One boy, stuck between the boy who represented his present and the boy who was his past. Alter Rosen has moved to Chicago in hopes of achieving the dream and building a life for himself and making enough money to bring his family over from Romania. However, one day Alter’s best friend Yakov mysteriously disappears and is found dead the next day. Alter cannot believe it and investigates the body... but soon finds strange things happening to him including visions and feeling as if he is losing control. But than a boy from his past, a boy who means more to him than anything reappears again and they find themselves intertwined once again. Frankie was the boy Alter ran from, but he is also the boy who makes him feel more than anything else. Alter realizes that he is being possessed by Yakov’s dybbuk and if he doesn’t find someway to find peace for Yakov he will die too. Now Frankie and Alter must find out who killed Yakov as well as many other jewish boys who have been dying before time runs out for Alter and they must try and avoid having the killer claim them next. This was a really interesting story! I had fun reading it and getting into the atmosphere of the story. It takes place during the World Fair and the struggles that time of being a Jewish boy in a place that isn’t so accepting. The relationship between Alter and Frankie was sweet and their struggles were understandable. I absolutely adored Frankie! This was honestly such a good read, it mixes history with queer romance and a little bit of fantasy to create something quite memorable.

*Thanks Netgalley and Inkyard Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

An apothecarist, a prince with a hidden identity, and a kingdom on the brink of war due to a spreading fever that is killing everyone. Tessa Cade spends her nights with her best friend Wes stealing Moonflower petals in order to distribute the elixir to people who need it and cannot afford it. But this is still not enough as more people are still dying and fighting off the fever is harder and harder. Rumors of a rebelling are sparking as the King and the King’s Justice crack down on Moonflower distribution and upholding order. After a particularly cruel act from the King’s Justice, Tessa finds herself sneaking into the palace to confront the King and the King’s justice only to be caught... and have her entire world shattered as secrets become unraveled and she finds herself right in the middle of the war going on. This was such a unique Robin Hood Retelling and I absolutely loved it! The story is told from alternating points of view between Tess and Corrick (the King’s Justice). It is the first in the trilogy and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. I absolutely loved Corrick as a character, he went through so much and was struggling between protecting his brother, protecting the people, and finding some way to maintain order and do what was best for everyone. Tessa and Corrick were just amazing and I can’t wait to see where their journey goes next. This story really delves into the blurry lines of situations and how sometimes things aren’t as clear as you think and you have to take a moment and consider what is happening from someone else’s perspective.

Spoiler

I loved how Tess and Corrick work through their issues, especially how they regain trust and slowly fall for one another again. It was angsty, amazing, and everything I love , cuz I mean, friends to enemies to lovers? YES

Overall I definitely had a blast reading this and can’t wait to read the next book!

*Thanks Netgalley and Bloomsbury USA Children's Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Magic, power, and a competition to dictate who holds it all. Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each put forth a champion who compete in a tournament to the death. The winner’s family is in control of the high magick (the most powerful magic) until the next winner claims it. For the past few years the continuous winners were the Lowe family, known to be the most cruel, most murderous, and dangerous. This year Alistair Lowe is named, he is essentially known as the devil, yet maybe there is more to this boy than just the rumors. Other champions include Isobel Macaslan, Elionor Payne, Carbry Darrow, Finley Blair, Innes Thorburn, Gavin Grieves. The story is told from the alternative POVS of Alistair, Isobel, Gavin, and Brioney. When a book is released exposing this city’s competition, suddenly the government has gotten involved and now this competition is open to much more scrutiny than before. Each of the characters are different from each other and all their motivations vary. Alistair may see himself in the role of the monster, and despite his vicious nature, he is a boy steeped in grief and trauma and a deep love for his brother. Isobel is handpicked by her family, practically forced into this tournament when all she wanted was to live a normal life, to just live. Gavin is desperate to gain power, to put his family name back on the map, and to not be low man on the totem pole anymore. Briony is determined to save them all, she wants to break the curse of the tournament and find a way to protect her sister. With complicated family histories, feelings, this tournament will create alliances and bring forth betrayals as well, and in the end there can only be one winner. If you loved the hunger games then you will definitely love this. I absolutely fell in love with Alistair and can’t wait to read more about him in the next book. This was such a fun book to read and though I was expecting more villainy with a title like All of Us Villains, this was still a wonderful read!

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

Catalina has always been too much, too loud, too much of a disappointment, and too much to handle... so with nothing left she makes a deal with a demon, in exchange for money and riches beyond imagination she will give seven years of her life in service. What she didn’t realize was that she would be under the service of the Kraken King himself, Thane, a cold and rough ruler. Thane is still mourning the loss of his beloved husband who was killed. He only chose to take Catalina in order to help his kingdom, he never intended to fall in love with her, falling in love with her would be like a betrayal to his husband.... and yet he can’t stop thinking of the fiery and bratty Catalina. Catalina, who hides behind her smile and brattiness, a deep hurt, a deep want to be loved for herself. Both Catalina and Thane have their own scars and hurts, but maybe they are exactly what the other needs, if only they could overcome the pains of their past and embrace the new attraction. This is the second book in the series but can definitely be read as a standalone, though I would definitely recommend reading the entire series because ITS GREAT. This one really handles issues of grief, healing, insecurities, and overcoming emotional abuse. Catalina and Thane just work and fit together, they both are hurt in different ways and both understand that in order to build a relationship together they have to open up and communicate with one another. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!!

