aimee (aimeecanread)'s bookshelf: read en-US Mon, 28 Apr 2025 01:11:20 -0700 60 aimee (aimeecanread)'s bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg The Prospects 193556691 The pressure cooker of minor league baseball leads to major chemistry in this exhilarating, sexy, and triumphant rivals to lovers debut romance.

Hope is familiar territory for Gene Ionescu. He has always loved baseball, a sport made for underdogs and optimists like him. He also loves his team, the minor league Beaverton Beavers, and, for the most part, he loves the career he’s built. As the first openly trans player in professional baseball, Gene has nearly everything he’s ever let himself dream of—that is, until Luis Estrada, Gene’s former teammate and current rival, gets traded to the Beavers, destroying the careful equilibrium of Gene’s life.

Gene and Luis can’t manage a civil conversation off the field or a competent play on it, but in the close confines of dugout benches and roadie buses, they begrudgingly rediscover a comfortable rhythm. As the two grow closer, the tension between them turns electric, and their chemistry spills past the confines of the stadium. For every tight double play they execute, there’s also a glance at summer-tan shoulders or a secret shared, each one a breathless moment of possibility that ignites in Gene the visceral, terrifying kind of desire he’s never allowed himself. Soon, Gene has to reconcile the quiet, minor-league-sized life he used to find fulfilling with the major-league dreams Luis makes feel possible.

A joyful, heartfelt debut rom-com revealing what’s possible when we allow ourselves to want something enough to swing for the fences.]]> 384 K.T. Hoffman 0593596862 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.22 2024 The Prospects
author: K.T. Hoffman
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Magic Study (Study, #2) 46202
With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be united with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But although she has gained her freedom, she once again finds herself alone - separated from her lover Valek and suspected as a spy for her reluctance to conform to Sitian ways.

Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magic training - especially as she's been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes embroiled in a plot to reclaim Ixia's throne for a lost prince - and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians.

If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with her new enemies.]]> 392 Maria V. Snyder 0373802498 aimee (aimeecanread) 2 4.03 2006 Magic Study (Study, #2)
author: Maria V. Snyder
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2006
rating: 2
read at: 2025/04/27
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fable for the End of the World]]> 209594872 The Last of Us meets The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in this standalone dystopian romance about survival, sacrifice, and love that risks everything.

By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society.

Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet.

Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks.

When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs—the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive.

For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption.

As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing.

And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.]]> 384 Ava Reid 0063211556 aimee (aimeecanread) 2 I think the author had too much to say, but had trouble trying to balance all of that with the desire to keep the audience’s attention. The sheer volume of significant issues crammed into a relatively short book (less than 400 pages!) meant that none of them were given the space they needed to breathe and truly resonate.

The romance absolutely sucked. There was just no reason for these characters to have fallen for each other as hard as they did. They’ve known each other for two weeks, and have tried to kill each other multiple times. How could the romance have worked anyway if neither character was compelling as an individual? I remember close to nothing about both of them because their characters felt so inconsistent. Melinoë was supposed to be a trained killer but couldn’t handle a teenage boy who was only trained to hunt animals. Inesa’s characterization stopped being shaped by her background once she met Melinoë.

The only interesting character was Luka, Inesa’s brother. I hate the way in which his character disappeared to give the two MCs their alone time, and his character was seriously downplayed. He could have been such an interesting player in the story given his skills and relationship with Inesa, but his character was absolutely wasted.

There was no way this book was going to end in a way that would have satisfied me, given how things went down. At around 80% in, I was doubting that this was a standalone. Unfortunately, it is, and the ending sucked. It made sense given the overall vibe of the book, but it was deeply unsettling.

Overall, this book really needed more time to just� marinate. The author needed to completely understand the story she wanted to convey, to find a focus point that made sense. This book felt like a waste. It had so much potential.

*I wrote this review as I was reading Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, so it was crazy to see the difference of quality and nuance between this book and a book from the series this was inspired by.

-

100%: Yup, ending sucked.

90%: There is absolutely NO WAY this book will end in a way that will satisfy me.

60%: Every few pages I catch myself thinking, man, I wish I was reading The Hunger Games instead bc this book lowkey sucks.

30%: *gulps* So far, not a fan. I think this is Reid’s first dystopian, so I’m hoping this is just a rough start and that it’ll get better. ]]> 3.83 2025 Fable for the End of the World
author: Ava Reid
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2025
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/04
date added: 2025/04/22
shelves: arc, cringey-romance, ending-sucked, eye-roll, fmcs-i-hate, insta-love-lust-attraction, it-gets-political, no-chemistry, plot-what-plot, review-to-follow, snoozefest, unpopular-opinion
review:
This book throws everything at the wall � climate change, capitalism, sexism, you name it � but ultimately, nothing sticks. It’s a case of too many ideas, too little depth. I think the author had too much to say, but had trouble trying to balance all of that with the desire to keep the audience’s attention. The sheer volume of significant issues crammed into a relatively short book (less than 400 pages!) meant that none of them were given the space they needed to breathe and truly resonate.

The romance absolutely sucked. There was just no reason for these characters to have fallen for each other as hard as they did. They’ve known each other for two weeks, and have tried to kill each other multiple times. How could the romance have worked anyway if neither character was compelling as an individual? I remember close to nothing about both of them because their characters felt so inconsistent. Melinoë was supposed to be a trained killer but couldn’t handle a teenage boy who was only trained to hunt animals. Inesa’s characterization stopped being shaped by her background once she met Melinoë.

The only interesting character was Luka, Inesa’s brother. I hate the way in which his character disappeared to give the two MCs their alone time, and his character was seriously downplayed. He could have been such an interesting player in the story given his skills and relationship with Inesa, but his character was absolutely wasted.

There was no way this book was going to end in a way that would have satisfied me, given how things went down. At around 80% in, I was doubting that this was a standalone. Unfortunately, it is, and the ending sucked. It made sense given the overall vibe of the book, but it was deeply unsettling.

Overall, this book really needed more time to just� marinate. The author needed to completely understand the story she wanted to convey, to find a focus point that made sense. This book felt like a waste. It had so much potential.

*I wrote this review as I was reading Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, so it was crazy to see the difference of quality and nuance between this book and a book from the series this was inspired by.

-

100%: Yup, ending sucked.

90%: There is absolutely NO WAY this book will end in a way that will satisfy me.

60%: Every few pages I catch myself thinking, man, I wish I was reading The Hunger Games instead bc this book lowkey sucks.

30%: *gulps* So far, not a fan. I think this is Reid’s first dystopian, so I’m hoping this is just a rough start and that it’ll get better.
]]> I Am Not Jessica Chen 61374793
Now trapped inside Jessica’s body, with access to Jessica’s most private journals and secrets, Jenna soon discovers that being the top student at the elite, highly competitive Havenwood Private Academy ’t quite what she imagined. Worse, as everyone—including her own parents—start having trouble remembering who Jenna Chen is, or if she ever even existed, Jenna must decide if playing the role of the perfect daughter and student is worth losing her true self forever.]]> 320 Ann Liang 133552312X aimee (aimeecanread) 2 This was WAY too shallow for what it could have been.

Ann Liang tends to work with familiar tropes, which can still make for an amazing book, which can still be great if it delivers on compelling characters and/or a focused plot� but I Am Not Jessica Chen failed at both of those things.

This book felt incredibly superficial. The narrative touched on some themes I was able to resonate with, but didn’t delve deeply enough to truly make me feel a genuine connection with the story or the characters.

The book promised to focus on everyone’s obsession over the smart kids, fancy schools, and privileged families, which, as someone living in Asia, I can tell you is a prevalent reality for some. The book kind of painted it in a really simplistic way, like everyone just automatically worships those people and their lifestyles. It missed out on showing the other sides of it � the jealousy, the ostracization, or even just people who don’t care either way. There are layers to people, society, and expectations. The story lacked any real layers or complexity.

Then there was this whole shift where, one minute, Jenna was obsessed with being Jessica, and then suddenly it was all about her crush on Aaron. It felt a bit out of nowhere. We’re constantly told that they have a history and that he’s really sweet, but he didn’t seem like a big enough deal to suddenly become Jenna’s main focus. It made the second half of the book feel disconnected and clunky.

The characters were extremely flat. Jenna’s whole life revolved around wanting to be Jessica so badly that she didn’t really have a personality of her own. Jessica and Aaron were too perfect and unrealistically flawless. Jenna didn’t even seem all that interested in actually understanding Jessica or what her life was like. It made it harder to really care about the main conflict and get a sense of how much both characters could have been dealing with.

And the ending? Even though Jenna went through all this stuff, it didn’t really feel like she grew or that anything was properly resolved. Nothing that happened in the book had any impact on how it ended, apparently.

]]> 4.08 2025 I Am Not Jessica Chen
author: Ann Liang
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2025
rating: 2
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: arc, covergasm, eye-roll, no-chemistry, predictable, review-to-follow
review:
A one-liner review: This was WAY too shallow for what it could have been.

Ann Liang tends to work with familiar tropes, which can still make for an amazing book, which can still be great if it delivers on compelling characters and/or a focused plot� but I Am Not Jessica Chen failed at both of those things.

This book felt incredibly superficial. The narrative touched on some themes I was able to resonate with, but didn’t delve deeply enough to truly make me feel a genuine connection with the story or the characters.

The book promised to focus on everyone’s obsession over the smart kids, fancy schools, and privileged families, which, as someone living in Asia, I can tell you is a prevalent reality for some. The book kind of painted it in a really simplistic way, like everyone just automatically worships those people and their lifestyles. It missed out on showing the other sides of it � the jealousy, the ostracization, or even just people who don’t care either way. There are layers to people, society, and expectations. The story lacked any real layers or complexity.

Then there was this whole shift where, one minute, Jenna was obsessed with being Jessica, and then suddenly it was all about her crush on Aaron. It felt a bit out of nowhere. We’re constantly told that they have a history and that he’s really sweet, but he didn’t seem like a big enough deal to suddenly become Jenna’s main focus. It made the second half of the book feel disconnected and clunky.

The characters were extremely flat. Jenna’s whole life revolved around wanting to be Jessica so badly that she didn’t really have a personality of her own. Jessica and Aaron were too perfect and unrealistically flawless. Jenna didn’t even seem all that interested in actually understanding Jessica or what her life was like. It made it harder to really care about the main conflict and get a sense of how much both characters could have been dealing with.

And the ending? Even though Jenna went through all this stuff, it didn’t really feel like she grew or that anything was properly resolved. Nothing that happened in the book had any impact on how it ended, apparently.


]]> Poison Study (Study, #1) 60510 Choose: A quick death� or slow poison...

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...]]> 427 Maria V. Snyder 0778324338 aimee (aimeecanread) 4 4.09 2005 Poison Study (Study, #1)
author: Maria V. Snyder
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2005
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/17
date added: 2025/04/17
shelves: favorites, favorite-male-leads
review:
More of a 3 star-read the second time around, so I’m leaving my rating at 4 stars to average it out with my 2013 rating.
]]> Blood Over Bright Haven 57915993 Magic has made the city of Tiran an industrial utopia, but magic has a cost—and the collectors have come calling.

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

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

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

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

(Content warnings for gore, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation)]]> 527 M.L. Wang aimee (aimeecanread) 5 WHAT THE FUCK 4.44 2023 Blood Over Bright Haven
author: M.L. Wang
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/11
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: did-not-see-that-coming, favorite-male-leads, favorites, heart-stopping, holy-shit-endings, i-cried, intense, it-gets-political, wishlist, worlds-greatest-ideas
review:
WHAT THE FUCK
]]> <![CDATA[Iron & Embers (The Ashes of Thezmarr, #1)]]> 229033262 “I’ve made no secret of what I want... You. It’s always been you.�

Wren Embervale, alchemist-turned-assassin, finds solace in only one thing: seeking vengeance for the death of her friends. The wars of the past may be over, but her thirst for revenge is far from quenched.

For years, she has been content with her poisons and potions for company, but when an unknown form of alchemy is used to attack a king of the midrealms, Wren’s time in the shadows comes to an end.

She’s offered a place at the ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor to find a cure to the dark magic threatening the kingdoms. To win her spot, she must conquer the Gauntlet, a grueling series of deadly trials that could cost her sanity, or her life.

More is at play than sabotage from fellow competitors. Magic wielders are being targeted and Wren becomes tangled in a dangerous web of deception and bloodshed that puts the entire realm at risk.

But the biggest threat of all might come from the man assigned to protect her—Torj Elderbrock, the silver-haired war hero who has hated her since she assassinated his last charge.

Their shared history ignites a simmering tension that threatens to consume them both.

Peace is fragile, trust is scarce and enemies lurk around every corner� Will love heal all wounds—or will it be the most lethal poison of all?

Iron & Embers is the breathtaking first installment in the epic fantasy romance series, The Ashes of Thezmarr. With its lush world-building, sizzling chemistry, and heart-pounding action it’s perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, From Blood & Ash, and The Bridge Kingdom.]]> 544 Helen Scheuerer aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 3.98 2025 Iron & Embers (The Ashes of Thezmarr, #1)
author: Helen Scheuerer
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[In a Rush (Friendship, Rhode Island #2)]]> 221762418 A revenge husband.

Pro quarterback Ryan Ralston has always known two things.
First, he’s desperately in love with his best friend Emme Ahlborg.
Second–and most importantly–he still has no idea how to tell her.

The marriage pact they made in their senior yearbook was the closest he ever came.
Years passed and Emme forgot about their promise.
Ryan never did, especially not on his thirtieth birthday.

Emme can’t catch a break. Always unlucky in love, her cheating ex is a groomsman in her best friend’s wedding—and there’s no way she’s showing up alone.

Ryan offers her the one thing better than a wedding date: a revenge husband. And he’s not just any fake husband but the NFL’s brightest star…and in need of serious reputation rehab.

Playing the part of the happy couple comes easy and soon enough, the lines between real and fake blur. They disappear altogether when there’s just one bed.

All Ryan has to do is save Emme from her ex, find her step-sister an internship, and get his wife to fall in love with him—or fumble the one thing he’s ever wanted:
her heart.

Content Notes: incidences and discussion of infidelity, incidence of body shaming, parental estrangement, parental divorce, brief mention of parental death (ALS), chronic illness (main character--endometriosis).]]> Kate Canterbary aimee (aimeecanread) 3 3.89 2025 In a Rush (Friendship, Rhode Island #2)
author: Kate Canterbary
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/01
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves:
review:
I don’t know what Kate Canterbary adds to her books to make them so addictive.
]]> <![CDATA[Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)]]> 214331246 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.]]> 387 Suzanne Collins 1546171460 aimee (aimeecanread) 4
-

NOT SUZANNE COLLINS MAKING ME CRY ON A RANDOM THURSDAY NIGHT WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT

The Hunger Games will always, always be one of my favorite series. I read it first as a teenager and absolutely ADORED it. I reread it as an adult and still loved it (and appreciated it way more as I got older)! ]]> 4.62 2025 Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games, #0.5)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.62
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/30
date added: 2025/03/30
shelves:
review:
My heart hurts.

-

NOT SUZANNE COLLINS MAKING ME CRY ON A RANDOM THURSDAY NIGHT WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT

The Hunger Games will always, always be one of my favorite series. I read it first as a teenager and absolutely ADORED it. I reread it as an adult and still loved it (and appreciated it way more as I got older)!
]]> Thornhedge 61884932 There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This ’t her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He's heard there's a curse here that needs breaking, but it's a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…]]> 116 T. Kingfisher 1250244099 aimee (aimeecanread) 4 3.95 2023 Thornhedge
author: T. Kingfisher
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/20
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves:
review:
this was so magical and wholesome and charming and sweet
]]> Silver Elite 217245572 In the first book of a searing new dystopian trilogy, a young woman must conceal her psychic powers—and her attraction to her handsome, infuriating commanding officer—as she works undercover to take down a brutal government from within.

The world is divided. On the Continent, you’re either a Prime—immune to the biotoxin that nearly wiped out the Earth’s population 150 years ago—or a Modified, one who was enhanced by the toxin, developing powerful psychic gifts.

As conflict rages between the two sides, Wren Darlington lives in hiding. Occasionally running the odd op for the rebel Uprising against the Primes� oppressive rule, she must keep a low profile. After all, if the enemy finds out that she is a Mod with a staggering four psychic abilities, she won’t just be sent to the labor camps. She’ll be executed—immediately and without trial.

When a careless mistake puts Wren in the crosshairs of the Continent’s military, she is taken captive and forced to join their most elite Silver Block. Unwittingly, they’ve handed her the perfect opportunity for the Uprising to strike a devastating blow from inside their ranks. That is, if she can keep her powers hidden, survive training, and prove herself to Cross Redden, her maddeningly cocky commanding officer.

Despite the explosive chemistry between them, Cross doesn’t trust her—even as he seems determined to destroy the remaining shreds of Wren’s self-control. Yet as the war between Primes and Mods escalates, and as Wren and Cross find themselves unable to stay away from each other, they must decide how far they’re willing to go for their secrets—and how much of the Continent is worth saving.]]> 528 Dani Francis 059387546X aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.41 2025 Silver Elite
author: Dani Francis
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Favorites 211399784 To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER � An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

“P Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.

Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story� through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.]]> 448 Layne Fargo 0593732049 aimee (aimeecanread) 0
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Pre-read:
To say that I’m curious about this would be a huge understatement.]]> 4.17 2025 The Favorites
author: Layne Fargo
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at: 2025/03/16
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves:
review:
I might need 3 business days to figure out whether I loved or hated this book.

-

Pre-read:
To say that I’m curious about this would be a huge understatement.
]]> <![CDATA[Wings of Starlight (Disney Fairies)]]> 212808316 Brimming with magic and romance, a young fairy queen must form an unlikely alliance or risk an unspeakable danger destroying all she holds dear in this standalone YA novel from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft.

