Ida's bookshelf: all en-US Sun, 06 Apr 2025 02:21:18 -0700 60 Ida's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)]]> 214333691 When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.]]> 400 Suzanne Collins 1546171479 Ida 5 4.67 2025 Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Ida
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/06
shelves:
review:

]]> Confess 22609310
For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is hiding a huge secret. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything Auburn loves most, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it—but can she do it?]]> 306 Colleen Hoover 1476791457 Ida 0 to-read 4.14 2015 Confess
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Ida
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Vows & Ruins (The Legends of Thezmarr, #2)]]> 123007281
But Thea’s world is turned upside down as she struggles to navigate her newfound magic and uncover the secrets of her past. Slowly, she begins to untangle the truth about her family, her powers and the evil that threatens to engulf the kingdom.

When Wilder Hawthorne returns to be her official mentor, everything changes. Dark forces are gathering, and he will stop at nothing to prepare her for the challenges to come, even if it means breaking her.

As war looms and their quest for answers leads master and apprentice deeper into danger, the undeniable connection between them intensifies � defying all odds, but also threatening to tear them apart.

With secrets unravelling and evil closing in, Thea and Wilder fight to save the world, and each other. The fate of the realms rests in their hands � will they emerge victorious, or will the darkness consume them both?

Full of action, adventure and steamy romance, Vows & Ruins is the second book in the spellbinding epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr and is perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher.]]> 536 Helen Scheuerer 1922903051 Ida 0 currently-reading 4.05 2023 Vows & Ruins (The Legends of Thezmarr, #2)
author: Helen Scheuerer
name: Ida
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3) 210455973 ARE YOU READY TO BRAVE THE DARK?

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there's no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it's impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves - her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.

They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find - the truth.

But a storm is coming... and not everyone can survive its wrath.]]> 779 Rebecca Yarros Ida 5 So slow, yet I had to finish without spoilers. And I need to know who the "new brother" is ]]> 4.41 2025 Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Ida
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/16
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves:
review:
4.5 ⭐️
So slow, yet I had to finish without spoilers. And I need to know who the "new brother" is
]]> <![CDATA[Blood & Steel (The Legends of Thezmarr, #1)]]> 63905241
Women are forbidden to wield blades, so she has trained in secret her entire life. Now racing against the clock, she fights to secure her place in the elite guild charged with the protection of the five kingdoms.

The sparring and hazing of the new trainees border on deadly, but even more dangerous is her growing attraction to Wilder Hawthorne, her unwilling warrior chaperone.

All around them, schemes are afoot and darkness looms.

Will Althea pass the perilous initiation test and take her place as a champion of Thezmarr � or will the invading evil snatch away her dream before it starts?]]> 550 Helen Scheuerer 1922903027 Ida 4 4.20 2023 Blood & Steel (The Legends of Thezmarr, #1)
author: Helen Scheuerer
name: Ida
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/01
date added: 2025/02/05
shelves:
review:
Surprisingly good! I'm looking forward to the next book (but not so much that I won't read Onyx Storm first).
]]> <![CDATA[Daindreth's Assassin (Daindreth's Assassin, #1)]]> 57260279 An assassin falls for the archduke she was sent to kill, but killing him might be the only way to save his soul.

Magic has two immutable rules—every spell requires a sacrifice and every curse can be broken.

Amira Brindonu is a sorceress turned assassin, bound in a curse that forces her to obey her father, even to the point of high treason. When he orders her to kill the future emperor, she fails, but discovers a secret that could bring the whole of the empire to its knees.

The archduke is stricken by a curse that could sentence him and his people to damnation, but Amira could be the only key to breaking it. In a desperate last-ditch effort, the archduke takes Amira prisoner and makes a pact to protect her from her curse if she will help free him of his own.

As time begins to run out, Amira soon learns that there are enemies that blades can’t touch and there are fates worse than death. Caught in a web of sorcery, intrigue, and her growing feelings for the archduke, the assassin must decide just how much she is willing to give to save the only man she’s ever loved.

Every curse can be broken, but can two cursed people save each other?

Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this Fantasy Romance that is sure to delight fans of Sarah J. Maas, Kristin Cashore, and Leigh Bardugo.]]> 283 Elisabeth Wheatley Ida 0 to-read 3.90 2021 Daindreth's Assassin (Daindreth's Assassin, #1)
author: Elisabeth Wheatley
name: Ida
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Ascendant (Songs of Chaos, #1)]]> 55066606 "Everything dragon lovers crave in a fantasy adventure, and more. Holt and Ash are now two of my favorite fantasy characters ever."
- Dyrk Ashton, Bestselling author of the Paternus series

Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean.

Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within.

But the Scourge is rising. Undead hordes roam the land, spreading the blight and leaving destruction in their wake. The dragon riders are being slaughtered and betrayal lurks in the shadows.

Holt has one chance to survive. He must cultivate the mysterious power of his dragon's magical core. A unique energy which may tip the balance in the battles to come, and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all.

"Ascendant is a delightful dragon-rider yarn in the tradition of Pern, Pit Dragon, Eragon, and Temeraire. It plucks at the strings of nostalgia in the best possible way, and picking it up feels like returning to old, beloved haunts."
- John Bierce, Bestselling author of the Mage Errant series]]> 554 Michael R. Miller Ida 0 to-read 4.38 2020 Ascendant (Songs of Chaos, #1)
author: Michael R. Miller
name: Ida
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fireborne (The Aurelian Cycle, #1)]]> 36578543
Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn't be more different. Annie's lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee's aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.

But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.

With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he's come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.]]> 432 Rosaria Munda 0525518215 Ida 0 to-read 3.89 2019 Fireborne (The Aurelian Cycle, #1)
author: Rosaria Munda
name: Ida
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[When Among Crows (Curse Bearer, #1)]]> 195790597 When Among Crows is swift and striking, drawing from the deep well of Slavic folklore and asking if redemption and atonement can be found in embracing what we most fear.

We bear the sword, and we bear the pain of the sword.

On Kupala Night, Dymitr arrives in Chicago’s monstrous, magical underworld with a perilous mission: pick the mythical fern flower and offer it to a cursed creature in exchange for help finding the legendary witch Baba Jaga.

Ala is a fear-eating zmora afflicted with a bloodline curse that’s slowly killing her. She's just desperate enough to say yes to Dymitr, even if she doesn’t know his motives.

Over the course of one night, Ala and Dymitr risk life and limb in search of Baba Jaga, and begin to build a tentative friendship. . . but when Ala finds out what Dymitr is hiding, it could destroy them both.]]> 166 Veronica Roth 1250855489 Ida 0 to-read 3.71 2024 When Among Crows (Curse Bearer, #1)
author: Veronica Roth
name: Ida
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> In Flight (Up in the Air, #1) 213961160
Bianca is accustomed to dealing with supermodels and movie stars in her job as a first class flight attendant, but James Cavendish puts them all to shame in the looks department. If only it were just his looks that she found so irresistible about the intimidating man, Bianca could have ignored his attentions. But what tempts her like never before is the dominant pull he seems to have over her from the moment they meet, and the promise of pleasure, and pain, that she reads in his eyes.]]> 330 R.K. Lilley Ida 2
Honestly, I did not know what I picked up when I started this book, and maybe that influenced my oppinion. I just wanted an easy standalone (found out after starting that this is not a standalone), which I already owned, for my first read of 2025.]]> 3.94 2012 In Flight (Up in the Air, #1)
author: R.K. Lilley
name: Ida
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2012
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/09
date added: 2025/01/10
shelves:
review:
Fifty shades of grey, is that you?

Honestly, I did not know what I picked up when I started this book, and maybe that influenced my oppinion. I just wanted an easy standalone (found out after starting that this is not a standalone), which I already owned, for my first read of 2025.
]]> <![CDATA[The Awakening (Zodiac Academy, #1)]]> 219527732 An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here

You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny.

If you're one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it's in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we're a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes.

Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn't get the memo. Which means we're totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae.

Air. Fire. Water. Earth.

No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn't made us any friends so far.

As the rarest Elementals ever known, we're already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we've ever seen. It doesn't help that they're the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too.

Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They've only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they'll stop at nothing to succeed.

We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne.

We can't expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we've been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood.

Today's horoscope: totally screwed.]]> 420 Caroline Peckham Ida 0 currently-reading 3.98 2019 The Awakening (Zodiac Academy, #1)
author: Caroline Peckham
name: Ida
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Gild (The Plated Prisoner, #1)]]> 56483061 The fae abandoned this world to us. And the ones with power rule.

Gold.

Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold.

Even me.

King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I’m called his precious. His favored. I’m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him. To show how powerful he is. He gave me protection, and I gave him my heart. And even though I don’t leave the confines of the palace, I’m safe.

Until war comes to the kingdom and a deal is struck.

Suddenly, my trust is broken. My love is challenged. And I realize that everything I thought I knew about Midas might be wrong.

Because these bars I’m kept in, no matter how gilded, are still just a cage. But the monsters on the other side might make me wish I’d never left.

The myth of King Midas reimagined. This compelling adult fantasy series is as addictive as it is unexpected. With romance, intrigue, and danger, the gilded world of Orea will grip you from the very first page.

Please Note: This book contains explicit content and darker elements, including mature language, violence, and rape. It is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. This is book one in a series.

An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.]]> 402 Raven Kennedy Ida 2
I get that this is a series, but boy was this book both uneventful and stripped of any character develoupment. Does the series get better, or is it safer to just stop now?

Instagram made me buy it.]]> 3.60 2020 Gild (The Plated Prisoner, #1)
author: Raven Kennedy
name: Ida
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2024/10/10
date added: 2024/10/11
shelves:
review:
May all the male characters die in a pit of fire.

I get that this is a series, but boy was this book both uneventful and stripped of any character develoupment. Does the series get better, or is it safer to just stop now?

Instagram made me buy it.
]]> <![CDATA[The Lost Sisters (The Folk of the Air, #1.5)]]> 40772063 Sometimes the difference between a love story and a horror story is where the ending comes...

While Jude fought for power in the Court of Elfhame against the cruel Prince Cardan, her sister Taryn began to fall in love with the trickster, Locke.

Half-apology and half-explanation, it turns out that Taryn has some secrets of her own to reveal.

The Lost Sisters is a companion e-novella to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince by master writer Holly Black.]]> 50 Holly Black Ida 4 fantasy, short-stories “Fairy tales have a moral: Stay on the path. Don’t trust wolves. Don’t steal things, not even things you think no normal person would care about. Share your food but don’t trust people who want to share their food with you; don’t eat their shiny red apples, nor their candy houses, nor any of it. Be nice, always nice, and polite to everyone: kings and beggars, witches and wounded bears. Don’t break a promise. Be bold, be bold, but not too bold.�

I mean, I would still consider it a betrayal by Taryn, but as a companion novel it was pretty entertaining. More an explanation than an apology (actually it doesn't feel like an apology at all, which I think fits both sisters characters well), the story is written as a letter, covering a lot of the unknown story from "The Cruel Prince".

Not really necessary for the story before starting "The Wicked King", but if you liked "The Cruel Prince" I would recommend reading the novella :)

Merged review:

“Fairy tales have a moral: Stay on the path. Don’t trust wolves. Don’t steal things, not even things you think no normal person would care about. Share your food but don’t trust people who want to share their food with you; don’t eat their shiny red apples, nor their candy houses, nor any of it. Be nice, always nice, and polite to everyone: kings and beggars, witches and wounded bears. Don’t break a promise. Be bold, be bold, but not too bold.�

I mean, I would still consider it a betrayal by Taryn, but as a companion novel it was pretty entertaining. More an explanation than an apology (actually it doesn't feel like an apology at all, which I think fits both sisters characters well), the story is written as a letter, covering a lot of the unknown story from "The Cruel Prince".

Not really necessary for the story before starting "The Wicked King", but if you liked "The Cruel Prince" I would recommend reading the novella :)]]> 3.33 2018 The Lost Sisters (The Folk of the Air, #1.5)
author: Holly Black
name: Ida
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/24
date added: 2024/10/01
shelves: fantasy, short-stories
review:
“Fairy tales have a moral: Stay on the path. Don’t trust wolves. Don’t steal things, not even things you think no normal person would care about. Share your food but don’t trust people who want to share their food with you; don’t eat their shiny red apples, nor their candy houses, nor any of it. Be nice, always nice, and polite to everyone: kings and beggars, witches and wounded bears. Don’t break a promise. Be bold, be bold, but not too bold.�

I mean, I would still consider it a betrayal by Taryn, but as a companion novel it was pretty entertaining. More an explanation than an apology (actually it doesn't feel like an apology at all, which I think fits both sisters characters well), the story is written as a letter, covering a lot of the unknown story from "The Cruel Prince".

Not really necessary for the story before starting "The Wicked King", but if you liked "The Cruel Prince" I would recommend reading the novella :)

Merged review:

“Fairy tales have a moral: Stay on the path. Don’t trust wolves. Don’t steal things, not even things you think no normal person would care about. Share your food but don’t trust people who want to share their food with you; don’t eat their shiny red apples, nor their candy houses, nor any of it. Be nice, always nice, and polite to everyone: kings and beggars, witches and wounded bears. Don’t break a promise. Be bold, be bold, but not too bold.�

I mean, I would still consider it a betrayal by Taryn, but as a companion novel it was pretty entertaining. More an explanation than an apology (actually it doesn't feel like an apology at all, which I think fits both sisters characters well), the story is written as a letter, covering a lot of the unknown story from "The Cruel Prince".

Not really necessary for the story before starting "The Wicked King", but if you liked "The Cruel Prince" I would recommend reading the novella :)
]]> <![CDATA[The Hidden Blade (The Heart of Blade Duology, #1)]]> 22751852
Half a world away in England, a young boy's idyllic summer on the Sussex downs implodes with the firing of a single bullet. Torn from his family, he becomes the hostage of a urbanely sadistic uncle. He dreams of escaping to find his beloved friend--but the friend is in China, ten thousand miles away.

The girl trains to be deadly. The boy flees across continents. They do not know it yet, but their lives are already inextricably bound together, and will collide one fateful night when they least expect it.

CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON meets DOWNTON ABBEY, this remarkable tale of friendship, danger, and coming of age will stay with you long after you have finished the last page.

A prequel to MY BEAUTIFUL ENEMY.]]> 261 Sherry Thomas 1631280066 Ida 0 to-read 3.94 2014 The Hidden Blade (The Heart of Blade Duology, #1)
author: Sherry Thomas
name: Ida
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[One Night with a Quarterback (Santa Fe Bobcats, #1)]]> 21929174 A one-night stand shouldn’t go into overtime�


Now Cassie is determined to meet the man who's always been missing from her life. Her mother warns her, being the long-lost daughter of a well-known NFL coach won't be easy, but Cassie's determined to stick it out. And before her life turns upside down, she wants one more night of fun.

Starting quarterback for the Santa Fe Bobcats, Trey Owens is tired of being in the limelight. Lucky for him, the beautiful brunette he meets at the club isn't a local. She has no idea who he is…and she’s down to party.

