
author: Ana Huang
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/18
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:
Now y'all KNOW I'm a sucker for the arranged marriage trope so I ate this up! The backstory of how and why the deal was made, the fallout and family drama–it was all very juicy and entertaining lol.

As much as I like Vivian because she has a witty and mature personality, I can't stand the people pleasing side of her. It was driving me up the wall. I understand not wanting to disappoint your parents but there's a limit, my God. Family was her excuse every time she chose not to stand up for herself and just stay miserable.

I wish this book was a little bit longer. In comparison to Twisted Hate and Twisted Lies, this is short. I wanted certain scenes to play out longer with more detail. Parts of the book felt rushed due to a lot of telling and not showing.

I will say, out of all the couples in Ana Huang's universe, Dante and Vivian are my new favorite. They have usurped Josh and Jules. Even though they're opposites, their chemistry and compatibility was palpable.

Merged review:

Now y'all KNOW I'm a sucker for the arranged marriage trope so I ate this up! The backstory of how and why the deal was made, the fallout and family drama–it was all very juicy and entertaining lol.

As much as I like Vivian because she has a witty and mature personality, I can't stand the people pleasing side of her. It was driving me up the wall. I understand not wanting to disappoint your parents but there's a limit, my God. Family was her excuse every time she chose not to stand up for herself and just stay miserable.

I wish this book was a little bit longer. In comparison to Twisted Hate and Twisted Lies, this is short. I wanted certain scenes to play out longer with more detail. Parts of the book felt rushed due to a lot of telling and not showing.

I will say, out of all the couples in Ana Huang's universe, Dante and Vivian are my new favorite. They have usurped Josh and Jules. Even though they're opposites, their chemistry and compatibility was palpable.

Merged review:

Now y'all KNOW I'm a sucker for the arranged marriage trope so I ate this up! The backstory of how and why the deal was made, the fallout and family drama–it was all very juicy and entertaining lol.

As much as I like Vivian because she has a witty and mature personality, I can't stand the people pleasing side of her. It was driving me up the wall. I understand not wanting to disappoint your parents but there's a limit, my God. Family was her excuse every time she chose not to stand up for herself and just stay miserable.

I wish this book was a little bit longer. In comparison to Twisted Hate and Twisted Lies, this is short. I wanted certain scenes to play out longer with more detail. Parts of the book felt rushed due to a lot of telling and not showing.

I will say, out of all the couples in Ana Huang's universe, Dante and Vivian are my new favorite. They have usurped Josh and Jules. Even though they're opposites, their chemistry and compatibility was palpable.

Merged review:

Now y'all KNOW I'm a sucker for the arranged marriage trope so I ate this up! The backstory of how and why the deal was made, the fallout and family drama–it was all very juicy and entertaining lol.

As much as I like Vivian because she has a witty and mature personality, I can't stand the people pleasing side of her. It was driving me up the wall. I understand not wanting to disappoint your parents but there's a limit, my God. Family was her excuse every time she chose not to stand up for herself and just stay miserable.

I wish this book was a little bit longer. In comparison to Twisted Hate and Twisted Lies, this is short. I wanted certain scenes to play out longer with more detail. Parts of the book felt rushed due to a lot of telling and not showing.

I will say, out of all the couples in Ana Huang's universe, Dante and Vivian are my new favorite. They have usurped Josh and Jules. Even though they're opposites, their chemistry and compatibility was palpable.
]]> 123368729 She was commanded to kill him with a single strike to the heart. She didn’t expect her own to betray her.

Sylina has sacrificed everything for her goddess–her soul, her freedom, her eyes. Life in service to the Arachessen, a cult of the Goddess of Fate, has turned Sylina from orphaned street-rat to disciplined killer, determined to overthrow Glaea’s tyrannical king. But when a brutal vampire conqueror arrives on their shores, Sylina faces an even deadlier adversary. She’s tasked with a crucial mission: infiltrate his army, earn his trust� and kill him.

Atrius is a terrifying warrior carving an unstoppable path through Glaea. Yet when Sylina becomes his seer, she glimpses a dark and shocking past–and a side of him that reminds her far too much of parts of herself she’d rather forget. Sylina’s orders are clear. The conqueror cannot live. But as the blood spilled by Glaea’s tyrant king runs thicker, her connection with Atrius only grows stronger. A connection forbidden by her vows. A connection that could cost her everything.

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a standalone fantasy romance set in the Crowns of Nyaxia world, full of heart-wrenching forbidden romance, dark curses, and epic battles � perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom and the From Blood and Ash series.]]> 369 Carissa Broadbent Apsara 0 to-read 4.10 2023
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 199026522 In the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend—and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines of his picture-perfect neighborhood.

The worst thing to ever happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard. One July night, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up on a manicured lawn in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul de sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul de sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle?

The mysterious occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night, a quest that reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle. Woods where Billy claimed monsters roamed and where a mysterious institute does clandestine research on a crumbling estate.

The closer Ethan gets to the truth, the more he realizes that no place—be it quiet forest or suburban street—is completely safe. And that the past has a way of haunting the present.]]> 367 Riley Sager 0593472373 Apsara 5 *4.5 3.65 2024
author: Riley Sager
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/26
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves:
review:
*4.5
]]> 50833559 What was it like? Living in that house.

Maggie Holt is used to such questions. Twenty-five years ago, she and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into Baneberry Hall, a rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. They spent three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night, an ordeal Ewan later recounted in a nonfiction book called House of Horrors. His tale of ghostly happenings and encounters with malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon, rivaling The Amityville Horror in popularity—and skepticism.

Today, Maggie is a restorer of old homes and too young to remember any of the events mentioned in her father’s book. But she also doesn’t believe a word of it. Ghosts, after all, don’t exist. When Maggie inherits Baneberry Hall after her father’s death, she returns to renovate the place to prepare it for sale. But her homecoming is anything but warm. People from the past, chronicled in House of Horrors, lurk in the shadows. And locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous thanks to Maggie’s father. Even more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself—a place filled with relics from another era that hint at a history of dark deeds. As Maggie experiences strange occurrences straight out of her father’s book, she starts to believe that what he wrote was more fact than fiction.

In the latest thriller from New York Times bestseller Riley Sager, a woman returns to the house made famous by her father’s bestselling horror memoir. Is the place really haunted by evil forces, as her father claimed? Or are there more earthbound—and dangerous—secrets hidden within its walls?]]> 389 Riley Sager 1524745170 Apsara 4 *4.25 4.05 2020
author: Riley Sager
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/04
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves:
review:
*4.25
]]> 43587154 JADE CITY is a gripping Godfather-esque saga of intergenerational blood feuds, vicious politics, magic, and kungfu.

The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities.

The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and foreign money, Green Bone families like the Kauls are primarily involved in commerce, construction, and the everyday upkeep of the districts under their protection.

When the simmering tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals erupts into open violence in the streets, the outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones and the future of Kekon itself.]]> 540 Fonda Lee 0316440884 Apsara 0 currently-reading 4.06 2017
author: Fonda Lee
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 59527156
A woman receives an unexpected visitor during a deadly snowstorm in this chilling thriller from New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf

She thought she was alone�

True crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence. It would be perfect, if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace.

As the storm worsens, Wylie finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls—haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. Bringing the child inside for warmth and safety, she begins to search for answers. But soon it becomes clear that the farmhouse isn’t as isolated as she thought, and someone is willing to do anything to find them.]]> Heather Gudenkauf Apsara 0 to-read 3.77 2022
author: Heather Gudenkauf
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 41837243
As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.]]> 381 Riley Sager 1524745154 Apsara 3
After reading and loving two of his most recent releases, I was super excited to get into his previous work. This is one of his highest rated and it’s solidified for me that I can’t trust GoodReads ratings.

It had none of the suspense from the other books. It was not giving thriller. Majority of the book is spent talking about the main character’s past trauma and unnecessary lengthy descriptions instead of moving the story along. A resident goes missing and all she can think to do is go around asking everybody if they’ve seen her. And blab to anyone who will listen about her findings. If you’re weary of a building, wouldn’t you be careful of its residents as well? Or make sure to move carefully so they don’t suspect you and you have some sort of leverage? Every decision of hers was stupid af. The serious lack of common sense on Jules� part was beyond frustrating and clearly plot armor.

Boring and predictable. I was speed reading the second half just to get it over with. It doesn’t even feel like it’s been written by the same author. So disappointing. Hopefully the other books are better. If not, I’ll be sticking to his new releases only.]]> 3.88 2019
author: Riley Sager
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/30
date added: 2024/07/30
shelves:
review:
*2.5

After reading and loving two of his most recent releases, I was super excited to get into his previous work. This is one of his highest rated and it’s solidified for me that I can’t trust GoodReads ratings.

It had none of the suspense from the other books. It was not giving thriller. Majority of the book is spent talking about the main character’s past trauma and unnecessary lengthy descriptions instead of moving the story along. A resident goes missing and all she can think to do is go around asking everybody if they’ve seen her. And blab to anyone who will listen about her findings. If you’re weary of a building, wouldn’t you be careful of its residents as well? Or make sure to move carefully so they don’t suspect you and you have some sort of leverage? Every decision of hers was stupid af. The serious lack of common sense on Jules� part was beyond frustrating and clearly plot armor.

Boring and predictable. I was speed reading the second half just to get it over with. It doesn’t even feel like it’s been written by the same author. So disappointing. Hopefully the other books are better. If not, I’ll be sticking to his new releases only.
]]> 25802043
In order to survive, we have to take on a symbiont that wants to rewire our bodies to live in this brutal place. I like to call it a cootie. And my cootie’s a jerk, because it also thinks I’m the mate to the biggest, surliest alien of the group.

BARBARIAN ALIEN is a sequel to ICE PLANET BARBARIANS. You do not have to read both in order to understand the plot, but the story will be richer if you do!]]> 248 Ruby Dixon Apsara 5
I really liked Liz in comparison to Georgie. She actually had real normal human emotions and feelings about her new situation on the ice planet. She thought about her family and grieved her old life on Earth. But still made the best of it and adapted. I saw myself in her because I would react exactly as she did.

Raahosh... omg what can I say... he was making me smile and giggle the entire time! He is my kinda guy. He's quiet, possessive, protective but also funny, caring and affectionate. The perfect mix. I was feeling for him throughout the entire book. He thinks he's ugly and unwanted because he has scars and a broken horn. (I wish they touched on the backstory of how exactly he got them.) Which is why he felt extremely lonely and was so happy to finally have a mate/companion for life. Ugh I wanted to jump into the pages and make him feel better and be his resonance mate instead lmao.

This was a hate to love story and the tension building up was so good! I loved reading about the way Raahosh made Liz fall in love with him despite her initial pushback. The spicy scenes were *chef's kiss*. Which surprised me considering the fact that she is the experienced one and he's the virgin. The 3rd act break up was NOT a miscommunication trope! They actually had great communication. Extreme brownie points for that!

Also I hate Georgie. If I was Liz, I'd drop that bitch like a hot potato.]]> 3.76 2015
author: Ruby Dixon
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2022/01/13
date added: 2024/07/29
shelves:
review:
I thought I enjoyed the first one a lot? I LOVED THIS ONE SO MUCH MORE!!!

I really liked Liz in comparison to Georgie. She actually had real normal human emotions and feelings about her new situation on the ice planet. She thought about her family and grieved her old life on Earth. But still made the best of it and adapted. I saw myself in her because I would react exactly as she did.

Raahosh... omg what can I say... he was making me smile and giggle the entire time! He is my kinda guy. He's quiet, possessive, protective but also funny, caring and affectionate. The perfect mix. I was feeling for him throughout the entire book. He thinks he's ugly and unwanted because he has scars and a broken horn. (I wish they touched on the backstory of how exactly he got them.) Which is why he felt extremely lonely and was so happy to finally have a mate/companion for life. Ugh I wanted to jump into the pages and make him feel better and be his resonance mate instead lmao.