It’s been centuries since a warm-season fairy in Pixie Hollow has crossed into the Winter Woods, and while most fear the legends of monsters lurking in the frozen lands, Clarion, can’t help being intrigued by Winter’s stoic beauty. But under the watchful eyes of the current monarch and the court's seasonal ministers, Clarion has little time to dwell on daydreams while the days to her coronation dwindle away.

That is, until reports of a monster crossing from Winter into Spring make their way to the palace. Clarion sees defeating this threat as an opportunity to prove that she is worthy of her new role. But instead of finding a monster at the edge of Winter, she finds Milori, a young guardian of the Winter Woods. Together, they form an unlikely bond as they race to save their lands.

But as their alliance warms to something more, they will discover there is a reason a warm-season fairy and a winter fairy must not be together. And the cost could be just as deadly as the monsters that prowl the Winter Woods.

Discover the origin of the sweeping, star-crossed romance between the queen of Pixie Hollow and the lord of the Winter Woods.]]> 400 Allison Saft 1368098452 aimee (aimeecanread) 3 4.25 2025 Wings of Starlight (Disney Fairies)
author: Allison Saft
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/14
date added: 2025/03/14
shelves:
review:
Didn’t live up to my expectations, but Milori has my heart.
]]> Out of the Woods 209220944
But Sarah has begun to wonder... Who is she without her other half?

When she decides to take on a project of her own, a fundraising gala in memoriam of her late mother, Sarah wants nothing more than to prove to herself—and to everyone else—that she doesn’t need Caleb’s help to succeed. She’s still her mother’s daughter, after all. Independent and capable.

That is until the event fails and Caleb uninvitedly steps in to save the day.

The rift that follows unearths a decade of grievances between them and doubts begin to grow. Are they truly the same people they were when they got married at nineteen? Are they supposed to be?

In a desperate attempt to fix what they fear is near breaking, Sarah and Caleb make the spontaneous decision to join a grueling hiking trip intended to guide couples through rough patches.

What follows is a life-affirming comedy of errors as two nature-averse people fight their way out of the woods in order to find their way back to their roots.]]> 336 Hannah Bonam-Young 0593871863 aimee (aimeecanread) 5 3.98 2025 Out of the Woods
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/01
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: favorite-male-leads, favorites, i-cried, i-ugly-cried, intense-yearning, super-relatable
review:
Might’ve been a decade since I last finished a book in one sitting.
]]> <![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 aimee (aimeecanread) 4
-

Almost forgot that Sunrise on the Reaping comes out in MARCH (!!!!!), so I'm finally going to read this one before then. Fingers crossed.]]> 3.99 2020 The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games, #0)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/28
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves:
review:
This ending will ALWAYS give me chills.

-

Almost forgot that Sunrise on the Reaping comes out in MARCH (!!!!!), so I'm finally going to read this one before then. Fingers crossed.
]]> Radiance (Wraith Kings, #1) 24473763 The Prince of no value
Brishen Khaskem, prince of the Kai, has lived content as the nonessential spare heir to a throne secured many times over. A trade and political alliance between the human kingdom of Gaur and the Kai kingdom of Bast-Haradis requires that he marry a Gauri woman to seal the treaty. Always a dutiful son, Brishen agrees to the marriage and discovers his bride is as ugly as he expected and more beautiful than he could have imagined.

The noblewoman of no importance
Ildiko, niece of the Gauri king, has always known her only worth to the royal family lay in a strategic marriage. Resigned to her fate, she is horrified to learn that her intended groom ’t just a foreign aristocrat but the younger prince of a people neither familiar nor human. Bound to her new husband, Ildiko will leave behind all she’s known to embrace a man shrouded in darkness but with a soul forged by light.

Two people brought together by the trappings of duty and politics will discover they are destined for each other, even as the powers of a hostile kingdom scheme to tear them apart.]]> 297 Grace Draven aimee (aimeecanread) 2 3.98 2015 Radiance (Wraith Kings, #1)
author: Grace Draven
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/16
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: cliffhangers, eye-roll, no-chemistry, plot-what-plot, snoozefest, unpopular-opinion
review:
absolutely no thoughts went into the writing of this book.
]]> <![CDATA[Dungeons and Drama (Dungeons and Drama, #1)]]> 160047094
Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she's grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

Riley can't waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan's Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn't require as much acting as she would've thought...]]> 304 Kristy Boyce 0593647017 aimee (aimeecanread) 2 eye-roll, fluffy, snoozefest 4.13 2024 Dungeons and Drama (Dungeons and Drama, #1)
author: Kristy Boyce
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: eye-roll, fluffy, snoozefest
review:
This is between a 2 and a 2.5. Unfortunately, this was super bland and none of the characters really stood out to me. I need good YA contemporary romance recs, please!!
]]> Wild ​Reverence 222361609
Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.]]> Rebecca Ross 1250373360 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read ... there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world. SAY NO MORE.]]> 4.71 2025 Wild ​Reverence
author: Rebecca Ross
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.71
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/17
shelves: to-read
review:
... there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world. SAY NO MORE.
]]> The Beautiful Ones 55311334 From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping romance with a dash of magic.

They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.

But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina—and himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.]]> 299 Silvia Moreno-Garcia 125078557X aimee (aimeecanread) 3 Soft for my girl Nina. 3.84 2017 The Beautiful Ones
author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/12
date added: 2025/02/16
shelves: favorite-female-leads, insta-love-lust-attraction, predictable
review:
Soft for my girl Nina.
]]> Us Against the Likes 218488247
Against her mother’s wishes, Abby Martins drops out of university to follow her dream: share her travel stories with the world.
With over 90 000 followers and her sister’s help, a talented photographer and her forever best friend, Abby’s thriving on this new path. She’s managing her anxiety (for the most part) and she’s (almost) making a living out of her passion.
Winning a prestigious travel influencer award might just be the thing to push her off that ledge.
Desperate to prove herself, Abby steps out of her comfort zone. From Scotland to Italy, from unexpected influencer trips to thrilling collaborations, Abby stretches herself and her own mental health thin for the likes.

But what, and most importantly, who, will she risk to lose on her way?

Us Against The Likes is a heartwarming college-aged YA book about how social media shapes us - and changes us. Perfect for fans of Amelia Diane Coombs and Kara McDowell.]]> 334 Marie Voinson 2959499700 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.65 Us Against the Likes
author: Marie Voinson
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.65
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Winter of the Witch (The Winternight Trilogy, #3)]]> 36621586 Following their adventures in The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower, Vasya and Morozko return in this stunning conclusion to the bestselling Winternight Trilogy, battling enemies mortal and magical to save both Russias, the seen and the unseen.


Now Moscow has been struck by disaster. Its people are searching for answers—and for someone to blame. Vasya finds herself alone, beset on all sides. The Grand Prince is in a rage, choosing allies that will lead him on a path to war and ruin. A wicked demon returns, stronger than ever and determined to spread chaos. Caught at the center of the conflict is Vasya, who finds the fate of two worlds resting on her shoulders. Her destiny uncertain, Vasya will uncover surprising truths about herself and her history as she desperately tries to save Russia, Morozko, and the magical world she treasures. But she may not be able to save them all.

Advance praise for The Winter of the Witch

“Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy ’t just good—it’s hug-to-your-chest, straight-to-the-favorites-shelf, reread-immediately good, and each book just gets better. The Winter of the Witch plunges us back to fourteenth-century Moscow, where old gods and new vie for the soul of Russia and fate rests on a witch girl’s slender shoulders. Prepare to have your heart ripped out, loaned back to you full of snow and magic, and ripped out some more.”�Laini Taylor]]> 400 Katherine Arden 1101886005 aimee (aimeecanread) 5 this book is what I will be thinking about.

Katherine Arden has insane storytelling skills—so good, in fact, that I was able to block the creepy romance out of my mind. ]]> 4.48 2019 The Winter of the Witch (The Winternight Trilogy, #3)
author: Katherine Arden
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/28
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves:
review:
When anyone ever mentions non-stop action, this book is what I will be thinking about.

Katherine Arden has insane storytelling skills—so good, in fact, that I was able to block the creepy romance out of my mind.
]]> <![CDATA[The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1)]]> 58416952 At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.

AUDI. VIDE. TACE.

The Catenan Republic � the Hierarchy � may rule the world now, but they do not know everything.

I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive and my focus � what they call Will � to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.

I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.

But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.

And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.

To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy’s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me.

And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me.]]> 639 James Islington 1982141190 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read, tbr-2025, tbr-prio 4.60 2023 The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1)
author: James Islington
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: to-read, tbr-2025, tbr-prio
review:
Was gifted a copy by a beloved friend!
]]> The Warm Hands of Ghosts 154462576 New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale

January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, she receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about haunted trenches, and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two men form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.

As shells rain down on Flanders, and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.]]> 325 Katherine Arden 0593128257 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read, tbr-prio 3.96 2024 The Warm Hands of Ghosts
author: Katherine Arden
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: to-read, tbr-prio
review:

]]> <![CDATA[She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, #1)]]> 55077538
In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.

When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother's identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.

After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu uses the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother's abandoned greatness.

Mulan meets The Song of Achilles; an accomplished, poetic debut of war and destiny, sweeping across an epic alternate China.]]> 414 Shelley Parker-Chan 1250621801 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read, waiting-for-sequels 3.80 2021 She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, #1)
author: Shelley Parker-Chan
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/27
shelves: to-read, waiting-for-sequels
review:

]]> A Forgery of Fate 219334785 A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes!

Truyan Saigas didn't choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father's disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King's inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . . .]]> 480 Elizabeth Lim 0593650611 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read
-
Six Crimson Cranes: 5�
The Dragon's Promise: 4�
Spin the Dawn: 4.5⭐]]> 4.13 2025 A Forgery of Fate
author: Elizabeth Lim
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/24
shelves: to-read
review:
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST MEETS SIX OF CROWS??????

-
Six Crimson Cranes: 5�
The Dragon's Promise: 4�
Spin the Dawn: 4.5�
]]> <![CDATA[The Girl in the Tower (The Winternight Trilogy, #2)]]> 34050917 The Bear and the Nightingale, Katherine Arden’s enchanting first novel, introduced readers to an irresistible heroine. Vasilisa has grown up at the edge of a Russian wilderness, where snowdrifts reach the eaves of her family’s wooden house and there is truth in the fairy tales told around the fire. Vasilisa’s gift for seeing what others do not won her the attention of Morozko—Frost, the winter demon from the stories—and together they saved her people from destruction. But Frost’s aid comes at a cost, and her people have condemned her as a witch.

In The Girl in the Tower, Vasilisa faces an impossible choice. Driven from her home by frightened villagers, she has only two options left: marriage or the convent. She cannot bring herself to accept either fate and instead chooses adventure, dressing herself as a boy and setting off astride her magnificent stallion Solovey.

But after she prevails in a skirmish with bandits, everything changes. The Grand Prince of Moscow anoints her a hero for her exploits, and she is reunited with her beloved sister and brother, who are now part of the Grand Prince’s inner circle. She dares not reveal to the court that she is a girl, for if her deception were discovered it would have terrible consequences for herself and her family. Before she can untangle herself from Moscow’s intrigues—and as Frost provides counsel that may or may not be trustworthy—she will also confront an even graver threat lying in wait for all of Moscow itself.]]> 360 Katherine Arden 1101885963 aimee (aimeecanread) 4
-

#1. The Bear and the Nightingale: 4 ⭐️]]> 4.34 2017 The Girl in the Tower (The Winternight Trilogy, #2)
author: Katherine Arden
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/01/22
shelves: did-not-see-that-coming, favorite-female-leads, holy-shit-endings, heart-stopping, intense, it-gets-political, no-chemistry
review:
Another slay. (The romance sucks though.)

-

#1. The Bear and the Nightingale: 4 ⭐️
]]> You, with a View 59737396 Two weeks on the road... stuck in a car with your high-school enemy.

Noelle Shepard is grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother when she discovers decades-old photos and letters that hint to a forbidden love in her gram's past. Needing to know the full story, she creates a TikTok video appealing for information - and it goes viral.

Through her video, she manages to track down her grandmother's secret love, Paul, who offers to take her on the honeymoon road-trip he and Gram planned but never got to go on.

Noelle jumps at the chance to make this one last connection with her grandmother. There's just one problem - Paul's grandson is Noelle's frustratingly handsome high-school rival Theo.

And Theo has to come, too.

It's only two weeks. Surely Noelle can survive that long? But with one car between them - and often only one bed - it doesn't take long for things to heat up...
]]> 352 Jessica Joyce 059354840X aimee (aimeecanread) 3 fluffy delicious angst ang longing that The Ex Vows did, but this was still a pretty sweet read. I was lowkey more invested in the grandparents� stories than the MCs� though. ]]> 4.05 2023 You, with a View
author: Jessica Joyce
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/13
shelves: fluffy
review:
This didn’t have the same delicious angst ang longing that The Ex Vows did, but this was still a pretty sweet read. I was lowkey more invested in the grandparents� stories than the MCs� though.
]]> <![CDATA[The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)]]> 25489134
After Vasilisa's mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa's new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows.

And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa's stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent.

As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse's most frightening tales.

The Bear and the Nightingale is a magical debut novel from a gifted and gorgeous voice. It spins an irresistible spell as it announces the arrival of a singular talent.]]> 319 Katherine Arden 1101885939 aimee (aimeecanread) 4 4.07 2017 The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy, #1)
author: Katherine Arden
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/09
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: favorite-female-leads, heart-stopping, holy-shit-endings
review:
Sitting here thinking about how amazing my girl Vasya is.
]]> Out on a Limb 124950295 397 Hannah Bonam-Young 1778027784 aimee (aimeecanread) 5
-

YOUR HONOR I LOVE THEM.

I personally find it difficult to enjoy books that don’t have a lot of drama thrown in, but Out on a Limb was just so pure and so wholesome, and I ate it up!

This story is definitely too perfect, to an extent. The MCs, who are both physically disabled, don’t go through a whirlwind of fights, didn’t have crazy exes, and didn’t have the world’s worst parents� But sometimes we just need a good, sweet pick-me up featuring lovable characters and a squeal-worthy romance, and this book was that. I saw it more as if it was life’s best case scenario. ]]> 4.25 2023 Out on a Limb
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/13
date added: 2025/01/05
shelves: favorite-female-leads, favorite-male-leads, favorites, fluffy, grinning-like-an-idiot, intense-yearning, light-and-cute, review-to-follow
review:
I was going through my 2024 reads and had to bump this up to 5 stars! This definitely was a standout from all the other contemporary romances I read in 2024.

-

YOUR HONOR I LOVE THEM.

I personally find it difficult to enjoy books that don’t have a lot of drama thrown in, but Out on a Limb was just so pure and so wholesome, and I ate it up!

This story is definitely too perfect, to an extent. The MCs, who are both physically disabled, don’t go through a whirlwind of fights, didn’t have crazy exes, and didn’t have the world’s worst parents� But sometimes we just need a good, sweet pick-me up featuring lovable characters and a squeal-worthy romance, and this book was that. I saw it more as if it was life’s best case scenario.
]]> Unloved (The Undone, #2) 214152028 The highly anticipated follow-up to Peyton Corinne’s “unputdownable and unforgettable� (Bal Khabra, author of Collide) TikTok sensation Unsteady follows hopeless romantic Ro and player—on and off the ice—Freddy as their feelings for each other grow from strictly friendly to so much more.

Matt “Freddy� Fedderic is all smiles—at least on the surface. On the ice, he’s the star left winger for the Waterfell Wolves with a stellar reputation in bed and a potential future in the NHL. But in the classroom, he’s barely scraping by on a 2.0 GPA, retaking dropped classes and struggling with a rough mix of dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. Freddy had plans to enter the NHL draft at eighteen, but then his estranged father added a “graduation� clause to his inheritance, and now, he needs help to pass Biology with a professor who’s already betrayed him before.

Ro Shariff is a hopeless romantic with terrible luck in love—and now, Freddy’s new tutor. She keeps telling herself that she’s very happy with her on again/off again boyfriend, but Ro is desperate for real affection. As her tutoring sessions with Freddy lead to friendship and late-night phone calls, an undeniable heat begins to simmer between them, which they’re both trying desperately to ignore.

Although they are too protective of their newfound friendship to cross that line, Ro can’t stop thinking about how Freddy was her first kiss her freshman year at Waterfell, a spine-tingling moment seared into Ro’s memory that Freddy doesn’t seem to remember, and Freddy is determined to protect Ro from his reputation at all costs. Meanwhile, Ro wants to prove to him that despite what others have led him to believe, he’s worth more than his body. But maybe, just maybe, together they can learn how easily the right person can love every part of you, even your flaws.]]> 449 Peyton Corinne 1668068486 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.10 2025 Unloved (The Undone, #2)
author: Peyton Corinne
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Night Market (Bound by Ravens, #2)]]> 214117009 A mortal seer enslaved by a traveling faerie market.
A Raven shifter forced into marriage to save his Caravan tribe.
And a future not even the cards could predict . . .

Some children dream of running away to join the Night Market. I did so to escape a nightmare.

Still, being forced into an overheated tent to read fortunes until sunrise has its trials—naturally. But when he visits me, I suffer for entirely different reasons.

Stars above, Rhylen Lonan is the most beautiful faerie I’ve ever known. A Raven shifter with long black hair, dark purple eyes, and magic that stirs my own. Each Night Market, in exchange for a generous slice of cake and a delicious morsel of gossip, I read him three cards. And before the gates open, he breaks my heart with the same question.

“Does my mate love me back?�

Every time, I'm taunted with visions of Rhylen in love . . . with her. His mate. Until tonight’s reading, that is, when Fate takes a sudden dark turn. I see a devastating fire. He will be forced to marry to save his tribe or face banishment. She will be hunted by other fae in a wedding game.

I do not see her face. I never have. Nor do I know her name.

But as Rhylen’s destiny continues to grip my Sight, I start to suspect it's me. That I have always been his forbidden future. And I don’t know what terrifies me most—that I might be his downfall or that he might be mine.