Tomorrow, Cassie will think about her father. Tomorrow, she'll think about her future. But tonight is for herself and the hottie she found on the dance floor. It's a match made in heaven—if only for a night…]]> 274 Jeanette Murray 0698171101 Ida 0 romance 3.90 2014 One Night with a Quarterback (Santa Fe Bobcats, #1)
author: Jeanette Murray
name: Ida
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at: 2015/01/14
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: romance
review:

]]> The Queen's Gambit 62022 258 Walter Tevis 1400030609 Ida 4 4.14 1983 The Queen's Gambit
author: Walter Tevis
name: Ida
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1983
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/09
date added: 2024/09/09
shelves:
review:

]]> Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2) 192581482
Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College, Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders� capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College, and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.]]> 639 Rebecca Yarros 0349437041 Ida 4 4.50 2023 Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Ida
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/07
date added: 2024/09/07
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Assassin and the Healer (Throne of Glass, #0.2)]]> 18333581 40 Sarah J. Maas Ida 4 4.21 2013 The Assassin and the Healer (Throne of Glass, #0.2)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Ida
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/08/18
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth, #1)]]> 127305713
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe � a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution � who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch� is falling in love.]]> 406 Kristen Ciccarelli 1250866901 Ida 0 to-read 4.16 2024 Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth, #1)
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: Ida
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)]]> 208812759 ASIN moved from less recent edition

Welcome to the brutal and elite world of Basgiath War College, where everyone has an agenda, and every night could be your last . . .

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general - also known as her tough-as-talons mother - has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you're smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away . . . because dragons don't bond to 'fragile' humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother's daughter - like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She'll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Alliances will be forged. Lives will be lost. Traitors will become allies . . . or even lovers. But sleep with one eye open because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.]]> 646 Rebecca Yarros 0349436983 Ida 4
Not saying i deducted a star for all of the gasping, but there are other ways of describing surprise than *gasp* ]]> 4.69 2023 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Ida
average rating: 4.69
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/21
date added: 2024/07/23
shelves:
review:
4 - 4.5 ⭐️

Not saying i deducted a star for all of the gasping, but there are other ways of describing surprise than *gasp*
]]> <![CDATA[A Game of Love and Betrayal (The Choosing Chronicles, #1)]]> 197697866
What’s a vampire to do when the fae who made her an orphan is searching for a wife?

Make him choose her and end his life on their wedding night, of course.

Brynleigh has been carefully planning this for years. Her plan is simple: date Ryker Waterborn, the Fae Representative’s son, make him fall in love with her, and kill him after they say, “I do.�

Unfortunately, it will not be that easy. She won’t be the only one going after Ryker’s hand. Far from it. Two dozen men and women are competing in the Choosing, each searching for their perfect partner. The catch? It’s a blind selection process, and contestants won’t see each other until they have made their choice.

Nothing will stand between Brynleigh and her revenge, not even a competition for love.

A Game of Love and Betrayal is the first book in The Choosing Chronicles, a captivating enemies-to-lovers, new adult contemporary high fantasy romance.]]> 408 Elayna R. Gallea 1998219097 Ida 0 to-read 3.77 2024 A Game of Love and Betrayal (The Choosing Chronicles, #1)
author: Elayna R. Gallea
name: Ida
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A ​Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #4)]]> 53138095
فردی که بیش از دیگران اعصاب او را تحریک می‌کند� کسی نیست جز کاسین، این جنگجوی زخم‌خورد� که موقعیتش در دربار ریسند و فیرا او را مدام در نزدیکی نستا نگه می­دارد؛ اما خشم نستا تنها چیزی نیست که در حضور کاسین تحریک می­‌شو�. آتشی که بین آن­‌ه� شعله می­‌کش� غیرقابل‌انکا� است و وقتی ناچار به زندگی باهم در یک خانه می­شوند، بیش‌ازپی� حرارت می‌گیر�.

دراین‌بین� ملکه‌­ها� انسان خائن نیز که طی جنگ اخیر به قلمرو خود بازگشته‌ان� متحدی جدید و خطرناک یافته‌ان� که حضورش صلح شکننده حاکم بر دیگر قلمروها را تهدید می‌کند� و کلید بازداشتن این تهدید جدید در دست کاسین و نستاست که باید با گذشته­ی شوم خود روبه‌ر� شوند.

نستا و کاسین در دنیایی غرق در جنگ، در دنیایی که عدم اطمینان و بی­ثباتی آن را فراگرفته با هیولاهایی بیرون و درون وجود خود روبه‌ر� شده و به دنبال بهبود و پذیرش در آغوش یکدیگر می‌گردن�.]]> 757 Sarah J. Maas 168119628X Ida 3 4.44 2021 A ​Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #4)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Ida
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/07/01
shelves:
review:
First Sarah J. Maas book I have not pre-ordered, and to be honest I'm not sure if I even want to read this
]]> <![CDATA[Spark of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse, #1)]]> 123471760 When old secrets catch fire, everything will burn.

In a mortal world colonized by the gods and ruled over by the Descended, their cruel offspring, Diem Bellator yearns to escape the insular life of her poor village.

Her mother’s sudden disappearance—and the discovery of a dangerous secret about her past—offer Diem an unexpected opportunity to enter the dark world of Descended royalty and unlock the web of mysteries her mother left behind.

With the dying King’s handsome, mysterious heir watching her every move, and a ruthless mortal alliance recruiting her to join the growing civil war, Diem will have to navigate the unwritten rules of love, power, and politics in order to save her family—and all of mortalkind.

Spark of the Everflame is the first book in The Kindred's Curse Saga, a four-book fantasy romance series. This slow burn, enemies-to-lovers epic is perfect for lovers of magic, dragons, angst, and banter and will appeal to fans of books like A Court of Thorns and Roses, From Blood and Ash, Gild, and The Serpent & the Wings of Night.]]> 438 Penn Cole Ida 0 to-read 4.20 2023 Spark of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse, #1)
author: Penn Cole
name: Ida
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Graham Effect (Campus Diaries, #1)]]> 123255391
Ryder is six-foot five, built, opinionated, rude…and sexy as hell. But he's still the enemy.

Briar's new hockey co-captain has his reasons, though. The men's team just merged with a rival program, leaving Ryder with an angry roster where everyone hates one another's guts. To make matters worse, the summer coaching spot he's angling for with the legendary Garrett Graham is out of reach after he makes the worst possible first impression on his hero. So, really, this compromise with Gigi is win-win. He helps her make the national team, she puts in a good word with her dad.

The only potential snag? This bone-deep, body-numbing, mind-spinning chemistry they're trying to ignore. It's a dangerous game they're playing, but the risks just might be worth it.

Et pourtant, il y a un gros hic ! L'alchimie profonde, qui étouffe le corps et fait tourner l'esprit, qu'ils essaient d'ignorer. C'est un jeu dangereux auquel ils jouent, mais les risques pourraient bien en valoir la peine.]]> 498 Elle Kennedy 1990101186 Ida 4 4.18 2023 The Graham Effect (Campus Diaries, #1)
author: Elle Kennedy
name: Ida
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/11
date added: 2024/02/11
shelves:
review:

]]> The Legacy (Off-Campus, #5) 58953656 Four stories. Four couples. Three years of real life after graduation�

A wedding.
A proposal.
An elopement.
And a surprise pregnancy.

Can you guess which couple is which?

Come for the drama, stay for the laughs! Catch up with your favorite Off-Campus characters as they navigate the changes that come with growing up and discover that big decisions can have big consequences…and big rewards.]]> 339 Elle Kennedy 1990101054 Ida 0 to-read 3.79 2021 The Legacy (Off-Campus, #5)
author: Elle Kennedy
name: Ida
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Inadequate Heir (The Bridge Kingdom, #3)]]> 59487103 Return to the world of The Bridge Kingdom in this sensuous fantasy full of romance and intrigue that is perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Silver Flames.

A soldier raised as heir to an empire, Zarrah is motivated by two truths. The first is that the Veliant family murdered her mother. And the second is that her pursuit of vengeance will put every last one of them in their graves.

The Endless War between Maridrina and Valcotta has raged for generations, leaving thousands of Zarrah’s people dead and countless more orphaned. So when she’s given command of the contested city of Nerastis, Zarrah is prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy the Maridrinian forces who oppose her. And to kill the Veliant prince who leads them.

Yet a chance encounter with an anonymous, and handsome, Maridrinian causes Zarrah to question whether the violence she’s perpetrated is justice or a crime. And as she continues to meet the nameless man each night, she finds common ground - and fiery passion - in his arms.

But when identities are revealed, Zarrah must decide whether to embrace a chance at peace…or march to the drums of war.]]> 538 Danielle L. Jensen Ida 4 4.11 2022 The Inadequate Heir (The Bridge Kingdom, #3)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Ida
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/30
date added: 2024/01/30
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Endless War (The Bridge Kingdom, #4)]]> 125228832
Imprisoned on the dreaded Devil’s Island, Zarrah faces two choices: prove her loyalty to the Empress who condemned her or die a traitor. Yet as she struggles to survive among violent prisoners, Zarrah uncovers a third path: a rebellion to overthrow tyranny entwined with a destiny she must fight to claim.

While the Empress plots a war with devastating consequences, Keris and Zarrah must find their way back to each other. Yet their greatest adversary is the fiery passion between them. Unless they overcome the bitterness of betrayal, their love will not be the bringer of peace but rather the fuel that turns the Endless War into an inferno.]]> 500 Danielle L. Jensen Ida 0 currently-reading 4.30 2023 The Endless War (The Bridge Kingdom, #4)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Ida
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/19
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Curse of Saints (The Curse of the Saints, #1)]]> 62329962 Has she been sent to save the realm or destroy it?

As Spymaster to the Queen, Aya's blood oath ensures she protects those she fights alongside - including Will, the Queen's Enforcer and Aya's bitter rival.

When rumors of dark magic rise in a nearby kingdom, both are sent to investigate.

But when Aya's power acts beyond her gods-given affinity, she risks being turned into a weapon in a war she doesn't know how to win.

And when her relationship with Will unexpectedly shifts, neither knows the danger that will follow . . .]]> 480 Kate Dramis 0241630908 Ida 0 to-read 3.72 2023 The Curse of Saints (The Curse of the Saints, #1)
author: Kate Dramis
name: Ida
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Midnight Mated (Clover Pack, #1)]]> 121574079
Whisked away to the middle of the woods with no car or money, I found myself surrounded by crazies who claim to shift into animals and run in packs during the full moon. Even crazier? They say I’m one of them. And so was my attacker.

Normally I’d be running for the hills, but when the leader of this group tells me there have been other deadly attacks and I’m the sole survivor, the ten thousand dollar bounty he offers in exchange for my help is too tempting to resist.

Forced to partner with a gorgeous but infuriating rogue shifter who challenges me at every turn, we're propelled into a race against the clock to track down the killer.

Before it's too late.]]> 175 Savannah Lee Ida 0 to-read 3.84 2023 Midnight Mated (Clover Pack, #1)
author: Savannah Lee
name: Ida
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Red God (Red Rising Saga, #7) 61657799 Pierce Brown Ida 0 to-read 4.50 2025 Red God (Red Rising Saga, #7)
author: Pierce Brown
name: Ida
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Light Bringer (Red Rising Saga, #6)]]> 29227774 Darrow returns as Pierce Brown’s New York Times bestselling Red Rising series continues in the thrilling sequel to Dark Age.

�The measure of a man is not the fear he sows in his enemies. It is the hope he gives his friends.”—Virginia au Augustus

The Reaper is a legend, more myth than man: the savior of worlds, the leader of the Rising, the breaker of chains.

But the Reaper is also Darrow, born of the red soil of Mars: a husband, a father, a friend.

The worlds once needed the Reaper. But now they need Darrow. Because after the dark age will come a new age: of light, of victory, of hope.]]> 682 Pierce Brown 1473646804 Ida 0 to-read 4.74 2023 Light Bringer (Red Rising Saga, #6)
author: Pierce Brown
name: Ida
average rating: 4.74
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dark Age (Red Rising Saga, #5)]]> 29226553
For a decade Darrow led a revolution against the corrupt color-coded Society. Now, outlawed by the very Republic he founded, he wages a rogue war on Mercury in hopes that he can still salvage the dream of Eo. But as he leaves death and destruction in his wake, is he still the hero who broke the chains? Or will another legend rise to take his place?

Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile, has returned to the Core. Determined to bring peace back to mankind at the edge of his sword, he must overcome or unite the treacherous Gold families of the Core and face down Darrow over the skies of war-torn Mercury.

But theirs are not the only fates hanging in the balance.

On Luna, Mustang, Sovereign of the Republic, campaigns to unite the Republic behind her husband. Beset by political and criminal enemies, can she outwit her opponents in time to save him?

Once a Red refugee, young Lyria now stands accused of treason, and her only hope is a desperate escape with unlikely new allies.

Abducted by a new threat to the Republic, Pax and Electra, the children of Darrow and Sevro, must trust in Ephraim, a thief, for their salvation—and Ephraim must look to them for his chance at redemption.

As alliances shift, break, and re-form—and power is seized, lost, and reclaimed—every player is at risk in a game of conquest that could turn the Rising into a new Dark Age.]]> 704 Pierce Brown 0425285952 Ida 0 to-read 4.49 2019 Dark Age (Red Rising Saga, #5)
author: Pierce Brown
name: Ida
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Iron Gold (Red Rising Saga, #4)]]> 33257757 They call him father, liberator, warlord, Reaper. But he feels a boy as he falls toward the pale blue planet, his armor red, his army vast, his heart heavy. It is the tenth year of war and the thirty-second of his life.

A decade ago, Darrow was the hero of the revolution he believed would break the chains of the Society. But the Rising has shattered everything: Instead of peace and freedom, it has brought endless war. Now he must risk everything he has fought for on one last desperate mission. Darrow still believes he can save everyone, but can he save himself?

And throughout the worlds, other destinies entwine with Darrow’s to change his fate forever:

A young Red girl flees tragedy in her refugee camp and achieves for herself a new life she could never have imagined.

An ex-soldier broken by grief is forced to steal the most valuable thing in the galaxy—or pay with his life.

And Lysander au Lune, the heir in exile to the sovereign, wanders the stars with his mentor, Cassius, haunted by the loss of the world that Darrow transformed, and dreaming of what will rise from its ashes.

Red Rising was the story of the end of one universe, and Iron Gold is the story of the creation of a new one. Witness the beginning of a stunning new saga of tragedy and triumph from masterly New York Times bestselling author Pierce Brown.]]> 602 Pierce Brown 042528591X Ida 0 to-read 4.19 2018 Iron Gold (Red Rising Saga, #4)
author: Pierce Brown
name: Ida
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Morning Star (Red Rising Saga, #3)]]> 18966806
Finally, the time has come.

But devotion to honor and hunger for vengeance run deep on both sides. Darrow and his comrades-in-arms face powerful enemies without scruple or mercy. Among them are some Darrow once considered friends. To win, Darrow will need to inspire those shackled in darkness to break their chains, unmake the world their cruel masters have built, and claim a destiny too long denied—and too glorious to surrender.]]> 525 Pierce Brown 0345539842 Ida 0 to-read 4.52 2016 Morning Star (Red Rising Saga, #3)
author: Pierce Brown
name: Ida
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Golden Son (Red Rising Saga, #2)]]> 18966819
A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind’s destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo’s principles of love and justice to free his people.