*Thank you Katee Roberts for sending me an arc!*

A dark contemporary romance inspired by the Helen of Troy and Trojan War Myths? SIGN ME UP. The sheltered beautiful daughter who is used to further enhance her father’s image has finally had enough. Lenny Primrose is a puppet, she is used by her father for his reputation and nothing else. Not even after a horrible and traumatic experience has left her shattered did her father help her, she has been shut out of society and forced to do what her family wants.. but ever since that incident that shattered her, Lenny has been practicing self defense and trying to find some semblance of peace... and then she meets the one person that would destroy her family... literally. Jonas Wolfe is a killer and he absolutely hates the Primrose family for their hand in his father’s death. What better way to get back at them then by getting close to the precious Primrose Princess... except what Jonas doesn’t take into account is that she is nothing he ever expected and that he might be the one falling for her. When Jonas catches Lenny covered in blood and with a dead body he is absolutely thrown off but he can’t seem to stop thinking about her. Lenny isn’t at all like what the public has said, she’s fierce, she’s artistic, and she’s bloodthirsty. Lenny wants nothing more than to escape her family, and the tipping point is when her father allows her abuser to come back into her life... and even opens the possibility of him marrying her, so what better way to get out of this situation than to propose a fake relationship with the one man her father fears? While Jonas and Lenny begin a fake relationship their past hurts and their own twisted romance begins to show and both of them begin to realize that there is nothing fake about what they feel. This was a fantastic read and I love that we get to see previous characters ( Kal and Elena, my favs) and I can’t wait to see where the next book goes ( we already get hints of it in this one). Lenny, my sweet sweet girl, how I absolutely adored her. Lenny is a survivor, she isn’t going to go down without a fight and I love that for her. Jonas was a bit twisted, but in the best way possible, and his love and care for Lenny were everything.

A dark contemporary romance inspired by the Apollo and Daphne myth? Yes Please. Cora Astor has always been willing to do whatever it takes to help those she loves... and when her brother once again comes to her asking for money and help she can’t help but say yes. Cora keeps wishing that her brother could change that maybe if she keeps believing in him and helping him he’ll change, but every single time it’s been the same. When he ask for money Cora barely has any so she steals from her workplace... and the one person who caught her is non other than Mayor Alistair Wolfe. The moment she walked into the room Alistair was intrigued, but watching her steal, now that caught his attention. Alistair is currently running a campaign, he’s meant to be tying up loose ends and keeping his business in tact... yet the moment a beautiful blue haired nymph appears before him he can’t help but give chase. After a seriously steamy first meeting, Cora applies for a new job for the Mayor... and it just so happens to be the stranger she hooked up with and he’s willing to do anything to keep her. Cora is desperately searching for her brother, even though everyone else believes he’s died and she needs money and resources to find him. Alistair on the other hand is searching for an old acquaintance who has been embezzling funds from his campaign and who could destroy his entire campaign. While working together the sparks between them flame but when Alistair’s ex gets into an accident with Cora, he moves her into his place to recover and to protect her. Yet the more she resists and runs the more he chases, they both have their own quests yet they can’t seem to stay away from each other. I really liked Alistair, he’s twisted, he acknowledges it, but he loves and cares for those around him. He’s willing to do anything and everything for them, just like Cora, except where Cora is a bit more naive and more forgiving Alistair is a bit more possessive and twisted. I loved their dynamic though, and I definitely adored Cora’s relationship with her dog Laurel ( not so much her brother Lucien). Overall, it was a really cute book and I can’t wait to what the author writes next!

Fresh from the recent betrayals and a clock ticking down, alliances destroyed and new ones being made, the surviving champions must now figure out who they can trust and if they can trust each other long enough to make it out alive or die trying to be the last one standing.

Alistair Lowe: Still reeling from Isobel’s betrayal and death curse, at least he has his brother back and has avenged him by killing his family. Alistair now is prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure his brother remains alive by the time the game ends and if that means destroying everyone, so be it. There’s only one small problem, Isobel’s curse has it so the more he tries to harm and curse other champions the more it will slowly consume him before it finally kills him. He’ll have to figure a way to kill the other contestants before his curse kills him and survive them as well. What he never expected was possibly trusting one of them again... and possibly falling for them. Alistair will have to face difficult choices: who can he trust, who can he open himself up to again, and how far of a monster is he willing to be to protect his brother even if he possibly can’t even save him?

Isobel Macaslan: After discovering the consequences of a spell her family gave her she is now official without a pulse, technically she is very much still alive but she is essentially just a husk of a person. Isobel needs a way to fix this as well as make it out alive. After betraying Alistair after he saved her she’s still feeling guilty, but she now finds herself in a new predicament, trapped by Reid she’ll have to find a way to expose the truth and save herself. The question is, how manipulative and far is she willing to go to get what she wants, how many more people is she willing to betray to get what she wants? Isobel knows one thing: she’ll do anything to make it out alive. But when the opportunity to save all the champions and break the curse appears... is she willing to place her trust in others or will she betray them all again?