This was a hate to love story and the tension building up was so good! I loved reading about the way Raahosh made Liz fall in love with him despite her initial pushback. The spicy scenes were *chef's kiss*. Which surprised me considering the fact that she is the experienced one and he's the virgin. The 3rd act break up was NOT a miscommunication trope! They actually had great communication. Extreme brownie points for that!

Also I hate Georgie. If I was Liz, I'd drop that bitch like a hot potato.
]]> 62703226 At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.

Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life

It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer�I want to tell you everything.

“It wasn’t me,� Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.]]> 383 Riley Sager 0593183223 Apsara 5 favorites
This book is my introduction to Riley Sager and I am not disappointed whatsoever. I stayed up until 7 am reading because it was physically impossible for me to put it down. I went in with zero expectations because I didn't even read the synopsis. All I knew was that it was about a caregiver in charge of an elderly woman accused of murdering her entire family while living in a mansion on top of a cliff. That little tidbit sold me enough to pick it up. It's a gothic horror mystery filled with murder, betrayal and forbidden romance. I stopped trying to put the puzzle pieces together early on because every time I thought I figured it out, there was another twist giving me whiplash. New information kept unraveling itself until the very end but everything was interwoven perfectly and came full circle. Some scenes were so creepy and tense that I was genuinely scared and hiding under the covers. I closed the book completely mind fucked. Oh what a fun and unhinged ride it was!]]> 4.12 2023
author: Riley Sager
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/10
date added: 2024/07/29
shelves: favorites
review:
WOWOWOW!!!

This book is my introduction to Riley Sager and I am not disappointed whatsoever. I stayed up until 7 am reading because it was physically impossible for me to put it down. I went in with zero expectations because I didn't even read the synopsis. All I knew was that it was about a caregiver in charge of an elderly woman accused of murdering her entire family while living in a mansion on top of a cliff. That little tidbit sold me enough to pick it up. It's a gothic horror mystery filled with murder, betrayal and forbidden romance. I stopped trying to put the puzzle pieces together early on because every time I thought I figured it out, there was another twist giving me whiplash. New information kept unraveling itself until the very end but everything was interwoven perfectly and came full circle. Some scenes were so creepy and tense that I was genuinely scared and hiding under the covers. I closed the book completely mind fucked. Oh what a fun and unhinged ride it was!
]]> 210722967
From USA Today bestselling author Emily McIntire comes a dark and delicious fractured fairytale of The Little Mermaid.

Venesa Andersen has never been good. She wasn’t good enough for her parents, and she isn’t good enough for the gangster uncle who took her in after they died. But she’s cunning. Beautiful. Dutiful to her uncle’s demands. And she doesn’t have time for a moral compass, anyway. When her runaway cousin returns to their coastal southern town, she brings a man with her…and Venesa soon realizes he’s the only one who’s ever seen her for her.
There’s just one problem: she can never have him.

Enzo “Loverboy� Marino is a wealthy businessman by day and prince of the underworld by night. Underboss to a notorious mafia syndicate, he answers to no one except his father, the strongest don in the Northeast. When he’s tasked with marriage, Enzo doesn’t think twice.

Until he meets his fiancée’s cousin.

Venesa is everything he never knew he wanted, bewitching him with her sultry voice and supple curves. But Enzo learned long ago that for a man like him, life is better without the things you want.

When plans unravel and temptation sings its siren song, they’ll both have to choose what’s more important: duty to their families, or a forbidden love that was never supposed to be.]]> 544 Emily McIntire 1728275865 Apsara 0 to-read 4.16 2024
author: Emily McIntire
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 52003821 When Gianna watches her older sister being forced into an arranged marriage, she promises herself to escape a similar fate.

The moment Matteo � The Blade � Vitiello sees Gianna on his brother’s wedding, he wants to possess her. Her father agrees to the bond, but Gianna has no intention of marrying for any other reason than love. A few months before the wedding, Gianna runs away and begins a new life in Europe away from the mafia. But one of their best hunters and assassins is after her: Matteo.

When Matteo and a couple of her father’s soldiers catch her, not only her freedom is at risk, but also the life of the people with her.

Gianna is taken home and forced to marry Matteo.
Ridden by guilt over having dragged innocent people into her world and overcome with hatred toward Matteo, Gianna is determined to make life hell for her husband. But Matteo is a master at mind games and their struggle for power soon turns into hate-fueled nights of passion.]]> 281 Cora Reilly Apsara 0 to-read 3.75 2015
author: Cora Reilly
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58762117
Oh, how stupidly in love with that boy I was. He was the first boy that made me blush, my first official crush. Sounds beautiful so far, right? That excitement that bubbles up inside you, those famous butterflies you feel for the very first time—he was the reason for them all. But, you only get to live in that fairytale world until they crush your hopes and dreams and then stomp on your heart for good measure. And boy did he crush my little heart into pieces.

After the stomping part he became the boy I did my best to stay away from—and let me tell you, it was pretty hard to do when he slept in the room right across from mine.
When tragedy struck his family and they moved away, I was ready to forget he ever existed.

Now he is a movie star, the one who makes women of all ages go into a screaming frenzy, the one who makes everyone swoon with that dimpled smile of his. Do you think that’s dreamy? I certainly don’t think so. How about me coming face to face with him? Nope still not dreamy. Not when I can’t even manage to look him in the eye.

Me? I’m Olive, a new writer. Actually, I’m THE writer of the book that inspired the movie he is about to star in on the big screen. As of late, I am also referred to as the oh-so-very-lucky girl who is about to become the wife of Jason Thorn.
Maybe you’re thinking yet again that this is all so dreamy? Nope, nothing dreamy going on here. Not even close.

To Love Jason Thorn is a full-length standalone, which also contains some pretty hot and descriptive sex scenes. *winks*]]> 428 Ella Maise Apsara 0 to-read 3.68 2015
author: Ella Maise
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 204217398
The author of What Lies in the Woods returns with a novel about three sisters, two murders, and too many secrets to count.

Emma hasn't told her husband much about her past. He knows her parents are dead and she hasn't spoken to her sisters in years. Then they lose their apartment, her husband gets laid off, and Emma discovers she's pregnant―right as the bank account slips into the red.

That's when Emma confesses that she has one more asset: her parents' house, which she owns jointly with her estranged sisters. They can't sell it, but they can live in it. But returning home means that Emma is forced to reveal her secrets to her husband: that the house is not a run-down farmhouse but a stately mansion, and that her parents died there.

Were murdered.

And that some people say Emma did it.

Emma and her sisters have never spoken about what really happened that night. Now, her return to the house may lure her sisters back, but it will also crack open family and small-town secrets lots of people don’t want revealed. As Emma struggles to reconnect with her old family and hold together her new one, she begins to realize that the things they have left unspoken all these years have put them in danger again.]]> 324 Kate Alice Marshall Apsara 3 3.68 2024
author: Kate Alice Marshall
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/20
date added: 2024/03/04
shelves:
review:

]]> 125157226 The rules were simple: keep his hands off his agent's daughter and stay out of trouble.

But now he's stuck with her. There's only one bed. And well, rules are made to be broken.

Rhett Eaton is the face of professional bull riding. The golden boy. Or at least he was until it all blew up in his face after a public brawl. Now his agent says he has to clean up his image, and sticks Rhett with his ball-busting daughter for the rest of the season as "full-time supervision."

But Rhett doesn't need a goddamn babysitter--especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk, and a mouth she can't stop running.

A mouth he can't stop thinking about.

And he quickly learns that Summer Hamilton isn't just another conquest. She sees the man behind the mask, and she doesn't run--she pulls him closer, even when she shouldn't.

She says this means nothing.

Rhett says this means everything.

She says there are boundaries they shouldn't cross. That Rhett's reputation can't take any more hits...and neither can her damaged heart.

Rhett says he's going to steal it anyway.]]> 400 Elsie Silver 1728297001 Apsara 0 to-read 4.01 2022
author: Elsie Silver
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 57945316 From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a historical fantasy epic that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British Empire

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver-working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire's quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . .

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?]]> 544 R.F. Kuang 0063021420 Apsara 0 to-read 4.17 2022
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 202692500
The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job.

Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes—especially after what happened last time.

Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to—her real identity—just walked right into this town. Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn't be higher—but then, Evie has always liked a challenge...

Listening length: 9 hours, 16 minutes]]> 10 Ashley Elston 0593789687 Apsara 4 3.82 2024
author: Ashley Elston
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/26
date added: 2024/02/20
shelves:
review:

]]> 59316367 448 David Ellis 0399170928 Apsara 0 to-read 4.17 2022
author: David Ellis
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58724923 A wildly inventive spin on the supernatural thriller, about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets.

Mallory Quinn is fresh out of rehab when she takes a job as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.

Mallory immediately loves it. She has her own living space, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual fare: trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something different: a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.

Then, Teddy’s artwork becomes increasingly sinister, and his stick figures quickly evolve into lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to wonder if these are glimpses of a long-unsolved murder, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force.

Knowing just how crazy it all sounds, Mallory nevertheless sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy before it’s too late.]]> 372 Jason Rekulak 1250819342 Apsara 0 to-read 4.12 2022
author: Jason Rekulak
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 124943221 He had her, he lost her…and he’ll do anything to win her back.

Powerful, brilliant, and ambitious, Dominic Davenport clawed his way up from nothing to become the King of Wall Street.

He has everything—a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, and more money than he could spend in a lifetime. But no matter how much he accumulates, he’s never satisfied.

In his endless quest for more, he drives away the only person who saw him as enough.

It isn’t until she’s gone that he realizes there may be more to life than riches and glory…but by then, it may be too late.

***

Kind, intelligent, and thoughtful, Alessandra Davenport has played the role of trophy wife for years.

She stood by her husband while he built an empire, but now that they’ve reached the top, she realizes he’s no longer the man she fell for.

When it becomes clear that she’ll always come second to his work, she finally takes charge of her life and puts herself first—even if it means leaving the only man she’s ever loved.

But what she didn’t count on was his refusal to let her go…or for him to fight for their marriage, no matter what it takes.

King of Greed is a steamy marriage in trouble/second chance romance. It's book three in the Kings of Sin series but can be read as a standalone.]]> 352 Ana Huang Apsara 0 currently-reading 3.92 2023
author: Ana Huang
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> 57693172
Now 20 years later, Chloe is a psychologist in private practice in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. She finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to get. Sometimes, though, she feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. And then a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, and that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, and seeing parallels that aren't really there, or for the second time in her life, is she about to unmask a killer?

In a debut novel that has already been optioned for a limited series by actress Emma Stone and sold to a dozen countries around the world, Stacy Willingham has created an unforgettable character in a spellbinding thriller that will appeal equally to fans of Gillian Flynn and Karin Slaughter.]]> 357 Stacy Willingham 1250803829 Apsara 3 3.96 2022
author: Stacy Willingham
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/25
date added: 2024/01/25
shelves:
review:

]]> 42102463
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, and The Death of Mrs. Westaway comes Ruth Ware’s highly anticipated fifth novel.

When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart� home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.

It was everything.

She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.

Full of spellbinding menace and told in Ruth Ware’s signature suspenseful style, The Turn of the Key is an unputdownable thriller from the Agatha Christie of our time.]]> 13 Ruth Ware 1508284121 Apsara 2
Two major issues: pacing of the story progression and the anticlimactic ending.
1) 90% of the book passed and NOTHING happened. Just some creaky sounds, misbehaving children, and hush hush rumors. I kept waiting in anticipation for SOMETHING but it gave nothing.
2) The wrap up of the last 10% was super fast with a big twist reveal that was beyond lackluster. I feel like I wasted my time reading this because it all amounted to nothing. What a boring and lazy cop out the ending was.