He must live for more.]]> 466 Pierce Brown 0345539826 Ida 0 currently-reading 4.48 2015 Golden Son (Red Rising Saga, #2)
author: Pierce Brown
name: Ida
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/12
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1)]]> 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 Ida 5 fantasy
Short review to come ]]> 4.26 2014 Red Rising (Red Rising Saga, #1)
author: Pierce Brown
name: Ida
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/12
date added: 2023/07/12
shelves: fantasy
review:
Like Hunger Games on steroids. Brilliant.

Short review to come
]]> Hell Bent (Alex Stern, #2) 60652997 Wealth. Power. Murder. Magic. Alex Stern is back and the Ivy League is going straight to hell.

Find a gateway to the underworld. Steal a soul out of hell. A simple plan, except people who make this particular journey rarely come back. But Galaxy “Alex� Stern is determined to break Darlington out of purgatory―even if it costs her a future at Lethe and at Yale.

Forbidden from attempting a rescue, Alex and Dawes can’t call on the Ninth House for help, so they assemble a team of dubious allies to save the gentleman of Lethe. Together, they will have to navigate a maze of arcane texts and bizarre artifacts to uncover the societies� most closely guarded secrets, and break every rule doing it. But when faculty members begin to die off, Alex knows these aren’t just accidents. Something deadly is at work in New Haven, and if she is going to survive, she’ll have to reckon with the monsters of her past and a darkness built into the university’s very walls.

Thick with history and packed with Bardugo’s signature twists, Hell Bent brings to life an intricate world full of magic, violence, and all too real monsters.]]> 481 Leigh Bardugo 1250313104 Ida 0 to-read 4.09 2023 Hell Bent (Alex Stern, #2)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Ida
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology, #1)]]> 61198133 A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both.

Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.

Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.

Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.

#1New York Times bestselling author Holly Black returns to the opulent world of Elfhame in the first book in a thrilling new duology, following Jude's brother Oak, and the changeling queen, Suren.]]> 356 Holly Black 0316592706 Ida 0 to-read 3.92 2023 The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: Ida
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Spinning Silver 36896898 Spinning Silver draws readers deeper into a glittering realm of fantasy, where the boundary between wonder and terror is thinner than a breath, and safety can be stolen as quickly as a kiss.

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty—until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold.

When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk—grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh—Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.

But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.

Channeling the vibrant heart of myth and fairy tale, Spinning Silver weaves a multilayered, magical tapestry that readers will want to return to again and again.]]> 465 Naomi Novik Ida 0 to-read 4.20 2018 Spinning Silver
author: Naomi Novik
name: Ida
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Children of Time (Children of Time, #1)]]> 25499718
WHO WILL INHERIT THIS NEW EARTH?

The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age—a world terraformed and prepared for human life.

But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. The planet is not waiting for them, pristine and unoccupied. New masters have turned it from a refuge into mankind's worst nightmare.

Now two civilizations are on a collision course, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?]]> 608 Adrian Tchaikovsky 1447273281 Ida 0 to-read 4.29 2015 Children of Time (Children of Time, #1)
author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
name: Ida
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/07/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You]]> 923950
Most of us feel overstimulated every once in a while, but for the HSP, it's a way of life. In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Elaine Aron, a clinical psychologist, workshop leader, and an HSP herself, shows you how to identify this trait in yourself and make the most of it in everyday situations. Drawing on her many years of research and hundreds of interviews, she shows how you can better understand yourself and your trait to create a fuller, richer life.]]> 251 Elaine N. Aron 0553062182 Ida 0 to-read 3.86 1996 The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You
author: Elaine N. Aron
name: Ida
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements, #1)]]> 20983070 One kiss could be the last

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she’s crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she’s not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn’t an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she’s the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

]]> 388 Jennifer L. Armentrout 1472075137 Ida 0 currently-reading 4.20 2014 White Hot Kiss (The Dark Elements, #1)
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Ida
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Deal with the Elf King (Married to Magic, #1)]]> 55285911 The elves come for two things: war and wives. In both cases, they come for death.

Three-thousand years ago, humans were hunted by powerful races with wild magic until the treaty was formed. Now, for centuries, the elves have taken a young woman from Luella's village to be their Human Queen.

To be chosen is seen as a mark of death by the townsfolk. A mark nineteen-year-old Luella is grateful to have escaped as a girl. Instead, she's dedicated her life to studying herbology and becoming the town's only healer.

That is, until the Elf King unexpectedly arrives... for her.

Everything Luella had thought she'd known about her life, and herself, was a lie. Taken to a land filled with wild magic, Luella is forced to be the new queen to a cold yet blisteringly handsome Elf King. Once there, she learns about a dying world that only she can save.

The magical land of Midscape pulls on one corner of her heart, her home and people tug on another... but what will truly break her is a passion she never wanted.

A Deal with the Elf King is a complete, stand-alone novel, inspired by the tales of Hades and Persephone, as well as Beauty and the Beast, with a "happily ever after" ending. It's perfect for fantasy romance fans looking for just the right amount of steam and their next slow-burn and swoon-worthy couple. ]]> 317 Elise Kova 1949694283 Ida 0 currently-reading 3.62 2020 A Deal with the Elf King (Married to Magic, #1)
author: Elise Kova
name: Ida
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/04
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows (Stars and Shadows, #1)]]> 61189711
Where does your allegiance lie?

I am told my union to the crowned prince will determine the fate of the kingdom, but it isn’t my betrothed who haunts my dreams. It’s the half-breed prince who stands at his side.

He is darkness and sin, and when he whispers promises of wickedness in my ear, I crave a man who I can’t have.

Every thought I have is treasonous. The way my hands ache to touch him deceitful.

Even my dreams make me a traitor to the kingdom I am sworn to protect.

But when the kingdom is attacked, I am forced to make choices I’m not prepared for. Our lies and deception are entangled in the shadows and stars, and as they unravel so shall my fate. Betray a kingdom or betray my heart.]]> 259 Holly Renee Ida 0 to-read 3.70 2022 A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows (Stars and Shadows, #1)
author: Holly Renee
name: Ida
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/03/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[What Lies Beyond the Veil (Of Flesh & Bone, #1)]]> 59339681 Once, we’d worshipped them as Gods.

For nearly 400 years, the Veil has protected us from the Fae of Alfheimr. In their absence, our lives have shifted from decadence and sin to survival and virtue under the guidance of the New Gods. I’ve spent my entire life tending to the gardens next to the boundary between our worlds, drawn to the shimmering magic like a moth to the flame.

Then, we died on their swords.

All of that changes the day the Veil shatters, unleashing the fae upon our world once again. The magic of faerie marks those of us they mean to take, but the Mist Guard protecting Nothrek will kill us all before they let the fae have us. There’s no choice but to flee everything I’ve ever known, not if I want to live to see my twenty-first birthday as a free woman.

Now, they’ll claim what’s theirs.

But before they capture me, Caelum saves me from the Wild Hunt. Fae-marked and on the run, he is able to fight back in ways I only dream of. From tentative alliance to all-consuming passion, our bond strengthens as the fae close in and evil lurks ever nearer. With my life on the line, he is everything I shouldn’t dare to want and a distraction I can’t afford. I can’t seem to stay away, not even with something greater on the line.

My heart.

Author’s Note: This book is intended for readers who are 18 and older. It contains mature language, graphic violence, and explicit content with darker elements. This is book one in a series and ends in a cliffhanger.]]> 419 Harper L. Woods Ida 0 to-read 3.57 2022 What Lies Beyond the Veil (Of Flesh & Bone, #1)
author: Harper L. Woods
name: Ida
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/03/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Order of the Undying (SPARX Incarnation, #2)]]> 30357753 334 K.B. Sprague 198836308X Ida 0 to-read 4.75 Order of the Undying (SPARX Incarnation, #2)
author: K.B. Sprague
name: Ida
average rating: 4.75
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/02/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Maddest Obsession (Made, #2)]]> 45050360 He rules it.

Her dresses are too tight, her heels too tall. She laughs too loudly, eats without decorum, and mixes up most sayings in the book. Little do most know it’s just a sparkly disguise, there to hide one panic attack at a time.

Nobody can crack Gianna’s facade . . . no one anyway, until he comes along.

Most see a paragon of morality; a special agent upholding the law. In the New York underworld, others know him as a hustler, a killer, his nature as cold as the heart of ice in his chest. Christian Allister has always followed the life plan he’d envisioned in his youth, beneath the harsh lights of a frigid, damp cell. With a proclivity for order and the number three, he’s never been tempted to veer off course. But perhaps one should never say never . . .

One winter night and their lives intertwine. She hates him—his stone-cold demeanor, his arrogance and too-perceptive eye—but over the years, even as their games consist of insulting each other’s looks and intelligence, she begins to live to play with him.

Nowhere in Christian’s plans had he ever prepared for Gianna. She’s chaos embodied, not his type, and married, but none of that can stop his eyes from following her wherever she goes.

All along, she doesn’t even know that she’s his—his frustration, his fascination.

His maddest obsession.]]> 376 Danielle Lori Ida 4 Reread April 2020.
In all honesty I skimmed some parts during my reread, but the scenes between Gianna and Christian are still so entertaining!

�3.4 - 4 �

“Love is an obsession. Some would even say . . . the maddest obsession.�

This author, guys!
The book might have been a bit longer than it had to be, and there wasn't much of a plot-line to be frank, but that slow-burn romance y'all! ]]> 4.37 2019 The Maddest Obsession (Made, #2)
author: Danielle Lori
name: Ida
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/04/06
date added: 2022/08/27
shelves:
review:
Reread April 2020.
In all honesty I skimmed some parts during my reread, but the scenes between Gianna and Christian are still so entertaining!

�3.4 - 4 �

“Love is an obsession. Some would even say . . . the maddest obsession.�

This author, guys!
The book might have been a bit longer than it had to be, and there wasn't much of a plot-line to be frank, but that slow-burn romance y'all!
]]> The Ghostwriter 36328685 From New York Times Bestseller Alessandra Torre...
Four years ago, I lied. I stood in front of the police, my friends and family, and made up a story, my best one yet. And all of them believed me.

I wasn't surprised. Telling stories is what made me famous. Fifteen bestsellers. Millions of fans. Fame and fortune.

Now, I have one last story to write. It'll be my best one yet, with a jaw-dropping twist that will leave them stunned and gasping for breath.

They say that sticks and stones will break your bones, but this story? It will be the one that kills me.]]> 318 A.R. Torre Ida 0 to-read 4.33 2017 The Ghostwriter
author: A.R. Torre
name: Ida
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/05/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch]]> 12067
People have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it’s only natural to be sceptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day. This time though, the armies of Good and Evil really do appear to be massing. The four Bikers of the Apocalypse are hitting the road. But both the angels and demons � well, one fast-living demon and a somewhat fussy angel � would quite like the Rapture not to happen.

And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist…]]> 491 Terry Pratchett Ida 0 currently-reading 4.27 1990 Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ida
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1990
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/09
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Purest Addiction (Made, #4)]]> 56015874
Release date to be announced]]> Danielle Lori Ida 0 to-read 4.25 The Purest Addiction (Made, #4)
author: Danielle Lori
name: Ida
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/02/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (The Folk of the Air, #3.5)]]> 53439883
An irresistible return to the captivating world of Elfhame.

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue.

Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone . #1 New York Times bestselling author, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective.

This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.]]> 200 Holly Black Ida 4 4.12 2020 How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (The Folk of the Air, #3.5)
author: Holly Black
name: Ida
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/01/01
date added: 2022/01/01
shelves:
review:
For some reason I thought we would get a sneak peak from Cardans POV between The Wicked King and The Queen of Nothing, mostly because I really really wanted that, and so I was slightly dissapointed with the stories in this book. The artwork however was beautiful, and all in all it was a good companion novel to the series.
]]> 2021 on ŷ 56127226
For those of you who don't like to add titles you haven't actually 'read', you can place 2021 on ŷ on an 'exclusive' shelf. Exclusive shelves don't have to be listed under 'to read', 'currently reading' or 'read'. To create one, go to 'edit bookshelves' on your 'My Books' page, create a shelf name such as 'review-of-the year' and tick the 'exclusive' box. Your previous and future 'reviews of the year' can be collected together on this dedicated shelf.

Concept created by Fionnuala Lirsdottir.
Description: Fionnuala Lirsdottir
Cover art: Paul Cézanne, Ginger Jar and Fruit, 1895
Cover choice and graphics by Jayson]]> Various Ida 0 4.16 2021 2021 on ŷ
author: Various
name: Ida
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/31
shelves:
review:
Should probaby have updated this review, but my reading goal went sideways so who cares, I'll just look the other way
]]> <![CDATA[The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)]]> 45013003 A powerful curse forces the exiled Queen of Faerie to choose between ambition and humanity in this highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy from a #1 New York Times bestselling author.He will be the destruction of the crown and the ruination of the thronePower is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan's betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her twin sister, Taryn, whose life is in peril.Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict's bloody politics.And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity . . .]]> 321 Holly Black Ida 4
I think Jude and Cardan will live inside my head for a long time.]]> 4.34 2019 The Queen of Nothing (The Folk of the Air, #3)
author: Holly Black
name: Ida
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/12/30
date added: 2021/12/31
shelves:
review:
It's been a long while since I read every book in a series back to back, but "The Folk of the Air" was well worth staying up long into the night for.

I think Jude and Cardan will live inside my head for a long time.
]]> <![CDATA[The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)]]> 39760383 The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.
The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.]]> 369 Holly Black Ida 5 4.27 2019 The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)
author: Holly Black
name: Ida
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2021/12/29
date added: 2021/12/29
shelves:
review:
You know what? Jude deserves 5 stars! It's been so long since I've been this invested in a story and its characters. And what an ending!
]]> <![CDATA[A Fate of Wrath & Flame (Fate & Flame, #1)]]> 57198961
Her quest is Steal a stone from Islor’s sacred garden without anyone discovering her true identity, which would earn her certain death. But the identity she has inexplicably assumed is that of the captured Ybarisan princess—an enemy to Islor after she poisoned their beloved king and queen on the day she was to marry the prince.

Her betrothed, the newly crowned King Zander, detests her with every grain of his handsome being. Fortunately for Romeria, she is more valuable to him alive than dead. Zander gives her a life in a cell, or an acquittal of all charges in exchange for her help in exposing the growing plot against him.

Romeria sees no other option and embraces the tricky role of smitten queen-to-be until she can escape, a ruse that brings her far closer to the king than she anticipated and threatens more than her safety. As she digs deeper into this sacred garden and the ancient feud between Ybaris and Islor, she discovers monstrous truths that could spell ruin for all.

She would know the world of vengeful gods and monsters, and the lengths one would go for love. And nothing would ever be the same for her again.]]> 547 K.A. Tucker 1990105149 Ida 0 to-read 4.09 2021 A Fate of Wrath & Flame (Fate & Flame, #1)
author: K.A. Tucker
name: Ida
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Savage and the Swan (Fated Fae)]]> 57366810 Raised to avenge his murdered parents, he’d been trained and conditioned until nothing but violence and hatred lined the walls of his dead heart.

For nearly four years, I’d done all I could to help my kingdom as we faced the wolf king’s unconquerable evil—hardly anything at all.
As the only heir to the Gracewood line, I’d been relegated to menial tasks that would keep me and my secrets safe.