THE NIGHT MARKET is a new adult fae romantasy set in the Bound by Ravens world and perfect for fans
- mutual pining
- brother's best friend forbidden romance
- fated mates
- witty banter
- courting rituals
- touch her and die
- grumpy fox familiar
- pocket hedgehogs
- and magical comfort cake

Be sure to check out the prequel novella, BOUND BY RAVENS, part of the Starry Kingdoms of the Fae multi-author collection, now in Kindle Unlimited.]]> 547 Jesikah Sundin 1954694288 aimee (aimeecanread) 2 3.94 The Night Market (Bound by Ravens, #2)
author: Jesikah Sundin
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/02
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves:
review:
This was poorly written (if I have to read the phrase True Mate again today, I’m going to rip my hair out) and was overall pointless (this was truly hundreds of pages of repetitive filler), but I didn’t totally hate it and still kind of want to read the follow-up novella.
]]> <![CDATA[Immortal Dark (Immortal Dark Trilogy, #1)]]> 204593711
It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family.

Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad.

To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs.

When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the center of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.]]> 432 Tigest Girma aimee (aimeecanread) 3 Immortal Dark becomes the next big paranormal romance hit. This incredibly atmospheric, dark, sexy book will appeal to a lot of different readers—but here are the three types of readers who I think will be the most likely to devour this book:

Readers who want vampire books with less glitter and more fangs
The characters, the plot, the lore, the atmosphere—everything about Immortal Dark is rich, intense, and violent.

If you’re looking for a story that features an all-black cast of cunning, devious, scheming vampires and humans� this book is absolutely for you. The characters are morally grey, and they each have backstories that tie into the history of the world.

Our main character Kidan is human, but that doesn’t make her any less brutal than her vampire counterparts. She’s vicious and will stop at nothing to get what she needs. She doesn’t make excuses for her cruelty. She’ll claw her way through anything if she must.

Susenyos, the MMC, who is a vampire, is just as cold. The reader is never sure of his intentions (well, actually, this is true about all the characters�). Trying to get to know this character is a wonderful, dizzying rollercoaster. He’s someone who knows what he wants, and will spill as much blood as it takes to get that.

Readers who love the enemies aspect of enemies-to-lovers
This book features a genuine enemies-to-lovers (or, well, enemies-to-something) subplot. Kidan and Susenyos have their own agendas, and are constantly at each other’s throats. There are even a handful of attempts at murder� And all the while, the tension between them is so sexy. The intensity of emotions between these characters is off the charts. There are times when you’ll want them to get together, and there are times when you’ll want them to rip each other’s eyes out�

Readers who want � details �
The plot does slow down to give way to world-building every now and then, but I personally appreciated this a lot as someone who generally asks so many questions all the time. The history and lore is pretty elaborate in this one, and it does get a bit intimidating, but everything’s so obviously well thought-out, and the little details are so juicy and add that extra spice to the story.

Do you want a sentient house that lowkey wants to kill you, with rooms that heighten emotions? Of course you do.

Do you think that the location of a vampire’s bite having an effect on what the biter and the bitee relive of the other’s experiences sounds really cool? Yes, duh.

If you find yourself thinking, yup, that’s me! to any of these, definitely give this book a shot!]]> 3.66 2024 Immortal Dark (Immortal Dark Trilogy, #1)
author: Tigest Girma
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/30
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: did-not-see-that-coming, eye-roll, heart-stopping, snoozefest
review:
I wouldn’t be surprised if Immortal Dark becomes the next big paranormal romance hit. This incredibly atmospheric, dark, sexy book will appeal to a lot of different readers—but here are the three types of readers who I think will be the most likely to devour this book:

Readers who want vampire books with less glitter and more fangs
The characters, the plot, the lore, the atmosphere—everything about Immortal Dark is rich, intense, and violent.

If you’re looking for a story that features an all-black cast of cunning, devious, scheming vampires and humans� this book is absolutely for you. The characters are morally grey, and they each have backstories that tie into the history of the world.

Our main character Kidan is human, but that doesn’t make her any less brutal than her vampire counterparts. She’s vicious and will stop at nothing to get what she needs. She doesn’t make excuses for her cruelty. She’ll claw her way through anything if she must.

Susenyos, the MMC, who is a vampire, is just as cold. The reader is never sure of his intentions (well, actually, this is true about all the characters�). Trying to get to know this character is a wonderful, dizzying rollercoaster. He’s someone who knows what he wants, and will spill as much blood as it takes to get that.

Readers who love the enemies aspect of enemies-to-lovers
This book features a genuine enemies-to-lovers (or, well, enemies-to-something) subplot. Kidan and Susenyos have their own agendas, and are constantly at each other’s throats. There are even a handful of attempts at murder� And all the while, the tension between them is so sexy. The intensity of emotions between these characters is off the charts. There are times when you’ll want them to get together, and there are times when you’ll want them to rip each other’s eyes out�

Readers who want � details �
The plot does slow down to give way to world-building every now and then, but I personally appreciated this a lot as someone who generally asks so many questions all the time. The history and lore is pretty elaborate in this one, and it does get a bit intimidating, but everything’s so obviously well thought-out, and the little details are so juicy and add that extra spice to the story.

Do you want a sentient house that lowkey wants to kill you, with rooms that heighten emotions? Of course you do.

Do you think that the location of a vampire’s bite having an effect on what the biter and the bitee relive of the other’s experiences sounds really cool? Yes, duh.

If you find yourself thinking, yup, that’s me! to any of these, definitely give this book a shot!
]]> This Vicious Hunger 222139733 From the author ofWild and Wicked Things comes a dark gothic fantasy about two young women struggling to find the freedom of choice in a world where their path feels predetermined. Turning to each other, they soon find themselves sinking deeper into a world of beauty, poison, and the insatiable quest for knowledge.

Thora Grieve finds herself destitute and an outcast after the sudden death of her husband only a few weeks into their marriage, but a glimmer of hope arrives when a family friend offers her spot at a university to study botany under a famed professor. Once at the university Thora becomes entranced by a mysterious young woman, Olea, who emerges each night to tend to the plants in the professor's private garden.

Thora soon discovers that a mysterious illness prevents Olea from leaving the garden. Hungry for connection, Thora befriends Olea through the garden gate and their relationship quickly and intensely blossoms. The visceral connection between Thora and Olea unlocks an obsessive desire in Thora as she throws herself into finding a cure for Olea's ailment. But is this really love or is it merely lustful intoxication? Thora's finally found the freedom to pursue her deepest desires, but at what cost?]]> 432 Francesca May 0316287539 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 5.00 2025 This Vicious Hunger
author: Francesca May
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 5.00
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked, #1)]]> 211003924 The first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy duology based on characters and teachings created by Bruce Lee!

Sixteen-year-old Jun dreams of proving his worth as a warrior in the elite Guardian’s Tournament, held every six years to entrust the magical Scroll of Earth to a new protector. Eager to prove his skills, Jun hopes that a win will restore his father’s honor—righting a horrible mistake that caused their banishment from his home, mother, and twin brother.

But Jun’s father strictly forbids him from participating. There is no future in honing his skills as a warrior, especially considering Jun is not breathmarked, born with a patch of dragon scales and blessed with special abilities like his twin. Determined to be the next Guardian, Jun stows away in the wagon of Chang and his daughter, Ren, performers on their way to the capital where the tournament will take place.

As Jun competes, he quickly realizes he may be fighting for not just a better life, but the fate of the country itself.]]> 341 Shannon Lee 1250902673 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 3.98 2025 Breath of the Dragon (Breathmarked, #1)
author: Shannon Lee
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Reign & Ruin (Mages of the Wheel, #1)]]> 50607309 “All magic is beautiful,� she said, “and terrible. Do you not see the beauty in yours, or the terror in mine? You can stop a heart, and I can stop your breath.�

She is heir to a Sultanate that once ruled the world. He is an unwanted prince with the power to destroy.

She is order and intellect, a woman fit to rule in a man's place. He is chaos and violence and will stop at nothing to protect his people.

His magic answers hers with shadow for light. They need each other, but the cost of balance may be too high a price. Magic is dying and the only way to save it is to enlist mages who wield the forbidden power of death, mages cast out centuries ago in a brutal and bloody war.

Now, a new war is coming. Science and machines to replace magic and old religion.

They must find a way to save their people from annihilation and balance the sacred Wheel—but first, they will have to balance their own forbidden passion. His peace for her tempest, his restlessness for her calm�

Night and day, dusk and dawn, the end, and the beginning. ]]> 420 J.D. Evans 1951607015 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.17 2020 Reign & Ruin (Mages of the Wheel, #1)
author: J.D. Evans
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose, #1)]]> 51340378 Fortune favors the bold. Magic favors the liars.

Ren is a con artist who has come to the sparkling city of Nadežra with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house, securing her fortune and her sister's future.

But as she's drawn into the elite world of House Traementis, she realizes her masquerade is just one of many surrounding her. And as nightmare magic begins to weave its way through the City of Dreams, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled…with Ren at their heart.

The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a dazzling and darkly magical fantasy adventure by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, writing together as M. A. Carrick.]]> 630 M.A. Carrick 0356515176 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.00 2021 The Mask of Mirrors (Rook & Rose, #1)
author: M.A. Carrick
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Curse of Chalion (World of the Five Gods, #1)]]> 61886
It is an assignment Cazaril dreads, for it will ultimately lead him to the place he fears most, the royal court of Cardegoss, where the powerful enemies, who once placed him in chains, now occupy lofty positions. In addition to the traitorous intrigues of villains, Cazaril and the Royesse Iselle, are faced with a sinister curse that hangs like a sword over the entire blighted House of Chalion and all who stand in their circle. Only by employing the darkest, most forbidden of magics, can Cazaril hope to protect his royal charge—an act that will mark the loyal, damaged servant as a tool of the miraculous, and trap him, flesh and soul, in a maze of demonic paradox, damnation, and death.]]> 490 Lois McMaster Bujold 0007133618 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.14 2001 The Curse of Chalion (World of the Five Gods, #1)
author: Lois McMaster Bujold
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2001
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Upon a Starlit Tide 211004131 A dark and enchanting fairy tale-inspired historical fantasy combining elements of "The Little Mermaid" and "Cinderella" into a wholly original tale of love, power, and betrayal.

Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758.
For Lucinde Leon, the youngest daughter of one of Saint-Malo's wealthiest ship-owners, the high walls of the city are more hindrance than haven. While her sisters are interested in securing advantageous marriages, Luce dreams of escaping her elegant but stifling home and joining a ship's crew. Only Samuel—Luce's best friend and an English smuggler—understands her longing for the sea, secretly teaching her to sail whenever she can sneak away. For Luce, the stolen time on the water with Samuel is precious.

One stormy morning, Luce's plans are blown off course when she rescues Morgan de Chatelaine, the youngest son of the most powerful ship-owner in Saint-Malo, from the sea. Immediately drawn to his charm and sense of adventure, she longs to attend the glittering ball held in honor of his safe return and begins to contemplate a different kind of future for herself.

But it is not only Luce's hopes at stake—the local fae are leaving Brittany and taking their magic with them, while the long-standing war with the English means Saint-Malo is always at risk of attack. As Luce is plunged into a world of magic, brutality, and seduction, secrets that have long been lost in the shadowy depths of the ocean begin to rise to the surface. The truth of her own power is growing brighter and brighter, shining like a sea-glass slipper.

Or the scales of a sea-maid's tail.]]> 432 Kell Woods 125085251X aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read
Cover art by Lindsey Carr @lindseycarrillustrates
Cover design by Katie Klimowicz @katiejaneklim]]> 4.29 2025 Upon a Starlit Tide
author: Kell Woods
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/19
shelves: to-read
review:
Had to look up the cover artist and cover designer bc what a huge slay!!!

Cover art by Lindsey Carr @lindseycarrillustrates
Cover design by Katie Klimowicz @katiejaneklim
]]> A Fragile Enchantment 127305900 In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.]]> 373 Allison Saft 125089283X aimee (aimeecanread) 2
Quick summary of my thoughts right after reading:
+ The way characters talked about themselves was incredibly realistic. I ran into so many quotes that made me think, Yup, that pretty much sums up how I feel about myself.
+ I loved the way the author incorporated magic into this. Being able to sew emotions into clothes? *chef's kiss*
- The characters constantly went into incredibly repeitive monologues about self-worth and I was just so over it after the second instance.
- I know the author likes to focus on character development more than the plot, but there was just a lot of build up for the politics that didn't really see any solid resolution.
- I didn't feel as much pain and yearning here as I did with Saft's other books.

More Allison Saft:
A Far Wilder Magic: 5�
Down Comes the Night: 3⭐]]> 3.49 2024 A Fragile Enchantment
author: Allison Saft
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2024/02/11
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: covergasm, ending-sucked, it-gets-political, fluffy, intense-yearning, plot-what-plot, predictable
review:
Really a 2.5, but rounded up because I'm in denial.

Quick summary of my thoughts right after reading:
+ The way characters talked about themselves was incredibly realistic. I ran into so many quotes that made me think, Yup, that pretty much sums up how I feel about myself.
+ I loved the way the author incorporated magic into this. Being able to sew emotions into clothes? *chef's kiss*
- The characters constantly went into incredibly repeitive monologues about self-worth and I was just so over it after the second instance.
- I know the author likes to focus on character development more than the plot, but there was just a lot of build up for the politics that didn't really see any solid resolution.
- I didn't feel as much pain and yearning here as I did with Saft's other books.

More Allison Saft:
A Far Wilder Magic: 5�
Down Comes the Night: 3�
]]> A Dark and Drowning Tide 123195206 A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murderin this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.

Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness to secure his reign of the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come true: to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she’s only ever read about.

The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader—Lorelei’s beloved mentor—is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are her five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtimeacademic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again—and a coup begins in earnest.

But there are other dangers lurking in the dark: forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons waiting beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood.

As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth—and resist their growing feelings for one another—they discover that their professor had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, or if this kingdom is worth saving at all.]]> 371 Allison Saft 0593722353 aimee (aimeecanread) 2 A Far Wilder Magic is still my favorite book of 2024, while Saft's other books have been 3 stars-and-below reads for me. ]]> 3.69 2024 A Dark and Drowning Tide
author: Allison Saft
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2024/12/18
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves: covergasm, ending-sucked, eye-roll, it-gets-political, no-chemistry
review:
I'm genuinely so confused how A Far Wilder Magic is still my favorite book of 2024, while Saft's other books have been 3 stars-and-below reads for me.
]]> Vampires of El Norte 63892214 Vampires and vaqueros face off on the Texas-Mexico border in this supernatural western from the author of The Hacienda.

As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters—her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead.

Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago.

Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind.

When the United States attacks Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he does not marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion—and Nena’s rage at Néstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago—is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh.

And unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn.]]> 371 Isabel Cañas 0593436725 aimee (aimeecanread) 4 this is 100% a historical romance with paranormal elements. Luckily, that is still a genre I vibe with, so I had an amazing time myself. Totally get why people were disappointed with this, though. It's nothing revolutionary, and yes, there is a HUGE lack of actual horror here, but if you like a lot of angst in your romance... this could be for you.]]> 3.87 2023 Vampires of El Norte
author: Isabel Cañas
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/02
date added: 2024/12/11
shelves: favorites, i-cried, intense-yearning, predictable
review:
I went into this thinking it was going to be a horror book, but this is 100% a historical romance with paranormal elements. Luckily, that is still a genre I vibe with, so I had an amazing time myself. Totally get why people were disappointed with this, though. It's nothing revolutionary, and yes, there is a HUGE lack of actual horror here, but if you like a lot of angst in your romance... this could be for you.
]]> Ready or Not 154462768
Eve Hatch is pretty content with her life. Her apartment in Brooklyn is cozy and close to her childhood best friend Willa, but far from her midwestern, traditional family who never really understood her. While her job is only dream- adjacent , she’s hoping her passion and hard work will soon help her land a more glamorous role. And sure, her most recent romantic history has consisted of not one but two disappointing men named Derek. At least she always knows what to expect…until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-night stand.

The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve's loyalfriendship with Willa is feeling off , right when she needs her most. And it’s Willa’s steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help. He has always been friendly, but now he’s checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her complaints, and is� suddenly kinda hot? Then there’s the baby's father, who is supportive but conflicted. Before long, Eve is rethinking everything she thought she knew about herself and her world.

Over the course of nine months, as Eve struggles to figure out the next right step in her expanding reality, she begins to realize that family and love, in all forms, can sneak up on you when you least expect it.]]> 400 Cara Bastone 0593595718 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 3.96 2024 Ready or Not
author: Cara Bastone
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Swordheart 42747739 426 T. Kingfisher 1614504636 aimee (aimeecanread) 3 4.06 2018 Swordheart
author: T. Kingfisher
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/03
date added: 2024/12/03
shelves:
review:
The pacing was all over the place in this one, but it gave me a good taste of what to expect with T Kingfisher. I’m going to have to come back to this review to add some quotes bc the dialogue in this book is unhinged (in the best way).
]]> <![CDATA[The Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy, #1)]]> 29758013
When eccentric explorer, Lady Vincenza 'Vintage' de Grazon, offers him employment, he sees an easy way out. Even when they are joined by a fugitive witch with a tendency to set things on fire, the prospect of facing down monsters and retrieving ancient artefacts is preferable to the abomination he left behind.

But not everyone is willing to let the Eboran empire collapse, and the adventurers are quickly drawn into a tangled conspiracy of magic and war. For the Jure'lia are coming, and the Ninth Rain must fall...]]> 544 Jen Williams 1472235177 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.07 2017 The Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy, #1)
author: Jen Williams
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance, #3)]]> 55858638 New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate.

