2.5/5 Stars (please note, this is my first dark romance book review so I'm trying to figure out how I rate them. This may change in the future as I continue to read dark romances)

General Description: James (also known as Hook) HATES airline mogul Peter Michael. James wants him destroyed. So when Peter's daughter Wendy waltz into James's bar, he takes the opportunity to try to use her to his advantage, and Wendy is willing as she's been couped up most of her life and Peter has been an absent father. However, when James's businesses start to be sabotaged, James believes Wendy has something to do with it and decides to take advantage of the situation. However, will Wendy and James develop real feelings for each other in this twisted game?

The good:
- I thought the easter egg references to Peter Pan were clever
- The ending was literally wild
- There were spicier scenes, definitely the spiciest book I've read to date.

The loss of two and a half stars:
- I can't stand the terms milk or seed. They make me gag. Instant half start off just for those terms (so if you like those terms, then this may be the book for you)
- Wendy was just too inconsistent of a character for me? Like she seemed like 3 different characters rolled into one.
- James was confusing as well, he didn't seem to have a consistent character and it made him seem less tough and scary to me? Like I did not believe he could actually hurt people even when he did.

Overall: I mean, there's spice in it so if you're looking for that it's in here but I don't think the story was that enthralling.

General Description: If you knew what day you'd die, what would you do? The Gold children have an opportunity to explore this. Simon, Klara, Daniel, and Varya visit a woman who tells them the day they are going to day. You then follow Simon and Klara as they move to San Francisco, then Klara traveling as a magician, then Daniel in his final days, and finally Varya as she copes with all the deaths.

The good:
- Simon's section of the book is extremely strong.
- I appreciated the historical sections within this book and how history wove itself into the story.
- Varya's section was also interesting.

The loss of 2 stars:
- This is no plot. It's extremely character driven and I finished it solely for book club (I had no internal desire to finish the book after Simon's section). HOWEVER if you like character driven stories, this will be good for you. (that being said, I did not like Klara or Daniel's sections.)
- It felt extremely slow as a read and there was a lot of higher level prose that kept me disengaged from the book (maybe this was above my lexile level but who knows).

Overall: If you need a book with a plot, others exist. If you need a character driven book, this will probably fit that bill!

4.5/5 Stars

General Description: Lily's grandmother dies. Lily had lived with her for awhile and suddenly, she's being told she can't live in her grandmother's home anymore. She instead was given a letter at the will reading and realized her grandmother left her a final test. With the help of an unexpected crew, Lily starts to unravel the puzzle her grandmother left. But, can they get it figured out before more dangerous people get there first?

The good:
- This felt like a fresh, fast paced mystery. 
- I loved how the side characters in this book were not Lily's friends from the get-go. I love a group randomly being pulled together.
- I was surprised time and time again. I felt like every plot twist hit.
- I was gripped from the beginning and engaged by the fast pace (for the most part, see below).

The loss of a half star:
- The ending just felt extremely slow paced, like I lost the excitement from the first 85% of the book for some reason.

Overall: If you're looking to relive feelings of The Inheritance Games, pick this book up!

Please know: I am a huge Disney fan, a big fan of the series, and Ariel is my favorite princess. So this could totally be a biased review, but I did read the entire book before writing this review :) 

General Description: Ariel FINALLY gets a chance to be on her own after spending most of her life in the uber-popular sister girls group, Siren Seven. However, after making a deal with her dad, Ariel gets freedom for all her sisters, but for herself, she must start a solo career. Ariel doesn't want that at all, and on her final night of freedom, she goes to see a new band she likes called Star Crossed. After a meet cute with the lead man, Eric, Ariel decides to join him on the road as their merch girl. Can Ariel and Eric avoid a tour romance when both have so much at stake?

ALL the good:
- THE EASTER EGGS. THEY WERE ALL THERE AND AMAZING.
- Such a unique retelling concept, it's been my favorite romance scenario of the meant to be series thus far.
- The tension built in this book was immaculate.
- You grow to LOVE all the side characters and there are a lot. I'd take multiple spin off books of these characters if Disney would allow it.
- I was gripped the entire time, a lot happens in this book and is paced extremely well.

Overall: If you like fairytales, Disney, or The Little Mermaid, you won't be disappointed by this book. You should actually read it right after you finish reading this!

General Description: Jenna gets to reinvent herself, until Cameron Quick, her old BFF, seemingly comes back to life and rocks her world, pulling her old self (Jennifer) out. Can Jenna help Cameron, what will she learn along the way?

It's a 1 star because I finished it, but I feel like there are no redeeming qualities for this book. Here are some of my issues.
1) Usage of the R word. I get 2008 was a different time, but I cannot support books with that language.
2) I could not stand Jenna's mom. I think her stepdad had a level head for a stepdad, but her mom just ruined this book for me. I am not a parent so maybe I don't fully understand, but when you let her daughter change her name, praise her disordered habits to reinvent herself, and just not at least 20% in tune with her daughter. It doesn't seem like the mother had any deep dark secrets, she was just a working single parent which is tough, but for the single parents I know, they are definitely more dialed in. It didn't feel believable.
3) In terms of Cameron Quick: I just can't. No body questions the kid at any point. Like, not even Jenna! I'd have so many questions and not just let a friend walk all over me after not contacting me for 8 years.
4) I feel like there are a lot of unhealthy topics in this book that aren't addressed in any sort of positive light. If you don't know these are walking read flags, I feel like the behavior may seem normal and that's concerning.
5) The side characters were not redeeming either, they were all too absorbed with themselves (except Steph) and it was not pleasing to read.