It was written well enough because I was entertained and curious to keep going to the finish line. I don't think I will be checking out any other of Ruth Ware's works though because this is her highest rated. If this is supposed to be her best, I can't imagine how bad the others are.]]> 3.73 2019
author: Ruth Ware
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2024/01/22
date added: 2024/01/22
shelves:
review:
This had such a promising start due to the premise but what a huge disappointment it turned out to be.

Two major issues: pacing of the story progression and the anticlimactic ending.
1) 90% of the book passed and NOTHING happened. Just some creaky sounds, misbehaving children, and hush hush rumors. I kept waiting in anticipation for SOMETHING but it gave nothing.
2) The wrap up of the last 10% was super fast with a big twist reveal that was beyond lackluster. I feel like I wasted my time reading this because it all amounted to nothing. What a boring and lazy cop out the ending was.

It was written well enough because I was entertained and curious to keep going to the finish line. I don't think I will be checking out any other of Ruth Ware's works though because this is her highest rated. If this is supposed to be her best, I can't imagine how bad the others are.
]]> 57915993 Magic has made the city of Tiran an industrial utopia, but magic has a cost—and the collectors have come calling.

An orphan since the age of four, Sciona has always had more to prove than her fellow students. For twenty years, she has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry. When she finally claws her way up the ranks to become a highmage, however, she finds that her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues will stop at nothing to let her know she is unwelcome, beginning with giving her a janitor instead of a qualified lab assistant.

What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was once more than a janitor; before he mopped floors for the mages, Thomil was a nomadic hunter from beyond Tiran’s magical barrier. Ten years have passed since he survived the perilous crossing that killed his family. But working for a highmage, he sees the opportunity to finally understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the Tiranish in power.

Through their fractious relationship, mage and outsider uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever—if it doesn’t get them killed first. Sciona has defined her life by the pursuit of truth, but how much is one truth worth with the fate of civilization in the balance?

A standalone dark academia brimming with mystery, tragedy, and the damning echoes of the past. For fans of Leigh Bardugo, V. E. Schwab, and Fullmetal Alchemist.

(Content warnings for gore, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation)]]> 527 M.L. Wang Apsara 0 to-read 4.44 2023
author: M.L. Wang
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58340706
Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.]]> 399 Rachel Gillig 0316312487 Apsara 0 to-read 4.25 2022
author: Rachel Gillig
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62047984
So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? This piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller. That is what June believes, and The New York Times bestseller list agrees.

But June cannot escape Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens her stolen success. As she races to protect her secret she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves.]]> 319 R.F. Kuang 000853277X Apsara 5 White Lotus because of its satirical dark dramedy genre. It's a criticism of appropriation, racism, social media culture and the publishing industry.

June Hayward is a character that you hate, you know you're supposed to hate but there were times that I couldn't help but love her. Playing Devil's advocate here but she really stood on business and handled things in such a clever way that I had to admire her. Respect her even. By the end of it, I found myself rooting for her. Like girl, you got yourself this far, you might as well take it all the way home. But sadly, she does not. Her stupid ass is the cause of her own downfall. I was screaming at the book because I could not believe what a dumb mistake she was making. It's like all common sense left her brain. The ending is left open-ended but I don't believe she manages to be successful at making a comeback.

I think this represented perfectly that no one is completely innocent. Yes, June was guilty but so was Athena and the others. It puts into perspective that everyone is in a rat race. Everyone is trying to outdo the other and get ahead in life any way possible. People get on their high horses but it's as the saying goes: if you point one finger, there are 3 more pointing back at you. It's a toxic cycle of the pot calling the kettle black.

The accurate portrayal of being canceled on social media though was hilarious and on point. I enjoyed the commentary on all the issues touched upon because this is actually the reality we live in now. June's inner dialogue of her seething with jealousy over Athena's life and expecting reparations for it was scary. You never know how people truly feel about you or how far they're willing to go to betray you.

Kuang's writing really drew me in with its natural conversation-like prose. It was fast paced and a quick read. Now I'm even more excited to dive into The Poppy War trilogy soon!]]> 3.69 2023
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/16
date added: 2024/01/17
shelves:
review:
This was entertaining from start to finish and I was hooked from the first line. This book reminds me so much of the show White Lotus because of its satirical dark dramedy genre. It's a criticism of appropriation, racism, social media culture and the publishing industry.

June Hayward is a character that you hate, you know you're supposed to hate but there were times that I couldn't help but love her. Playing Devil's advocate here but she really stood on business and handled things in such a clever way that I had to admire her. Respect her even. By the end of it, I found myself rooting for her. Like girl, you got yourself this far, you might as well take it all the way home. But sadly, she does not. Her stupid ass is the cause of her own downfall. I was screaming at the book because I could not believe what a dumb mistake she was making. It's like all common sense left her brain. The ending is left open-ended but I don't believe she manages to be successful at making a comeback.

I think this represented perfectly that no one is completely innocent. Yes, June was guilty but so was Athena and the others. It puts into perspective that everyone is in a rat race. Everyone is trying to outdo the other and get ahead in life any way possible. People get on their high horses but it's as the saying goes: if you point one finger, there are 3 more pointing back at you. It's a toxic cycle of the pot calling the kettle black.

The accurate portrayal of being canceled on social media though was hilarious and on point. I enjoyed the commentary on all the issues touched upon because this is actually the reality we live in now. June's inner dialogue of her seething with jealousy over Athena's life and expecting reparations for it was scary. You never know how people truly feel about you or how far they're willing to go to betray you.

Kuang's writing really drew me in with its natural conversation-like prose. It was fast paced and a quick read. Now I'm even more excited to dive into The Poppy War trilogy soon!
]]> 62334527
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author known for her “superb pacing, twisted characters, and captivating prose� (), Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?]]> 390 Lisa Jewell 1797156594 Apsara 4
This is truly a slow burning suspense. Majority of the book was spent building up the story, like climbing to the top of a rollercoaster. I was anxious, waiting (im)patiently for the other shoe to drop. And at the 70% mark, it finally drops and you’re riding the thrill out to the end with all the sudden twists and sharp turns. You have to decide on your own what you believe is the truth of what really happened due to the unreliable narrators.

I was so uncomfortable and cringing during certain moments. And incredibly frustrated during others. Girl, you’re going through all this just for a damn podcast episode?! I just kept thinking to myself, if this was happening to me, how would I have handled it?

What bothered me the MOST was that Josie was hurling judgmental insults at Alix and her husband nonstop while being overbearing, overstaying her welcome, and simply acting deranged. For a podcaster who is great at interviewing, you would think Alix would be capable of confrontation, speaking her mind and reading people. Instead she's a pushover and a doormat. STAND UP!

I’m rating this 4 stars because I can’t get over how careless, reckless, and stupid Alix was and how much she let Josie get away with. And this is exactly why whatever happened, happened. Also I was expecting a bit more in terms of the crimes and the ending. It was kind of anticlimactic and mild. The story didn't wrap up the way I expected it to thus not leaving me fully satisfied.]]> 4.00 2023
author: Lisa Jewell
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/05
date added: 2024/01/06
shelves:
review:
I want to start off by saying this is my first audiobook in almost 20 years and I had the best time listening. I'm glad I chose this route as it was quite the experience because it made you feel like you were listening to a real, documentary style, true crime podcast. There is a full cast, sounds effects, music... it suits the premise of the story perfectly.

This is truly a slow burning suspense. Majority of the book was spent building up the story, like climbing to the top of a rollercoaster. I was anxious, waiting (im)patiently for the other shoe to drop. And at the 70% mark, it finally drops and you’re riding the thrill out to the end with all the sudden twists and sharp turns. You have to decide on your own what you believe is the truth of what really happened due to the unreliable narrators.

I was so uncomfortable and cringing during certain moments. And incredibly frustrated during others. Girl, you’re going through all this just for a damn podcast episode?! I just kept thinking to myself, if this was happening to me, how would I have handled it?

What bothered me the MOST was that Josie was hurling judgmental insults at Alix and her husband nonstop while being overbearing, overstaying her welcome, and simply acting deranged. For a podcaster who is great at interviewing, you would think Alix would be capable of confrontation, speaking her mind and reading people. Instead she's a pushover and a doormat. STAND UP!

I’m rating this 4 stars because I can’t get over how careless, reckless, and stupid Alix was and how much she let Josie get away with. And this is exactly why whatever happened, happened. Also I was expecting a bit more in terms of the crimes and the ending. It was kind of anticlimactic and mild. The story didn't wrap up the way I expected it to thus not leaving me fully satisfied.
]]> 55922299
Kim watches her daughter leave and, as late evening turns into night, which turns into early morning, she waits for her return. And waits.

The next morning, Kim phones Tallulah's friends who tell her that Tallulah was last seen heading to a party at a house in the nearby woods called Dark Place.

She never returns.

2019: Sophie is walking in the woods near the boarding school where her boyfriend has just started work as a head-teacher when she sees a note fixed to a tree.

'DIG HERE' . . .

A cold case, an abandoned mansion, family trauma and dark secrets lie at the heart of Lisa Jewell's remarkable new novel.]]> 416 Lisa Jewell 1982137363 Apsara 0 to-read 4.05 2021
author: Lisa Jewell
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61718053
They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends� hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week� in front of those who know you best?

A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.]]> 400 Emily Henry 0593441273 Apsara 0 to-read 3.95 2023
author: Emily Henry
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60588452
When homicide cop Mallory Van Alst is called to a scene at a luxury waterfront home known as the Glass House, she’s confronted with evidence of a violent attack so bloody it’s improbable the victim is alive. But there’s no body. The homeowners are gone. And their maid is missing. The only witness is the elderly woman next door, who woke to screams in the night. The neighbor was also the last person to see Kit Darling alive.

As Mal begins to uncover the secret that has sent the lives of everyone involved on a devious and inescapable collision course, she realizes that nothing is quite as it seems.

And no one escapes their past.]]> 369 Loreth Anne White 1542034450 Apsara 0 to-read 4.12 2023
author: Loreth Anne White
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58977601 A New York Times Book Review Summer Read andĚýEdgar Award nominee!ĚýDon’t miss this unputdownable psychological thriller! Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware!

When you really start to look beyond the airy open floor plans and marble counters, Brighton Hills is filled with secrets. Some big, some little, some deadly. And one by one, they’re about to be revealed� “A writer to watch.� �Publishers Weekly

The perfect neighborhood can be the perfect place to hide�

Who wouldn’t want to live in Brighton Hills? This exclusive community on the Oregon coast is the perfect mix of luxury and natural beauty. Stunning houses nestle beneath mighty Douglas firs, and lush backyards roll down to the lakefront. It’s the kind of place where neighbors look out for one another. Sometimes a little too closely�

Cora thinks her husband, Finn, is cheating—she just needs to catch him in the act. That’s where Paige comes in. Paige lost her son to a hit-and-run last year, and she’s drowning in the kind of grief that makes people do reckless things like spying on the locals, searching for proof that her son’s death was no accident…and agreeing to Cora’s plan to reveal what kind of man Finn really is. All the while, their reclusive new neighbor, Georgia, is acting more strangely every day. But what could such a lovely young mother possibly be hiding?

Don't miss Seraphina's upcoming novel, The Vanishing Hour. You won't be able to put it down!Ěý

Other thrillers from Seraphina to keep you up all
The Vanishing Hour Such a Good Wife Someone’s Listening

]]> 302 Seraphina Nova Glass 0369717058 Apsara 0 to-read 4.13 2022
author: Seraphina Nova Glass
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 45023611 House Rules:
Do your own dishes.
Knock before entering the bathroom.
Never look up your roommate online.