The one thing you never talk about while you're in the Scholomance is what you'll do when you get out. Not even the richest enclaver would tempt fate that way. But it's all we dream about, the hideously slim chance we'll survive to make it out the gates and improbably find ourselves with a life ahead of us, a life outside the Scholomance halls.

And now the impossible dream has come true. I'm out, we're all out--and I didn't even have to turn into a monstrous dark witch to make it happen. So much for my great-grandmother's prophecy of doom and destruction. I didn't kill enclavers, I saved them. Me, and Orion, and our allies. Our graduation plan worked to perfection: we saved everyone and made the world safe for all wizards and brought peace and harmony to all the enclaves of the world.

Ha, only joking! Actually it's gone all wrong. Someone else has picked up the project of destroying enclaves in my stead, and probably everyone we saved is about to get killed in the brewing enclave war on the horizon. And the first thing I've got to do now, having miraculously got out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in.]]> 407 Naomi Novik 0593158369 aimee (aimeecanread) 3 4.08 2022 The Golden Enclaves (The Scholomance, #3)
author: Naomi Novik
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/28
date added: 2024/11/28
shelves:
review:
Tough one to rate bc I think my problems with this book are mostly subjective, but still definitely looking forward to reading more from Naomi Novik.
]]> <![CDATA[The Last Graduate (The Scholomance, #2)]]> 55559887 A budding dark sorceress determined not to use her formidable powers uncovers yet more secrets about the workings of her world in the stunning sequel to A Deadly Education, the start of Naomi Novik’s groundbreaking crossover series.

At the Scholomance, El, Orion, and the other students are faced with their final year—and the looming specter of graduation, a deadly ritual that leaves few students alive in its wake. El is determined that her chosen group will survive, but it is a prospect that is looking harder by the day as the savagery of the school ramps up. Until El realizes that sometimes winning the game means throwing out all the rules . . .]]> 388 Naomi Novik 0593128869 aimee (aimeecanread) 4 4.20 2021 The Last Graduate (The Scholomance, #2)
author: Naomi Novik
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/21
date added: 2024/11/21
shelves:
review:
Was going to give this a 3, but the twists were WILD and I couldn't stop reading once I hit the last third of the book.
]]> <![CDATA[A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)]]> 50548197
A Deadly Education is set at Scholomance, a school for the magically gifted where failure means certain death (for real) � until one girl, El, begins to unlock its many secrets.

There are no teachers, no holidays, and no friendships, save strategic ones. Survival is more important than any letter grade, for the school won’t allow its students to leave until they graduate� or die! The rules are deceptively simple: Don’t walk the halls alone. And beware of the monsters who lurk everywhere.

El is uniquely prepared for the school’s dangers. She may be without allies, but she possesses a dark power strong enough to level mountains and wipe out millions. It would be easy enough for El to defeat the monsters that prowl the school. The problem? Her powerful dark magic might also kill all the other students.]]> 320 Naomi Novik 0593128486 aimee (aimeecanread) 3 3.93 2020 A Deadly Education (The Scholomance, #1)
author: Naomi Novik
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/17
date added: 2024/11/17
shelves:
review:
3.5! My attention span had a tough time with the info dumps but I LOVED the story, the world, the characters. Hoping the next two books are better since the world has already been set.
]]> <![CDATA[Wrath of the Triple Goddess (Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Senior Year Adventures, #2)]]> 199190261
Percy, Annabeth, and Grover settle into Hecate’s seemingly endless mansion and start getting acquainted with the fussy, terrifying animals. The trio has been warned not to touch anything, but while Percy and Annabeth are out at school, Grover can’t resist drinking a strawberry-flavored potion in the laboratory. It turns him into a giant frenzied goat, and after he rampages through the house, damaging everything in sight, and passes out, Hecuba and Gale escape. Now the friends have to find Hecate’s pets and somehow restore the house, all before Hecate gets back on Saturday. It’s going to take luck, demigod wiles, and some old and new friends to hunt down the animals and set things right again.]]> 322 Rick Riordan 1368112382 aimee (aimeecanread) 3
This is also making me want to reread the original series!! ]]> 4.14 2024 Wrath of the Triple Goddess (Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Senior Year Adventures, #2)
author: Rick Riordan
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/29
date added: 2024/10/30
shelves:
review:
Was this book purely written for fanservice? Yes. Did I still enjoy it? Also yes.

This is also making me want to reread the original series!!
]]> <![CDATA[The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne, #1)]]> 60581370
The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever. ]]> 523 Sara Hashem 0316477869 aimee (aimeecanread) 3 3.95 2023 The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne, #1)
author: Sara Hashem
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/25
date added: 2024/10/25
shelves:
review:
Nothing groundbreaking about this one, but I’m curious to see how things will play out in the sequel.
]]> The Ex Vows 199926331 Estranged exes must stick close together to save their best friend’s wedding after a string of disasters in this swoony and steamy second-chance romance.

Georgia Woodward lives by her lists, none more so than the one about her ex, Eli Mora. It’s full of the ironclad dos and don’ts they’ve been following since she returned to the Bay Area after their cataclysmic breakup five years ago.

With the wedding of their mutual best friend, Adam, looming, and them about to step into their roles as best woman and man, Georgia’s never needed it more. She refuses to threaten their tight-knit friend group with her messy—and still very present—feelings. The rules on that list will keep her cool, calm, and compartmentalized.

What’s not on her list? Eli arriving from New York with a new rule-breaking attitude or the all-inclusive venue burning to the ground, leaving the bride and groom in dire straits. Nor does she anticipate Adam asking her and Eli to help him make a miracle happen. Together.

As Georgia and Eli rush up to Napa Valley to pull off the perfect wedding, their old chemistry comes back in technicolor. Somewhere between cake tastings gone wrong, disastrous DJ auditions, and Eli’s heated attention, Georgia starts recognizing the man she fell in love with before. And if she lets herself break her rules, she might find what they’re building ’t the something old that ruined them—it’s a chance at something new.]]> 399 Jessica Joyce 0593548434 aimee (aimeecanread) 4 4.12 2024 The Ex Vows
author: Jessica Joyce
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/17
date added: 2024/10/20
shelves:
review:
Tempted to give this 5 stars bc of how pleasantly surprised I was!!! By a book with such a cheesy title!!! Leaving it at 4 stars for now, but we’ll see. Definitely been winning with my second chance romance reads recently!
]]> Love and Other Words 36206591 The story of the heart can never be unwritten.

Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother...only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.

Love, loss, friendship, and the betrayals of the past all collide in this first fiction novel from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Autoboyography, Dating You / Hating You).]]> 432 Christina Lauren 1501190539 aimee (aimeecanread) 4 4.23 2018 Love and Other Words
author: Christina Lauren
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/15
date added: 2024/10/15
shelves: ending-sucked, favorite-male-leads, favorites, i-cried, intense-yearning, predictable
review:
So happy to report that my first Christina Lauren book was a success!!!
]]> Next of Kin (Next, #1) 107525389
Enter Warren, a surly mechanic’s apprentice attempting to get custody of his deaf fifteen-year-old brother after failing CPS� housing evaluation. The two strangers immediately clash but agree to live together until Warren can find housing elsewhere and Chloe can further grow her freelance career.

As their lives intertwine, Chloe and Warren both realise that they’re far more similar than they could have imagined. What started as forced begins to feel natural—and far less lonely. Chemistry soon intensifies beyond what either of them can stand, but they must each decide if what burns between them is worth risking their arrangement and, ultimately, the well-being of their siblings.

With banter, heart, and steam that will have the reader blushing, Next of Kin is a true underdog story of two young adults redefining what family can look like.]]> 295 Hannah Bonam-Young aimee (aimeecanread) 2 eye-roll, snoozefest 3.71 2022 Next of Kin (Next, #1)
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2024/10/11
date added: 2024/10/15
shelves: eye-roll, snoozefest
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Fighting Solitude (On the Ropes, #3)]]> 43634665
Untouchable in the ring, I destroyed everyone who faced me, but that’s where my victories ended. Outside the ropes, I repeatedly failed the few people who loved me. Including my best friend, Liv James—the one person I’d die to protect.

Even though I didn’t deserve her, Liv never stopped believing in me. Never gave up. Never let go. After all, she understood what I’d lost, because she’d lost it too.

Liv was everything to me, but she was never truly mine.

That was going to change.

I lost my first love, but I refused to lose my soulmate.

Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.

Fighting to be the man she deserves.

Fighting the solitude of our pasts.

Fighting for her.]]> Aly Martinez aimee (aimeecanread) 1 4.19 2016 Fighting Solitude (On the Ropes, #3)
author: Aly Martinez
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2016
rating: 1
read at: 2024/09/22
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves: mmcs-i-hate, no-chemistry, cringey-romance
review:
I should've stopped after book 1.
]]> <![CDATA[Fighting Shadows (On the Ropes, #2)]]> 35507397
My brother hailed me as a hero, and my reward was a wheelchair.

Paralyzed, my life became an inescapable nightmare.

Until I met her.

Ash Mabie had a heart-stopping smile and a laugh that numbed the rage and resentment brewing inside of me. She showed me that even the darkest night still had stars, and it didn’t matter one bit that you had to lie in the weeds to see them.

I was a jaded asshole who fell for a girl with a knack for running away. I couldn’t even walk but I would have spent a lifetime chasing her.

Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting the shadows of our past.
Fighting to reclaim my future.
Fighting for her.]]> 260 Aly Martinez aimee (aimeecanread) 1 彡★ 3.97 2015 Fighting Shadows (On the Ropes, #2)
author: Aly Martinez
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2015
rating: 1
read at: 2024/09/17
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves: cringey-romance, insta-love-lust-attraction, jail, mmcs-i-hate, toxic
review:
彡★
]]> <![CDATA[Immortal City (Immortal City, #1)]]> 13013096 303 Scott Speer 1101561475 aimee (aimeecanread) 1 Plot & Pacing
The general idea of the story really interested me. There was a mix of mystery in the story, trying to discover who the angel killer was (although I don't know who it is, since I didn't finish the book), as well as romance (I mean horrid insta-love) which didn't mix that well, in my opinion. The story didn't flow well.

The pacing was alright (aside from the romance) and was easy to follow, but I thought a lot of scenes were kind of irrelevant.

Characters & Romance
This is where I begin ranting and will probably offend people who loved this book. I take romance and character development really seriously, because I wouldn't bother finishing a book if the characters aren't relatable even just a bit.

The main characters were Maddy (a very boring girl) and Jackson (a very irritating creep). Neither of them were funny or kickass, both of which I need in a story.

Mini spoiler: A few days (weeks?) after they meet, Jackson "can't stop thinking about Maddy" and eventually watches her sleep from her window. That ticked me off, because they haven't even had a decent conversation before that.

The Gist
Immortal City had such a promising concept. It was a unique take on angel fantasy. I think it'd be pretty realistic if the angels would be treated as (paid) celebrities, if ever they decided to reveal themselves to us. The flat execution and boring characters ruined what might've been a very interesting novel.]]> 3.86 2012 Immortal City (Immortal City, #1)
author: Scott Speer
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2012
rating: 1
read at: 2013/06/30
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: covergasm, dnf, piss-off, insta-love-lust-attraction, no-chemistry, not-funny, fluffy
review:
Plot & Pacing
The general idea of the story really interested me. There was a mix of mystery in the story, trying to discover who the angel killer was (although I don't know who it is, since I didn't finish the book), as well as romance (I mean horrid insta-love) which didn't mix that well, in my opinion. The story didn't flow well.

The pacing was alright (aside from the romance) and was easy to follow, but I thought a lot of scenes were kind of irrelevant.

Characters & Romance
This is where I begin ranting and will probably offend people who loved this book. I take romance and character development really seriously, because I wouldn't bother finishing a book if the characters aren't relatable even just a bit.

The main characters were Maddy (a very boring girl) and Jackson (a very irritating creep). Neither of them were funny or kickass, both of which I need in a story.

Mini spoiler: A few days (weeks?) after they meet, Jackson "can't stop thinking about Maddy" and eventually watches her sleep from her window. That ticked me off, because they haven't even had a decent conversation before that.

The Gist
Immortal City had such a promising concept. It was a unique take on angel fantasy. I think it'd be pretty realistic if the angels would be treated as (paid) celebrities, if ever they decided to reveal themselves to us. The flat execution and boring characters ruined what might've been a very interesting novel.
]]> <![CDATA[Fighting Silence (On the Ropes, #1)]]> 50498691 Sound is an abstract concept for most people. We spend our lives blocking out the static in order to focus on what we believe is important. But what if, when the clarity fades into silence, it's the obscure background noise that you would give anything to hold on to?

I've always been a fighter. With parents who barely managed to stay out of jail and two little brothers who narrowly avoided foster care, I became skilled at dodging the punches life threw at me. Growing up, I didn’t have anything I could call my own, but from the moment I met Eliza Reynolds, she was always mine. I became utterly addicted to her and the escape from reality we provided each other. Throughout the years, she had boyfriends and I had girlfriends, but there wasn't a single night that I didn’t hear her voice.

You see, meeting the love of my life at age thirteen was never part of my plan. However, neither was gradually going deaf at the age of twenty-one.

They both happened anyway.

Now, I'm on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting for my career.
Fighting the impending silence.
Fighting for her.

Every night, just before falling asleep, she sighs as a final conscious breath leaves her.

I think that's the sound I'll miss the most.

Each book in this series can be read as a standalone. ]]> 272 Aly Martinez aimee (aimeecanread) 3 4.01 2015 Fighting Silence (On the Ropes, #1)
author: Aly Martinez
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/16
date added: 2024/09/16
shelves:
review:
Not my favorite Aly Martinez, but I read it in a day despite being in a reading slump, so it’s pretty much just what I needed.
]]> <![CDATA[Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)]]> 42036538
The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Of course, some things are better left dead.]]> 448 Tamsyn Muir 1250313198 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 currently-reading 4.19 2019 Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb, #1)
author: Tamsyn Muir
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/07
shelves: currently-reading
review:
Slowly trying to crawl out of my reading hiatus/slump and am starting off strong with queer necromancers because why not.
]]> Piranesi 50202953
There is one other person in the house—a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.]]> 272 Susanna Clarke 163557563X aimee (aimeecanread) 3 this book is a fever dream 4.22 2020 Piranesi
author: Susanna Clarke
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/17
date added: 2024/08/17
shelves:
review:
this book is a fever dream
]]> <![CDATA[A Fire Endless (Elements of Cadence, #2)]]> 54326657
In the West, Adaira struggles to adjust to the more brutal, bitter ways of life among the Breccans. Striving to find her place in the clan, she swiftly realizes that it just might be the last role she desires to hold. And while magic blooms effortlessly for the Breccans in the west, the spirits continue to suffer beneath Bane’s harsh power, felt in every gust of wind.

In the East, Jack is adrift without Adaira until he sings to the ember-weak fire spirits, acquiring a dangerous mission he never expected. One that is destined to lead him westward. Likewise, Torin and Sidra are consumed by a new mystery as sickness spreads first amongst the crops, and then to the people of the Tamerlaine clan. While Sidra desperately searches for a cure, Torin dares to strike a bargain with the spirits—a precarious folly anytime, but especially now as the days grow darker.

With the island falling further out of balance, humans and spirits alike will need to join together to face Bane, and Jack’s gift with the harp will be called upon once more. Yet no one can challenge the North Wind without paying a terrible price, and the sacrifice required this time may be more than Jack, Adaira, Torin, and Sidra can bear to pay.

In the stunning conclusion to the Elements of Cadence duology, A Fire Endless finds the delicate balance between the human and faerie realm threatened by Bane, the spirit of the North Wind, whose defeat can only come through fire, song, and heart-rending sacrifice.]]> 512 Rebecca Ross 0008514704 aimee (aimeecanread) 4 4.33 2022 A Fire Endless (Elements of Cadence, #2)
author: Rebecca Ross
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/07
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: did-not-see-that-coming, favorite-female-leads, favorite-male-leads, favorites, holy-shit-endings, intense-yearning, it-gets-political, perfect-ending
review:
I think I can now claim Rebecca Ross as one of my new favorite authors.
]]> <![CDATA[A Curse Carved in Bone (Saga of the Unfated, #2)]]> 216602917 A shield maiden fights to break the shackles of prophecy—and to overcome the betrayal of the man who broke her heart—in this searing conclusion to the Norse-inspired fantasy romance duology that began with the bestselling A Fate Inked in Blood.

The secret of her divine heritage revealed, Freya finds herself on a path that will see thousands of lives lost to the magic in her blood. Desperate to avoid this dark fate, she risks an alliance with Skaland’s greatest enemy to seek answers from the seer who foretold her future—the same seer who sent Bjorn to kill her.

While Freya still seethes with rage over Bjorn’s betrayal, the blood oaths that bind her demand that she keep him close as she hunts for a way to avert the looming war. Her magic draws her to the front lines of an old enmity, embroiling her with Nordeland’s Unfated—children of the gods who serve the king she was raised to fear. The same king who, unlike Bjorn, is now willing to fight at her back. For despite the desire that burns hot between Bjorn and Freya, his growing distrust of her chosen path threatens to drag them further apart.

As war approaches, gods and mortals must choose their weapons. Yet the fiercest battle will be the one Freya wages within herself. With the magic of two goddesses burning in her veins, she must weave the threads of destiny to decide her own fate: Will she be the shield that protects her people or the curse that destroys them?]]> 416 Danielle L. Jensen 0593599861 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read I disliked A Fate Inked in Blood, I have to support one of my favorite authors, queen DLJ. *cough* Though I would rather recommend her other books *cough*

Malediction Trilogy
1. Stolen Songbird: 5�
2. Hidden Huntress: 4�
3. Warrior Witch: 4.5�

The Bridge Kingdom
1. The Bridge Kingdom: 4�
2. The Traitor Queen: 5⭐]]> 4.26 2025 A Curse Carved in Bone (Saga of the Unfated, #2)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/05
shelves: to-read
review:
Regardless of how much I disliked A Fate Inked in Blood, I have to support one of my favorite authors, queen DLJ. *cough* Though I would rather recommend her other books *cough*

Malediction Trilogy
1. Stolen Songbird: 5�
2. Hidden Huntress: 4�
3. Warrior Witch: 4.5�

The Bridge Kingdom
1. The Bridge Kingdom: 4�
2. The Traitor Queen: 5�
]]> This Fatal Kiss 203613906 Spirit away with a whimsical fantasy filled with dark magic and flirty, polyamorous romance.