Gavin Grieve: The one no one expected to live that has suddenly found his magic completely messed up. Gavin is under his own curse, a life magic curse that is a clock counting down before he dies. The only solution to his curse... would be stealing the new life given to Alistair’s brother... which means trying to make an alliance with the one enemy he has always dreamed about killing, about making an alliance with the one person he can’t help but obsess over yet the more Gavin gets to know Alistair the more he begins to realize that there is a boy underneath the mask of a monster and that he might be falling for him. Will he have it in himself to betray Alistair and his brother or is Gavin finally going to go after something he wants, to finally have something more and to finally be more.

Briony Thorburn: She was always meant to be the hero and she is willing to do anything and hurt everyone to be said hero... yet when she faces the reality of her decision and the cost of all her actions Briony is going to realize that sometimes being a hero means making the ultimate sacrifice. Can Briony break the curse and save all the champions or will it be too late and all of them are bound to die in the end? With an even bigger plot on hand Briony will have to face even more difficult decisions and realizations and dark truths about what is really going are revealed.

Finley Blair: ( he’s alive) truthfully he didn’t really make all that much of a lasting impact in this book, he was more of a side character who was always with Briony.

Reid MacTavish: The owner of the MacTavish Cursemaker’s Shop who finds himself thrust into a predicament he never imagined. Reid finds himself intertwined with Isobel and both of them are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want. When Reid’s secrets are revealed and he too finds himself intertwined in the games his goals have changed and he’ll have to find a way to make it out alive.

Secrets, romance, survival, and magic all come together in the stunning conclusion to this series. I have to say I was so happy with the Gavin and Alistair content we got, I was rooting for them the entire book and this book just gave me everything I could ask for in enemies to lovers romance.

*Thanks Tor Forge/ Tor Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

He is darkness, death, and the devil, he is known as the Shadow Man. She is light, the moon, and burning flames, he calls her flamma. He has been watching her in the shadows for years, killing anyone who even thinks about touching her. He protects her, yet in a world of demons and devils, he is the darkest of them all. He can’t feel things... except for when it comes to her, she makes him feel everything, she sparks the obsession in him, and she is his... and anyone who touches what is his will meet with complete annihilation. This is the fifth book in the series and a continuation of story, it follows Luna, the missing sister of Tristan Cane and Dainn, the man who has been watching over her as he plans to take down the Syndicate. Luna “Lyla” has been captured, tortured, and abused for years, yet the only thing keeping her hope alive is the Shadow Man... the man who protects her... yet as the years go on and he doesn’t answers her questions the more she begins to hate their twisted relationship... but things get more complicated and trust is tested... and somethings can never be forgiven. This is a story about survival, about healing, about obsession, about love, and I honest to god shed a tear over how stunning it was. I fell in love with Lyla and Dainn, their relationship was twisted and yet romantic as hell. The way they lean on one another, the way they fit together and care for the other was absolutely touching. There is only one more book left in the series and I cannot put into words how excited I am to see where this all goes. I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND THIS SERIES!! ( Seriously this might be one of my favorites yet, I might have to re-evaluate where I stand on my favorite couple now haha).
*Thank you Valentine PR and RuNyx for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

In a world where witches are meant to be kept a secret one witch finds herself as the tutor to three young children and living in a house with a very grumpy librarian. Mika Moon is a witch, she’s part of a society of witches and has been raised ( or rather, given nannies) all her life by the head witch Primrose. She’s been alone all her life, growing into her powers by herself, and has been posting “witch core” videos online just to share a little bit of her magic with others. No one was suppose to ever really think she was a witch but when she gets a message begging her to travel to a remote and mysterious place called the Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic, Mika can’t seem to pass up the opportunity. It breaks all the rules she was raised with but she just can’t seem to turn away. Upon arrival she finds that the house is strongly warded to be hidden, and that besides the three young children there, there is also an absent archaeologist ( The head owner of the house and the guardian of the three children), a retired actor, two long suffering caretakers, and Jamie, the handsome but grumpy and cold librarian. With three children who’s magic is barely controlled, mischievous matchmaking seniors, and a librarian who seems to not want her anywhere near the children or house, Mika has her work cut out for her. She is suppose to help the children learn to control their magic before the solicitor of the house comes to assess them and with a ticking clock Mika barely knows if she’ll make it in time. It doesn’t help that the grumpy librarian is slowly worming his way into her heart and that the children and people here are becoming more like family to her... yet they are hiding a secret that could break the trust and her heart... and she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to risk it all for this new found family she has or if they’ve hurt her too deeply for her to try again. This was such a sweet and heartwarming story about found family. Mika has been hurt and used, her trust has been broken, but she’s so kind and caring, and the children in this were just precious. Jamie took some growing on but you understand why he is the way he is. This is the perfect witchy rom com to read for autumn or winter, it’s cozy, romantic, and just so gosh darn sweet.