The Wheatons are infamous among the east coast elite for their lack of impulse control, except for their daughter Clara. She’s the consummate socialite: over-achieving, well-mannered, predictable. But every Wheaton has their weakness. When Clara’s childhood crush invites her to move cross-country, the offer is too much to resist. Unfortunately, it’s also too good to be true.

After a bait-and-switch, Clara finds herself sharing a lease with a charming stranger. Josh might be a bit too perceptive—not to mention handsome—for comfort, but there’s a good chance he and Clara could have survived sharing a summer sublet if she hadn’t looked him up on the Internet...

Once she learns how Josh has made a name for himself, Clara realizes living with him might make her the Wheaton’s most scandalous story yet. His professional prowess inspires her to take tackling the stigma against female desire into her own hands. They may not agree on much, but Josh and Clara both believe women deserve better sex. What they decide to do about it will change both of their lives, and if they’re lucky, they’ll help everyone else get lucky too.]]> 325 Rosie Danan 059310160X Apsara 2
I wasn’t invested in the main characters. Clara was annoying and her relationship dynamic with Josh before getting together was so weird. She’s comfortable getting orgasms from him “platonically� but she’s a supposed prude and they’re both pining for each other internally?? But y’all are giving each other orgasms as friends?? Make it make sense. They didn’t have a real reason for liking each other except for the fact that they got stuck together as roommates and find each other attractive. The one character I did like though was Naomi.

I liked the premise of the story, which is what drew me to the book in the first place. Unfortunately it failed to deliver. This plot doesn’t work with 3rd person writing and would’ve greatly benefited from a 1st person dual POV. For a romance novel, it lacked romance. There were some cute moments here and there but overall, it was just okay. But I will say that the last 100 pages is what brought it up from a 2 to an almost 3-star read. Also definitely not as spicy as I anticipated. Disappointed it wasn’t as good as I hoped it’d be considering how popular this book is.]]> 3.53 2020
author: Rosie Danan
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2022/09/03
date added: 2023/12/23
shelves:
review:
I really didn't connect with anything in this book. I was never pulled into their world. I stayed in my reality aware of my surroundings constantly distracted wondering when it was going to be over. The pacing was very slow and I was bored AF. I was never excited to pick the book back up. I don't like to DNF so I had to keep telling myself to finish just so I can move on to something I cared about.

I wasn’t invested in the main characters. Clara was annoying and her relationship dynamic with Josh before getting together was so weird. She’s comfortable getting orgasms from him “platonically� but she’s a supposed prude and they’re both pining for each other internally?? But y’all are giving each other orgasms as friends?? Make it make sense. They didn’t have a real reason for liking each other except for the fact that they got stuck together as roommates and find each other attractive. The one character I did like though was Naomi.

I liked the premise of the story, which is what drew me to the book in the first place. Unfortunately it failed to deliver. This plot doesn’t work with 3rd person writing and would’ve greatly benefited from a 1st person dual POV. For a romance novel, it lacked romance. There were some cute moments here and there but overall, it was just okay. But I will say that the last 100 pages is what brought it up from a 2 to an almost 3-star read. Also definitely not as spicy as I anticipated. Disappointed it wasn’t as good as I hoped it’d be considering how popular this book is.
]]> 62630160
But when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier, a violent winter storm traps them at the estate� with no chance of escape until the blizzard comes to an end.

In search of a book to keep her entertained until the snow abates, Tricia happens upon a secret room. One that contains audio transcripts from every single patient Dr. Hale has ever interviewed. As Tricia listens to the cassette tapes, she learns about the terrifying chain of events leading up to Dr. Hale’s mysterious disappearance.

Tricia plays the tapes one by one, late into the night. With each one, another shocking piece of the puzzle falls into place, and Dr. Adrienne Hale’s web of lies slowly unravels.

And then Tricia reaches the final cassette.

The one that reveals the entire horrifying truth.]]> 336 Freida McFadden Apsara 4
Also for such a smart psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Dr. Adrienne Hale sure made a lot of stupid decisions. Maybe it's just me but I don't think slashing someone's tires is a career ending move.]]> 4.11 2022
author: Freida McFadden
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/22
date added: 2023/12/22
shelves:
review:
I was prepared to give this a lower rating because I really thought I had it all figured out and I was extremely frustrated by the fact that it was so easy to do. Boy, was I wrong. I did not expect that twist or ending.

Also for such a smart psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Dr. Adrienne Hale sure made a lot of stupid decisions. Maybe it's just me but I don't think slashing someone's tires is a career ending move.
]]> 52459864
When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.�

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia�. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.]]> 394 Xiran Jay Zhao 0735269939 Apsara 0 to-read 4.03 2021
author: Xiran Jay Zhao
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62058385
Charming, deadly, and smart enough to hide it, Christian Harper is a monster dressed in the perfectly tailored suits of a gentleman.

He has little use for morals and even less use for love, but he can't deny the strange pull he feels toward the woman living just one floor below him.

She's the object of his darkest desires, the only puzzle he can't solve. And when the opportunity to get closer to her arises, he breaks his own rules to offer her a deal she can't refuse.

Every monster has their weakness. She's his.

His obsession.

His addiction.

His only exception.

***

Sweet, shy, and introverted despite her social media fame, Stella Alonso is a romantic who keeps her heart in a cage.

Between her two jobs, she has little time or desire for a relationship.

But when a threat from her past drives her into the arms―and house―of the most dangerous man she's ever met, she's tempted to let herself feel something for the first time in a long time.

Because despite Christian's cold nature, he makes her feel everything when she's with him.

Passionate.

Protected.

Truly wanted.

Theirs is a love twisted with secrets and tainted by lies…and when the truths are finally revealed, they could shatter everything.]]> 560 Ana Huang 1728274893 Apsara 4 Not a king, even if he was richer than one, and not a god, even if he looked like one.

Christian Harper, the man that you are! He carried because Stella annoyed me.

The third act break up conflict wasn’t that serious and weak imo.

Ana Huang's writing has gotten better and better with each book. I would highlight the whole thing if I could because so many lines resonated with me.

I would throw myself into her flame and let it burn me alive if it meant her warmth was the last thing I felt before I died.

I would never make it to heaven, but that didn't matter as long as she ruled beside me in hell.]]> 4.11 2022
author: Ana Huang
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/07
date added: 2023/12/10
shelves:
review:
Not a king, even if he was richer than one, and not a god, even if he looked like one.

Christian Harper, the man that you are! He carried because Stella annoyed me.

The third act break up conflict wasn’t that serious and weak imo.

Ana Huang's writing has gotten better and better with each book. I would highlight the whole thing if I could because so many lines resonated with me.

I would throw myself into her flame and let it burn me alive if it meant her warmth was the last thing I felt before I died.

I would never make it to heaven, but that didn't matter as long as she ruled beside me in hell.
]]> 60224226 Read Twisted Hate now for a steamy enemies to lovers romance.

He hates her . . . almost as much as he wants her.

Gorgeous, cocky, and fast on his way to becoming a hotshot doctor, Josh Chen has never met a woman he couldn't charm - except for Jules f**king Ambrose.

The beautiful redhead has been a thorn in his side since they met, but she also consumes his thoughts in a way no woman ever has.

When their animosity explodes into one unforgettable night, he proposes a solution that'll get her out of his system once and for an enemies with benefits arrangement with simple rules.

No jealousy.
No strings attached.
And absolutely no falling in love.

***

Outgoing and ambitious, Jules Ambrose is a former party girl who's focused on one passing the attorney's bar exam.

The last thing she needs is to get involved with a doctor who puts the SUFFER in insufferable . . . no matter how good-looking he is.

But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes there's more than meets the eye to the man she's hated for so long.

Her best friend's brother.
Her nemesis.
And her only salvation.

Theirs is a match made in hell, and when the demons from their past catch up with them, they're faced with truths that could either save them . . . or destroy everything they've worked for.

Twisted Hate is a steamy enemies with benefits/enemies to lovers romance. It's book three in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.

It contains explicit content and profanity. Recommended for 18+]]> 504 Ana Huang 1735056693 Apsara 5 favorites You're my personal hell, Red. And God help me, I don't want to fucking leave.

Let me start off by saying I LOVED Twisted Games and thought Twisted Love was okay. So I kinda put off reading this because I wasn't sure which way it was gonna swing. But I'm happy to say that I ABSOLUTELY loved it!

I really enjoyed this relationship. The way it flowed and built up was so real and organic. The pacing of the story was perfect - it never felt slow or rushed. I really like Bridget but Jules has to be my favorite out of the girls. I connected with her a lot in terms of personality. She's independent, feisty and has a sharp tongue. Roasting my significant other is also my love language lol. Their banter was amazing. Josh and Jules have the best dynamic out of all the couples imo. It was never unrealistic. They were human, relatable and a breath of fresh air.

Rhys was my number one and I was into Christian with the little snippets we got of him. But I'm pleasantly surprised to say that now Josh Chen is sitting at the top. I didn't think that was possible. Coming into this book I remembered Josh from Twisted Love. He was a med student - cocky, popular, funny and charming. But instantly you notice that he's a changed man from the first book due to the events that transpired. He's still reeling from what happened; suffering in silence. Yet he's so normal. Unlike the other brooding rich men we read about. He has an actual personality and feels his emotions. He is actually the type of guy I go for in real life lol.

I kept seeing on social media of people hating on Josh. Saying they'd never forgive him. That he needed to grovel more and Jules forgave him too easily. Did we read the same book? Because I thought JULES needed to grovel more. Josh groveled too much and Jules not enough if you ask me. I know we all love to see the men groveling for the women but it'd be nice to see a role reversal for a change. Have the woman grovel because she messed up. Because in my eyes, Jules made the bigger mistake. Even after knowing everything he went through with his father and Alex. Especially since he was finally on the mend after two years!

All I'd ever wanted was honesty, and all I'd ever gotten was deception.
That's what fucking hurts the most. That I considered you worthy of trust but you didn't think the same of me.
My heart broke for him.

Also I was actually laughing out loud at Alex's sarcastic comments. Why wasn't he this funny in his own book?

Oh I can't end the review without mentioning the top tier smut. Their chemistry was chef's kiss. Ana has truly outdone herself. You could feel the tension and then the intensity of their hate sex lmao. Josh Chen definitely has a way with (dirty) words. He had me pacing my apartment at the things he was saying AND doing. Lord have mercy. God, when will it be my turn?

Cons
-Being a lawyer and attending law school was a big part of Jules's life. I was disappointed that Ana didn't include a scene to show us her graduation from law school. I was expecting Josh and her friends to attend the ceremony and celebrate it on some capacity. Instead it's glossed over and just told that it happened.
-There were quite a few mentions that Jules is so beautiful, nobody thinks she's smart or takes her seriously. I really don't like that stereotype, it's so cliché. My eyes were rolling hardcore every time it was brought up.
-There were certain words that were constantly being repeated (ie. bloom/blooming, roared/roaring.) It's one of my writing pet peeves. Ana is a great writer and you can tell that her craft is improving with each book but girl, you need to get a thesaurus and find a different synonym.

P.S. I think Stella is pretty boring and I'm not that excited about her book tbh. I like Christian so far and he kind of reminds me of his namesake, Christian Allister lol. So we shall see how Ana brings out her personality because each character has a distinct one.]]> 3.97 2022
author: Ana Huang
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/04/30
date added: 2023/12/07
shelves: favorites
review:
You're my personal hell, Red. And God help me, I don't want to fucking leave.

Let me start off by saying I LOVED Twisted Games and thought Twisted Love was okay. So I kinda put off reading this because I wasn't sure which way it was gonna swing. But I'm happy to say that I ABSOLUTELY loved it!