Cursed to haunt the river running through the magical spa town where she drowned, Gisela is a water nymph who dreams of returning to the living world and the family she left behind. All it takes to regain her humanity is a kiss from a mortal...but everyone sees her as a monster.

And then there’s Kazik, the brooding, interfering, spirit-hunting grandson of a local witch. He's determined to rid the world of unholy creatures like Gisela. After Kazik botches Gisela’s exorcism, she strikes up a deal. She won’t tell the other spirits that he’s losing his magic, if he agrees to play matchmaker and helps her get a kiss. But Gisela’s plan goes awry when Kazik also falls for the devilishly handsome young man that she sets her heart on—someone who could be linked to Gisela’s troubled past.

Finely crafted with a magical setting, this delectable quest through the spirit world is an enchanting read for fans of queer romantasy.]]> 416 Alicia Jasinska 1682637360 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 currently-reading August 5, 2024.
I've already read 2 polyam romances before this one, so my first pre-read review no longer applies. ]]> 4.00 2024 This Fatal Kiss
author: Alicia Jasinska
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/04
shelves: currently-reading
review:
August 5, 2024.
I've already read 2 polyam romances before this one, so my first pre-read review no longer applies.
]]> <![CDATA[Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy, #1)]]> 75513900 She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites� powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.]]> 523 Lauren Roberts aimee (aimeecanread) 1 4.17 2023 Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy, #1)
author: Lauren Roberts
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2023
rating: 1
read at: 2024/07/30
date added: 2024/07/30
shelves:
review:
If you were just going to rip off popular YA dystopians, you could have at least done it WELL. The Hunger Games is brilliant source material, and you came up with this mess?
]]> Iron Widow (Iron Widow, #1) 52459864
When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.�

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia�. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.]]> 394 Xiran Jay Zhao 0735269939 aimee (aimeecanread) 2 2.5? You know I love my subversive and feminist reads. In theory, I should have absolutely loved this... but this was SO PREACHY and superficial. And while there were many things I loved and appreciated in this book, it just wanted to do so many things at once that it ended up being kind of messy and oversimplified.

Let me explain. Like I said, this book was feminist, but it presented feminism in a way that was black-and-white, in the if you don't hate men then you're not feminist type of way. AND it did so in a way that made it feel like the book was giving me a sermon. The FMC couldn't get through one conversation without saying something with feminist undertones. I know I've been complaining about books that are so long for no good reason, but this book needed an extra 200 pages to tackle this delicately and with more nuance.

It also needed those extra pages for actual plot and world-building. This book is very fast-paced and action-packed, and if you like that, then you'll enjoy this. I've seen this being marketed for fans of Pacific Rim, which I would say is pretty accurate because I also didn't like that movie. ]]> 4.03 2021 Iron Widow (Iron Widow, #1)
author: Xiran Jay Zhao
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2024/07/04
date added: 2024/07/29
shelves: waiting-for-sequels, cliffhangers, cringey-romance, did-not-see-that-coming, holy-shit-endings, intense, it-gets-political, own-paperback
review:
2.5? You know I love my subversive and feminist reads. In theory, I should have absolutely loved this... but this was SO PREACHY and superficial. And while there were many things I loved and appreciated in this book, it just wanted to do so many things at once that it ended up being kind of messy and oversimplified.

Let me explain. Like I said, this book was feminist, but it presented feminism in a way that was black-and-white, in the if you don't hate men then you're not feminist type of way. AND it did so in a way that made it feel like the book was giving me a sermon. The FMC couldn't get through one conversation without saying something with feminist undertones. I know I've been complaining about books that are so long for no good reason, but this book needed an extra 200 pages to tackle this delicately and with more nuance.

It also needed those extra pages for actual plot and world-building. This book is very fast-paced and action-packed, and if you like that, then you'll enjoy this. I've seen this being marketed for fans of Pacific Rim, which I would say is pretty accurate because I also didn't like that movie.
]]> <![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 aimee (aimeecanread) 3 2.5. This entire book gave off the same vibes as that one scene in Aladdin where Jasmine pretended to seduce Jafar, and it made me feel the same way I feel whenever I watch that scene—oddly hypnotized, but also kind of uncomfortable.

� The story�

I would argue that this book's true intention was to be a romance above all else. It's a fantasy-romance and not a romantic fantasy.

That being said, if you're going to read this for action and plot... look away. The plot didn’t really pick up until around 70% in. We don't really get scenes with the FMC (Rune) saving witches, or the MMC (Gideon) hunting witches. A lot of this book was just scheming and playing cat-and-mouse. None of the twists were particularly shocking, either.

The world-building? Practically non-existent. The idea behind the magic system was interesting, but not thoroughly explored. I know nothing about the setting as well.

The romance, though, I thought was actually done pretty well. I enjoyed the push-and-pull between the two MCs, and I found the tension between them to be quite sexy. I liked the blurred lines between the MCs thinking that they were both just playing each other, and the MCs genuinely getting into the flirting. Was it deep and was it love? No. It was attraction. It was a fun time if I think about it like this.

In my mind, I blocked out the love triangle thing. See my little rant section below bc I explained my thoughts on the third member of the love triangle there.

� The characters�

The main characters were extremely flat and dry. Again, the book clearly focused too much on the romance between them that it didn't have time to develop them as individuals. We got bits and pieces of Gideon's history with witches, and even less hints at Rune's upbringing. I can't even describe their personalities outside of the generic brooding bro (Gideon) and righteously naive (Rune).

I wish I could tell you about the side characters, but I've forgotten them all already.

� The writing and the atmosphere�

The writing was very simplistic, and while that made it very easy to read and very easy to get into the right vibes, this book won't win any points for brilliant writing. It borderlined on choppy sometimes.

� Now let me rant about this one thing� (minor spoilers for this section!)

This book was vile for its use of Alex as a plot device. This character had no point in the book other than to be used as a catalyst for actions that the MCs had to do. He had no real personality aside from being "the nice one". I was genuinely pissed at how his character played into the ending. ]]> 4.16 2024 Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth, #1)
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/10
date added: 2024/07/29
shelves: cliffhangers, ending-sucked, love-triangles, plot-what-plot, predictable
review:
2.5. This entire book gave off the same vibes as that one scene in Aladdin where Jasmine pretended to seduce Jafar, and it made me feel the same way I feel whenever I watch that scene—oddly hypnotized, but also kind of uncomfortable.

� The story�

I would argue that this book's true intention was to be a romance above all else. It's a fantasy-romance and not a romantic fantasy.

That being said, if you're going to read this for action and plot... look away. The plot didn’t really pick up until around 70% in. We don't really get scenes with the FMC (Rune) saving witches, or the MMC (Gideon) hunting witches. A lot of this book was just scheming and playing cat-and-mouse. None of the twists were particularly shocking, either.

The world-building? Practically non-existent. The idea behind the magic system was interesting, but not thoroughly explored. I know nothing about the setting as well.

The romance, though, I thought was actually done pretty well. I enjoyed the push-and-pull between the two MCs, and I found the tension between them to be quite sexy. I liked the blurred lines between the MCs thinking that they were both just playing each other, and the MCs genuinely getting into the flirting. Was it deep and was it love? No. It was attraction. It was a fun time if I think about it like this.

In my mind, I blocked out the love triangle thing. See my little rant section below bc I explained my thoughts on the third member of the love triangle there.

� The characters�

The main characters were extremely flat and dry. Again, the book clearly focused too much on the romance between them that it didn't have time to develop them as individuals. We got bits and pieces of Gideon's history with witches, and even less hints at Rune's upbringing. I can't even describe their personalities outside of the generic brooding bro (Gideon) and righteously naive (Rune).

I wish I could tell you about the side characters, but I've forgotten them all already.

� The writing and the atmosphere�

The writing was very simplistic, and while that made it very easy to read and very easy to get into the right vibes, this book won't win any points for brilliant writing. It borderlined on choppy sometimes.

� Now let me rant about this one thing� (minor spoilers for this section!)

This book was vile for its use of Alex as a plot device. This character had no point in the book other than to be used as a catalyst for actions that the MCs had to do. He had no real personality aside from being "the nice one". I was genuinely pissed at how his character played into the ending.
]]> <![CDATA[A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence, #1)]]> 58132544
As Jack and Adaira reluctantly work together, they find they make better allies than rivals as their partnership turns into something more. But with each passing song, it becomes apparent the trouble with the spirits is far more sinister than they first expected, and an older, darker secret about Cadence lurks beneath the surface, threatening to undo them all.]]> 480 Rebecca Ross 0063055988 aimee (aimeecanread) 5 "From your life came mine. I am but a verse inspired by your chorus, and I will follow you until the end, when the isle takes my bones and my name is nothing more than a remembrance on a headstone, next to yours."

Miss ma'am Rebecca Ross mothered so hard with this one. ]]> 4.06 2022 A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence, #1)
author: Rebecca Ross
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/24
date added: 2024/07/24
shelves: cliffhangers, favorite-female-leads, favorite-male-leads, favorites, it-gets-political, worlds-greatest-ideas
review:
"From your life came mine. I am but a verse inspired by your chorus, and I will follow you until the end, when the isle takes my bones and my name is nothing more than a remembrance on a headstone, next to yours."


Miss ma'am Rebecca Ross mothered so hard with this one.
]]> The Sword of Kaigen 41886271 A son struggling to grasp his violent future,
A father blind to the danger that threatens them all.

When the winds of war reach their peninsula, will the Matsuda family have the strength to defend their empire? Or will they tear each other apart before the true enemies even reach their shores?

High on a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire’s enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name ‘The Sword of Kaigen.�

Born into Kusanagi’s legendary Matsuda family, fourteen-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: to master his family’s fighting techniques and defend his homeland. But when an outsider arrives and pulls back the curtain on Kaigen’s alleged age of peace, Mamoru realizes that he might not have much time to become the fighter he was bred to be. Worse, the empire he was bred to defend may stand on a foundation of lies.

Misaki told herself that she left the passions of her youth behind when she married into the Matsuda house. Determined to be a good housewife and mother, she hid away her sword, along with everything from her days as a fighter in a faraway country. But with her growing son asking questions about the outside world, the threat of an impending invasion looming across the sea, and her frigid husband grating on her nerves, Misaki finds the fighter in her clawing its way back to the surface.]]> 651 M.L. Wang aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read, tbr-prio 4.46 2019 The Sword of Kaigen
author: M.L. Wang
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/21
shelves: to-read, tbr-prio
review:
Another book I'm intimidated by, but adding to my prio TBR!! Maybe August!
]]> Kulti 24044596
When the man you worshipped as a kid becomes your coach, it’s supposed to be the greatest thing in the world. Keywords: supposed to.

It didn't take a week for 27-year-old Sal Casillas to wonder what she'd seen in the international soccer icon - why she'd ever had his posters on her wall or ever envisioned marrying him and having super-playing soccer babies.

Sal had long ago gotten over the worst non-break-up in the history of imaginary relationships with a man who hadn't known she'd existed. So she isn't prepared for this version of Reiner Kulti who shows up to her team's season: a quiet, reclusive shadow of the explosive, passionate man he'd once been.]]> 570 Mariana Zapata aimee (aimeecanread) 2 slow burn, but the execution really was not it. We had so many choppy scenes where we were shown irrelevant scene after irrelevant scene... the first half dragged on for AGES. And when the MCs finally formed a "bond", it wasn't worth it and both bc both of the MCs sucked.

The FMC's POV was so annoying to read from. In an attempt to be humorous, the word "poop" was repeated a million times in the book. The FMC kept talking about her Big Girl Socks and slutshaming other women. And why did she ALWAYS call Kulti "the German" (or some other German word) instead of using his name?? That made me so uncomfortable.

ALSO despite this book being sooo long, I can confidently say that I still know NOTHING about Kulti (nor do I want to). Why did his previous marriage end? Why did he get a DUI? Did he hurt the FMC's brother on purpose and why? WHY WAS HE SUCH AN ASSHOLE TO EVERYONE (yeah, including the FMC!)? ]]> 4.22 2015 Kulti
author: Mariana Zapata
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2024/07/13
date added: 2024/07/21
shelves: intense-yearning, piss-off, snoozefest, unpopular-opinion, mmcs-i-hate
review:
This monster was over 550 pages for no good reason. Yes, I get that this was intentionally slow burn, but the execution really was not it. We had so many choppy scenes where we were shown irrelevant scene after irrelevant scene... the first half dragged on for AGES. And when the MCs finally formed a "bond", it wasn't worth it and both bc both of the MCs sucked.

The FMC's POV was so annoying to read from. In an attempt to be humorous, the word "poop" was repeated a million times in the book. The FMC kept talking about her Big Girl Socks and slutshaming other women. And why did she ALWAYS call Kulti "the German" (or some other German word) instead of using his name?? That made me so uncomfortable.

ALSO despite this book being sooo long, I can confidently say that I still know NOTHING about Kulti (nor do I want to). Why did his previous marriage end? Why did he get a DUI? Did he hurt the FMC's brother on purpose and why? WHY WAS HE SUCH AN ASSHOLE TO EVERYONE (yeah, including the FMC!)?
]]> If You Could See the Sun 60099660 actually invisible.

When her parents drop the news that they can no longer afford her tuition, even with the scholarship, Alice hatches a plan to monetize her strange new power—she’ll discover the scandalous secrets her classmates want to know, for a price.

But as the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual crimes, Alice must decide if it’s worth losing her conscience—or even her life.

In this genre-bending YA debut, a Chinese American girl monetizes her strange new invisibility powers by discovering and selling her wealthy classmates� most scandalous secrets.]]> 346 Ann Liang 1335915842 aimee (aimeecanread) 3 fluffy, super-relatable 3.5. If there's one thing Ann Liang can do well, it's making her heroines so relatable that you just end up reflecting on your upbringing, the people you surround yourself with, cultural norms, privilege, and how all of that comes into play with how you see yourself.

Also we love Henry Li in this house.]]> 4.01 2022 If You Could See the Sun
author: Ann Liang
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/15
date added: 2024/07/15
shelves: fluffy, super-relatable
review:
3.5. If there's one thing Ann Liang can do well, it's making her heroines so relatable that you just end up reflecting on your upbringing, the people you surround yourself with, cultural norms, privilege, and how all of that comes into play with how you see yourself.

Also we love Henry Li in this house.
]]> Unsteady (The Undone, #1) 198853583
During last year’s Frozen Four, the Waterfell University hockey captain, and NHL legacy, took a brutal hit that left him with a concussion and a new discomfort on the ice. Plagued by nightmares and panic attacks every time he attempt to skate, Rhys wonders if he’ll ever play again � if he’ll ever want to.

Sadie Brown is staying focused this semester � no matter what.

Currently drowning in debt, custody hearings for her younger brothers and skating practices, she's just trying to make it to the next day. A spitfire figure skater known for her bad attitude and frequent disappearing acts, she has a reputation on campus. And it’s not a pretty one.

When she accidentally witnesses one of the golden boy hockey captain’s panic attacks and attempts to help him, a strange sort of understanding strikes up between them.

No questions asked. Just comfort.

But Rhys finds himself drawn to Sadie. Where he feels empty, a shell of the man and player he was before, Sadie is so full of everything it bursts from her; every emotion she feels seems like it’s blasted at max. Rhys is desperate to feel anything, Sadie wants to stop feeling so much.

But healing doesn’t mix with secrets, and they’re both skating a thin line, unsteady .]]> 384 Peyton Corinne aimee (aimeecanread) 4 3.82 2023 Unsteady (The Undone, #1)
author: Peyton Corinne
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/05
date added: 2024/07/05
shelves: favorite-male-leads, fluffy, i-cried, insta-love-lust-attraction, intense-yearning
review:
I’m happy to report that the itch in my brain looking for a good, angsty sports romance has been scratched! I feel so satisfied.
]]> A Far Wilder Magic 48909025
Weston Winters ’t an alchemist--yet. Fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret and her bloodhound Trouble. Margaret begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her.

Although they make an unlikely team, Wes is in awe of the girl who has endured alone on the outskirts of a town that doesn’t want her, in this creaking house of ghosts and sorrow. And even though Wes disrupts every aspect of her life, Margaret is drawn to him. He, too, knows what it's like to be an outsider. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt - if they survive that long.]]> 384 Allison Saft 1250623650 aimee (aimeecanread) 5 3.84 2022 A Far Wilder Magic
author: Allison Saft
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/01/09
date added: 2024/07/02
shelves: covergasm, favorite-female-leads, favorite-male-leads, favorites, i-cried, predictable, it-gets-political, fluffy, perfect-ending, i-will-die-on-this-hill
review:
Six months later and I still find myself rereading my favorite scenes from this book.
]]> This Spells Love 75665914
What if one little wish changed everything?

When Gemma gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she reacts the way any reasonable twenty-eight-year-old would: by getting drunk with her sister, kooky aunt, and best friend, Dax. After one too many margaritas, they decide to perform a love- cleansing spell, which promises to erase Gemma’s ex from her memory. They follow all the instructions, including a platonic kiss from Dax to seal the deal.

When Gemma wakes up, she realizes that this silly spell has worked. Not only does it seem that she never dated her ex, but the rest of her life is completely unrecognizable. The worst part: Dax has no idea who she is.