I would not recommend it, just skip it. There are other, better character driven stories that handle trauma in a much better light.

3.5/5 Stars

General Description: Autumn and Finn have been extremely close; well, until Autumn takes a different path through high school that leads her away from Finn. From Autumn's long term relationship and unresolved feelings with Finn, will she be able to find peace by the time she graduates?

The good:
- I truly feel like this book captured the high school experience. I felt taken right back to my experience with my high school ex and friend drama. I think that's personally why I rated it so highly is I did related to the story a lot.
- The last 20 minutes was a complete emotional rollercoaster I was here for.
- I appreciated how real the adults felt in this book, seeing their struggles and not just showing the adults as randomly clueless, but as folks who also needed to get help. Not that it's an excuse for all the adults behavior, but i felt we got more insight in this book towards the adults than other books.

The loss of a star and a half:
- It was SO slow. Extremely character driven to the point where i was not sure why we needed all 4 years of high school spelled out to us?
- This needed Finn's perspective. Like I am so happy another book is coming out to expose that side because I totally felt it was missed.

Overall: I'd wait until Finn's perspective comes out and read both as like a tandem read? I feel like it'd be so much more fulfilling personally (could be wrong, may edit after next book comes out).

Note: I would read this after The Unhoneymooners, but I don't think there are general major major spoilers if you've read the description of The Unhoneymooners and know how romance books typically go! But, if you want to read in chronological order

General Description: Olive doesn't want her family at her wedding. Ami doesn't believe her, so Ami gets the entire family to follow Olive to Hawaii to surprise her with a wedding. But Ami can't plan it alone, so Ethan and Olive enlist Ethan's friend Brody to help her. Ami doesn't want Brody's help, but after he proves not only useful but thrifty too, she agrees to his help. How will these two work together and can they work together after a event to continue a relationship?

The goods:
- I loved these characters in the first book and I was happy to go back
- Brody was a wonderful addition to this cast.
- I really liked seeing an actual wedding planned and all the cute little moments shared.
- 

The loss of the star:
- I just hated the beginning premise and the commentary at the end. Like I enjoyed once we were in Hawaii, but how we got there? I just felt it was so unnecessary and if they'd named the book something else, it would've started differently and ended differently. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.

Overall: If you liked The Unhoneymooners, you'll like this addition. If you didn't like The Unhoneymooners, don't pick it up!

4.5/5 Stars (thanks to Sourcebook for sending me this physical copy!)

General Description: Nora Davis is the daughter of a nationally known serial killer known as the Handyman. Nora hasn't seen her father since she was 11. Now a surgeon, Nora's patients are starting to turn up dead and under the same MO as her father's. Who is targeting Nora and trying to get under her skin? Can Nora find out before the police take her in for good?

The good:
- Another quick read and kept me completely engaged.
- I feel like this concept and world was unique.
- You never know who to trust and it stays that way until the very very end, which kept my nose into this book until I got to the very end.
- I am constantly surprised by how much these books continue to surprise me. I just could not put this book down! something about Freida's writing style just speaks to me. 

The loss of a half-star:
I would say 75% of the plot twists landed for me. 25% did not. 

Overall: I will recommend Freida books as thrillers until I no longer review books.

4.5/5 Stars

General Description: Scarlett needs to escape her home and for years she's hoped to take her and her sister to the mystical Caraval. After seven years, Scarlett finally hears back from Legend, the organizer of Caraval, a game you can either watch or participate in for a fantastic prize. Scarlett, her sister Donnatella, and a new man to the island (Julian) find their way to Caraval, but they can't all stay together and they can't all win. What's real or not in Caraval, and can Scarlett figure it out to get everyone she cares about out alive?

The good:
- Such a quick read, completely engaging.
- I loved the world this was set it, I want to see it on a screen so badly.
- The whole mystery of it was fantastic.
- I really loved the amount of side character and the constant feeling of distrusting everyone in the game. It truly felt like I was in the game.

The loss of a half star:
- So much happens at the end, it was overwhelming as an audiobook for me personally. 

Overall: If you like fantasy with a good bit of mystery and action involved, this would be a great physical book pick but could overwhelm you audiobook wise. 

Note: This is the 2nd book in a trilogy, I feel like anything can be a spoiler even just reading a description of the book, so be wary of that!

General Description: After a harrowing escape, May Bird and her friends make their way up north to the Lady of the North Farm. However, it's not a straight shot to the farm. Can her and her friends make it there in one piece and what will they discover when they finally meet the mysterious Lady of the North Farm?

The good:
- I LOVED how much more we traveled in the Ever After. I felt like we were able to see so much more of the creative world Jodi created.
- Again, the side characters/trope that we are following are all wonderful.
- I like May Bird's own growth in this book more than her growth in the first book.
- I enjoyed seeing more of the villains in this book and the creatures that lurk in the night. 

The loss of a star:
- This book specifically feels like a book that was made to get us to book 3? It felt more rushed than I would have preferred it to be and it leads me to think this could have been a duology potentially. Just not my favorite way to split up a story.

Overall: If you liked book #1 in this series, I think you'd also like book #2