I really enjoyed this relationship. The way it flowed and built up was so real and organic. The pacing of the story was perfect - it never felt slow or rushed. I really like Bridget but Jules has to be my favorite out of the girls. I connected with her a lot in terms of personality. She's independent, feisty and has a sharp tongue. Roasting my significant other is also my love language lol. Their banter was amazing. Josh and Jules have the best dynamic out of all the couples imo. It was never unrealistic. They were human, relatable and a breath of fresh air.

Rhys was my number one and I was into Christian with the little snippets we got of him. But I'm pleasantly surprised to say that now Josh Chen is sitting at the top. I didn't think that was possible. Coming into this book I remembered Josh from Twisted Love. He was a med student - cocky, popular, funny and charming. But instantly you notice that he's a changed man from the first book due to the events that transpired. He's still reeling from what happened; suffering in silence. Yet he's so normal. Unlike the other brooding rich men we read about. He has an actual personality and feels his emotions. He is actually the type of guy I go for in real life lol.

I kept seeing on social media of people hating on Josh. Saying they'd never forgive him. That he needed to grovel more and Jules forgave him too easily. Did we read the same book? Because I thought JULES needed to grovel more. Josh groveled too much and Jules not enough if you ask me. I know we all love to see the men groveling for the women but it'd be nice to see a role reversal for a change. Have the woman grovel because she messed up. Because in my eyes, Jules made the bigger mistake. Even after knowing everything he went through with his father and Alex. Especially since he was finally on the mend after two years!

All I'd ever wanted was honesty, and all I'd ever gotten was deception.
That's what fucking hurts the most. That I considered you worthy of trust but you didn't think the same of me.
My heart broke for him.

Also I was actually laughing out loud at Alex's sarcastic comments. Why wasn't he this funny in his own book?

Oh I can't end the review without mentioning the top tier smut. Their chemistry was chef's kiss. Ana has truly outdone herself. You could feel the tension and then the intensity of their hate sex lmao. Josh Chen definitely has a way with (dirty) words. He had me pacing my apartment at the things he was saying AND doing. Lord have mercy. God, when will it be my turn?

Cons
-Being a lawyer and attending law school was a big part of Jules's life. I was disappointed that Ana didn't include a scene to show us her graduation from law school. I was expecting Josh and her friends to attend the ceremony and celebrate it on some capacity. Instead it's glossed over and just told that it happened.
-There were quite a few mentions that Jules is so beautiful, nobody thinks she's smart or takes her seriously. I really don't like that stereotype, it's so cliché. My eyes were rolling hardcore every time it was brought up.
-There were certain words that were constantly being repeated (ie. bloom/blooming, roared/roaring.) It's one of my writing pet peeves. Ana is a great writer and you can tell that her craft is improving with each book but girl, you need to get a thesaurus and find a different synonym.

P.S. I think Stella is pretty boring and I'm not that excited about her book tbh. I like Christian so far and he kind of reminds me of his namesake, Christian Allister lol. So we shall see how Ana brings out her personality because each character has a distinct one.
]]> 22456224 Librarian's Note: An alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here.

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.]]> 377 Rick Riordan Apsara 0 to-read 4.36 2005
author: Rick Riordan
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2005
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40916679
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.]]> 433 Holly Jackson 1405293187 Apsara 0 to-read 4.30 2019
author: Holly Jackson
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 55921330
Doctor Kal Anderson assumes his heart worked at some point in his life. But at thirty-two years old, the organ in his chest seems to play a mechanical role at best. His cold, emotionless existence gives him an edge as a fixer and in-house physician for the Mafia, while his judgment is impartial and complication-free.

Until Elena Ricci, his boss’s twenty-year-old daughter.

After admiring the heartless doctor from afar most of her life, Elena catches him in a moment of weakness, and the pair shares a night of passion as they attempt to work each other from their systems. Only, the night seems to have the opposite effect. Elena is no longer a simple temptation to Kal, but a necessity.

An obsession.

One he won’t let anyone stand in his way of—even if that means crashing her wedding to another man, forcing her hand in marriage, and stealing her away to the corrupt island he resides on.

Alone with the man of her nightmares for the first time ever, Elena starts to chip away at the layers of ice surrounding his hardened heart. But the warmth and depravity from her new husband may not be worth the secrets unveiled, or the lives that will forever be altered.

Promises and Pomegranates is a standalone dark romance inspired by Hades and Persephone. Though it is not necessary, it is highly recommended to read their short prequel, Sweet Sin, before diving in. Visit the author's website for a detailed content warning list.]]> 382 Sav R. Miller 1737668106 Apsara 5 favorites
This was my introduction to the dark romance genre and I binge read it. It's a mafia plot and I was eating it up! It's also my first Hades & Persephone retelling and the way the author weaved in easter eggs was clever.

Two words - KALLUM ANDERSON ]]> 3.51 2021
author: Sav R. Miller
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/09/11
date added: 2023/08/29
shelves: favorites
review:
*4.5/5

This was my introduction to the dark romance genre and I binge read it. It's a mafia plot and I was eating it up! It's also my first Hades & Persephone retelling and the way the author weaved in easter eggs was clever.

Two words - KALLUM ANDERSON
]]> 61991328 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781538742570.

Every day I clean the Winchesters� beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out� and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…]]> 329 Freida McFadden Apsara 4
This story is a slow burn. I was expecting more thriller and to be sitting at the edge of my seat from the suspense. But that wasn't the case. Although it is pretty fast faced, the first half had a slow build up and I started to question if I was even reading the right book because nothing was actually happening. The second half is when shit goes down and it all starts to connect. The book gripped me right away and kept me entertained throughout. ]]> 4.27 2022
author: Freida McFadden
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/28
date added: 2023/08/28
shelves:
review:
Let me start off by saying that I predicted most of the twists but I am not knocking any points off for that. Sometimes even if something is predictable, seeing how it all unfolds is what makes it fun and I really enjoyed myself on the journey there.

This story is a slow burn. I was expecting more thriller and to be sitting at the edge of my seat from the suspense. But that wasn't the case. Although it is pretty fast faced, the first half had a slow build up and I started to question if I was even reading the right book because nothing was actually happening. The second half is when shit goes down and it all starts to connect. The book gripped me right away and kept me entertained throughout.
]]> 154985896
An outcast her entire life, Corvina Clemm is left adrift after losing her mother. When she receives the admission letter from the mysterious University of Verenmore, she accepts it as a sign from the universe. The last thing she expects though is an old, secluded castle on top of a mountain riddled with secrets, deceit, and death.

An enigma his entire life, Vad Deverell likes being a closed book but knowing exactly everything that happens in the university. A part-time professor working on his thesis, Vad has been around long enough to know the dangers the castle possesses. And he knows the moment his path crosses with Corvina, she's dangerous to everything that he is.

They shouldn't have caught each other's eye. They cannot be. But a chill-inducing century-old mystery forces them to collide. People have disappeared every five years over the past century, Corvina is getting clues to unraveling it all, and Vad needs to keep an eye on her.

And so begins a tale of the mysterious, the morbid, the macabre, and a deep love that blossoms in the unlikeliest of places.]]> 399 RuNyx Apsara 0 to-read 3.78 2021
author: RuNyx
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 59856881 A STEMinist rom-com in which a scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesis--with explosive results.

Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project--a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia--Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school--archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it's her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas...devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there's only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?]]> 354 Ali Hazelwood 0593336844 Apsara 1
Was this a romance or was this Dr. Marie Curie's biography? No, it is not cute or quirky to base your entire life and personality around a dead person. It's actually scary. And the constant mentioning of her and Levi being arch enemies even though he's always nice to her but she still doesn't consider them friends? Grow up.

I get that STEM is Ali Hazelwood's thing (and I'm in STEM myself) but why did this read like a fucking textbook? Incorporating STEM should be done through the story's setting, the characters' careers, and little tidbits thrown in. This is where the author misses the mark because what we got was a bombardment of scientific fact after fact. I'm not here to study physics.

Needless to say, this was painful. I wanted this to be where Ali Hazelwood and I part ways but I'm feeling generous so I'll give her another chance. Because I'm hearing good things about Love, Theoretically and she's finally releasing a non-STEM romance next year. ]]> 3.95 2022
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 1
read at: 2023/08/28
date added: 2023/08/28
shelves:
review:
I had to keep renewing this book at the library over and over again for months because I physically could not make myself pick this book back up. And I hate myself for always needing to finish what I started.

Was this a romance or was this Dr. Marie Curie's biography? No, it is not cute or quirky to base your entire life and personality around a dead person. It's actually scary. And the constant mentioning of her and Levi being arch enemies even though he's always nice to her but she still doesn't consider them friends? Grow up.

I get that STEM is Ali Hazelwood's thing (and I'm in STEM myself) but why did this read like a fucking textbook? Incorporating STEM should be done through the story's setting, the characters' careers, and little tidbits thrown in. This is where the author misses the mark because what we got was a bombardment of scientific fact after fact. I'm not here to study physics.

Needless to say, this was painful. I wanted this to be where Ali Hazelwood and I part ways but I'm feeling generous so I'll give her another chance. Because I'm hearing good things about Love, Theoretically and she's finally releasing a non-STEM romance next year.
]]> 52226559 An Arranged Marriage Standalone Mafia Romance.

The first time Cassio met his fiancée, she called him �Sir�.

After losing his wife, Cassio is left to take care of two small children while trying to establish his rule over Philadelphia. Now he needs a mother for his children, and someone who can warm his bed at night.

But in a traditional world as his, choosing your wife is duty not pleasure.

Rules have to be followed. Traditions heeded.

That’s how he ends up with a woman—a girl barely of age. She might not be what he and his children need, but she’s wicked lovely and a sweet temptation he can’t resist.

Giulia always knew she’d marry a man her father chose for her. Only she never expected to be given to someone much older.

Suddenly she’s supposed to be a mother to two small children when she hasn’t even held a baby in her life.

Giulia quickly realizes that Cassio isn’t interested in a relationship on equal footing. Her mother always warned her that men of power like Cassio don’t tolerate insolence; yet, tired of being treated as a nanny and clueless child-bride, Giulia decides to fight for her vision of a happy family.]]> 292 Cora Reilly Apsara 4
The main saving grace for this book was the plot. I really enjoyed the story. It's an arranged marriage/age gap tropes where the male MC has 2 small children. Normally I don't like kids being involved and avoid it but this one worked. It was super sweet and endearing to see how an 18 yr old adjusts to her new life, stands her ground and turns the house into a happy home. I loved the female MC so much! She handled herself gracefully. My heart squeezed tight at moments when I was reading about how she interacted with the children and tried to melt her Underboss husband's hard demeanor.

But I was constantly left wanting more. The writing style is very non descriptive. A lot of the scenes went by too fast. I wasn’t able to picture them in my head like a movie because the explanation and detail wasn’t thorough enough. It was vague and I low key felt robbed of the full experience. Also it’s set in the United States but most of the dialogue didn’t seem like American speech. It seemed like a British person was talking if that makes sense. Certain words and verbiage that was chosen, an American speaker wouldn't say that. (Ex. Washbasin instead of sink, calling his parents “mother and father� instead of “mom and dad�). Also the only two adjectives the author used to describe anything was “elegant� and “lovely�. Like ma’am, please find a thesaurus. Plus there are so many spelling and grammatical errors. (Ex. Proofed, instead of proved, Six, instead of sixth) The editor overlooked a lot and it's a huge pet peeve of mine.

And there's an [spoilers removed] trope for anyone who is put off by this. It doesn't bother me that much because it works in stories sometimes (Ex. Game of Thrones, Crimson Peak). But I don't think it was entirely necessary for this story. The issue still would've worked even without including this specific trope.]]> 3.98 2020
author: Cora Reilly
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/16
date added: 2023/08/27
shelves:
review:
*3.75

The main saving grace for this book was the plot. I really enjoyed the story. It's an arranged marriage/age gap tropes where the male MC has 2 small children. Normally I don't like kids being involved and avoid it but this one worked. It was super sweet and endearing to see how an 18 yr old adjusts to her new life, stands her ground and turns the house into a happy home. I loved the female MC so much! She handled herself gracefully. My heart squeezed tight at moments when I was reading about how she interacted with the children and tried to melt her Underboss husband's hard demeanor.