To reverse the spell and get back to her old life, Gemma must convince her once-best-friend-now-near-stranger to kiss her. But as she carries out her plans, she finds herself falling for him—hard. Soon, Gemma begins to wonder whether she even wants to go back to the way things once were. What if Dax was The One all along?]]> 352 Kate Robb 0593596536 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 3.78 2023 This Spells Love
author: Kate Robb
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/30
shelves: to-read
review:
Alternating timelines, magic, and a friends-to-lovers romance? Sign me up. Thanks to for putting this on my radar! <3
]]> <![CDATA[Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)]]> 61431922 Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders...

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.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die]]> 528 Rebecca Yarros 1649374046 aimee (aimeecanread) 1 spice is getting really big in the book world. She went back to make her characters adults and made them super horny. And BAM, Fourth Wing was born. �

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS!

₊� ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · � · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚�

Do you want to read a book about a bunch of adults (who act and speak like horny teenagers) running around trying to kill each other?

Maybe you do, and I don't blame you because that honestly sounds like a fun time. But personally, I need one basic question answered before I can enjoy this kind of plot: WHY are they trying to kill each other?

In the case of Fourth Wing, there is no point. This book supposedly features the best, the brightest, and the toughest kids adults (I'm going to have a problem with this) going through the dragon riders' quadrant of the Big Bad War College�. This is allegedly the most revered sector of the college, and those who are admitted here are trained in magic and eventually go to war... which is why it makes absolutely NO SENSE why it would be okay for the students to murder each other and lessen their work force. It's so dumb.

₊� ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · � · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚�

This book features the laziest world-building I've ever encountered. It's wild.

Despite this being the most covetted quadrant, they waste space by conscripting the rebel kids (children of those part of some previous big rebellion I can't remember) into it, who they supposedly do not trust, where they'll be given access to dragons and magic? Make it make sense! Why not give them manual labor jobs if they can't be trusted? Why give them positions that everyone else wants to have?

And yeah, despite everyone supposedly having trained for years to get into this quadrant, nobody seems to know anything about it! The students talk about dragons, dragon riders and the quadrant in ways that make them sound so unsure about everything. If you're willing to risk your life to get in here, shouldn't you have done reseach? Or, if this was such a popular quadrant, shouldn't all of these things be common knowledge? A few examples:


“Pܲ, I've heard that riders are allowed to marry sooner than the other quadrants,� Dylan adds.

“True. Right after graduation.� If we survive. �I think it has something to do with wanting to continue bloodlines.� Most successful riders are legacies.



�I overhead a third-year say when a first-year survives Threshing unbonded, the quadrant lets them repeat the year and try again if they want.�



I study the map. The Esben Mountain Range is the highest along our eastern border with Braevick, making it the least likely place for an attack, especially since gryphons don't tolerate altitude nearly as well as dragons, probably due to the fact that they're half-lion, half-eagle and can't handle the thinner air at altitudes.


The author also opts out of ever attempting to explain anything the dragons do. Whenever someone has a perfectly reasonable question about the dragons, the response is always just about "respecting one's life" because if they try to ask, the dragons will kill them? (Again, why?) Anyway, this is just an excuse on the author's part because she doesn't want to think of a reasonable response. ]]> 4.56 2023 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 1
read at: 2024/06/02
date added: 2024/06/30
shelves: cliffhangers, cringey-romance, eye-roll, fmcs-i-hate, insta-love-lust-attraction, love-triangles, mmcs-i-hate, no-chemistry, piss-off, predictable, snoozefest, unpopular-opinion
review:
Here's what I imagine happened: I believe that Rebecca Yarros wanted to write an edgy fantasy book with dragons targeted for a YA audience. She probably had a word cloud of ideas and no actual details prepared. Fine, maybe there was a rough outline. Her characters were written on the fly, but she knew she wanted a heroine who was not like the other girls. In 2023, she finally decided that it was time to publish her book... but it was missing something... ah, spice is getting really big in the book world. She went back to make her characters adults and made them super horny. And BAM, Fourth Wing was born. �

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS!

₊� ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · � · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚�

Do you want to read a book about a bunch of adults (who act and speak like horny teenagers) running around trying to kill each other?

Maybe you do, and I don't blame you because that honestly sounds like a fun time. But personally, I need one basic question answered before I can enjoy this kind of plot: WHY are they trying to kill each other?

In the case of Fourth Wing, there is no point. This book supposedly features the best, the brightest, and the toughest kids adults (I'm going to have a problem with this) going through the dragon riders' quadrant of the Big Bad War College�. This is allegedly the most revered sector of the college, and those who are admitted here are trained in magic and eventually go to war... which is why it makes absolutely NO SENSE why it would be okay for the students to murder each other and lessen their work force. It's so dumb.

₊� ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · � · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚�

This book features the laziest world-building I've ever encountered. It's wild.

Despite this being the most covetted quadrant, they waste space by conscripting the rebel kids (children of those part of some previous big rebellion I can't remember) into it, who they supposedly do not trust, where they'll be given access to dragons and magic? Make it make sense! Why not give them manual labor jobs if they can't be trusted? Why give them positions that everyone else wants to have?

And yeah, despite everyone supposedly having trained for years to get into this quadrant, nobody seems to know anything about it! The students talk about dragons, dragon riders and the quadrant in ways that make them sound so unsure about everything. If you're willing to risk your life to get in here, shouldn't you have done reseach? Or, if this was such a popular quadrant, shouldn't all of these things be common knowledge? A few examples:


“Pܲ, I've heard that riders are allowed to marry sooner than the other quadrants,� Dylan adds.

“True. Right after graduation.� If we survive. �I think it has something to do with wanting to continue bloodlines.� Most successful riders are legacies.



�I overhead a third-year say when a first-year survives Threshing unbonded, the quadrant lets them repeat the year and try again if they want.�



I study the map. The Esben Mountain Range is the highest along our eastern border with Braevick, making it the least likely place for an attack, especially since gryphons don't tolerate altitude nearly as well as dragons, probably due to the fact that they're half-lion, half-eagle and can't handle the thinner air at altitudes.


The author also opts out of ever attempting to explain anything the dragons do. Whenever someone has a perfectly reasonable question about the dragons, the response is always just about "respecting one's life" because if they try to ask, the dragons will kill them? (Again, why?) Anyway, this is just an excuse on the author's part because she doesn't want to think of a reasonable response.
]]> <![CDATA[Written with Regret (Regret #1)]]> 45890020
By that definition, my life should have been a fairytale too.

When I was eight years old, Caven Hunt saved me from the worst kind of evil to walk the Earth. It didn’t matter that I was a kid. I fell in love with him all the same.

But that was where my fairytale ended.

Years later, a one-night stand during the darkest time imaginable gave us a little girl. It was nothing compared to the pitch black that consumed me when I was forced to leave her with Caven for good.

At the end of every fairytale, the happily-ever-after is the one thing that remains consistent. It wasn’t going to be mine, but there hadn’t been a night that passed where I hadn’t prayed that it would be hers.

I owed Caven my life.
However, I owed that innocent child more.
And that included ripping the heart from my chest and facing her father again.]]> 276 Aly Martinez aimee (aimeecanread) 2 4.34 2019 Written with Regret (Regret #1)
author: Aly Martinez
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2024/06/28
date added: 2024/06/28
shelves: cliffhangers, cringey-romance, eye-roll
review:
I have no idea what I just read. It felt like it wanted to be both an angsty romance and a fun, banter-filled romance (which COULD mesh well, but in this book it did not), then by the end it wanted to be a mystery� honestly wasn’t that into this and but it ended in a cliffhanger so I might still read the sequel.
]]> <![CDATA[The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)]]> 19161852
Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze -- the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years -- collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She'll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.]]> 468 N.K. Jemisin aimee (aimeecanread) 5 4.29 2015 The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1)
author: N.K. Jemisin
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/09
date added: 2024/06/27
shelves: cliffhangers, did-not-see-that-coming, favorite-female-leads, favorites, heart-stopping, holy-shit-endings, intense, review-to-follow, worlds-greatest-ideas
review:
Had to go back to bump this up to 5 stars bc it’s my fave of the series! Series review to come.
]]> <![CDATA[The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, #3)]]> 31817749
The Moon will soon return. Whether this heralds the destruction of humankind or something worse will depend on two women.

Essun has inherited the power of Alabaster Tenring. With it, she hopes to find her daughter Nassun and forge a world in which every orogene child can grow up safe.

For Nassun, her mother's mastery of the Obelisk Gate comes too late. She has seen the evil of the world, and accepted what her mother will not admit: that sometimes what is corrupt cannot be cleansed, only destroyed.

The remarkable conclusion to the post-apocalyptic and highly acclaimed trilogy that began with the multi-award-nominated The Fifth Season.]]> 416 N.K. Jemisin aimee (aimeecanread) 5 4.32 2017 The Stone Sky (The Broken Earth, #3)
author: N.K. Jemisin
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/27
date added: 2024/06/27
shelves: did-not-see-that-coming, favorite-female-leads, favorites, heart-stopping, holy-shit-endings, i-cried, intense, might-make-you-shit-bricks, worlds-greatest-ideas
review:
Did I finish this book, or did this book finish me?
]]> Boys with Sharp Teeth 208840739 We Were Liars meets The Raven Boys in this mind-bending YA debut about dark revenge, twisted desire, and the sinister secrets lurking behind the walls of an elite boarding school.

Seventeen-year-old Marin James has spent her entire life living in the shadow of the exclusive Huntsworth Academy. And when her cousin’s dead body is found in a creek on school property, Marin knows exactly who’s to blame: Adrian Hargraves and Henry Wu, the enigmatic yet dangerously alluring leaders of the school's social elite.

Swapping her ripped jeans for a crisp prep school skirt, Marin infiltrates Huntsworth to seek justice. But her quest is quickly muddied by a confusing attraction to her new life, and to the two dysfunctional and depraved boys who somehow understand her better than anyone ever has.

When Marin uncovers an otherworldly secret the boys are hiding within Huntsworth's ivied gates, the lines between right and wrong, love and hate, and nightmare and reality begin to crumble -- and nothing is as it seems.

Welcome to Huntsworth Academy.]]> 400 Jenni Howell 1250334594 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read This cover is so sexy!! 3.39 2025 Boys with Sharp Teeth
author: Jenni Howell
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.39
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/26
shelves: to-read
review:
This cover is so sexy!!
]]> A Lady for a Duke 57007967 A lush, sweeping queer historical romance from the bestselling author of Boyfriend Material—perfect for fans of Netflix’s Bridgerton, Evie Dunmore, and Manda Collins!

When Viola Carroll was presumed dead at Waterloo she took the opportunity to live, at last, as herself. But freedom does not come without a price, and Viola paid for hers with the loss of her wealth, her title, and her closest companion, Justin de Vere, the Duke of Gracewood.

Only when their families reconnect, years after the war, does Viola learn how deep that loss truly was. Shattered without her, Gracewood has retreated so far into grief that Viola barely recognises her old friend in the lonely, brooding man he has become.

As Viola strives to bring Gracewood back to himself, fresh desires give new names to old feelings. Feelings that would have been impossible once and may be impossible still, but which Viola cannot deny. Even if they cost her everything, all over again.]]> 460 Alexis Hall 1538753758 aimee (aimeecanread) 3 fluffy, light-and-cute
The writing also threw me off for a bit and made it hard for me to connect with the characters, but this was my first non-fantasy historical romance, so maybe I just wasn’t used to it!

I don’t think I’ll be doing a full review on this one, but I might come back to add some of my favorite quotes bc there were a lot of really great ones here. ]]> 4.05 2022 A Lady for a Duke
author: Alexis Hall
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/22
date added: 2024/06/22
shelves: fluffy, light-and-cute
review:
This was so sweet and incredibly touching, but there were a lot of really weird subplots that seemed unnecessary. Because of that, this became more of a 2.5-3 for me, but it could have been a 3-3.5 if it just stuck to the main themes.

The writing also threw me off for a bit and made it hard for me to connect with the characters, but this was my first non-fantasy historical romance, so maybe I just wasn’t used to it!

I don’t think I’ll be doing a full review on this one, but I might come back to add some of my favorite quotes bc there were a lot of really great ones here.
]]> <![CDATA[The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (Hart and Mercy, #1)]]> 58510253
Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend�. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most � Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares � each other?]]> 449 Megan Bannen 0356518655 aimee (aimeecanread) 2 4.04 2022 The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (Hart and Mercy, #1)
author: Megan Bannen
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2024/06/19
date added: 2024/06/20
shelves: fluffy, predictable, snoozefest
review:
This was so cute and interesting� in theory.
]]> <![CDATA[The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth, #2)]]> 26228034 410 N.K. Jemisin aimee (aimeecanread) 4 4.27 2016 The Obelisk Gate (The Broken Earth, #2)
author: N.K. Jemisin
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/15
date added: 2024/06/15
shelves: cliffhangers, did-not-see-that-coming, favorites, heart-stopping, i-cried, intense, worlds-greatest-ideas
review:
I don’t know how I’ll be able to write any objective thoughts once I review this series bc it has been so immersive that I feel like I’m just along for the ride. So good. So unique. Also this sequel made me cry. Thanks Jemisin.
]]> <![CDATA[Mistress of Lies (The Age of Blood, #1)]]> 63106097
The daughter of a powerful but disgraced Blood Worker, Shan LeClaire has spent her entire life perfecting her blood magic, building her network of spies, and gathering every scrap of power she could. Now, to protect her brother, she assassinates their father and takes her place at the head of the family. And that is only the start of her revenge.

Samuel Hutchinson is a bastard with a terrible gift. When he stumbles upon the first victim of a magical serial killer, he's drawn into the world of magic and intrigue he's worked so hard to avoid - and is pulled deeply into the ravenous and bloodthirsty court of the vampire king.

Tasked by the Eternal King to discover the identity of the killer cutting a bloody swath through the city, Samuel, Shan and mysterious Royal Bloodworker Isaac find themselves growing ever closer to each other. But Shan's plans are treacherous, and as she lures Samuel into her complicated web of desire, treason and vengeance, he must decide if the good of their nation is worth the cost of his soul.]]> 432 K.M. Enright 0356521133 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 3.28 2024 Mistress of Lies (The Age of Blood, #1)
author: K.M. Enright
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.28
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/14
shelves: to-read
review:
FILIPINO AUTHOR!!! This cover!!! Vampires!!! Heroine who kills her father!!!
]]> <![CDATA[Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #1)]]> 199719283
When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, they find something elusive―the friendship of two like-minded, pitch-black souls who just happen to enjoy killing other serial killers.

From small-town West Virginia to upscale California, and from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country.

But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love.

Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves?
Or have they finally met their match?

Tropes:
Golden retriever x black cat
He falls first
Touch him/her and die
Friends to lovers
Forced proximity
One bed]]> 351 Brynne Weaver 1638931739 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.15 2023 Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #1)
author: Brynne Weaver
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/13
shelves: to-read
review:
I don’t know when, but I’ll read this eventually.
]]> Forget Me Not 61618737 An ambitious wedding planner must work with her grumpy florist ex, whose heart she broke, on the most high-profile wedding of her career, in this spicy and emotional romance from popular fanfic author Julie Soto.

He loves me; he loves me not...

Ama Torres loves being a wedding planner. But with a mother who has been married more times than you can count on your fingers, Ama has decided that marriage is not the route for her. But weddings? Weddings are amazing. As asmall business owner, she knows how to match her clients with the perfect vendor to give them the wedding of their dreams. Well, almostperfect�

Elliot hates being a florist, most of the time. When his father lefthim the flower shop, he consideredit a burden, but he’s stuck with it. Just like how he’s stuck with the way he proposed to Ama, his main collaborator and girlfriend (or was she?) two years ago. But flowers have grown on him, just like Ama did. And flowers can’t run off and never speak to him again, like Ama did.

When Ama is hired to plan a celebrity wedding that will bring her business national exposure, there's a catch: Elliot is already contracted to design the flowers. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. Add in a meddling ex-boss, and a reality TV film crew documenting every step of the wedding prep, and Ama and Elliot's hearts are not only in jeopardy again, but this time, their livelihoods are too.]]> 341 Julie Soto 1538740885 aimee (aimeecanread) 4 3.5, rounded up for Elliot my beloved bean. ]]> 3.94 2023 Forget Me Not
author: Julie Soto
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/11
date added: 2024/06/12
shelves: i-cried, insta-love-lust-attraction, intense-yearning, predictable
review:
3.5, rounded up for Elliot my beloved bean.
]]> Release (Release #1) 50277537 From USA Today Bestselling Author Aly Martinez comes an emotional new standalone.

Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal.

At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend.
At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss.
By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon.

Love never fails, right?
But for Ramsey, it did.
Love failed him.
I failed him.
The entire world failed him.

At seventeen, Ramsey was convicted of killing the boy who assaulted me.

Move on, he wrote in his first and only letter from prison.
Start a new life, he urged.
I don’t love you anymore, he lied.

There was no such thing as giving up on Ramsey. Love may have been our curse, but he was mine—then, now, and forever.

So here I am, twelve long years later, waiting for a man I don't even know to emerge from between the chain link gates.]]> 285 Aly Martinez aimee (aimeecanread) 4 I needed my heart broken and then pieced back together, and this book did just that. I’m so glad I randomly came across a Reddit comment recommending this book because it was exactly what I was looking for at the time. Aly Martinez is now a potential new favorite romance author, especially for when I’m in need of a heart-wrenching friends-to-lovers romance. ]]> 4.15 2020 Release (Release #1)
author: Aly Martinez
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/27
date added: 2024/06/11
shelves: did-not-see-that-coming, favorite-female-leads, favorites, heart-stopping, i-cried, intense-yearning, reddit-recs
review:
I needed my heart broken and then pieced back together, and this book did just that. I’m so glad I randomly came across a Reddit comment recommending this book because it was exactly what I was looking for at the time. Aly Martinez is now a potential new favorite romance author, especially for when I’m in need of a heart-wrenching friends-to-lovers romance.
]]> <![CDATA[In a Jam (Friendship, Rhode Island #1)]]> 62597278
First, Shay has to move home to the small town of Friendship, Rhode Island. Second—and most problematic since her fiancé just called off the wedding—Shay must be married within one year.