A chance to do more than fret behind our castle walls arrived when I breached them after overhearing my parents� plans for my future. Fleeing, I unknowingly raced into a fate we’d all desperately hoped to avoid.

By the time I saw him coming, it was far too late. For my family. For my kingdom.
For my heart.
Before I could staunch the bleeding, the king had me under his giant paw, and one wrong move after another caused those razor-sharp claws to sink deeper and deeper beneath my bruised skin.

I might have been trapped, naïve, and furious, but I still had a kingdom to save—and a plan. Yet when we collided, the bloodshed, the fear, his atrocities... all of it dissolved like stardust upon the night sea.

The stars had mapped out our destiny, but it didn’t matter what they or my heart wanted. I refused to see the enigmatic male, the heartless lost boy with a soul beneath the flesh of a monster.
The savage king who’d destroyed everything I loved would fall—even if my heart fell with him.

�

Inspired by Hades and Persephone, Rumpelstiltskin, and The Swan Princess, The Savage and the Swan is not connected to any other Ella Fields novel. It’s a full-length standalone romantic fantasy containing mature content.]]> 348 Ella Fields Ida 0 to-read 3.53 2021 The Savage and the Swan (Fated Fae)
author: Ella Fields
name: Ida
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The High Mountain Court (Five Crowns of Okrith, #1)]]> 58310153 Gripping and action-packed, The High Mountain Court is an adrenaline-filled, high fantasy with fae courts, powerful witches, and a diverse cast of characters, perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Holly Black.

A red witch in hiding�

Thirteen years fleeing witch hunters and the looming threat of death. Nineteen-year-old Remy knows she is possibly the last red witch alive, and she is determined to stay that way. The Northern Court King has slaughtered her home court and placed a bounty on red witch heads.

When four fae warriors enter her tavern refuge, Remy tries to flee, but her magic isn’t strong enough to stop a fae prince on a mission. The handsome Prince Hale of the Eastern Kingdom wants to stop a war with the Northern Court before his kingdom befalls the same fate as Remy’s. He needs a red witch and Remy may be the only person alive who can help him. Can she really trust Prince Hale? Can her fallen court be resurrected from the evil clutches of the Northern Court King? For the chance to save herself, her people, and help defeat the Northern King, Remy must put her faith in Hale and his companions on a dangerous quest to find lost relics.

The High Mountain Court is the first book in the thrilling fantasy saga, The Five Crowns of Okrith. Expect danger, intrigue, and thrilling passion as Remy journeys to save the kingdom she holds most dear.]]> 354 A.K. Mulford Ida 0 to-read 3.69 2021 The High Mountain Court (Five Crowns of Okrith, #1)
author: A.K. Mulford
name: Ida
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Broken Blade (The Halfling Saga, #1)]]> 59739150
She crosses into the magical lands of the Fae, trying to discern if her enemy is Mortal, Elf, or a Halfling like her. But the Faeland is not what it seems, and neither is the Shadow. Keera is shocked by what she discovers and can’t help but wonder who her enemy truly is�

The King that destroyed her people? The Prince that tortures them? Or the Shadow that threatens her place at court?

As she searches for answers, Keera is haunted by a promise she made long ago. A promise not only to save herself but an entire kingdom.]]> 427 Melissa Blair 1777927811 Ida 0 to-read 3.88 2021 A Broken Blade (The Halfling Saga, #1)
author: Melissa Blair
name: Ida
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[An Heir Comes to Rise (An Heir Comes to Rise, #1)]]> 56030239 A SWORD�
In the impoverished outer town of a kingdom where fae outrank humans, Faythe, an orphan with a talent for swordplay, knows the importance of keeping her head down around the fae patrol. She and best friend Jakon long for a better life, and her desire to swing her sword in combat may bring the purpose and coin she’s yearned for.

A DREAM�
When she draws the attention of royal guard Nik, she soon learns that her mortal nature isn’t the only reason to remain out of sight. Nik is a Nightwalker, a silent assassin of the mind with the power to enter others� dreams, and whether she trusts him or not, he’s about to awaken abilities in Faythe that shouldn’t exist in a human. Nightmarish abilities. Deadly abilities. Abilities that will teach Faythe blood really does run thicker than water…and if she doesn’t trust in higher powers soon, blood will run indeed.

AN HEIR�
For this is no battle Faythe can fight with steel. Within the city walls, suspicions are arising, and here in the outer town she has deeper bonds to protect. It seems everyone will die with a dark secret to tell, but what if one unlikely human girl was born harboring the darkest secret of all�?

In a clash of steel, a mortal body may fall. But in a clash of dreams, a powerful heir may rise.

Fans of THRONE OF GLASS and RED QUEEN will enjoy this first instalment in a gripping new fantasy series that portrays the unbreakable strength of friendship, the struggle for honor, and the ache of sacrifice.]]> 382 C.C. Peñaranda 1838248013 Ida 0 to-read 3.69 2021 An Heir Comes to Rise (An Heir Comes to Rise, #1)
author: C.C. Peñaranda
name: Ida
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows, #1)]]> 53422971 From New York Times best-selling author Lexi Ryan, Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this sexy, action-packed fantasy about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.

Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she'll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.

Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie's only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.

Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart.]]> 448 Lexi Ryan Ida 0 to-read 3.95 2021 These Hollow Vows (These Hollow Vows, #1)
author: Lexi Ryan
name: Ida
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[To Bleed a Crystal Bloom (Crystal Bloom, #1)]]> 58293539
Nineteen years ago, I was plucked from the heart of a bloody massacre that spared nobody else.

Small. Fragile.
An enigma.

Now ward to a powerful High Master who knows too much and says too little, I lead a simple life, never straying from the confines of an imaginary line I've drawn around the castle grounds.
Stay within. Never leave.
Out there, the monsters lurk. Inside, I'm safe ... though at a cost far greater than the blood I drip into a goblet daily.
Toxic, unreciprocated love for a man who's utterly unavailable.

My savior. My protector.
My almost executioner.

I can't help but be enamored with the arcane man who holds the power to pull my roots from the ground.

When voracious beasts spill across the land and threaten to fray the fabric of my tailored existence, the petals of reality will peel back to reveal an ugly truth. But in a castle puddled with secrets, none are greater than the one I've kept from myself.

No tower is tall enough to protect me from the horror that tore my life to shreds.

To Bleed a Crystal Bloom is a dark Rapunzel reimagining full of immersive imagery and breathtaking angst. A unique new fantasy series perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer L. Armentrout, guaranteed to grip you from the very first page.]]> 488 Sarah A. Parker Ida 0 to-read 3.76 2021 To Bleed a Crystal Bloom (Crystal Bloom, #1)
author: Sarah A. Parker
name: Ida
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)]]> 36049787 An instant bestseller!

By #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, the first book in a stunning new series about a mortal girl who finds herself caught in a web of royal faerie intrigue.

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.]]> 385 Holly Black Ida 4 “I thought I was supposed to be good and follow the rules,� I say. “But I am done with being weak. I am done with being good. I think I am going to be something else.�

Well hello there, Jude. I think I'll like you immensely!

I don’t desire to do as well in the tournament as one of the fey. I want to win. I do not yearn to be their equal. In my heart, I yearn to best them.

Fantasy, mystery and magic. It might not have been the best or most original storyline, but it was entertaining and all-consuming.

I have no idea how there will be any romance between Jude and Cardan (yes, I spoiled that bit for myself), but I'm eager to find out! And who doesn't love a power hungry MC?

description

“Nice things don’t happen in storybooks,� Taryn says. “Or when they do happen, something bad happens next. Because otherwise the story would be boring, and no one would read it.�]]> 4.03 2018 The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: Ida
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2021/11/26
date added: 2021/12/28
shelves:
review:
“I thought I was supposed to be good and follow the rules,� I say. “But I am done with being weak. I am done with being good. I think I am going to be something else.�

Well hello there, Jude. I think I'll like you immensely!

I don’t desire to do as well in the tournament as one of the fey. I want to win. I do not yearn to be their equal. In my heart, I yearn to best them.

Fantasy, mystery and magic. It might not have been the best or most original storyline, but it was entertaining and all-consuming.

I have no idea how there will be any romance between Jude and Cardan (yes, I spoiled that bit for myself), but I'm eager to find out! And who doesn't love a power hungry MC?

description

“Nice things don’t happen in storybooks,� Taryn says. “Or when they do happen, something bad happens next. Because otherwise the story would be boring, and no one would read it.�
]]> <![CDATA[The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library, #1)]]> 21416690 Irene must be at the top of her game or she'll be off the case - permanently...

Irene is a professional spy for the mysterious Library, which harvests fiction from different realities. And along with her enigmatic assistant Kai, she's posted to an alternative London. Their mission - to retrieve a dangerous book. But when they arrive, it's already been stolen. London's underground factions seem prepared to fight to the very death to find her book.

Adding to the jeopardy, this world is chaos-infested - the laws of nature bent to allow supernatural creatures and unpredictable magic. Irene's new assistant is also hiding secrets of his own.

Soon, she's up to her eyebrows in a heady mix of danger, clues and secret societies. Yet failure is not an option - the nature of reality itself is at stake.]]> 329 Genevieve Cogman 1447256239 Ida 0 to-read 3.71 2014 The Invisible Library (The Invisible Library, #1)
author: Genevieve Cogman
name: Ida
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/11/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor, #1)]]> 25895524 The international bestselling author of the Broken Empire and the Red Queen's War trilogies begins a stunning epic fantasy series about a secretive order of holy warriors...

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy, young girls are raised to be killers. In some few children the old bloods show, gifting rare talents that can be honed to deadly or mystic effect. But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don't truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls.

A bloodstained child of nine falsely accused of murder, guilty of worse, Nona is stolen from the shadow of the noose. It takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist, but under Abbess Glass's care there is much more to learn than the arts of death. Among her class Nona finds a new family—and new enemies.

Despite the security and isolation of the convent, Nona's secret and violent past finds her out, drawing with it the tangled politics of a crumbling empire. Her arrival sparks old feuds to life, igniting vicious struggles within the church and even drawing the eye of the emperor himself.

Beneath a dying sun, Nona Grey must master her inner demons, then loose them on those who stand in her way.]]> 467 Mark Lawrence 1101988851 Ida 3 4.13 2017 Red Sister (Book of the Ancestor, #1)
author: Mark Lawrence
name: Ida
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2021/11/23
date added: 2021/11/23
shelves:
review:
I had forgotten I was reading this one.. That can't be a good sign
]]> <![CDATA[Bad Billionaire (Bad Billionaires #1)]]> 57322031 An alternate cover for this ASIN can be found here.

What happens when an ex-con inherits a billion dollars? Very bad things.

Devon Wilder is a mystery. To me, he’s Mister Hot, Dark, and Handsome, the neighbor I watch from the window, wondering what he’s really like.

Turns out, he’s a thief. A getaway driver. He gives me the hottest night of my life before he’s put away for taking the wrong job. When he’s gone, I try to forget about him and get on with my normal, unexciting life.

Until he gets out, and an inheritance makes him a billionaire.

Now Devon is back. He’s the richest ex-con you’ve ever seen. He doesn’t care about penthouses, fancy dinners, or private jets. He doesn’t care that his enemies are after him. He doesn’t care that everything is about to go up in flames.

In his world of chaos, Devon Wilder says he only cares about one thing.

Me.]]> 225 Julie Kriss Ida 2
It's not horrible, it just didn't keep my attention no matter how hard I tried. I was expecting passion, heart ache and drama, but it was just cringey dialogue and straight forward plotless storyline. ]]> 3.88 2016 Bad Billionaire (Bad Billionaires #1)
author: Julie Kriss
name: Ida
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2021/11/19
date added: 2021/11/20
shelves:
review:
DNF at 50% ish

It's not horrible, it just didn't keep my attention no matter how hard I tried. I was expecting passion, heart ache and drama, but it was just cringey dialogue and straight forward plotless storyline.
]]> Fable (Fable, #1) 51179832
As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, the sea is the only home seventeen-year-old Fable has ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father.

But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive.]]> 361 Adrienne Young 125025437X Ida 3 Nothing is free.

Fable, both book and character, felt underdeveloped.

For some reason I thought this book was written by the same author who wrote "Daugther of the Pirate King", because although the story line and characters are different (slightly), it still felt the same just not as good. That might also be the reason why I lost interest quickly, and ended up feeling indifferent to both story and characters.]]> 4.18 2020 Fable (Fable, #1)
author: Adrienne Young
name: Ida
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/11/19
date added: 2021/11/20
shelves:
review:
Nothing is free.

Fable, both book and character, felt underdeveloped.

For some reason I thought this book was written by the same author who wrote "Daugther of the Pirate King", because although the story line and characters are different (slightly), it still felt the same just not as good. That might also be the reason why I lost interest quickly, and ended up feeling indifferent to both story and characters.
]]> <![CDATA[The Long Earth (The Long Earth, #1)]]> 13147230
2015: Madison, Wisconsin. Cop Monica Jansson is exploring the burned-out home of a reclusive - some said mad, others dangerous - scientist when she finds a curious gadget - a box containing some wiring, a three-way switch and a... potato. It is the prototype of an invention that will change the way Mankind views his world forever.

And that is an understatement if ever there was one...]]> 336 Terry Pratchett 0062067753 Ida 0 to-read 3.77 2012 The Long Earth (The Long Earth, #1)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ida
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Color of Magic (Discworld, #1; Rincewind, #1)]]> 34497 228 Terry Pratchett 0060855924 Ida 0 to-read 4.04 1983 The Color of Magic (Discworld, #1; Rincewind, #1)
author: Terry Pratchett
name: Ida
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1983
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/09/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The ​Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and Ash, #3)]]> 55924835 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book three in her Blood and Ash series�

She's been the victim and the survivor�

Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers.

The enemy and the warrior�

Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms� dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy’s head.

A lover and heartmate�

But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible—travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself. And as shocking secrets and the harshest betrayals come to light, and enemies emerge to threaten everything Poppy and Casteel have fought for, they will discover just how far they are willing to go for their people—and each other.

And now she will become Queen�]]> 659 Jennifer L. Armentrout Ida 0 dnf, fantasy, romance
Maybe I'll try reading this again, as I loved the first two books in the series, but right now I don't have it in me to power through.. It's just so repetitive, and quite frankly boring (IMHO).
-> I liked Poppy in the first two books, but I'm tired of hearing how special she is.
-> Most people remembers what they've read. We don't need things to be re-told 100 times?
-> The info dumps.. Dear lord

Update 29.04.21: Am I the only one that finds this quite repetitive?
Action -> info-dump -> action -> info-dump -> action -> info-dump
And it also feels like the language is the same.. Asking the same questions. Stating the same 'facts' etc...]]> 4.30 2021 The ​Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and Ash, #3)
author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
name: Ida
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at: 2021/07/26
date added: 2021/07/26
shelves: dnf, fantasy, romance
review:
DNF at 50%

Maybe I'll try reading this again, as I loved the first two books in the series, but right now I don't have it in me to power through.. It's just so repetitive, and quite frankly boring (IMHO).
-> I liked Poppy in the first two books, but I'm tired of hearing how special she is.
-> Most people remembers what they've read. We don't need things to be re-told 100 times?
-> The info dumps.. Dear lord

Update 29.04.21: Am I the only one that finds this quite repetitive?
Action -> info-dump -> action -> info-dump -> action -> info-dump
And it also feels like the language is the same.. Asking the same questions. Stating the same 'facts' etc...
]]> <![CDATA[Grey (Fifty Shades as Told by Christian, #1)]]> 25643846 See the world of Fifty Shades of Grey anew through the eyes of Christian Grey.