But I was constantly left wanting more. The writing style is very non descriptive. A lot of the scenes went by too fast. I wasn’t able to picture them in my head like a movie because the explanation and detail wasn’t thorough enough. It was vague and I low key felt robbed of the full experience. Also it’s set in the United States but most of the dialogue didn’t seem like American speech. It seemed like a British person was talking if that makes sense. Certain words and verbiage that was chosen, an American speaker wouldn't say that. (Ex. Washbasin instead of sink, calling his parents “mother and father� instead of “mom and dad�). Also the only two adjectives the author used to describe anything was “elegant� and “lovely�. Like ma’am, please find a thesaurus. Plus there are so many spelling and grammatical errors. (Ex. Proofed, instead of proved, Six, instead of sixth) The editor overlooked a lot and it's a huge pet peeve of mine.

And there's an [spoilers removed] trope for anyone who is put off by this. It doesn't bother me that much because it works in stories sometimes (Ex. Game of Thrones, Crimson Peak). But I don't think it was entirely necessary for this story. The issue still would've worked even without including this specific trope.
]]> 63068384 #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us deeper into the Cosmere universe with a rollicking, riveting tale that will appeal to fans of The Princess Bride.

The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?]]> 369 Brandon Sanderson 1250899656 Apsara 0 to-read 4.27 2023
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 57438319
Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father’s gruff stableman. He is treated as an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz’s blood runs the magic Skill—and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family.

As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom.]]> 464 Robin Hobb Apsara 0 to-read 4.39 1995
author: Robin Hobb
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.39
book published: 1995
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60784546 After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again�

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands � that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper � an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.]]> 357 Rebecca Ross 1250857430 Apsara 0 to-read 4.14 2023
author: Rebecca Ross
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60617130
For over a century, humans, dwarves, gnomes, and elves have lived together in relative peace. But that peace has now come to an end.

Geralt of Rivia, the hunter known as the Witcher, has been waiting for the birth of a prophesied child. The one who has the power to change the world for good—or for evil.

As the threat of war hangs over the land and the child is pursued for her extraordinary powers, it will become Geralt’s responsibility to protect them all. And the Witcher never accepts defeat.

Join Geralt of Rivia; his beloved ward and the child of prophecy, Ciri; and his ally and love, the powerful sorceress Yennefer as they battle monsters, demons, and prejudices alike in Blood of Elves , the first novel of The Witcher Saga.


Witcher story collections
The Last Wish
Sword of Destiny

Witcher novels
Blood of Elves
The Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire
The Tower of Swallows
Lady of the Lake
Season of Storms Ěý(stand alone)

Hussite Trilogy
The Tower of Fools
Warriors of God
Light Perpetual

Translated from original Polish by Danusia Stok Ěý]]> 432 Andrzej Sapkowski 0316452661 Apsara 0 to-read 3.88 1994
author: Andrzej Sapkowski
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1994
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40381319 A world divided.
A queendom without an heir.
An ancient enemy awakens.

The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.

Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.

Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.

Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep.

An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.]]> 827 Samantha Shannon Apsara 5 favorites
This is one of the rare occasions where it actually lived up to the BookTok hype and holy shit, my mind is blown!

I’m a huge fan of Game of Thrones and all it took was for someone to say this book reminded them of it for me to pick it up. And they were not wrong. It fully satisfied the hunger that Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon left behind.

It has dragons, it has East vs West political intrigue, it has great houses, it has religious feud, it has magic, and an ancient threat� it has everything that made GOT great. And in the same fashion, you also have numerous characters to keep track of and figure out how they’re all connected.

But this book also sets itself apart with its rich history, unique myths and enchanting tales that intertwine. The size of it may seem daunting to start but it’s actually incredibly digestible because of how organized and concise the storytelling is. Samantha Shannon's writing style is quite similar to Sabaa Tahir's which I love. Its eloquent but simple prose paints a vivid picture. The pacing is slow in the first third but never boring. I was consumed from start to finish. Every time I was expecting a certain twist, the story would take a completely different turn. It gave what it needed to give—a journey of action, adventure, betrayal, love and even animal companions which I have such a soft spot for!

My only complaint would have to be that the final battle felt short. It was resolved pretty quickly and easily. I wanted to see a lot more struggle considering how big the threat was. [spoilers removed]

I had so much fun reading this especially because I had taken such a long break from the fantasy genre. Tané's POV was my favorite and I hope we get to see more of her in the future since her end was ambiguous. I really appreciate the fact that Samantha Shannon wrote it all in one go instead of breaking it up into multiple books. It’s a nice change from having to always wait for the next release since I'm impatient af. Not sure when I’ll be tackling the prequel but I’m excited to see her expand this epic world she built even further!]]> 4.13 2019
author: Samantha Shannon
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2023/08/02
date added: 2023/08/05
shelves: favorites
review:
*4.5

This is one of the rare occasions where it actually lived up to the BookTok hype and holy shit, my mind is blown!

I’m a huge fan of Game of Thrones and all it took was for someone to say this book reminded them of it for me to pick it up. And they were not wrong. It fully satisfied the hunger that Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon left behind.

It has dragons, it has East vs West political intrigue, it has great houses, it has religious feud, it has magic, and an ancient threat� it has everything that made GOT great. And in the same fashion, you also have numerous characters to keep track of and figure out how they’re all connected.

But this book also sets itself apart with its rich history, unique myths and enchanting tales that intertwine. The size of it may seem daunting to start but it’s actually incredibly digestible because of how organized and concise the storytelling is. Samantha Shannon's writing style is quite similar to Sabaa Tahir's which I love. Its eloquent but simple prose paints a vivid picture. The pacing is slow in the first third but never boring. I was consumed from start to finish. Every time I was expecting a certain twist, the story would take a completely different turn. It gave what it needed to give—a journey of action, adventure, betrayal, love and even animal companions which I have such a soft spot for!

My only complaint would have to be that the final battle felt short. It was resolved pretty quickly and easily. I wanted to see a lot more struggle considering how big the threat was. [spoilers removed]

I had so much fun reading this especially because I had taken such a long break from the fantasy genre. Tané's POV was my favorite and I hope we get to see more of her in the future since her end was ambiguous. I really appreciate the fact that Samantha Shannon wrote it all in one go instead of breaking it up into multiple books. It’s a nice change from having to always wait for the next release since I'm impatient af. Not sure when I’ll be tackling the prequel but I’m excited to see her expand this epic world she built even further!
]]> 15839976 "I live for the dream that my children will be born free," she says. "That they will be what they like. That they will own the land their father gave them."

"I live for you," I say sadly.

Eo kisses my cheek. "Then you must live for more."

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.

Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.

But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power. He will be forced to compete for his life and the very future of civilization against the best and most brutal of Society's ruling class. There, he will stop at nothing to bring down his enemies... even if it means he has to become one of them to do so.]]> 382 Pierce Brown 0345539788 Apsara 0 to-read 4.26 2014
author: Pierce Brown
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 49826643
Ripped from a forgotten homeland as a child, Tisaanah learned how to survive with nothing but a sharp wit and a touch of magic. But the night she tries to buy her freedom, she barely escapes with her life.

Desperate to save the best friend she left behind, Tisaanah journeys to the Orders, the most powerful organizations of magic Wielders in the world. But to join their ranks, she must complete an apprenticeship with Maxantarius Farlione, a handsome and reclusive fire wielder who despises the Orders.

The Orders� intentions are cryptic, and Tisaanah must prove herself under the threat of looming war. But even more dangerous are her growing feelings for Maxantarius. The bloody past he wants to forget may be the key to her future� or the downfall of them both.

But Tisaanah will stop at nothing to save those she abandoned. Even if it means gambling in the Orders� deadly games. Even if it means sacrificing her heart.

Even if it means wielding death itself.

Fans of epic romantic fantasy like Sarah J. Maas and Raven Kennedy will devour this tale of dark magic, passionate romance, vengeance, and redemption.]]> 520 Carissa Broadbent Apsara 0 to-read 4.03 2020
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 179850140
Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast-again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are she has been called upon to uphold an historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange. Again . . .

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It's clear from the way he tracks Misery's every movement that he doesn't trust her. If only he knew how right he was . . .

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what's hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory . . . alone with the wolf.

Praise for The Love Hypothesis
'Contemporary romance's the elusive marriage of deeply brainy and delightfully escapist.' Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners
'Funny, sexy and smart.' Mariana Zapata, New York Times bestselling author
'I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended!' Jessica Clare, New York Times bestselling author
'Pure slow-burning gold with lots of chemistry.' Popsugar
'A beautifully written romantic comedy with a heroine you will instantly fall in love with.' Elizabeth Everett, author of A Lady's Formula for Love]]> 403 Ali Hazelwood 1408728877 Apsara 0 to-read 4.17 2024
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61326735
Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?]]> 389 Ali Hazelwood 1408725797 Apsara 0 to-read 4.07 2023
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 35887181
But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power � an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive � and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away.

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity ... and that it may already be too late.

]]> 527 R.F. Kuang 0062662562 Apsara 0 to-read 4.11 2018
author: R.F. Kuang
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 59040889 They go together like water and oil�

All chef Nina Lyon wants is to make a name for herself in the culinary world and inspire young women everywhere to do the same. For too long, she’s been held back and underestimated by the male-dominated sphere of professional kitchens, and she's had enough. Now, as co-host of the competitive reality TV seriesĚýThe Next Cooking Champ!, she finally has a real shot at being top tier in the foodie scene.
Too bad her co-host happens to be Hollywood’s smarmiest jerk.

Restaurateur Leo O’Donnell never means to get under Nina’s skin. It just seems to happen, especially when the cameras are rolling. It's part of the anxiety and stress he has come to know all too well in this line of work. So nothing prepares him for the fallout after he takes one joke a smidge too far and Nina up and quits—on live TV.

To make matters worse, the two are caught in whatĚýlooksĚýlike a compromising situation by the paparazzi…and fans of the show go absolutely nuts. Turns out, a “secret romanceâ€� between Nina and Leo may just be what their careers need most.

Now all they have to do is play along, withoutĚýkilling each other...and without catching feelings. Easy as artisanal shepherd's pie. Right?Ěý]]> 368 Erin La Rosa 1335506349 Apsara 2 3.38 2022
author: Erin La Rosa
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.38
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2023/07/12
date added: 2023/07/12
shelves:
review:
A bit too simple for my taste. The story was not fleshed out enough and everything felt surface level. The banter between any of the characters were quirky and corny. So many food similes. I was honestly bored the whole time.
]]> 61343944
Cash Primrose takes his namesake seriously. As a successful environmental lawyer, work is his focus, and he has no room on his plate for anything else. That is, until an ex-ballerina gets herself into a bind at an underground auction, and he becomes so enamored with her that he ends up placing a bid.

A quarter of a billion dollars later, and suddenly Cash is married to more than just his career. Not to mention, his new wife is a complete nightmare.

As the middle daughter of a once-prominent crime family, and her mother’s former punching bag, Ariana Ricci is no stranger to grappling for control. She relies on seduction and violence to get what she wants, and thinks her new husband will be just as easy to manipulate as the men she’s used to dealing with.

Only, Cash is different. He won’t touch Ariana, doesn’t retaliate when she lashes out in anger, and, in spite of their temporary status, sticks up for her when he could just let her get into trouble.

He isn’t exactly kind, but perhaps the stoic, secretive lawyer is precisely what she needs to start healing once and for all.