Marriage is the last thing in the world Shay wants but she’ll do anything to save the only real home she’s ever known.

Noah Barden loved Shay Zucconi back in high school. Not that he ever told her. He was too shy, too awkward, too painfully uncool to ask out the beautiful, popular girl.

A lifetime later, Noah is a single dad to his niece and has his hands full running the family business. That old crush is the farthest thing from his mind.

Until Shay returns to their hometown.

CW/TW: absentee parent(s), brief mention of parent death, brief mention of parent chronic illness, mention of incarceration, mention of temporary foster care placement, reference to teenage teasing/bullying (not detailed, not explicit), brief incidence of fat-shaming, living with a neurodivergent child]]> 480 Kate Canterbary aimee (aimeecanread) 3 I expected (and WANTED) Flawless to be! It was a mash-up of all of my favorite romance tropes:
� childhood-friends-to-lovers,
� second chance,
� single parent/guardian,
and a few other tropes:
� marriage of convenience,
� fake dating,
� semi-grumpy x sunshine,
� small town.

So if you enjoy any of those tropes, I’d recommend this. But the rating’s a bit low for a few reasons. I’m going to go through some of the tropes to explain a bit.

Pretend-grumpy x sunshine. I found both MCs to be pretty likable (even lovable at times). MMC was a Pretend-grumpy-but-was-soft-on-the-inside shy boy who bakes bread and makes jam, is a fantastic businessman, and is a lawyer on the side. FMC is the sunshine character who loves working with kids, is a girl’s girl, and doesn’t take care of herself because who has the energy to make healthy meals? ]]> 3.85 2022 In a Jam (Friendship, Rhode Island #1)
author: Kate Canterbary
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/04
date added: 2024/06/09
shelves: fluffy, light-and-cute, ending-sucked, reddit-recs
review:
This was what I expected (and WANTED) Flawless to be! It was a mash-up of all of my favorite romance tropes:
� childhood-friends-to-lovers,
� second chance,
� single parent/guardian,
and a few other tropes:
� marriage of convenience,
� fake dating,
� semi-grumpy x sunshine,
� small town.

So if you enjoy any of those tropes, I’d recommend this. But the rating’s a bit low for a few reasons. I’m going to go through some of the tropes to explain a bit.

Pretend-grumpy x sunshine. I found both MCs to be pretty likable (even lovable at times). MMC was a Pretend-grumpy-but-was-soft-on-the-inside shy boy who bakes bread and makes jam, is a fantastic businessman, and is a lawyer on the side. FMC is the sunshine character who loves working with kids, is a girl’s girl, and doesn’t take care of herself because who has the energy to make healthy meals?
]]> A Crane Among Wolves 180633984 June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, crafts a devastating and pulse-pounding tale that will feel all-too-relevant in today’s world, based on a true story from Korean history.

Hope is dangerous. Love is deadly.

1506, Joseon. The people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings.

Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death.

Prince Daehyun has lived his whole life in the terrifying shadow of his despicable half-brother, the king. Forced to watch King Yeonsan flaunt his predation through executions and rampant abuse of the common folk, Daehyun aches to find a way to dethrone his half-brother once and for all. When staging a coup, failure is fatal, and he’ll need help to pull it off—but there’s no way to know who he can trust.

When Iseul's and Daehyun's fates collide, their contempt for each other is transcended only by their mutual hate for the king. Armed with Iseul’s family connections and Daehyun’s royal access, they reluctantly join forces to launch the riskiest gamble the kingdom has ever

Save her sister. Free the people. Destroy a tyrant.

Also by June
The Silence of Bones
The Forest of Stolen Girls
The Red Palace]]> 364 June Hur 1250858100 aimee (aimeecanread) 5
“We live in a terrible time. An era when the truth is a crime. And there is nothing we can do about it—�


� A Crane Among Wolves is dark, gripping, and heart-wrenching. The main story is based off true events from Korea's devastating history, and Jane Hur doesn't shy away from showing us the heinous deeds of King Yeonsan.

I often found myself reflecting on the story and its similarities to events from both of the cultures I associate with (Filipino and Chinese). I'm sure every nation has experienced (or is currently experiencing) ruthlessness, selfishness, and unjustness from people in power. This story highlights how these gruesome times should not be forgotten, and how there are crimes that should never be forgiven.

There's a lot of sub-plots woven into the story as well, including the planning of a secret coup, the mystery of a murderer, and the pining of two young characters. Fair warning: If you're looking for something fast-paced and action packed, this isn't for you. This book focuses a lot more on the bigger picture rather than the individual events that were going on.

� Iseul and Daehyun are likeable characters, and I was definitely on this journey with them, the whole way through. Neither were perfect by any means, but they both fit perfectly into this story.

Iseul. Iseul's character goes through a lot of character development. She starts off as a spoiled (but self-aware) girl who has no choice but to grow up and toughen up when she realizes how cruel the world can be� even to young girls like her.

Daehyun. He's very much the poster boy of a Historical K-drama � a tad stoic, very mysterious, and overall just the good guy. I would have loved to get to know him more (his chapters were half as short as Iseul's), but a liked his character well enough. He had this honesty to his character that I really appreciated.

Tomorrow, the kingdom could sink into the sea.
Tomorrow, all the elders we trusted could betray us.
Tomorrow, the fog might consume everything we loved.
But I had him today. And he had me.


� Iseul and Daehyun together? This was enemies-to-lovers done well. I found their relationship to be slow and realistic. We got a few he's-touching-me-and-that's-making-my-stomach-tickle-but-idk-why scenes before we got the I'll-scarifice-my-life-to-keep-you-safe scenarios. I don't think you'd get attached to their romance at first (at least I didn't), but by the end, you'll feel your heart just bursting for these two. The angst and the yearning were so good.

“In dark times, every mother becomes your mother, every child your child, every sister your sister� and every stranger-in-need a friend.�


� Iseul and Daehyun also have a gorgeous found family in the side characters. The side characters were all well-written, and I definitely grew to love them. (Special shoutout to my favorite character, Wonsik!) They all had specific roles to play in the story, and I enjoyed watching our main characters grow bonds with them. Like with Daehyun, it would have been nice to have a liiitle bit more of a background for them, but overall, we have a pretty solid cast here.

“History moves its course, but it is the youth who point the current in its direction.�


� The writing style definitely leans a bit serious for this one. It's not the easiest read in the world (i.e., the writing is far from casual), but it adds to the ambiance. Trust me, if anything, you will feel like you're in 1500s Joseon. The writing also just makes the story deeper and more impactful.

� I'm going to leave this review with my favorite thing about the book: the ending is something I will think about and reread over and over again. (In fact, I've already reread it three times!) It's perfect. It's the best way to get off the emotional rollercoaster that is A Crane Among Wolves. No spoilers from me, though, so you'll just have to read it for yourselves.

TLDR: If you're interested in some fantastic storytelling about politics and power, featuring a team of unique characters (and an angst-y romance between the two MCs), please do yourselves a favor by picking this book up.]]> 3.97 2024 A Crane Among Wolves
author: June Hur
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/31
date added: 2024/06/05
shelves: covergasm, did-not-see-that-coming, favorites, from-publisher, heart-stopping, i-cried, intense, intense-yearning, it-gets-political, wishlist, i-will-die-on-this-hill
review:
“We live in a terrible time. An era when the truth is a crime. And there is nothing we can do about it—�


� A Crane Among Wolves is dark, gripping, and heart-wrenching. The main story is based off true events from Korea's devastating history, and Jane Hur doesn't shy away from showing us the heinous deeds of King Yeonsan.

I often found myself reflecting on the story and its similarities to events from both of the cultures I associate with (Filipino and Chinese). I'm sure every nation has experienced (or is currently experiencing) ruthlessness, selfishness, and unjustness from people in power. This story highlights how these gruesome times should not be forgotten, and how there are crimes that should never be forgiven.

There's a lot of sub-plots woven into the story as well, including the planning of a secret coup, the mystery of a murderer, and the pining of two young characters. Fair warning: If you're looking for something fast-paced and action packed, this isn't for you. This book focuses a lot more on the bigger picture rather than the individual events that were going on.

� Iseul and Daehyun are likeable characters, and I was definitely on this journey with them, the whole way through. Neither were perfect by any means, but they both fit perfectly into this story.

Iseul. Iseul's character goes through a lot of character development. She starts off as a spoiled (but self-aware) girl who has no choice but to grow up and toughen up when she realizes how cruel the world can be� even to young girls like her.

Daehyun. He's very much the poster boy of a Historical K-drama � a tad stoic, very mysterious, and overall just the good guy. I would have loved to get to know him more (his chapters were half as short as Iseul's), but a liked his character well enough. He had this honesty to his character that I really appreciated.

Tomorrow, the kingdom could sink into the sea.
Tomorrow, all the elders we trusted could betray us.
Tomorrow, the fog might consume everything we loved.
But I had him today. And he had me.


� Iseul and Daehyun together? This was enemies-to-lovers done well. I found their relationship to be slow and realistic. We got a few he's-touching-me-and-that's-making-my-stomach-tickle-but-idk-why scenes before we got the I'll-scarifice-my-life-to-keep-you-safe scenarios. I don't think you'd get attached to their romance at first (at least I didn't), but by the end, you'll feel your heart just bursting for these two. The angst and the yearning were so good.

“In dark times, every mother becomes your mother, every child your child, every sister your sister� and every stranger-in-need a friend.�


� Iseul and Daehyun also have a gorgeous found family in the side characters. The side characters were all well-written, and I definitely grew to love them. (Special shoutout to my favorite character, Wonsik!) They all had specific roles to play in the story, and I enjoyed watching our main characters grow bonds with them. Like with Daehyun, it would have been nice to have a liiitle bit more of a background for them, but overall, we have a pretty solid cast here.

“History moves its course, but it is the youth who point the current in its direction.�


� The writing style definitely leans a bit serious for this one. It's not the easiest read in the world (i.e., the writing is far from casual), but it adds to the ambiance. Trust me, if anything, you will feel like you're in 1500s Joseon. The writing also just makes the story deeper and more impactful.

� I'm going to leave this review with my favorite thing about the book: the ending is something I will think about and reread over and over again. (In fact, I've already reread it three times!) It's perfect. It's the best way to get off the emotional rollercoaster that is A Crane Among Wolves. No spoilers from me, though, so you'll just have to read it for yourselves.

TLDR: If you're interested in some fantastic storytelling about politics and power, featuring a team of unique characters (and an angst-y romance between the two MCs), please do yourselves a favor by picking this book up.
]]> Twisted Love (Twisted, #1) 55817097 He has a heart of ice...but for her, he'd burn the world.

Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can’t escape.

Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.

But when he’s forced to look after his best friend’s sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:

A crack.
A melt.
A fire that could end his world as he knew it.

***

Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can’t remember.

But despite her broken past, she’s never stopped seeing the beauty in the world…including the heart beneath the icy exterior of a man she shouldn’t want.

Her brother’s best friend.
Her neighbor.
Her savior and her downfall.

Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen—but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both…and everything they hold dear.

Twisted Love is a brother’s best friend/opposites attract romance with a hint of suspense. It's book one in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.

WARNING: This book contains a possessive, morally gray alphahole; explicit sexual content, and profanity. No cheating or menage, but if you're looking for a traditionally sweet, loveable hero, this is not the book for you. Recommended for 18+. ]]> 360 Ana Huang aimee (aimeecanread) 1 JAIL! As a joke, I started highlighting the scenes that made me physically roll my eyes... and I got to 33 highlights. I'm surprised my eyeballs haven't completely rolled to the back of my head. Honestly, I was prepared for this book to just be hilariously bad, i.e., I really just wanted to read it for the shits and giggles. Do I regret it? Absolutely. I want to douse my entire soul in bleach.

I don't even know where to begin. I guess let's start with the aspect that made me less angry than the other -- the plot. And that's not to say that I liked the plot... I hated it. The story was incredibly unrealistic, and the twists were so predictable. But it doesn't matter how crazy the random murder mystery ended up being (which, for the record, I did NOT sign up for a muder mystery), resolutions all came really easy to the main characters because of how well connected and filthy rich the ML is. Also one of the FL's best friends is a literal princess. Truly, the story was just so unserious. I don't understand how people can read this unironically.

So what was this book, really? Was it a romance? Nothing about this was romantic. Was it a mystery? Not really. Everything was already right in front of your face. Was it dark? Sure. It was totally unhinged and a lot of people should have ended up in prison.

Okay. Time to rip off the bandaid and discuss... the characters. Ava and her friends were supposed to be in college, but they spoke and acted like teenagers. All of them were very one dimensional and were just super forgettable. Any of the four of them could have been the main lead and the story would have been exactly the same.

Alex Volkov gets a special section dedicated all to him, just like he has a special place in hell. First of all � Alex is such a side character name (I'm sorry to all the Alexes out there! I love your name, but you know what I mean ]]> 3.74 2021 Twisted Love (Twisted, #1)
author: Ana Huang
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2021
rating: 1
read at: 2024/03/21
date added: 2024/06/02
shelves: cringey-romance, eye-roll, fmcs-i-hate, mmcs-i-hate, no-chemistry, intense-yearning, piss-off, unpopular-opinion, why-new-adult-why, jail
review:
JAIL! As a joke, I started highlighting the scenes that made me physically roll my eyes... and I got to 33 highlights. I'm surprised my eyeballs haven't completely rolled to the back of my head. Honestly, I was prepared for this book to just be hilariously bad, i.e., I really just wanted to read it for the shits and giggles. Do I regret it? Absolutely. I want to douse my entire soul in bleach.

I don't even know where to begin. I guess let's start with the aspect that made me less angry than the other -- the plot. And that's not to say that I liked the plot... I hated it. The story was incredibly unrealistic, and the twists were so predictable. But it doesn't matter how crazy the random murder mystery ended up being (which, for the record, I did NOT sign up for a muder mystery), resolutions all came really easy to the main characters because of how well connected and filthy rich the ML is. Also one of the FL's best friends is a literal princess. Truly, the story was just so unserious. I don't understand how people can read this unironically.

So what was this book, really? Was it a romance? Nothing about this was romantic. Was it a mystery? Not really. Everything was already right in front of your face. Was it dark? Sure. It was totally unhinged and a lot of people should have ended up in prison.

Okay. Time to rip off the bandaid and discuss... the characters. Ava and her friends were supposed to be in college, but they spoke and acted like teenagers. All of them were very one dimensional and were just super forgettable. Any of the four of them could have been the main lead and the story would have been exactly the same.

Alex Volkov gets a special section dedicated all to him, just like he has a special place in hell. First of all � Alex is such a side character name (I'm sorry to all the Alexes out there! I love your name, but you know what I mean
]]> <![CDATA[The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)]]> 35068705
When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

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

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

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.]]> 545 R.F. Kuang 0062662597 aimee (aimeecanread) 3
> The first part was great—I loved the ATLA energy of the school portion.

> The fantasy aspect was so interesting! Definitely unique.

> A lot happened that seemed to be there just for shock value and had no real impact to the story.

> Rin's characterization was sooo inconsistent. I feel like I don't know her at all after having her as an MC this entire book.

> Most characters were irrelevant and kind of flat, but we did have ones I genuinely loved (Jiang and my boy Kitay!!). I grew to love Nezha by the end, too.

> Gruesome war and drug use aside, this still reads very YA. The characters all felt so young, bc of the way they thought and spoke.

> I thought the ending was intriguing [spoilers removed]. Will be looking forward to the next books!

₊� ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · � · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚�

Does anyone know if this is getting any kind of adaptation bc I would watch the fuck out of that. Also I think this book broke my brain so I'm going to have to think on the rating. (Will definitely continue the trilogy though!)

94% (Chapter 24): AAAAAAAAAAAAA

80% (Chapter 21): What the fuck

65% (Chapter 16): My stress levels are currently off the charts. ]]> 4.16 2018 The Poppy War (The Poppy War, #1)
author: R.F. Kuang
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/24
date added: 2024/05/30
shelves: cliffhangers, did-not-see-that-coming, heart-stopping, intense, it-gets-political, mmcs-i-hate, fmcs-i-hate
review:
I'm going with a tentitive 3 stars for this one. I'll hold off from doing a full review until I finish the rest of the trilogy, but here are a few general thoughts for this one:

> The first part was great—I loved the ATLA energy of the school portion.

> The fantasy aspect was so interesting! Definitely unique.

> A lot happened that seemed to be there just for shock value and had no real impact to the story.

> Rin's characterization was sooo inconsistent. I feel like I don't know her at all after having her as an MC this entire book.

> Most characters were irrelevant and kind of flat, but we did have ones I genuinely loved (Jiang and my boy Kitay!!). I grew to love Nezha by the end, too.

> Gruesome war and drug use aside, this still reads very YA. The characters all felt so young, bc of the way they thought and spoke.

> I thought the ending was intriguing [spoilers removed]. Will be looking forward to the next books!

₊� ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · � · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚�

Does anyone know if this is getting any kind of adaptation bc I would watch the fuck out of that. Also I think this book broke my brain so I'm going to have to think on the rating. (Will definitely continue the trilogy though!)

94% (Chapter 24): AAAAAAAAAAAAA

80% (Chapter 21): What the fuck

65% (Chapter 16): My stress levels are currently off the charts.
]]> <![CDATA[One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, #1)]]> 58340706
Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

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

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.]]> 399 Rachel Gillig 0316312487 aimee (aimeecanread) 3 the epic tale that is Two Twisted Crowns. But if you're even the least bit interested in this story, I promise you won't regret giving this duology a shot. ]]> 4.25 2022 One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, #1)
author: Rachel Gillig
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/28
date added: 2024/05/29
shelves: eye-roll, intense-yearning, worlds-greatest-ideas, wishlist
review:
One Dark Window felt like it was just used as a build up for the epic tale that is Two Twisted Crowns. But if you're even the least bit interested in this story, I promise you won't regret giving this duology a shot.
]]> <![CDATA[Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King, #2)]]> 63910262 In the luscious, dark sequel to One Dark Window, Elspeth must face the consequences of what she's wrought - perfect for readers of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching.

Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last, and most important one remains to be found: The Twin Alders.

If they are going to find it before the Solstice and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it, they will need to journey beyond the dangerous mist-cloaked forest that surrounds their kingdom.

And the only one who can lead them there is the monster that shares Elspeth's head. The Nightmare. And he's not eager to share any longer.]]> 437 Rachel Gillig 0356519503 aimee (aimeecanread) 5 This dark, haunting, magical tale will leave you bewitched.

If you're interested in magical card decks, monsters living in people's minds, and that one bloodbending episode from Avatar: the Last Airbender... then you're going to love this.

My expectations for this duology were pretty high going into it—I've been looking for more dark fantasies lately, and I've heard nothing but amazing things about these books. While One Dark Window didn't necessarily blow me away, Two Twisted Crowns completely shattered my expectations!

The Shepherd King duology tells the tale of a kingdom choked by dark magic and ruled by an oppressive monarchy, and a compelling cast of characters who just want to make things right.

The world-building is brilliant—the atmosphere was eerie, with a constant ominous feeling. I loved the lore behind the Providence Cards and the history of how magic came to be in this world. The explanations for the Cards did feel a bit info-dumpy at times in book one, but everything else is smooth-sailing once you get past that.

The story was actually high-stakes and thrilling. You're not necessarily wondering who the real heroes and villains are or anything, but you're always going to speculate on what their next moves will be. The twists were genuinely shocking and were well thought-out.

The grumpy-sad-sad-sunshine(?)-grumpy cast of characters will steal your heart.

Elspeth—sad1. Elspeth was a pretty decent character, though she felt more like a plot device rather than a main character. Everything she did was just to move the story along, or to help another character develop. She herself never felt like the main act.

Ravyn—grumpy1. I made fun of the name Ravyn and couldn't take him seriously for the entirety of the first book, then we got his POV in Two Twisted Crowns and I was basically in love. He had a lot of depth to him, was very thoughtful and mature, and was overall a menace (I'm saying this lovingly).

Elm—sad2. I would love a spinoff with just Elm's POV. I would marry this guy. He's sweet, funny, loyal, and has a heart of gold. He's not the most mature character out there, and he can make some stupid decisions, but he's just so pure that I was still all over him. It doesn't get more Golden Retriever Boy than this. ]]> 4.39 2023 Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King, #2)
author: Rachel Gillig
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/02
date added: 2024/05/29
shelves: did-not-see-that-coming, favorite-female-leads, favorite-male-leads, favorites, heart-stopping, i-cried, intense-yearning, intense, perfect-ending, worlds-greatest-ideas, i-will-die-on-this-hill, wishlist
review:
This dark, haunting, magical tale will leave you bewitched.

If you're interested in magical card decks, monsters living in people's minds, and that one bloodbending episode from Avatar: the Last Airbender... then you're going to love this.

My expectations for this duology were pretty high going into it—I've been looking for more dark fantasies lately, and I've heard nothing but amazing things about these books. While One Dark Window didn't necessarily blow me away, Two Twisted Crowns completely shattered my expectations!

The Shepherd King duology tells the tale of a kingdom choked by dark magic and ruled by an oppressive monarchy, and a compelling cast of characters who just want to make things right.

The world-building is brilliant—the atmosphere was eerie, with a constant ominous feeling. I loved the lore behind the Providence Cards and the history of how magic came to be in this world. The explanations for the Cards did feel a bit info-dumpy at times in book one, but everything else is smooth-sailing once you get past that.

The story was actually high-stakes and thrilling. You're not necessarily wondering who the real heroes and villains are or anything, but you're always going to speculate on what their next moves will be. The twists were genuinely shocking and were well thought-out.

The grumpy-sad-sad-sunshine(?)-grumpy cast of characters will steal your heart.

Elspeth—sad1. Elspeth was a pretty decent character, though she felt more like a plot device rather than a main character. Everything she did was just to move the story along, or to help another character develop. She herself never felt like the main act.

Ravyn—grumpy1. I made fun of the name Ravyn and couldn't take him seriously for the entirety of the first book, then we got his POV in Two Twisted Crowns and I was basically in love. He had a lot of depth to him, was very thoughtful and mature, and was overall a menace (I'm saying this lovingly).

Elm—sad2. I would love a spinoff with just Elm's POV. I would marry this guy. He's sweet, funny, loyal, and has a heart of gold. He's not the most mature character out there, and he can make some stupid decisions, but he's just so pure that I was still all over him. It doesn't get more Golden Retriever Boy than this.
]]> Reclaim (Release, #2) 54827089
My mother’s choice was to abandon us with our abusive father.
My brother’s choice was to go to prison for killing the boy who assaulted his soulmate.
Camden Cole’s choice was to fall in love with a shattered girl who had absolutely nothing to offer him but heartbreak.

It was one summer beneath the trees, but with Camden, I had a place where I belonged.
A friend who was always waiting for me.
A boy who I caught staring at me more often than not.

He was mine, but when the world closed in and secrets exploded all around us, it was my choice to let him go.

Choices. Everyone makes them.
But mine would ruin us all.

*

Reclaim is a standalone that can be read and enjoyed independently. However, it will contain spoilers for Release.]]> 328 Aly Martinez aimee (aimeecanread) 4 4.41 Reclaim (Release, #2)
author: Aly Martinez
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.41
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/28
date added: 2024/05/28
shelves: favorite-male-leads, i-cried, intense-yearning, predictable
review:
Camden Cole you are my new favorite golden retriever boy.
]]> <![CDATA[Flawless (Chestnut Springs, #1)]]> 60755618 The rules were simple . . .
Keep my hands off his daughter and stay out of trouble.

But now I’m stuck with her . . . And there’s only one bed . . .
Oh well, rules are made -- to be broken . . . aren't they?

I’m the face of professional bull riding -- the golden boy.
Or at least I was, until it all blew up in my face.
Now my agent says I have to clean up my image, so I’m stuck with his ball-busting daughter for the rest of the season as my “full-time supervision.�

But I don’t need a goddamn babysitter --
especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk,
and a mouth she can’t stop running.

A mouth I just can’t stop thinking about . . .

Because Summer ’t just another conquest.
She sees the man behind the mask, and she doesn’t run --
she pulls me closer, even when she shouldn’t.

She says this means nothing -- but I say this means everything.

She says there are boundaries we shouldn’t cross.
That my reputation can’t take any more hits -- and neither can her damaged heart.

I say I’m going to steal it anyway.
]]> 424 Elsie Silver aimee (aimeecanread) 2 I growled from HIS POV ]]> 4.06 2022 Flawless (Chestnut Springs, #1)
author: Elsie Silver
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2024/05/26
date added: 2024/05/28
shelves: cringey-romance, eye-roll, intense-yearning, mmcs-i-hate
review:
I’m sick of men who growl and grunt (and it’s so much worse when you read the words I growled from HIS POV
]]> The Risk (Mindf*ck, #1) 33131867 Left too little.
I had nothing to lose...until him.

**

~Lana~

I didn't expect him.
I didn't want to fall in love.
But I can't let him go.

Logan Bennett makes the world a safer place.
He's brilliant.
He's a hero.
He locks away the sick and depraved.
But while he's saving lives, I'm taking them. Collecting the debts that are owed to me.

Ten years ago, they took from me. They left me for dead.
They should have made sure I stayed dead.

Now I'm taking from them.
One name at a time.

I've trained for too long.
I've been patient.
I can't stop now.

Revenge is best served cold...

They never see me coming, until I paint their walls red.

Logan doesn't know how they hurt me. He doesn't know about the screams they ignored. He doesn't know how twisted that town really is.

He just knows people are dying.
He doesn't know he's in love with their killer.

No one suspects a dead girl.
And Logan doesn't suspect the girl in his bed.

They're looking for a monster.
Not a girl who loves red.
Not a girl in love.

I'm a faceless nightmare.

At least until I tell them the story they've pretended never happened.

But in the end, will Logan choose them? Or will we watch them burn together?

**Graphic
**Adult language
**Some triggers could be too much for the easily disturbed reader
**Sexual content
**Fucked up moral compass; read at your own risk.]]> 132 S.T. Abby aimee (aimeecanread) 2
I expected a trashy romantic thriller, and I got a trashy romantic thriller.

I was once again failed by my intense FOMO. In all honesty, I was expecting to absolutely hate this series. ]]> 4.21 2016 The Risk (Mindf*ck, #1)
author: S.T. Abby
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2024/05/08
date added: 2024/05/25
shelves: ending-sucked, eye-roll, insta-love-lust-attraction, intense, it-gets-political, review-to-follow, unpopular-opinion
review:
*This is review is for the Mindf*ck series as a whole! Spoilers are marked.

I expected a trashy romantic thriller, and I got a trashy romantic thriller.

I was once again failed by my intense FOMO. In all honesty, I was expecting to absolutely hate this series.
]]> Paws and Portals 211178244
The Ratatoskr shun technology, what nature provides is enough, and they are wary of human interference. When a young Tree Keeper discovers her forest ablaze with magic, the suspicion instantly falls on the Grid, and Daisy and her new intern are called out to the wilds of Ruhann to investigate.

The fire is only the start of their magic problems, and Daisy must face up to some hard truths as she gets to the bottom of what's really going on. Will nature prevail? Or are humans destined to ruin everything they touch?]]> 336 Ellie Warren 1068621605 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.50 Paws and Portals
author: Ellie Warren
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Seeing Red (Wells Ranch, #2) 205834472 In this spicy romance from the author of Alive and Wells and Change of Hart, asmall-town sweetheart finds herself unexpectedly pregnant after a one-night stand binds her to a local cowboy who has had a crush on her for years.


She lives by the rules. He lives to break them.



Cassidy Bowman has strict rules to uphold her good-girl reputation: she doesn’t date the Wells Ranch locals, and she definitely doesn’t sleep with men she ’t dating. But after a run-in with her ex-boyfriend—and a few too many drinks—she’s ready to buck those rules and allow herself one night of recklessness.

On the other hand, local cowboy Chase “Red� Thompson has never met a rule he didn’t love breaking. With a long-time crush on Cassidy, he’s more than willing to accept her offer of a one-night stand and her one condition: he must agree to never speak of it again.

That is until two pink lines render Cassidy’s entire rule book null and void. Cassidy ’t looking for a relationship with the rough-and-tumble cowboy, and Red doesn’t need anyone to tell him he’s not good enough for the sweetheart of Wells Canyon.

So the two make another agreement—they’ll be friends and co-parents, nothing more. But as their carefully constructed boundaries begin to blur, Cassidy might just realize that perhaps some rules are worth breaking.]]> 346 Bailey Hannah aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read
Also I saw that my fellow pregnancy trope defender kendall loved this so instant bonus points ]]> 4.10 2024 Seeing Red (Wells Ranch, #2)
author: Bailey Hannah
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/22
shelves: to-read
review:
I’m not on tiktok but I’m on ig/fb reels like a grandma and I saw a reel about this� need!!

Also I saw that my fellow pregnancy trope defender kendall loved this so instant bonus points
]]> The Familiar 133286777 From the New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House, Hell Bent, and creator of the Grishaverse series comes a highly anticipated historical fantasy set during the Spanish Golden Age

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.]]> 387 Leigh Bardugo 125088425X aimee (aimeecanread) 2
I told myself I didn't need to write a full review for this one since I'm sure everyone's going to read this book anyway, but I couldn't stop once I started. So here you go. ]]> 3.74 2024 The Familiar
author: Leigh Bardugo
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2024/04/16
date added: 2024/05/18
shelves: covergasm, favorite-female-leads, heart-stopping, holy-shit-endings, it-gets-political, no-chemistry, perfect-ending
review:
Actual rating: 2.5.

I told myself I didn't need to write a full review for this one since I'm sure everyone's going to read this book anyway, but I couldn't stop once I started. So here you go.
]]> <![CDATA[Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales, #1)]]> 60717747 It's difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you're a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment - a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season - but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora's reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

Bridgerton meets Howl's Moving Castle in this enchanting historical fantasy, where the only thing more meddlesome than faeries is a marriage-minded mother.

Pick up HALF A SOUL, and be stolen away into Olivia Atwater's charming, magical version of Regency England!]]> 304 Olivia Atwater aimee (aimeecanread) 3 Emily Wilde but for people with shorter attention spans (AKA me). It's really just a cutesy Fae read. Not a lot of substance.

Pre-read: The last time I LOVED a Fae book was in 2011. Fae books have been okay, bad, or just good since then, so I need something to redeem Fae romances for me! ]]> 4.04 2020 Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales, #1)
author: Olivia Atwater
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/17
date added: 2024/05/17
shelves: covergasm, favorite-female-leads, light-and-cute, predictable
review:
It gave Emily Wilde but for people with shorter attention spans (AKA me). It's really just a cutesy Fae read. Not a lot of substance.

Pre-read: The last time I LOVED a Fae book was in 2011. Fae books have been okay, bad, or just good since then, so I need something to redeem Fae romances for me!
]]> <![CDATA[Paint It All Red (Mindf*ck, #5)]]> 33361549
Will Logan choose them? Or will we watch them burn together?

It's time to fuck with their minds.
It's time to finish it all.
It's time to paint it all red...

Monsters don't usually wish for happily-ever-afters.]]> 177 S.T. Abby aimee (aimeecanread) 0
General thoughts:
� Surprisingly very easy to read
� Poorly edited (though this book was self-published, so that makes sense)
� Interesting back story
� Actually made me THINK (both about the mystery aspect, and about politics and morals)
� Logan for the first 4 books <33333
� Logan at the end
� Lana
� We finally have a couple where the flirting between them was so clear and straightforward (no beating around the bush!)
� Distinct side characters
� The ending
� The reveal for the original killer felt kind of random
� This little detail at the end: [spoilers removed]

₊� ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · � · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚�

First chapter's already making me question MY morals ]]> 4.56 2016 Paint It All Red (Mindf*ck, #5)
author: S.T. Abby
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at: 2024/05/11
date added: 2024/05/14
shelves: did-not-see-that-coming, ending-sucked, eye-roll, heart-stopping, it-gets-political
review:
OKAY. Okay. I have MANY thoughts. Not all are positive, but not all are negative, either. This book is an interesting read if you just take it at face value. I'm leaving my series rating at a 3 for now until I can write a full series review.

General thoughts:
� Surprisingly very easy to read
� Poorly edited (though this book was self-published, so that makes sense)
� Interesting back story
� Actually made me THINK (both about the mystery aspect, and about politics and morals)
� Logan for the first 4 books <33333
� Logan at the end
� Lana
� We finally have a couple where the flirting between them was so clear and straightforward (no beating around the bush!)
� Distinct side characters
� The ending
� The reveal for the original killer felt kind of random
� This little detail at the end: [spoilers removed]

₊� ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · � · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚�

First chapter's already making me question MY morals
]]> Don't Let the Forest In 200982373 Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him.

Kill for him.

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality―Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won't say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork―whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew's wicked stories.

Desperate to figure out what's wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster―Thomas's drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator...]]> 336 C.G. Drews 1250895669 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 to-read 4.11 2024 Don't Let the Forest In
author: C.G. Drews
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/14
shelves: to-read
review:
Absolutely love Cait -- one of the sweetest beans ever. <3 I can't believe I haven't read anything from her since her debut in 2018.
]]> Sense and Sensibility 14935 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780141439662

'The more I know of the world, the more am I convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love. I require so much!'

Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love—and its threatened loss—the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love.

This edition includes explanatory notes, textual variants between the first and second editions, and Tony Tanner's introduction to the original Penguin Classic edition.]]> 409 Jane Austen 0141439661 aimee (aimeecanread) 1 snoozefest, school-reads 4.10 1811 Sense and Sensibility
author: Jane Austen
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.10
book published: 1811
rating: 1
read at: 2015/10/12
date added: 2024/05/13
shelves: snoozefest, school-reads
review:

]]> For One More Day 10929
Mitch Albom mesmerized readers around the world with his number one New York Times bestsellers, The Five People You Meet in Heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie. Now he returns with a beautiful, haunting novel about the family we love and the chances we miss.

For One More Day is the story of a mother and a son, and a relationship that covers a lifetime and beyond. It explores the question: What would you do if you could spend one more day with a lost loved one?

As a child, Charley "Chick" Benetto was told by his father, "You can be a mama's boy or a daddy's boy, but you can't be both." So he chooses his father, only to see the man disappear when Charley is on the verge of adolescence.
Decades later, Charley is a broken man. His life has been crumbled by alcohol and regret. He loses his job. He leaves his family. He hits bottom after discovering his only daughter has shut him out of her wedding. And he decides to take his own life.
He makes a midnight ride to his small hometown, with plans to do himself in. But upon failing even to do that, he staggers back to his old house, only to make an astonishing discovery. His mother, who died eight years earlier, is still living there, and welcomes him home as if nothing ever happened..

What follows is the one "ordinary" day so many of us yearn for, a chance to make good with a lost parent, to explain the family secrets, and to seek forgiveness. Somewhere between this life and the next, Charley learns the astonishing things he never knew about his mother and her sacrifices. And he tries, with her tender guidance, to put the crumbled pieces of his life back together.

Through Albom's inspiring characters and masterful storytelling, readers will newly appreciate those whom they love and may have thought they'd lost in their own lives. For One More Day is a book for anyone in a family, and will be cherished by Albom's millions of fans worldwide.]]> 208 Mitch Albom 1401303277 aimee (aimeecanread) 0 school-reads, piss-off 4.12 2006 For One More Day
author: Mitch Albom
name: aimee (aimeecanread)
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2006
rating: 0
read at: 2013/08/04
date added: 2024/05/13
shelves: school-reads, piss-off
review:

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