In Christian's own words, and through his thoughts, reflections, and dreams, E L James offers a fresh perspective on the love story that has enthralled millions of readers around the world.

Christian Grey exercises control in all things; his world is neat, disciplined, and utterly empty—until the day that Anastasia Steele falls into his office, in a tangle of shapely limbs and tumbling brown hair. He tries to forget her, but instead is swept up in a storm of emotion he cannot comprehend and cannot resist. Unlike any woman he has known before, shy, unworldly Ana seems to see right through him—past the business prodigy and the penthouse lifestyle to Christian’s cold, wounded heart.  

Will being with Ana dispel the horrors of his childhood that haunt Christian every night? Or will his dark sexual desires, his compulsion to control, and the self-loathing that fills his soul drive this girl away and destroy the fragile hope she offers him?


This book is intended for mature audiences.


From the Trade Paperback edition.]]> 576 E.L. James 1101946350 Ida 0 dnf
DNF at 51%.

Why did I think I would like this?]]> 4.13 2015 Grey (Fifty Shades as Told by Christian, #1)
author: E.L. James
name: Ida
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at: 2021/07/23
date added: 2021/07/23
shelves: dnf
review:
Instant regret.

DNF at 51%.

Why did I think I would like this?
]]> Exposed (VIP, #4) 44418486 Brenna

There are some people in life who know exactly how to push your buttons. For me, it’s Rye Peterson. We can’t spend more than ten minutes together before we’re at each other’s throats, which makes working together that much harder. Rye is the bassist for Kill John, the biggest rock band in the world, and I am his publicist. It doesn’t help that the man is gorgeous, funny, talented, and…never takes anything seriously. Avoidance is key.

But everything changes when he overhears something he shouldn’t: a confession made in a moment of weakness. Now the man I’ve tried so hard to ignore is offering me the greatest temptation of all—him.

Rye

Brenna James is the one. The one I can’t have. The one I can’t get out of my mind. Believe me, I’ve tried; the woman loathes me. I managed well enough—until I heard her say she’s as lonely as I am. That she needed to be touched, held, satisfied. And I could no longer deny the truth: I wanted to be the one to give her what she craved.

I convinced her that it would just be sex, mutual satisfaction with nothing deeper. But the moment I have her, she becomes my world. I’ve never given her a good reason to trust me before. Now, I’ve got to show Brenna that we’re so much better together than we ever were apart.

Things are going to get messy. But getting messy with Brenna is what I do best.]]> 313 Kristen Callihan Ida 4 romance, adult Oh, Brenna. I feel you. This book was pretty darn great! ]]> 4.03 2021 Exposed (VIP, #4)
author: Kristen Callihan
name: Ida
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/07/20
date added: 2021/07/21
shelves: romance, adult
review:
4.25 stars ⭐️
Oh, Brenna. I feel you. This book was pretty darn great!
]]> <![CDATA[Free the Darkness (King's Dark Tidings, #1)]]> 28385685
Rezkin must travel across Ashai to find the one man who may hold the clues to his very existence. His last orders, spoken on the lips of his dying Master, were to "Kill with conscience" and "Protect and honor your friends." Living in isolation from the outworld under a strict regimen of training and education, the young warrior has no understanding of a conscience or friends. Determined to adhere to his last orders, Rezkin extends his protection to an unlikely assortment of individuals he meets along the way, often leading to humorous and poignant incidents.

As if pursuing an elite warrior across a kingdom, figuring out who he is and why everyone he knows is dead, and attempting to find these so-called friends and protect them is not enough, strange things are happening in the kingdom. New dangers begin to arise that threaten not only Rezkin and his friends, but possibly everyone in Ashai.]]> 483 Kel Kade Ida 0 to-read 4.25 2015 Free the Darkness (King's Dark Tidings, #1)
author: Kel Kade
name: Ida
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/07/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Ace of Spades 56502067 Ace of Spades is Gossip Girl meets Get Out, with a shocking twist. Buried secrets come to light when two students are targeted by an anonymous bully with an explosive agenda.

Hello, Niveus High. It's me. Who am I? That's not important. All you need to know is... I'm here to divide and conquer. - Aces

Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is revealing the darkest secrets of two students.

Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can't escape the spotlight when his private photos go public.

Head girl Chiamaka isn't afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power.

Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they're planning much more than a high-school game...]]> 480 Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé 1474996353 Ida 0 to-read 4.13 2021 Ace of Spades
author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
name: Ida
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Midnight Poppy Land 44244019 NOT A BOOK Ida 4 comics, romance This is so good!]]> 4.43 Midnight Poppy Land
author: NOT A BOOK
name: Ida
average rating: 4.43
book published:
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2021/06/19
shelves: comics, romance
review:
I'm hooked!
This is so good!
]]> My Dear Cold-Blooded King 35008226 161 NOT A BOOK Ida 4 romance, comics I hope it will get published as a graphic novel some day. ]]> 4.27 My Dear Cold-Blooded King
author: NOT A BOOK
name: Ida
average rating: 4.27
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/01
date added: 2021/06/19
shelves: romance, comics
review:
This was so entertaining!
I hope it will get published as a graphic novel some day.
]]> <![CDATA[These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights, #1)]]> 50892212
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.

But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.

Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Descendant of the Crane, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.]]> 449 Chloe Gong 1534457690 Ida 0 to-read 3.82 2020 These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights, #1)
author: Chloe Gong
name: Ida
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> A Monster Calls 25480342 The bestselling novel about love, loss and hope from the twice Carnegie Medal-winning Patrick Ness.

Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don't quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It's ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.

Patrick Ness takes the final idea of the late, award-winning writer Siobhan Dowd and weaves an extraordinary and heartbreaking tale of mischief, healing and above all, the courage it takes to survive.]]> 237 Patrick Ness 1406361801 Ida 0 to-read 4.28 2011 A Monster Calls
author: Patrick Ness
name: Ida
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> R.I.P. 49252665
~ Malakai ~

On the outside, we look normal, like an all-American Christian family, but behind the walls of this church basement, we are far from it.

My mother says it's her calling, my father says it's our blessing, and my sister says it's fun. I say we're fucked.

I dont know if what we're doing is really what God wants us to do, I just know that the more we do it, the more natural it feels.

Natural.

What we're doing and the reason behind it is far from natural.

In my family, love blends with hate, duty with torment, and blood with water.

We are the Courtenay family and this is the story about how it all went wrong.


R.I.P. Part Two: Rot In Pieces

~ Adriel ~

Her actions shattered my family, leaving it half alive.
And I hate her for it.

My brother is broken. His torment suffocates him as he claws his way through the aftermath of her decisions. Despite it all, he remains by my side.

The life we knew has been gutted, rotting into a million pieces. We have no home, nowhere to go, but I don’t care because we still have each other. He’s the only one that can see beneath my flesh to touch me in my darkest places.

Our choices have taken us on a new path. A shimmering sea of blood trails behind us on our search for purpose and reason.

No matter what happens, I refuse to let anything or anyone keep us apart.

I’ll burn the world to ash before I’ll let him go.

*Trigger Warning: This book contains many triggers. If you are not comfortable reading about taboo subject matter, gore, explicit/graphic situations and disturbing content, this book may not be for you.]]> 299 Charity B. 099935759X Ida 0 to-read 3.71 2019 R.I.P.
author: Charity B.
name: Ida
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/06/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Make It Sweet 54447129 From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Callihan comes a charming, emotional romance about redefining dreams and discovering unlikely love along the way.

Life for Emma isn’t good. The world knows her as Princess Anya on Dark Castle, but then her character gets the axe—literally. The cherry on top is finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman. She needs a break, and sanctuary comes in the form of Rosemont, a gorgeous estate in California promising rest and relaxation.

Then she meets the owner’s equally gorgeous grandson, ex–hockey player and current recluse Lucian Osmond, and she sees her own pain and yearning reflected in his eyes.

He’s charming when he wants to be but also secretive and gruff, with protective walls as thick as Emma’s own. Despite a growing attraction, they avoid each other.

But then there’s an impromptu nighttime skinny-dip, and Lucian’s luscious homemade tarts and cream cakes start arriving at Emma’s door, tempting her to taste life again�

In trying to stay apart, they only grow closer—and their broken pieces just might fit together and make them whole.]]> 369 Kristen Callihan 1542016894 Ida 3
This was what happened when liking someone mixed with attraction.

I'm a sucker for anything Kristen Callihan, and although this book was sweet (no pun intended), it was predictable, a little cheesy and quite generic.

After getting the axe from one of the most popular tv series (read: Game of Thrones) and finding her boyfriend cheating in her own room, life for Emma isn't good. Wanting to escape the public eye when her last season on the show airs, she runs away to Rosemont, a gorgeos estate in California promising rest and relaxation. Little does she know she's not the only one hiding away here. Ex-hockey player, now handyman and brilliant cook, Lucian thinks he lost everything the night his lights went out on the hockey rink. Fearing another hit might end his life, he hangs up his skates and moves to Rosemont unsure of what to do with his life. Charming, but secretive and gruff, Emma can't help but feel attracted to the man. Although trying to avoid each other, they only grow closer, and realise Rosemont might just be the best place to redefine dreams.

- Queue we all know what happens next..

The first half of this book was a solid 4 stars, which I read with a smile on my face even though the instant attraction is a bit over the top (we get it, they're both pretty damn attractive), but the final half was closer to 3 for me and it took me twice as long to finish it compared to the first part. I just lost interest as it felt very repetitive, and although there were a lot of interesting aspects to the story, it felt like very little was done with it [spoilers removed].

description

I do appreciate the older characters (27/28 years) actually behaving like adults for the most parts (I think it's a sign that I'm getting old), and I like that the conflict wasn't solved like it is in most romance books [spoilers removed].

description

It was an ok feelgood book, but there are other Kristen Callihan books I'd recommend before this (The Hook Up, Idol).]]> 3.92 2021 Make It Sweet
author: Kristen Callihan
name: Ida
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/03/05
date added: 2021/04/19
shelves:
review:
⭐⭐�.5
This was what happened when liking someone mixed with attraction.

I'm a sucker for anything Kristen Callihan, and although this book was sweet (no pun intended), it was predictable, a little cheesy and quite generic.

After getting the axe from one of the most popular tv series (read: Game of Thrones) and finding her boyfriend cheating in her own room, life for Emma isn't good. Wanting to escape the public eye when her last season on the show airs, she runs away to Rosemont, a gorgeos estate in California promising rest and relaxation. Little does she know she's not the only one hiding away here. Ex-hockey player, now handyman and brilliant cook, Lucian thinks he lost everything the night his lights went out on the hockey rink. Fearing another hit might end his life, he hangs up his skates and moves to Rosemont unsure of what to do with his life. Charming, but secretive and gruff, Emma can't help but feel attracted to the man. Although trying to avoid each other, they only grow closer, and realise Rosemont might just be the best place to redefine dreams.

- Queue we all know what happens next..

The first half of this book was a solid 4 stars, which I read with a smile on my face even though the instant attraction is a bit over the top (we get it, they're both pretty damn attractive), but the final half was closer to 3 for me and it took me twice as long to finish it compared to the first part. I just lost interest as it felt very repetitive, and although there were a lot of interesting aspects to the story, it felt like very little was done with it [spoilers removed].

description

I do appreciate the older characters (27/28 years) actually behaving like adults for the most parts (I think it's a sign that I'm getting old), and I like that the conflict wasn't solved like it is in most romance books [spoilers removed].

description

It was an ok feelgood book, but there are other Kristen Callihan books I'd recommend before this (The Hook Up, Idol).
]]> The Travelling Cat Chronicles 40961230
An instant international bestseller and indie bestseller, The Travelling Cat Chronicles has charmed readers around the world. With simple yet descriptive prose, this novel gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru's longtime friends. Or so Nana is led to believe...

With his crooked tail—a sign of good fortune—and adventurous spirit, Nana is the perfect companion for the man who took him in as a stray. And as they travel in a silver van across Japan, with its ever-changing scenery and seasons, they will learn the true meaning of courage and gratitude, of loyalty and love.]]> 281 Hiro Arikawa 0735235244 Ida 5 "romance" novel I didn't know I needed!
An absolutely beautiful, heartbreaking and poignant book set on the backdrop of Japans changing seasons.
description

“As we count up the memories from one journey, we head off on another.�

As an animal lover, reading a story from a former stray-cats perspective about its love and adoration for his owner really hit its mark. I was so engaged in the story that I finished it in one day, and although it might seem a bit simplistic from the start, it really develops throughout the story.

“My story will be over soon. But it’s not something to be sad about. Remembering those who went ahead. Remembering those who will follow after. And someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon�

Right of the bat in chapter 1 it becomes quite clear how the story will end, but for once it truly didn't matter. It was, as the author so nicely put it, all about the journey and not about the destination. And by the end I had managed to ugly cry three times, yet closed the book with a smile on my face.

“Come back! Come back! Come back! COME BACK!�

Read it! You won't regret this one. ]]> 4.35 2012 The Travelling Cat Chronicles
author: Hiro Arikawa
name: Ida
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2021/03/28
date added: 2021/04/15
shelves:
review:
The "romance" novel I didn't know I needed!
An absolutely beautiful, heartbreaking and poignant book set on the backdrop of Japans changing seasons.
description

“As we count up the memories from one journey, we head off on another.�

As an animal lover, reading a story from a former stray-cats perspective about its love and adoration for his owner really hit its mark. I was so engaged in the story that I finished it in one day, and although it might seem a bit simplistic from the start, it really develops throughout the story.

“My story will be over soon. But it’s not something to be sad about. Remembering those who went ahead. Remembering those who will follow after. And someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon�

Right of the bat in chapter 1 it becomes quite clear how the story will end, but for once it truly didn't matter. It was, as the author so nicely put it, all about the journey and not about the destination. And by the end I had managed to ugly cry three times, yet closed the book with a smile on my face.

“Come back! Come back! Come back! COME BACK!�

Read it! You won't regret this one.
]]> <![CDATA[Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)]]> 23437156 Alternate cover of ISBN 9781627792127

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge

A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager

A runaway with a privileged past

A spy known as the Wraith

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.]]> 480 Leigh Bardugo 1627792120 Ida 3
I expected to love this book, but it just didn't do it for me..
description
“No mourners. No funerals.�

This is a good book, don't get me wrong. It's well written, well paced, the storyline is entertaining and it's set in quite an interesting world. The first half is pretty much a pure buildup to the action packed final half, and I get why people fall in love with this book. Personally, I just didn't connect with any of the characters, and by the end I didn't really care if they all made it or not..
“We are all someone's monster.�

description
I liked that we were given glimts of the characters past along the way, and I liked that the entire plan wasn't just revealed to the reader, as it gives the reader a chance to guess at "what comes next", but there just wasn't any big twists or revelations that ended up surprising me.. And there was no part of the book where I genuinely feared for the characters- or thought things might not end peachy.
“Every villain is a hero of his or her own story�

Six of Crows is a "standalone" duology, but I'm really glad I read the Shadow and Bone trilogy first, so that I had some background knowledge of the world before going into this. I also think it gives something extra to the story when names are mentioned from the other series.
Spoiler from Shadow and Bone
I always find that the best villains are the ones who truly believes that their cause is the right one, and that their actions are necessary for the greater good, which is why I loved the Darkling as a villain. Seeing as Six of Crows is set some time after Shadow and Bone, and now experiencing how baldy the Grisha is treated, I actually found myself understanding the Darkling actions more.