Souls and Sorrows is a dark romance inspired by the myth of Eros and Psyche. It contains material not suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised. Please see author's website for detailed list of content warnings.]]> 386 Sav R. Miller Apsara 0 to-read 4.01 2022
author: Sav R. Miller
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61101326
Kal Anderson is a stone-cold fixer, both in the literal and figurative sense. Nicknamed Doctor Death, he prefers to keep his messes confined to his workspace and out of his personal life. Still, when it comes to the notorious Ricci crime family, he can’t seem to catch a break.

He’s not supposed to notice his boss’s daughter, or engage in any way with her, considering the sordid history he has with both of her parents.

Elena Ricci won’t let him go without a fight, though. Not with the date of her arranged wedding on the horizon. Knowing she and Kal can’t be together, Elena wants just one night to explore their mutual attraction.

A night of freedom before she becomes someone else’s forever.

On the eve of her twentieth birthday, any resolve Kal held seems to snap, and he finds himself doing the very thing he swore he wouldn’t� giving in.

For one night only, he’ll indulge in the sweetest of sins and discover that a single taste of the forbidden fruit will never be enough.

Sweet Sin is a 16,000 word prequel intended to be read before Promises and Pomegranates, and was originally published in the OmertĂ  Christmas Anthology and was available on the author's website for a limited time. It is not a standalone, and is a dark romance that contains mature language, themes, and content that may not be suitable for all readers. Reader discretion is advised. For a full list of content warnings, please visit the author's website.]]> 84 Sav R. Miller Apsara 0 3.82 2022
author: Sav R. Miller
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/09
shelves:
review:

]]> 57976031
He has a heart of ice…but for her, he'd burn the world

A diverse new adult steamy romance from Tiktok sensation and USA Today bestselling author Ana Huang.

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.]]> 364 Ana Huang Apsara 3
I liked the characters but Ava was a bit immature and cringe and Alex was kinda bland for my taste. I liked the grumpy x sunshine and brother's best friend trope. I liked the Asian (Chinese) representation. I was also able to connect the dots of certain events that happened in the second book. Because the stories for Ava and Bridget were happening in real time and paralleling.

But I really think this book should have been longer. The time spent building up the tension and romance between Alex and Ava was good but it took up half the book. And as soon as they got together, the romance writing dissipated. It was a lot of telling that they had started going on dates, doing activities together, hooking up, etc and not actually showing it. Because the author instead heavily focused the second half on the characters' traumas. The trauma storyline was really interesting but it would've been better if she added more chapters to weave the romance in more. Also some plot points and dialogue seemed cheesy and cliche which I didn't like either.

There was a total of only 2 smut scenes in the book. And they were lackluster in the sense that it wasn't descriptive and cut short. Yes, that's an actual complaint. Because it's a total 180 to the amount of detailed and creative smut that's in the second book. Which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I'm glad whatever issues I had with this book, the author fixed for the second book and I have high hopes for the third book. Even Ana's writing style is very high school and amateur but it's improved considerably for Twisted Games. You wouldn't even think it was the same author.]]> 3.48 2021
author: Ana Huang
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/09/13
date added: 2023/07/05
shelves:
review:
I actually read the second book Twisted Games first and it was 5 stars for me. That's why I picked up this one but I'm actually disappointed.

I liked the characters but Ava was a bit immature and cringe and Alex was kinda bland for my taste. I liked the grumpy x sunshine and brother's best friend trope. I liked the Asian (Chinese) representation. I was also able to connect the dots of certain events that happened in the second book. Because the stories for Ava and Bridget were happening in real time and paralleling.

But I really think this book should have been longer. The time spent building up the tension and romance between Alex and Ava was good but it took up half the book. And as soon as they got together, the romance writing dissipated. It was a lot of telling that they had started going on dates, doing activities together, hooking up, etc and not actually showing it. Because the author instead heavily focused the second half on the characters' traumas. The trauma storyline was really interesting but it would've been better if she added more chapters to weave the romance in more. Also some plot points and dialogue seemed cheesy and cliche which I didn't like either.

There was a total of only 2 smut scenes in the book. And they were lackluster in the sense that it wasn't descriptive and cut short. Yes, that's an actual complaint. Because it's a total 180 to the amount of detailed and creative smut that's in the second book. Which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I'm glad whatever issues I had with this book, the author fixed for the second book and I have high hopes for the third book. Even Ana's writing style is very high school and amateur but it's improved considerably for Twisted Games. You wouldn't even think it was the same author.
]]> 60714999 Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always � always � guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown� and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone � but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.]]> 504 Carissa Broadbent Apsara 0 to-read 4.30 2022
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 63856212
Kissing a masked stranger wasn’t on Violet Artinos’s list of things she thought would happen at her cousin’s political fundraiser. In fact, her plan was simply to show support, win back the ex-boyfriend rumored to be in attendance, and go on with her off-grid life.

She never would’ve made a move on the stranger if she’d known he wasn’t who she thought, but her ex’s younger brother had other plans.

Out in public for the first time in weeks, Professor Grayson James has his sights set on revenge. When he spots Violet, he immediately ropes her into his plot by kissing and blackmailing her to live at his haunted estate.

He claims it’ll drive his brother mad, but the truth turns out to be more complicated than they ever imagined. Suddenly, Violet’s life of secrets is unraveling at the hands of a dark, depraved man who seems to have no intentions of letting her go.

But his obsession might be exactly what puts her in danger.

Liars and Liaisons is the sixth and final interconnected standalone in the Monsters & Muses series. It is a dark romance inspired by the Pan and Echo myths and contains material that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised.]]> 380 Sav R. Miller Apsara 0 to-read 4.14 2023
author: Sav R. Miller
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58995736
The quintessential question asked to every couple. And the answer is usually some bubbly, lovey dovey tale of being struck in the bum by Cupid’s arrow.

My meet cute (well not so meet cute) is slightly different. I was trolling a wealthy neighborhood in Beverly Hills, searching for someone to take me as their bride, you know, to make my arch nemesis jealous who consequently just fired me.

He was stomping around the block like some sort of gorgeous ogre, mumbling about a business deal gone wrong and attempting to finagle his way out of it.

And that’s when we bumped into each other.

There were no sparks.

Not even a hint of blossoming love.

But next thing I knew, I was scarfing down free chips and guac, listening to this man lay out all of his problems which led to his big ask . . . he wanted me to be his Vivian Ward, you know, from Pretty Woman--minus the frisky behavior.

We’re talking about living in a mansion, intimate double dates, and pretending we were head over heels in love . . . and engaged. Can you imagine?

The absolute audacity.

But people do crazy things when they’re desperate. And I reeked of desperation. So, I struck up a deal.

My one big mistake, though . . . big . . . HUGE? I accidentally fell for the incomparable Huxley Cane.]]> 404 Meghan Quinn Apsara 4
It could have easily been a 5 star read but Lottie was insufferable. She's very unserious. She has her MBA but doesn’t read contracts properly and thinks it’s all semantics. I find it so hard to believe that she was able to graduate with her degree but is so grossly unaware on how to conduct business professionally. She wants to do well in her career but is working for her sister? She could’ve done that without a degree. The most aggravating thing was that Lottie is 28 but thinks and behaves like an 18 y/o. She's calling her 35 yr old man a cradle robber ]]> 3.94 2021
author: Meghan Quinn
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/20
date added: 2023/03/22
shelves:
review:
This is a first by Meghan Quinn for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I was hooked from the first page. So much so that I canceled running my errands over the weekend just so I could binge read lol. I would call this a true romcom that you see in the 2000s movies. It has a crazy premise with a hilarious journey and cheesy moments.

It could have easily been a 5 star read but Lottie was insufferable. She's very unserious. She has her MBA but doesn’t read contracts properly and thinks it’s all semantics. I find it so hard to believe that she was able to graduate with her degree but is so grossly unaware on how to conduct business professionally. She wants to do well in her career but is working for her sister? She could’ve done that without a degree. The most aggravating thing was that Lottie is 28 but thinks and behaves like an 18 y/o. She's calling her 35 yr old man a cradle robber
]]> 43521785 England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.

Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring... or could he?

Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke....

A stunning debut for author Evie Dunmore and her Oxford suffragists in which a fiercely independent vicar's daughter takes on a powerful duke in a fiery love story that threatens to upend the British social order.]]> 335 Evie Dunmore 1984805681 Apsara 4
Annabelle is smart, independent and headstrong. I loved that she held on to her high standards and never wavered. Sebastian really changed his circumstances just so he could be with her properly. That's a real man. God, I wish. I'm also a sucker for the found family trope and it was great to see a sisterhood bond between the suffragists.

The tension between the couple was palpable and it was a slow burn which I like. The pacing of the story was slow though which is why this didn't get 5 stars. Sometimes the writing felt long winded but Evie is extremely talented with her sophisticated and eloquent prose. I was constantly learning new vocabulary!

This resonated with me so much regarding my own love life. I had to take breaks here and there to have a quick cry.

1]]> 3.91 2019
author: Evie Dunmore
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/03/17
date added: 2023/03/21
shelves:
review:
Finally a blonde MMC. Y’all should know that I love my blondies. I was starting to get bored of the same old dark hair. Based on the description, I pictured him as Nanami from JJK. I even love his name—Sebastian Devereux. His personality, behavior and his duty to his position reminded me exactly of season 2 Anthony Bridgerton.

Annabelle is smart, independent and headstrong. I loved that she held on to her high standards and never wavered. Sebastian really changed his circumstances just so he could be with her properly. That's a real man. God, I wish. I'm also a sucker for the found family trope and it was great to see a sisterhood bond between the suffragists.

The tension between the couple was palpable and it was a slow burn which I like. The pacing of the story was slow though which is why this didn't get 5 stars. Sometimes the writing felt long winded but Evie is extremely talented with her sophisticated and eloquent prose. I was constantly learning new vocabulary!

This resonated with me so much regarding my own love life. I had to take breaks here and there to have a quick cry.

1
]]> 57007401 Dating Dr. Dil features a love-phobic TV doctor who must convince a love-obsessed homebody they are destined to be together.Ěý

Kareena Mann dreams of having a love story like her parents, but she prefers restoring her classic car to swiping right on dating apps. When her father announces he’s selling her mother’s home, Kareena makes a deal with him: he’ll gift her the house if she can get engaged in four months. Her search for her soulmate becomes impossible when her argument with Dr. Prem Verma, host of The Dr. Dil Show, goes viral. Now the only man in her life is the one she doesn’t want.

Dr. Prem Verma is dedicated to building a local community health center, but he needs to get donors with deep pockets. The Dr. Dil Show was doing just that, until his argument with Kareena went viral, and he’s left short changed. That’s when Kareena’s meddling aunties presented him with a solution: convince Kareena he’s her soulmate and they’ll fund his clinic.ĚýĚý

Even though they have conflicting views on love-matches and arranged-matches, the more time Prem spends with Kareena, the more he begins to believe she’s the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But for Prem and Kareena to find their happily ever after, they must admit that hate has turned into fate.Ěý]]> 364 Nisha Sharma 0063001101 Apsara 1
Right before I found out about this book, I was literally saying how I wish someone would write a spicy contemporary romance with full South Asian representation. I know there are quite a few South Asian romance novels out there but they’re all YA/fade to black and I’m looking for some spice ]]> 3.58 2022
author: Nisha Sharma
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2022
rating: 1
read at: 2022/04/17
date added: 2023/03/09
shelves:
review:
Omg I have a lot of thoughts so let's strap in-

Right before I found out about this book, I was literally saying how I wish someone would write a spicy contemporary romance with full South Asian representation. I know there are quite a few South Asian romance novels out there but they’re all YA/fade to black and I’m looking for some spice
]]> 75293479
Deeply introverted Catriona lives for her work at Oxford and her fight for women's suffrage. She dreams of romance, too, but since all her attempts at love have ended badly, she now keeps her desires firmly locked inside her head--until she climbs out of a Scottish loch after a good swim and finds herself rather exposed to her new colleague.