I really though I would end up loving this, both because Leigh Bardugo is an amazing author and because so many people have recommended me this book- saying it's much better than Shadow and Bone. High expectations are often accompanied by disappointment, but I do hope I will like the second book more.
]]> 4.47 2015 Six of Crows (Six of Crows, #1)
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: Ida
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2020/04/29
date added: 2021/04/13
shelves:
review:
3 - 3.5 stars �

I expected to love this book, but it just didn't do it for me..
description
“No mourners. No funerals.�

This is a good book, don't get me wrong. It's well written, well paced, the storyline is entertaining and it's set in quite an interesting world. The first half is pretty much a pure buildup to the action packed final half, and I get why people fall in love with this book. Personally, I just didn't connect with any of the characters, and by the end I didn't really care if they all made it or not..
“We are all someone's monster.�

description
I liked that we were given glimts of the characters past along the way, and I liked that the entire plan wasn't just revealed to the reader, as it gives the reader a chance to guess at "what comes next", but there just wasn't any big twists or revelations that ended up surprising me.. And there was no part of the book where I genuinely feared for the characters- or thought things might not end peachy.
“Every villain is a hero of his or her own story�

Six of Crows is a "standalone" duology, but I'm really glad I read the Shadow and Bone trilogy first, so that I had some background knowledge of the world before going into this. I also think it gives something extra to the story when names are mentioned from the other series.
Spoiler from Shadow and Bone
I always find that the best villains are the ones who truly believes that their cause is the right one, and that their actions are necessary for the greater good, which is why I loved the Darkling as a villain. Seeing as Six of Crows is set some time after Shadow and Bone, and now experiencing how baldy the Grisha is treated, I actually found myself understanding the Darkling actions more.

I really though I would end up loving this, both because Leigh Bardugo is an amazing author and because so many people have recommended me this book- saying it's much better than Shadow and Bone. High expectations are often accompanied by disappointment, but I do hope I will like the second book more.

]]> Sadie 38456024 Serial-like podcast following the clues she's left behind.

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.]]> 314 Courtney Summers 1250105722 Ida 5 What!?

“Girls go missing all the time.�

YA mystery meets truecrime podcast. What a creative way to tell a story!

I'm not gonna lie, I love a twisted or surprising ending, because normally it just means I won't be able to forget the book any time soon (like [spoilers removed])- and I think it's safe to say I will never forget Sadie.

There are hundreds of awesome reviews for this book, so I won't write one myself, but know that I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

And Sadie, if you’re out there, please let me know. Because I can’t take another dead girl.]]> 4.00 2018 Sadie
author: Courtney Summers
name: Ida
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/04
date added: 2021/04/12
shelves:
review:
Wait.. What!?

“Girls go missing all the time.�

YA mystery meets truecrime podcast. What a creative way to tell a story!

I'm not gonna lie, I love a twisted or surprising ending, because normally it just means I won't be able to forget the book any time soon (like [spoilers removed])- and I think it's safe to say I will never forget Sadie.

There are hundreds of awesome reviews for this book, so I won't write one myself, but know that I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

And Sadie, if you’re out there, please let me know. Because I can’t take another dead girl.
]]> Coraline 17061
In Coraline's family's new flat are twenty-one windows and fourteen doors. Thirteen of the doors open and close.

The fourteenth is locked, and on the other side is only a brick wall, until the day Coraline unlocks the door to find a passage to another flat in another house just like her own.

Only it's different.

At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom, books whose pictures writhe and crawl and shimmer, little dinosaur skulls that chatter their teeth. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.

Critically acclaimed and award-winning author Neil Gaiman will delight readers with his first novel for all ages.]]> 176 Neil Gaiman 0061139378 Ida 0 4.13 2002 Coraline
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Ida
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2002
rating: 0
read at: 2021/04/06
date added: 2021/04/10
shelves:
review:
I started this book in October 2020 and finished it in April 2021... I think it's safe to say this book did not capture my attention at all!
]]> <![CDATA[The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)]]> 45047384
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.]]> 394 T.J. Klune Ida 0 to-read 4.37 2020 The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)
author: T.J. Klune
name: Ida
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/04/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Sweet Spot (Irresistible, #1) 41728082 Our first meeting as neighbors was screwed from the start.
He was hot. I was naked. And we had no chance in hell at ever being platonic.

I’ll be the first to admit that I live at extremes. After going ten years locked in what felt like a dysfunctional marriage, I’m now decidedly boy-free. In nearly three years I’ve had no boyfriends, no flings, no dates and no sex. For the sake of my dream career, the sacrifice has been easy.

At least it was.

Until he came along.

Lukas Hendricks. He’s rude, gorgeous, arrogant � a stone-carved wall of muscle and distraction. He’s everything I know to avoid but there’s no avoiding your next-door neighbor. Oh yeah. The man now lives three steps from me and to make matters worse, he crashed into my life while I was relaxed in the tub � mortifying to say the least and it went something like this: I was exposed. He looked. He laughed.

And then I locked myself out.

In short, Lukas Hendricks was trouble from the start. And me?

I was � for the first time in years � about to be screwed.]]> 243 Stella Rhys Ida 0 to-read 3.75 2017 Sweet Spot (Irresistible, #1)
author: Stella Rhys
name: Ida
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/04/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Fighter's Prize (MMA, #1) 54767024 69 Jessa Kane Ida 1 dnf
What was I thinking!? I went through the unread books on my Kindle and picked the shortest one in hopes that I at least would finish something this month, but I forgot my horrible experience with the last book I read from this author. Is this meant to be a joke? Just no.]]> 3.74 2020 The Fighter's Prize (MMA, #1)
author: Jessa Kane
name: Ida
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2020
rating: 1
read at: 2021/02/01
date added: 2021/04/05
shelves: dnf
review:
DNF..

What was I thinking!? I went through the unread books on my Kindle and picked the shortest one in hopes that I at least would finish something this month, but I forgot my horrible experience with the last book I read from this author. Is this meant to be a joke? Just no.
]]> <![CDATA[Wild Reckless (Harper Boys, #1)]]> 55887063 An alternative cover edition of this ASIN can be found here.


** 2015 ŷ Choice Awards Finalist **

Kensington Worth had a vision for her senior year. It involved her best friends, her posh private school in downtown Chicago and time alone with her piano until her audition was perfected, a guaranteed ticket into the best music programs in the world.

Instead, a nightmare took over.

It didn’t happen all at once, but her life unraveled quickly—a tiny thread that evil somehow kept pulling until everything precious was taken from her. She was suddenly living miles away from her old life, trapped in an existence she didn’t choose—one determined to destroy her from the inside, leaving only hate and anger behind. It didn’t help that her neighbor, the one whose eyes held danger, was enjoying every second of her fall.

Owen Harper was trouble, his heart wild and his past the kind that’s spoken about in whispers. And somehow, his path was always intertwined with Kensington’s, every interaction crushing her, ruining her hope for any future better than her now. Sometimes, though, what everyone warns is trouble, is exactly what the heart needs. Owen Harper was consumed with darkness, and it held onto his soul for years. When Kensington looked at him, she saw a boy who’d gotten good at taking others down when they threatened his carefully balanced life. But the more she looked, the more she saw other things too—good things…things to admire.

Things…to love. Things that made her want to be reckless.

And those things…they were the scariest of all.

** This book is a standalone with no cliffhanger. A second, full-length companion novel about a related character, Andrew Harper, is out now. Wicked Restless also available on Amazon. **]]> 362 Ginger Scott Ida 0 to-read 3.97 2015 Wild Reckless (Harper Boys, #1)
author: Ginger Scott
name: Ida
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/04/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Ashlords (Ashlords, #1) 42281865 Red Rising meets The Scorpio Races in this epic fantasy following three phoenix horse riders--skilled at alchemy--who must compete at The Races--the modern spectacle that has replaced warfare within their empire.

Every year since the Ashlords were gifted phoenix horses by their gods, they've raced them. First into battle, then on great hunts, and finally for the pure sport of seeing who rode the fastest. Centuries of blood and fire carved their competition into a more modern spectacle: The Races.

Over the course of a multi-day event, elite riders from clashing cultures vie to be crowned champion. But the modern version of the sport requires more than good riding. Competitors must be skilled at creating and controlling phoenix horses made of ash and alchemy, which are summoned back to life each sunrise with uniquely crafted powers to cover impossible distances and challenges before bursting into flames at sunset. But good alchemy only matters if a rider knows how to defend their phoenix horse at night. Murder is outlawed, but breaking bones and poisoning ashes? That's all legal and encouraged.

In this year's Races, eleven riders will compete, but three of them have more to lose than the rest--a champion's daughter, a scholarship entrant, and a revolutionary's son. Who will attain their own dream of glory? Or will they all flame out in defeat?]]> 368 Scott Reintgen 0593119177 Ida 0 to-read 3.84 2020 Ashlords (Ashlords, #1)
author: Scott Reintgen
name: Ida
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/03/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)]]> 51901147
The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.]]> 541 Suzanne Collins Ida 3 3.5 stars, and still not a big fan of the title.
This is probably one of those books the majority of readers will either really love or completely hate.

This review contains spoilers from "The Hunger Games" series.

Ten years after "Mockingjay" was released, we get the trilogies prequel; "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes". Following future president Coriolanus Snows adolescence, we get to experience what makes a young boy grow up to become a tyrant, someone who we know will rule Panem with hunger and violence.
description

For those who have read the triologi, or seen the movies, it may come as no surprise that Coriolanus also grew up in poverty, and that he too has felt the loss of loved ones, but his reasons for hating the districts doesn't resonate the same way Katniss hate for the Capitol did.
description

Usually it's more engaging to read a story where the MC remains good in an evil world, than a story where the MC turns evil in an evil world, but Suzanne Collins masters this perfectly. The book is full of suspense, and even in the slower parts of the story it's impossible to put the book down. The book is divided into three parts, like the three Hunger Games books are, and many of the chapters ends in true Collins style with a cliffhanger. The book is, however, in my opinion a bit too long. The middle part is too stagnant, and a big part of the book is ballads rendered with multiple verse that in the long run becomes a bit tedious. Especially when the meaning of the ballads are not well hidden, but gives away a lot of the storyline. The story seem to lean a bit too much on the previous books as well due to the many parallels, and the only new aspect to the universe is that we now get to experience the games from a mentors point of view and how they work to make the Hunger games a long-lasting reality show.
description

All things considered it's definitely a book worth reading, but make sure you read the triologi first.]]> 3.99 2020 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Ida
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/06/07
date added: 2021/03/29
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars, and still not a big fan of the title.
This is probably one of those books the majority of readers will either really love or completely hate.

This review contains spoilers from "The Hunger Games" series.

Ten years after "Mockingjay" was released, we get the trilogies prequel; "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes". Following future president Coriolanus Snows adolescence, we get to experience what makes a young boy grow up to become a tyrant, someone who we know will rule Panem with hunger and violence.
description

For those who have read the triologi, or seen the movies, it may come as no surprise that Coriolanus also grew up in poverty, and that he too has felt the loss of loved ones, but his reasons for hating the districts doesn't resonate the same way Katniss hate for the Capitol did.
description

Usually it's more engaging to read a story where the MC remains good in an evil world, than a story where the MC turns evil in an evil world, but Suzanne Collins masters this perfectly. The book is full of suspense, and even in the slower parts of the story it's impossible to put the book down. The book is divided into three parts, like the three Hunger Games books are, and many of the chapters ends in true Collins style with a cliffhanger. The book is, however, in my opinion a bit too long. The middle part is too stagnant, and a big part of the book is ballads rendered with multiple verse that in the long run becomes a bit tedious. Especially when the meaning of the ballads are not well hidden, but gives away a lot of the storyline. The story seem to lean a bit too much on the previous books as well due to the many parallels, and the only new aspect to the universe is that we now get to experience the games from a mentors point of view and how they work to make the Hunger games a long-lasting reality show.
description

All things considered it's definitely a book worth reading, but make sure you read the triologi first.
]]> Rhapsodic (The Bargainer, #1) 32731881
Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want � at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.

But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.

For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.

If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.]]> 423 Laura Thalassa Ida 2 will-not-continue-series
My biggest pet peeve when it comes to books is an author saying that a character is a certain way instead of actually showing it during the book. Or worse, saying a character is a certain way and then showing us the exact opposite!
He stares into my eyes. “I am the scariest thing out here. And if anything tries to touch you, they will reckon with me.�

Sure you are, cinnamon bun..
Most of the time I’m simply Callie the PI. But when I need to use my power, another side of me surfaces. The siren is the monster inside of me; she wants to take, and take, and take. To wreak havoc, to feast on her victims� fear and lust.

We see the siren about 2-3 times during the book? And not once is she this monster she's described to be, which I found disappointing. Why introduce a cool element if you're not going to use it? Maybe she'll make more of an appearance in the other books, but it's safe to say I'll never find out..

And the final part of the book was just a big eye roll for me...
description

I've hidden why with a spoiler warning. HOW CAN YOU NOT REALIZE THE PERSON WHO KIDNAPPED YOU IS THE BAD GUY YOU'VE LITTERALY SEEN IN YOUR DREAMS AND HALF THE BOOK IS ABOUT..
All those sleeping women in Des’s kingdom, all the paralyzed ones here � it can’t be a coincidence.
Which means� I think I know who the Thief of Souls is.
Karnon.

YOU THINK!? It was so so obvious. I though it was established way before..
Dear lord.. She's supposed to be a PI, and it took her one and a half chapter to realise.

I get why people compare The Bargainer series to A Court of Thorns and Roses, but the latter is miles above this one in my opinion.. And if you're looking for a badass and powered PI you could just watch Jessica Jones instead.

I was planning to write a propper review for this book, but it's been three months since I finished it, and I just feel like moving on to new stories.
description]]> 4.10 2016 Rhapsodic (The Bargainer, #1)
author: Laura Thalassa
name: Ida
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2019/06/06
date added: 2021/03/26
shelves: will-not-continue-series
review:
The more I think about this book, the more it annoys me.. How it can have above a 4. rating is beyond me.

My biggest pet peeve when it comes to books is an author saying that a character is a certain way instead of actually showing it during the book. Or worse, saying a character is a certain way and then showing us the exact opposite!
He stares into my eyes. “I am the scariest thing out here. And if anything tries to touch you, they will reckon with me.�

Sure you are, cinnamon bun..
Most of the time I’m simply Callie the PI. But when I need to use my power, another side of me surfaces. The siren is the monster inside of me; she wants to take, and take, and take. To wreak havoc, to feast on her victims� fear and lust.

We see the siren about 2-3 times during the book? And not once is she this monster she's described to be, which I found disappointing. Why introduce a cool element if you're not going to use it? Maybe she'll make more of an appearance in the other books, but it's safe to say I'll never find out..