Elias Khoury has wheedled his way into Professor Campbell's circle under false pretenses: he did not come to Oxford to classify ancient artefacts, he is determined to take them back to his homeland in the Middle East. Winning Catriona's favor could be the key to his success. Unfortunately, seducing the coolly intense lady scholar quickly becomes a mission in itself and his well-laid plans are in danger of derailing...

Forced into close proximity in Oxford's hallowed halls, two very different people have to face the fact that they might just be a perfect match. Soon, a risky new game begins that asks Catriona one more time to put her heart and wildest dreams at stake.]]> 432 Evie Dunmore 0593334663 Apsara 0 to-read 3.63 2023
author: Evie Dunmore
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/03/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 80340956
He is righteousness. She is sin.

Father Cade Frédéric is a holy man. Brought up in the streets of Paris, he has dedicated his life to the church. But there’s a monster that lingers just beneath the surface. A sickness. One that bleeds darkness and feeds on the damned. When he’s tasked to become the priest in Festivalé, Vermont, a town both beautiful in architecture and riddled with despair, his sickness sings, demanding he rid the place of evil.

Amaya Paquette is Festivalé’s beautiful mystery. She spends her days caring for her younger brother and her nights transforming into Esmeralda, dancing for greedy eyes and shameless lips. Although she longs for love, she shies away from companionship, afraid of being abandoned again.

When Father Cade lays eyes on Amaya, he finds himself ensnared, convinced she’s using witchcraft to lure him to her. He can’t eat. Can’t breathe. Can’t think unless it’s of her.

And temptation is a devastating mistress.

She’s his weakness, so he decides he’ll be her demise…even if it means killing the only woman he might ever love.

***

*CROSSED is a dark, contemporary romance (not fantasy or a literal retelling) and the fifth complete standalone in the Never After series: fractured fairy tales inspired by our favorite villains. It features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all readers. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Detailed TW can be found on the author's website. This series can be enjoyed in any order.*]]> 418 Emily McIntire Apsara 0 to-read 3.70 2023
author: Emily McIntire
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/02/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 48591178 What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object in the field of death?

In the dark underbelly of the mob, Tristan Caine has been an anomaly. As the only non-blooded member in the high circle of the Tenebrae Outfit, he is an enigma to all - his skills unparalleled, his morality questionable, and his motives unknown. He is lethal and he knows it.

As does Morana Vitalio, the genius extraordinaire daughter of the rival family. What Caine does with weapons, Morana does with computers. When a twenty-year old mystery resurfaces, Morana infiltrates Caine's house, intent on killing him, unaware of a tie that binds them together. Hate, heat, and history clash together with unexpected sparks.

But something bigger, something worse is happening in their world. And despite their animosity, only they can fight it down.]]> 374 RuNyx Apsara 0 to-read 4.04 2020
author: RuNyx
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60636502 This lavish visual history—featuring over 180 all-new illustrations—is a stunning introduction to House Targaryen, the iconic family at the heart of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon.

For hundreds of years, the Targaryens sat the Iron Throne of Westeros while their dragons ruled the skies. The story of the only family of dragonlords to survive Valyria’s Doom is a tale of twisty politics, alliances and betrayals, and acts both noble and craven. The Rise of the Dragon chronicles the creation and rise of Targaryen power in Westeros, covering the history first told in George R. R. Martin’s epic Fire & Blood, from Aegon Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros through to the infamous Dance of the Dragons—the bloody civil war that nearly undid Targaryen rule for good.

Packed with all-new artwork, the Targaryens—and their dragons—come vividly to life in this deluxe reference book. Perfect for fans steeped in the lore of Westeros, as well as those who first meet the Targaryens in the HBO series House of the Dragon, The Rise of the Dragon provides a must-have overview for anyone looking to learn more about the most powerful family in Westeros.]]> 352 George R.R. Martin 1984859250 Apsara 0 to-read 4.26 2022
author: George R.R. Martin
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 62626163 Wen die Braut will, den bekommt die Braut.

Milliardär Breaker Cane und Lia Fairweather-Fern sind seit Ewigkeiten eng befreundet und daher hilft er ihr auch bei den Hochzeitsvorbereitungen. Lias zukünftige Schwiegermutter macht allerdings Schwierigkeiten und besteht darauf, immer ihren Willen durchzusetzen. Doch das eigentliche Problem ist nicht Mrs. Beaver, sondern Lia, die Braut. Denn je näher die Hochzeit rückt, desto mehr sieht Breaker sie in einem neuen Licht.

Und plötzlich wird ihm schlagartig Er hat sich in seine beste Freundin verliebt. Es bleibt ihm nur eine Mö er muss Lia überzeugen, dass er der Richtige für sie ist.

Doch das ist viel schwieriger, als Breaker denkt ...]]> 450 Meghan Quinn Apsara 0 to-read 4.24 2023
author: Meghan Quinn
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 59227936
Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each one more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation, and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.
Ěý
However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.]]> 409 Adalyn Grace 0316158232 Apsara 0 to-read 3.97 2022
author: Adalyn Grace
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 41952489
Everyone else is fodder, destined to fight and die in the endless war. Young, gift-less Tau knows all this, but he has a plan of escape. He's going to get himself injured, get out early, and settle down to marriage, children, and land. Only, he doesn't get the chance. Those closest to him are brutally murdered, and his grief swiftly turns to anger. Fixated on revenge, Tau dedicates himself to an unthinkable path. He'll become the greatest swordsman to ever live, a man willing to die a hundred thousand times for the chance to kill the three who betrayed him.]]> 535 Evan Winter 031648976X Apsara 0 to-read 4.29 2017
author: Evan Winter
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 15750692
Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors under King Brenin’s rule, learning the art of war. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. But that day will come all too soon. Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage.

The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed shields in battle, the earth running dark with their heartsblood. Although the giant-clans were broken in ages past, their ruined fortresses still scar the land. But now giants stir anew, the very stones weep blood and there are sightings of giant wyrms. Those who can still read the signs see a threat far greater than the ancient wars. Sorrow will darken the world, as angels and demons make it their battlefield. Then there will be a war to end all wars.

High King Aquilus summons his fellow kings to council, seeking an alliance in this time of need. Some are skeptical, fighting their own border skirmishes against pirates and giants. But prophesy indicates darkness and light will demand two champions, the Black Sun and the Bright Star. They would be wise to seek out both, for if the Black Sun gains ascendancy, mankind’s hopes and dreams will fall to dust.]]> 672 John Gwynne 0230758452 Apsara 0 to-read 4.15 2012
author: John Gwynne
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 49334205
But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity--and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki--near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be--not even Deka herself.]]> 416 Namina Forna 1474959571 Apsara 0 to-read 3.96 2020
author: Namina Forna
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 33296129 When girl meets Duke, their marriage breaks all the rules�

Since his return from war, the Duke of Ashbury’s to-do list has been short and anything but sweet: brooding, glowering, menacing London ne’er-do-wells by night. Now there’s a new item on the list. He needs an heir—which means he needs a wife. When Emma Gladstone, a vicar’s daughter turned seamstress, appears in his library wearing a wedding gown, he decides on the spot that she’ll do.

His terms are simple:
- They will be husband and wife by night only.
- No lights, no kissing.
- No questions about his battle scars.
- Last, and most importantly� Once she’s pregnant with his heir, they need never share a bed again.

But Emma is no pushover. She has a few rules of her own:
- They will have dinner together every evening.
- With conversation.
- And unlimited teasing.
- Last, and most importantly� Once she’s seen the man beneath the scars, he can’t stop her from falling in love�]]> 370 Tessa Dare 0062349066 Apsara 5
I was missing Bridgerton (show, not books lol) so decided to give Tessa Dare a chance. Believe the hype because she did not disappoint whatsoever! I am truly enamored with her writing. She had me hooked from the first paragraph and that's no small feat. The pacing was quick but steady and the descriptors were perfect. She did an amazing job mixing angst, humor and spice. I'm embarrassed to admit that I read the entire book in a British accent ]]> 4.06 2017
author: Tessa Dare
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2022/09/08
date added: 2022/09/09
shelves:
review:
This is my first time reading a mass market paperback historical romance. I was skeptical on whether I'd enjoy it or not but boy, was I pleasantly surprised! I'm not a fan of mass market paperbacks in general tbh. It makes me feel like I’m back in high school again reading Romeo & Juliet lol. They're just too small for my liking but if they're written this well—absolutely. worth. it.

I was missing Bridgerton (show, not books lol) so decided to give Tessa Dare a chance. Believe the hype because she did not disappoint whatsoever! I am truly enamored with her writing. She had me hooked from the first paragraph and that's no small feat. The pacing was quick but steady and the descriptors were perfect. She did an amazing job mixing angst, humor and spice. I'm embarrassed to admit that I read the entire book in a British accent
]]> 49085196 How to lose a duke in ten years…without losing your heart.

Once upon a time, two sworn enemies—the bookish daughter of a scholar and the devilish heir to a duke—made a pact: If they were both still single in ten years, they would marry each other.

It was a joke, Nicola thought. A duchess? Her?

But when the Duke of Westleigh returns a decade later, he’s serious. He needs an heir, so he’s holding her to their marriage bargain—diamond ring, lavish gown, engagement ball, and more. Nothing Nicola says can dissuade him. When she calls him arrogant, he praises her honesty. When she makes social stumbles, he catches her fall. And when she gets exasperated, the duke can’t seem to get enough. For reasons she can’t fathom, he claims that no other woman will do.

He’s betting he can change her mind, with logic and passion.

She’s betting she can change his mind, just by being herself.

And as the clock ticks down to a wedding day, neither is counting on losing their heart.]]> 384 Tessa Dare 0062672185 Apsara 0 to-read 4.43 2026
author: Tessa Dare
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 25866845 A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God.

I've always been good at following rules.
Until she came.
My name is Tyler Anselm Bell. I'm twenty-nine years old. Six months ago, I broke my vow of celibacy on the altar of my own church, and God help me, I would do it again.
I am a priest and this is my confession.]]> 348 Sierra Simone 1514611651 Apsara 5 3.73 2015
author: Sierra Simone
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2022/09/06
date added: 2022/09/06
shelves:
review:
Father Tyler Anselm Bell. It's true what they say about you. Can I please be your little lamb?
]]> 29589074
Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.� It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.Ěý

The two interwoven mysteries of this first book in the Truly Devious series dovetail brilliantly, and Stevie Bell will continue her relentless quest for the murderers in books two and three.

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson weaves a delicate tale of murder and mystery in the first book of a striking new series, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and E. Lockhart.]]> 416 Maureen Johnson Apsara 0 to-read 3.89 2018
author: Maureen Johnson
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2018
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/08/30
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Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.]]> 413 Victoria E. Schwab 0765376466 Apsara 0 to-read 4.16 2015
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Apsara
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2015
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/08/20
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]]> 51390191 Ophelia lives on Anima, an ark where objects have souls. Beneath her worn scarf and thick glasses, the young girl hides the ability to read and communicate with the souls of objects, and the power to travel through mirrors. Her peaceful existence on the Ark of Anima is disrupted when she is promised in marriage to Thorn, from the powerful Dragon clan. Ophelia must leave her family and follow her fiancée to the floating capital on the distant Ark of the Pole. Why has she been chosen? Why must she hide her true identity? Though she doesn’t know it yet,a she has become a pawn in a deadly plot.]]> 490 Christelle Dabos 1609456076 Apsara 0 to-read 3.78 2013
author: Christelle Dabos
name: Apsara
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2013
rating: 0
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date added: 2022/08/20
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