And the final part of the book was just a big eye roll for me...
description

I've hidden why with a spoiler warning. HOW CAN YOU NOT REALIZE THE PERSON WHO KIDNAPPED YOU IS THE BAD GUY YOU'VE LITTERALY SEEN IN YOUR DREAMS AND HALF THE BOOK IS ABOUT..
All those sleeping women in Des’s kingdom, all the paralyzed ones here � it can’t be a coincidence.
Which means� I think I know who the Thief of Souls is.
Karnon.

YOU THINK!? It was so so obvious. I though it was established way before..
Dear lord.. She's supposed to be a PI, and it took her one and a half chapter to realise.

I get why people compare The Bargainer series to A Court of Thorns and Roses, but the latter is miles above this one in my opinion.. And if you're looking for a badass and powered PI you could just watch Jessica Jones instead.

I was planning to write a propper review for this book, but it's been three months since I finished it, and I just feel like moving on to new stories.
description
]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of the Siren Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King, #2)]]> 35890638
When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

In Daughter of the Siren Queen, Tricia Levenseller brings together the perfect mix of thrilling action, tense battle scenes, and a heart-pounding romance.]]> 343 Tricia Levenseller 1250096022 Ida 5 favorites
’’THE SOUND OF MY knife slitting across a throat feels much too loud in the darkness.’�

You know the kind of book that just pulls you inn from the start and doesn't let go until you've turned the last page? The one you can hardly put down, because you just have to know what happens next?
This is one of those.

Daughter of the Siren Queen is an action packed adventure where the author puts so much love into creating her characters that you can't help but love them yourself.

description

After having recovered all three pieces of the map, all is set for the big fleet to set out for the legendary Siren island and the promised treasure.
When Vordan exposes a secret the Pirate King has kept hidden for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race against her ruthless father. Now their only hope is to find the island and retrieve the treasure themselves, or suffer the consequences.

description

Alosa is the brutal, strong willed and level headed heroine who puts her crew before everything.
“If I have to ask you one more time, I’ll start singing,� I warn. “What should I make you do first? Break your legs? Draw pictures on the walls in your own blood?�

Not only is she a badass pirate, but the author managed to make her even more awesome by making her a half-siren feminist.
"To be the siren is to never be afraid. To never hunger or thirst. Never doubt or worry. Never fear."

description
“You wouldn’t give a second thought to a couple of men aboard your ship behaving in such a way or talking such talk. You do not get to judge us more harshly for being women. It’s not fair, and it doesn’t make sense. Not to mention I’ll throw your arse overboard if I catch you doing it again.�

description

Not to mention she has her priorities straight.
"I will go to her as soon as we’re safe. For now, I need to be captain."

"I need to swallow my nausea and pride in this moment. Forget what it does to my dignity."

I was hooked from start to finish, and even though I would have loved to read more about Alosa, Riden and their crew, I feel like this is a worthy ending to an epic adventure.

Now we need more Sorinda and Kearan!
"Part of me will always miss it, I think. This place where my family resides. But I will be back when we can spare the time."

I think this sentence was created for all of her readers, because I will, with out a doubt, re-read this duology, when I have time to spare.
description]]> 4.19 2018 Daughter of the Siren Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King, #2)
author: Tricia Levenseller
name: Ida
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/08
date added: 2021/03/22
shelves: favorites
review:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Simply amazing ⭐⭐⭐⭐�

’’THE SOUND OF MY knife slitting across a throat feels much too loud in the darkness.’�

You know the kind of book that just pulls you inn from the start and doesn't let go until you've turned the last page? The one you can hardly put down, because you just have to know what happens next?
This is one of those.

Daughter of the Siren Queen is an action packed adventure where the author puts so much love into creating her characters that you can't help but love them yourself.

description

After having recovered all three pieces of the map, all is set for the big fleet to set out for the legendary Siren island and the promised treasure.
When Vordan exposes a secret the Pirate King has kept hidden for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race against her ruthless father. Now their only hope is to find the island and retrieve the treasure themselves, or suffer the consequences.

description

Alosa is the brutal, strong willed and level headed heroine who puts her crew before everything.
“If I have to ask you one more time, I’ll start singing,� I warn. “What should I make you do first? Break your legs? Draw pictures on the walls in your own blood?�

Not only is she a badass pirate, but the author managed to make her even more awesome by making her a half-siren feminist.
"To be the siren is to never be afraid. To never hunger or thirst. Never doubt or worry. Never fear."

description
“You wouldn’t give a second thought to a couple of men aboard your ship behaving in such a way or talking such talk. You do not get to judge us more harshly for being women. It’s not fair, and it doesn’t make sense. Not to mention I’ll throw your arse overboard if I catch you doing it again.�

description

Not to mention she has her priorities straight.
"I will go to her as soon as we’re safe. For now, I need to be captain."

"I need to swallow my nausea and pride in this moment. Forget what it does to my dignity."

I was hooked from start to finish, and even though I would have loved to read more about Alosa, Riden and their crew, I feel like this is a worthy ending to an epic adventure.

Now we need more Sorinda and Kearan!
"Part of me will always miss it, I think. This place where my family resides. But I will be back when we can spare the time."

I think this sentence was created for all of her readers, because I will, with out a doubt, re-read this duology, when I have time to spare.
description
]]> The Shadows Between Us 44670142
1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?]]> 333 Tricia Levenseller 1250189977 Ida 3 and I feel so conflicted!
After much consideration I feel the book is closer to three stars than four.

description

Normally I like the fact that Tricia Levenseller's books are quite short (330 ish pages), because to me it means that no matter how stressful my life is at the time of starting the book, I will still be able to finish it in a reasonable amount of time. The problems with reading short books, and standalone novels, is that I always end up wanting more. More world-building. More background story. More character development. More tension. More everything! The Shadows Between Us is no exception, and I think this is one of those stories with characters that would have done really well as a series.

"They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. And they never will.
I buried Hektor Galanis in a hole so deep, even the devils of the earth couldn’t reach him."

Tricia Levenseller really knows how to start of a book! Her writing is fluent and fast paced, making this a quick read. She also has an affinity for creating strong female characters, not perfect or flawless in any way, but one you undoubtedly will root for which is why I love them. Her main characters are always unapologetic when it comes to their desires (like power, fortune etc), and her books are normally set in a time where (like in modern days to be fair) men are often considered more valued than women. So it's extra satisfactory to read when the women kick their asses.

description

"Waiting. Not waiting. One lover. A hundred lovers. There should be no judgment either way. A woman is not defined by what she does or doesn’t do in the bedroom."

If I'm being really honest, I hated the "perfectly wrapped up ending", because I was hoping for a final twist, or something that would make this book stick with me after putting it down. I also really disliked the final part of the book, due to several reasons that would be spoilery to write down [spoilers removed].]]> 3.92 2020 The Shadows Between Us
author: Tricia Levenseller
name: Ida
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/03/12
date added: 2021/03/22
shelves:
review:
3.5 starts, and I feel so conflicted!
After much consideration I feel the book is closer to three stars than four.

description

Normally I like the fact that Tricia Levenseller's books are quite short (330 ish pages), because to me it means that no matter how stressful my life is at the time of starting the book, I will still be able to finish it in a reasonable amount of time. The problems with reading short books, and standalone novels, is that I always end up wanting more. More world-building. More background story. More character development. More tension. More everything! The Shadows Between Us is no exception, and I think this is one of those stories with characters that would have done really well as a series.

"They’ve never found the body of the first and only boy who broke my heart. And they never will.
I buried Hektor Galanis in a hole so deep, even the devils of the earth couldn’t reach him."

Tricia Levenseller really knows how to start of a book! Her writing is fluent and fast paced, making this a quick read. She also has an affinity for creating strong female characters, not perfect or flawless in any way, but one you undoubtedly will root for which is why I love them. Her main characters are always unapologetic when it comes to their desires (like power, fortune etc), and her books are normally set in a time where (like in modern days to be fair) men are often considered more valued than women. So it's extra satisfactory to read when the women kick their asses.

description

"Waiting. Not waiting. One lover. A hundred lovers. There should be no judgment either way. A woman is not defined by what she does or doesn’t do in the bedroom."

If I'm being really honest, I hated the "perfectly wrapped up ending", because I was hoping for a final twist, or something that would make this book stick with me after putting it down. I also really disliked the final part of the book, due to several reasons that would be spoilery to write down [spoilers removed].
]]> <![CDATA[The Hunter (Boston Belles, #1)]]> 53345360
Boston's debauched elite is going up in flames, and it's the Fitzpatrick family that set it on fire.

Hunter

I didn’t mean to star in a sex tape, okay?
It was just one of those unexplainable things. Like Stonehenge, Police Academy 2, and morning glory clouds.
It just happened.
Now my ball-busting father is sentencing me to six months of celibacy, sobriety, and morbid boredom under the roof of Boston’s nerdiest girl alive, Sailor Brennan.
The virginal archer is supposed to babysit my ass while I learn to take my place in Royal Pipelines, my family’s oil company.
Little does she know, that’s not the only pipe I’ll be laying�

Sailor
I didn’t want this gig, okay?
But the deal was too sweet to walk away from.
I needed the public endorsement; Hunter needed a nanny.
Besides, what’s six months in the grand scheme of things?
It’s not like I’m in danger of falling in love with the appallingly gorgeous, charismatic gazillionaire who happens to be one of Boston’s most eligible bachelors.
No. I will remain immune to Hunter Fitzpatrick’s charm.
Even at the cost of losing everything I have.
Even at the cost of burning down his kingdom.]]> 394 L.J. Shen Ida 2

There was just so much I didn't like about this book. I bought it simply because the second book in this series was recommended to me, but now I'm unsure of what to expect.

I mean, I should have known I wouldn't like it as soon as I saw it was a New Adult book about teenagers, but it had a promising start. I expected a lot more from the heroine based on how she was introduced, and I really disliked how everything was resolved, but the premise could have been good (besides the fact that it seemed very based on Disney´s Merida). Hunter was a dick most of the time, and Merida Sailor was predictable and plain.
“Listen to me carefully, Hunter Fitzpatrick. I may seem like an insecure, average-looking geek to you. And you know what? That’s who I am. I own it. But make no mistake, this insecure geek comes from a long line of people you do not want to screw with, and their savagery rubbed off on me as well. I will not hesitate to pierce your pretty, spoiled-prince heart with one of my pointy arrows.�

The whole book was a dread to read and I'm actually surprised I managed to get through it. I know I should probably explain why I disliked it so much, but
description
“He was the Hunter. I was the prey.�

Should have released that arrow, Sailor...]]> 4.23 2020 The Hunter (Boston Belles, #1)
author: L.J. Shen
name: Ida
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2021/02/25
date added: 2021/03/19
shelves:
review:
description

There was just so much I didn't like about this book. I bought it simply because the second book in this series was recommended to me, but now I'm unsure of what to expect.

I mean, I should have known I wouldn't like it as soon as I saw it was a New Adult book about teenagers, but it had a promising start. I expected a lot more from the heroine based on how she was introduced, and I really disliked how everything was resolved, but the premise could have been good (besides the fact that it seemed very based on Disney´s Merida). Hunter was a dick most of the time, and Merida Sailor was predictable and plain.
“Listen to me carefully, Hunter Fitzpatrick. I may seem like an insecure, average-looking geek to you. And you know what? That’s who I am. I own it. But make no mistake, this insecure geek comes from a long line of people you do not want to screw with, and their savagery rubbed off on me as well. I will not hesitate to pierce your pretty, spoiled-prince heart with one of my pointy arrows.�

The whole book was a dread to read and I'm actually surprised I managed to get through it. I know I should probably explain why I disliked it so much, but
description
“He was the Hunter. I was the prey.�

Should have released that arrow, Sailor...
]]> Hawk (Men of Bird's Eye, #1) 53644298
Drew Ashby has no time—for anything. As a recently-divorced single mother, her focus is on finding a job, caring for her daughter, and rebuilding some semblance of a life after hers was wrecked.

When Drew lands a job at Bird’s Eye, sparks don’t immediately fly. She can't deny the fact that her boss is a delicious specimen of a man. His tattoo-covered skin might even drive her wild, but his brooding presence and set jaw make him hard to read.

That is, until he drops the bad boy persona and starts making moves on her—kind and caring gestures she doesn't expect.

Things turn hot, and just when Drew thinks everything is finally going right, life does what it does best: It throws her a curveball from her past.

Bird’s Eye might not be the family Drew envisioned for herself, but ideals can change in a heartbeat. There’s no doubt Hawk is the man she wants, but can he step up and be the man she needs?]]> 233 Kat Savage Ida 0 to-read 4.04 2021 Hawk (Men of Bird's Eye, #1)
author: Kat Savage
name: Ida
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/03/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.5)]]> 36240535 263 Sarah J. Maas 1408890313 Ida 2 fantasy
“To the blessed darkness from which we are born, and to which we return.�

I know this novella is supposed to be a bridge between Rhys&Feyre's story and the other characters, but I think Sarah just realised that she'd forgotten a promised wall scene and figured she'd just write a novella about it!

I was promised a wall, Rhys. A pause. A long pause.
I’ve taken you against a wall before.
These walls.

description

Because is there really a plot in this book? Well, I sure didn't find one..
I know, I know! How dare I say such a thing about a book written by the queen of fantasy, master of foreshadowing and character building?

description

But the truth is, I feel like this story could have been included in the end of ACOWAR in less than 50 pages..
And it actually made me less excited for book 4, simply because I fear it will senter mostly around Nesta, who I have gone from disliking to loath entirely.
And here I was thinking she was finally becoming a bit more likable by the end of ACOWAR.

description

I don't feel like this novella is really necessary to the series, but every book Sarah writes is so well written, so even if there's nothing happening it's still great to catch up with the inner circle and get a sneak peek on their voices!
And it's worth reading for Emerie and Ressina. I pray they'll be a part of the next book considering I'm already shipping Cassian with Emerie. Please don't hate me Nessian shippers

For those who struggle with finishing the story, keep on reading until you reach chapter 22 for the wall scene.

description

Feyre Archeron, a request. Leave this world a better place than how you found it.
]]> 3.88 2019 A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.5)
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Ida
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2018/05/04
date added: 2021/02/25
shelves: fantasy
review:
“To the blessed darkness from which we are born, and to which we return.�

I know this novella is supposed to be a bridge between Rhys&Feyre's story and the other characters, but I think Sarah just realised that she'd forgotten a promised wall scene and figured she'd just write a novella about it!

I was promised a wall, Rhys. A pause. A long pause.
I’ve taken you against a wall before.
These walls.

description

Because is there really a plot in this book? Well, I sure didn't find one..
I know, I know! How dare I say such a thing about a book written by the queen of fantasy, master of foreshadowing and character building?

description

But the truth is, I feel like this story could have been included in the end of ACOWAR in less than 50 pages..
And it actually made me less excited for book 4, simply because I fear it will senter mostly around Nesta, who I have gone from disliking to loath entirely.
And here I was thinking she was finally becoming a bit more likable by the end of ACOWAR.

description

I don't feel like this novella is really necessary to the series, but every book Sarah writes is so well written, so even if there's nothing happening it's still great to catch up with the inner circle and get a sneak peek on their voices!
And it's worth reading for Emerie and Ressina. I pray they'll be a part of the next book considering I'm already shipping Cassian with Emerie. Please don't hate me Nessian shippers

For those who struggle with finishing the story, keep on reading until you reach chapter 22 for the wall scene.

description

Feyre Archeron, a request. Leave this world a better place than how you found it.

]]> <![CDATA[The Darkest Temptation (Made, #3)]]> 56250307 410 Danielle Lori Ida 4 years for this book (in all honesty it's been about 1.5 years). I'm so excited!

description

Merged review:

“THE DEVIL IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A GENTLEMAN.� —Diane LaVey

I've come to love Danielle Loris books. They're the ones you can pick up and reread whenever your in a book slump, although none of them have gotten a five star review from me yet.

Je suis parfaite comme je suis. Tu es parfaite comme tu es. Nous sommes parfaites comme nous sommes. I am perfect as I am. You are perfect as you are. We are perfect as we are.

I'm gonna be honest, Mila grew on me. From instantly disliking her the first few chapters, I ended up liking her (although naivety is still a characteristics I dislike in main characters).

My uterus punishing me for not getting knocked up this month was going to make controlling my mouth much more difficult.

Sarcasm was a sneaky bitch who often got the best of me.
]]> 4.04 2020 The Darkest Temptation (Made, #3)
author: Danielle Lori
name: Ida
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2021/01/25
date added: 2021/02/06
shelves:
review:
It feels like I've been waiting years for this book (in all honesty it's been about 1.5 years). I'm so excited!

description

Merged review:

“THE DEVIL IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A GENTLEMAN.� —Diane LaVey

I've come to love Danielle Loris books. They're the ones you can pick up and reread whenever your in a book slump, although none of them have gotten a five star review from me yet.

Je suis parfaite comme je suis. Tu es parfaite comme tu es. Nous sommes parfaites comme nous sommes. I am perfect as I am. You are perfect as you are. We are perfect as we are.

I'm gonna be honest, Mila grew on me. From instantly disliking her the first few chapters, I ended up liking her (although naivety is still a characteristics I dislike in main characters).

My uterus punishing me for not getting knocked up this month was going to make controlling my mouth much more difficult.

Sarcasm was a sneaky bitch who often got the best of me.

]]> <![CDATA[Oath Taker (Kingdom of Runes, #1)]]> 44163860 Light magic is forbidden. 
Dark magic spells death. 
Haven has both.
�
After the Prince of Penryth saved her from captivity, seventeen-year-old Haven Ashwood spends her days protecting the kind prince and her nights secretly fighting the monsters outside the castle walls. 

When one of those monsters kidnaps Prince Bell, Haven must ally with Archeron Halfbane and his band of immortals to rescue her friend. 

Her quest takes her deep into the domain of a warped and vicious queen where the rules are simple: break her curse or die.

Lost in a land of twisted magic and fabled creatures, Haven finds herself unprepared, not just for the feelings she develops for Archeron, but for the warring powers raging inside her. 

Her rare and forbidden type of magic may be their only hope . . . but mixing light and dark comes with a steep price. 

Haven’s soul.

Faced with impossible love, heartbreaking betrayals, and a queen intent on destroying the realm, only one thing remains certain. 

Haven must shatter the curse or it will devour everything she loves. 

Welcome to the Kingdom of Runes where immortals and humans clash, light and dark magic reign, and mythical creatures lurk in the shadows. If you like fierce heroines, enemies-to-lovers romance, wild plot twists, and endearing characters that stay with you long after you reach the end, you need to discover the book readers are calling dark fantasy at its best. Just make sure to clear out some space on your calendar first!

Oath Taker was previously published in the boxed set Shattered Worlds under the name Curse Breaker. This is a revised second edition. The Kingdom of Runes series is upper/mature YA and contains mild cursing and adult situations, including romance.]]> 369 Audrey Grey 1733747206 Ida 3 THE CURSEPRICE
Forged in heartbreak, set in bone, cast in blood, carved in stone. A thousand years will my curse reign, unless I have these six things:

The tears of a fairy from a wood so deep.
The fig of a vorgrath from his mate’s keep.
The scale of a selkie burnished gold.
The bone of a wood witch a century old.
The midnight sliver of a Shade Queen’s horn.
The sacrifice of two lovers torn.

I see heartbreak in the future.. Beauty and the Beast style.

I loved the setting and all the different elements, I just wish the MC would have been a bit older, and that there had been more focus on both world and character building (which we might get since this is a series).. Granted, a lot of teenagers make silly mistakes, I just feel like we only got to se Haven making mistakes, and never any wise decisions. Also, her language, thoughts and actions made her seem far younger than 17, in my opinion, which bothered me a bit. Yes, yes, it's YA, I should have known- but can't a girl hope?

I also wish I didn't read the blurb, because it practically gives away everything. The first part of the book was quite slow, and having read the blurb- and therefore knowing what was to come, it made the book lack surprising momentums and revelations. The ending also made the book feel a bit unfinished?

It is clear this author has had a lot of inspiration, and one of the reasons I chose to pick it up was the description "Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas", but at times I felt it was too similar to a lot of the books I've already read. I will however keep reading the series, as this book was fairly entertaining.
update: gave up on the series after the second book.

"Hello, Beastie"
]]> 3.84 2019 Oath Taker (Kingdom of Runes, #1)
author: Audrey Grey
name: Ida
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/09/01
date added: 2021/02/05
shelves:
review:
THE CURSEPRICE
Forged in heartbreak, set in bone, cast in blood, carved in stone. A thousand years will my curse reign, unless I have these six things:

The tears of a fairy from a wood so deep.
The fig of a vorgrath from his mate’s keep.
The scale of a selkie burnished gold.
The bone of a wood witch a century old.
The midnight sliver of a Shade Queen’s horn.
The sacrifice of two lovers torn.


I see heartbreak in the future.. Beauty and the Beast style.

I loved the setting and all the different elements, I just wish the MC would have been a bit older, and that there had been more focus on both world and character building (which we might get since this is a series).. Granted, a lot of teenagers make silly mistakes, I just feel like we only got to se Haven making mistakes, and never any wise decisions. Also, her language, thoughts and actions made her seem far younger than 17, in my opinion, which bothered me a bit. Yes, yes, it's YA, I should have known- but can't a girl hope?

I also wish I didn't read the blurb, because it practically gives away everything. The first part of the book was quite slow, and having read the blurb- and therefore knowing what was to come, it made the book lack surprising momentums and revelations. The ending also made the book feel a bit unfinished?

It is clear this author has had a lot of inspiration, and one of the reasons I chose to pick it up was the description "Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas", but at times I felt it was too similar to a lot of the books I've already read. I will however keep reading the series, as this book was fairly entertaining.
update: gave up on the series after the second book.

"Hello, Beastie"

]]> The Hook Up (Game On, #1) 22611920 #SpicyTok sensation and New York Times bestselling author Kristen Callihan’s sexy Game On football romance series � with exclusive bonus content.


The no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone and above all...no falling in love.

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is most definitely not on her to-do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy, right?

Too bad he’s committed to breaking all of the rules...

Football has been good to Drew. It’s given him recognition, two National Championships and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humour and blatant disregard for his fame turn him on like nothing else. But there’s one she’s shut him down. Completely.

That is...until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it’s up to Drew to tempt her with more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she’s truly hooked. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

All’s fair in love and football...game on.]]> 352 Kristen Callihan Ida 5 romance, favorites Second re-read January 2021
This book has shown up twice on my newsfeed this week, so I'll take that as a sign that it's time for a re-read!

Most of this book I read with a shit-eating grin on my face, the heart-wrenching parts are just as heart-wrenching on my second re-read, and I still absolutely love every cheesy moment of this book even though I still think the first 50% of this book is better than the last 50%. Now could someone please tell me where I can find my own Drew Baylor?

First re-read December 2019
This book is still one of my favourites! The writing is just so good, the story is entertaining and the characters are, in my opinion, credible. And let's face it, Drew Baylor might be perfect.

My Drew Baylor is with out a doubt Jimmy Garoppolo:
description
]]> 3.92 2014 The Hook Up (Game On, #1)
author: Kristen Callihan
name: Ida
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2021/01/17
date added: 2021/01/24
shelves: romance, favorites
review:
Second re-read January 2021
This book has shown up twice on my newsfeed this week, so I'll take that as a sign that it's time for a re-read!

Most of this book I read with a shit-eating grin on my face, the heart-wrenching parts are just as heart-wrenching on my second re-read, and I still absolutely love every cheesy moment of this book even though I still think the first 50% of this book is better than the last 50%. Now could someone please tell me where I can find my own Drew Baylor?

First re-read December 2019
This book is still one of my favourites! The writing is just so good, the story is entertaining and the characters are, in my opinion, credible. And let's face it, Drew Baylor might be perfect.

My Drew Baylor is with out a doubt Jimmy Garoppolo:
description

]]> <![CDATA[The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue]]> 50623864
Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.]]> 448 Victoria E. Schwab 0765387565 Ida 3 fantasy I wanted to love it. I tried. But in the end, I just didn't.

This book was so clever and beautifully written, and I feel it deserves so much more than the 3 stars, but every chapter and every page felt like a battle. It was so boring, and I couldn't get into it. Three weeks. Three weeks where I planned on reading so manny books, yet I spent it all getting through this one. Perhaps I'll try a re-read later. Perhaps I'll just accept that I didn't find it as great as the majority of readers.

“There is a defiance in being a dreamer�

Adeline has decided she would rather be a tree, like Estele. If she must grow roots, she would rather be left to flourish wild instead of pruned, would rather stand alone, allowed to grow beneath the open sky. So she makes a bargain with the darkness to live until she's satisfied in exchange for her soul, and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

“The old gods may be great, but they are neither kind nor merciful. They are fickle, unsteady as moonlight on water, or shadows in a storm. If you insist on calling them, take heed: be careful what you ask for, be willing to pay the price. And no matter how desperate or dire, never pray to the gods that answer after dark.�


The premise was great, but the story dragged too much for me. I didn't resonate with any of the characters (although I unsurprisingly liked Luc), but I do appreciate Henrys portrait of depression and anxiety, I just found him and his part of the story quite boring. The flashbacks and middle section felt repetetive, and all in all it became a struggle to finish the book.

“What is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?�
]]> 4.16 2020 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: Ida
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2021/01/09
date added: 2021/01/16
shelves: fantasy
review:
Forgive me.
I wanted to love it. I tried. But in the end, I just didn't.

This book was so clever and beautifully written, and I feel it deserves so much more than the 3 stars, but every chapter and every page felt like a battle. It was so boring, and I couldn't get into it. Three weeks. Three weeks where I planned on reading so manny books, yet I spent it all getting through this one. Perhaps I'll try a re-read later. Perhaps I'll just accept that I didn't find it as great as the majority of readers.

“There is a defiance in being a dreamer�

Adeline has decided she would rather be a tree, like Estele. If she must grow roots, she would rather be left to flourish wild instead of pruned, would rather stand alone, allowed to grow beneath the open sky. So she makes a bargain with the darkness to live until she's satisfied in exchange for her soul, and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

“The old gods may be great, but they are neither kind nor merciful. They are fickle, unsteady as moonlight on water, or shadows in a storm. If you insist on calling them, take heed: be careful what you ask for, be willing to pay the price. And no matter how desperate or dire, never pray to the gods that answer after dark.�


The premise was great, but the story dragged too much for me. I didn't resonate with any of the characters (although I unsurprisingly liked Luc), but I do appreciate Henrys portrait of depression and anxiety, I just found him and his part of the story quite boring. The flashbacks and middle section felt repetetive, and all in all it became a struggle to finish the book.

“What is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?�

]]> Arrogant Devil 40048067
Everyone in Cedar Creek, Texas, knows Jack McNight is an arrogant devil. Physically, I get he’s tan and fit, with coal-black hair that’s clearly been scorched by hellfire. Oh, and his personality? It burns just as hot.

When I show up on the doorstep of Blue Stone Ranch, I’m run-down and rockin� my last pair of underwear. I’m hoping for a savior, but instead, I find him.

My opinion of Jack is marred by a dismal first impression, but his opinion of me is tainted even before I arrive. He’s heard I’m a spoiled princess there to take advantage of his goodwill. To him, I’m more trouble than I’m worth.

Our button-pushing banter should get under my skin. His arrogance should be a major turn-off. Problem is, devils are known to offer their own form of temptation.

Every one of his steely glares sends a shiver down my spine.

Every steamy encounter leaves me reeling.

Sure, it could be the Texas heat messing with my head, but there’s no way I’ll survive the summer without silencing him with a kiss and wrestling him out of those Wranglers.

Who knows…going to bed with the devil might just be the salvation I’ve been looking for all along.

ARROGANT DEVIL is a full-length romantic comedy of 93,000 words. For a limited time, I've also included an excerpt from my #1 bestselling sports romance THE SUMMER SETTLING THE SCORE!]]> 356 R.S. Grey Ida 4 Arrogant Devil is a standalone novel that gives you exactly what the blurb promises, romance and humor, pluss a little extra.

“That truck runs just fine when I drive it!� “Yeah, the engine’s probably running from you like everyone else around here!�
description
The gif might not be appropriate, but it's a dog dressed as a devil, so I'm sticking with it.

The character list includes two highly attractive main characters (obviously), a feisty grandma and a adorable dog.
description
"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."
Roger Caras

The story is told from two point of views as we follow Merediths journey from leaving an emotionally abusive relationship in California, to Texas where she's starting a new life on her own two feet.

“It’s like looking out a single window and thinking you know what the whole world looks like.�

I loved Meredith. She was kind, funny, strong and flawed, just like a main character should be, and there was never a moment where I was annoyed being "in her head".

“It’ll be a fitting end, both of us suffocating under the rubble. Just as we’re gasping for our last breaths, I’ll offer to make peace, and very quietly, he’ll whisper back, Go to hell.�

What could have made the book better? More dogs. Always add more dogs.
I wish there was more to the storyline, and more angsty moments, because R.S. Grey is obviously great at writing them. I, personally, just felt that the first half of the book was a lot stronger than the second half, but I'm also known for having strange opinions ]]> 4.16 2018 Arrogant Devil
author: R.S. Grey
name: Ida
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2019/01/27
date added: 2021/01/13
shelves:
review:
Arrogant Devil is a standalone novel that gives you exactly what the blurb promises, romance and humor, pluss a little extra.

“That truck runs just fine when I drive it!� “Yeah, the engine’s probably running from you like everyone else around here!�
description
The gif might not be appropriate, but it's a dog dressed as a devil, so I'm sticking with it.

The character list includes two highly attractive main characters (obviously), a feisty grandma and a adorable dog.
description
"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."
Roger Caras

The story is told from two point of views as we follow Merediths journey from leaving an emotionally abusive relationship in California, to Texas where she's starting a new life on her own two feet.

“It’s like looking out a single window and thinking you know what the whole world looks like.�

I loved Meredith. She was kind, funny, strong and flawed, just like a main character should be, and there was never a moment where I was annoyed being "in her head".

“It’ll be a fitting end, both of us suffocating under the rubble. Just as we’re gasping for our last breaths, I’ll offer to make peace, and very quietly, he’ll whisper back, Go to hell.�

What could have made the book better? More dogs. Always add more dogs.
I wish there was more to the storyline, and more angsty moments, because R.S. Grey is obviously great at writing them. I, personally, just felt that the first half of the book was a lot stronger than the second half, but I'm also known for having strange opinions
]]>