A very fun 365 day activity book that would show you how to take steps to romanticizing your life and finding joy in the little everyday activities! This was a seriously cute book and the activities and prompts were thoughtful and easy to follow. The book really does help you to see how you can romanticize your everyday daily life and it's a simply and fun activity book!

*Thanks Netgalley and Harper Celebrate for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Merged review:

A very fun 365 day activity book that would show you how to take steps to romanticizing your life and finding joy in the little everyday activities! This was a seriously cute book and the activities and prompts were thoughtful and easy to follow. The book really does help you to see how you can romanticize your everyday daily life and it's a simply and fun activity book!

*Thanks Netgalley and Harper Celebrate for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A writer with a deadline and a crazy writer’s block and a recently divorced cook looking for a job literally run into each other and thus begins our holiday romance. The story follows writer Matt who has a hit television show (think of something along the lines of Game of Thrones, and exactly along the lines of how George R.R. Martin is workshopping the ending of his series and how the show writers wrote their own ending) and how he’s struggling to wrap up his book series all the while making the showrunners happy. Then comes Dani, a recently divorced mom who’s broke and out of a job since her ex bankrupted them. Matt needs a cook and house cleaner, and Dani needs a job, and so after running into each other, and a few opportunities, they find themselves together again. The story is a fun holiday romance and I really enjoyed reading from both Dani and Matt’s POV. The added edition of the holiday was such a fun touch and I think this would make a great holiday read! So grab a cup of hot chocolate, some cookies, and crack open this fun book!

*Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Merged review:

A writer with a deadline and a crazy writer’s block and a recently divorced cook looking for a job literally run into each other and thus begins our holiday romance. The story follows writer Matt who has a hit television show (think of something along the lines of Game of Thrones, and exactly along the lines of how George R.R. Martin is workshopping the ending of his series and how the show writers wrote their own ending) and how he’s struggling to wrap up his book series all the while making the showrunners happy. Then comes Dani, a recently divorced mom who’s broke and out of a job since her ex bankrupted them. Matt needs a cook and house cleaner, and Dani needs a job, and so after running into each other, and a few opportunities, they find themselves together again. The story is a fun holiday romance and I really enjoyed reading from both Dani and Matt’s POV. The added edition of the holiday was such a fun touch and I think this would make a great holiday read! So grab a cup of hot chocolate, some cookies, and crack open this fun book!

*Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Vampire motorcycle club, evil warlocks, and a mysterious woman with glowing skin.... what fun awaits! The story revolves around Bane, a 300+ vampire who runs a motorcycle club, who runs into the mysterious doctor Ryan who’s skin is positively glowing and for some strange reason he can’t compel her. Add crazy murderous warlocks on the loose and a dying friend who is being turned into a vampire... and all hell ensues. Bane can’t seem to get Ryan out of his head and decides: hey, why not just bring her along? The chemistry and dynamic between the two characters is really fun and I liked that you could read from both character’s perspectives. The story was fun and filled with action. The stakes were high and honestly, I loved reading it! I loved all the side characters and can’t wait to read the next book in this series!!!

*Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for sending me an arc!*

This was as if you took Jennifer’s Body and the Coldest Girl in Coldtown and mixed it together, but amped up the campiness and toned down the action and it definitely has a younger vibe to it. Sadly for me, this did not turn out how I was hoping it would. The story revolves around Tansy ( a witch), her crush Vaughn ( recently broken up with his gf), and Skyler ( recently dumped, party crazy, and in a new relationship). Skyler makes Tansy go to a party to meet Skyler’s new boyfriend’s band, and things take a turn for the worst when he and his bandmates turn out to be vampires and take a bite out of her and Tansy. From there, it’s a road trip story about Tansy trying to rescue Skyler while dealing with her crush on Vaughn. The characters acted, and felt very young, even though they were in high school, and the plot seemed to drag on for a bit. The one thing I have to say that slightly irritated me while reading this was that Tansy wasn’t dealing with the very high stakes situation she was in, in a really smart way, she acted like she’s a badass while in actuality, not so much. I didn’t really care for the romance between Vaughn and Tansy and it gave me more of a lukewarm feeling. The entire 90% of the book Tansy is going on and on about how she has to save Skyler, but she’s given various opportunities to do so and could have done a better job doing so... and there are added characters that don’t exactly affect the story and just show up ( I’m looking at you Rose and Thorn). The danger is prominent in the story and whats being done to these girls is horrifying, being controlled, either being drained of blood or killed off, having no choice or control over their bodies and what is being done to them, it was really hard to read, and yet the way Tansy just has zero game plan or anything to save these girls just felt wrong. The last 10% is when she suddenly just goes all out and things miraculously work out for her.This book has all the things I normally love: vampires, romance, evil boy bands, rescuing friend missions.... and yet it just did not work for me. I was just happy to have finished and then realized this was going to be a series and there is more to come in this story and I don’t really know if I actually want to know more.

*Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

What happens when you get “the spark” but the person you have it with is already taken? The story revolves around Jess and Sam who meet at a party, things start off rocky as Sam leads her on throughout the party and at the end he tells her “ oh yeah, I have a girlfriend, let’s be friends.” Cue a few awkward encounters, and then Sam is single and starts dating Jess. Thus begins their very rocky relationship as Sam’s ex Vic has made it her mission to stalk Jess, ruin their dates, and be a general psycho. Jess is feeling absolutely guilty since growing up her own father left her mother for another woman and now Jess feels like she’s the “other woman” in her relationship with Sam. Sam’s family is convinced that Jess is just a phase and that Sam will get back with Vic and just instantly hate and mistreat Jess. Now my biggest issue with this story was Sam. Sam who constantly goes off to comfort his ex and who doesn’t set clear boundaries with his family and ex about how he has moved on and is in a new relationship. Sam was the weakest link in the story for me. I didn’t like him from the get go, and I initially didn’t like Jess either, but she grew on me by the end of the book. All in all, I just didn’t see what Jess saw in Sam, and I just couldn’t find “the spark” in this romance. However, this was a fast and easy read, and if you enjoy really easy romances, I guess that could work for you.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Merged review:

What happens when you get “the spark” but the person you have it with is already taken? The story revolves around Jess and Sam who meet at a party, things start off rocky as Sam leads her on throughout the party and at the end he tells her “ oh yeah, I have a girlfriend, let’s be friends.” Cue a few awkward encounters, and then Sam is single and starts dating Jess. Thus begins their very rocky relationship as Sam’s ex Vic has made it her mission to stalk Jess, ruin their dates, and be a general psycho. Jess is feeling absolutely guilty since growing up her own father left her mother for another woman and now Jess feels like she’s the “other woman” in her relationship with Sam. Sam’s family is convinced that Jess is just a phase and that Sam will get back with Vic and just instantly hate and mistreat Jess. Now my biggest issue with this story was Sam. Sam who constantly goes off to comfort his ex and who doesn’t set clear boundaries with his family and ex about how he has moved on and is in a new relationship. Sam was the weakest link in the story for me. I didn’t like him from the get go, and I initially didn’t like Jess either, but she grew on me by the end of the book. All in all, I just didn’t see what Jess saw in Sam, and I just couldn’t find “the spark” in this romance. However, this was a fast and easy read, and if you enjoy really easy romances, I guess that could work for you.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

He's a math teacher and she's the head of a mafia family... he needed a date for a wedding and she needed a husband... and after one teacher meeting their lives are both entwined. Vanessa Morelli is the eldest Morelli daughter and has inherited her family's crime business. She's both the CEO of the Morelli Construction and the Morelli Crime Family... but after her father's death there's been pressure for her to get married and make a heir. Vanessa doesn't want to marry just anyone, she wants a partner, someone she could love.... and when she agrees to sub in for her sister at her sister's parent teacher conference she meets Nate. Nate is a goofy charming math teacher who isn't afraid to talk back to Vanessa (well that was before he knew she saw her kill two dudes). What was suppose to be a cute date ends up with two dead bodies and people now gunning after Nate since they think he might be a possible suitor for Vanessa. Vanessa has to keep Nate alive and try and get some of her less savory suitors to back off. Nate and Vanessa come up with a new deal: he helps her vet her potential husbands and she protects him while he lives with her for the summer. But as sparks begin to fly maybe the perfect husband for Vanessa is the one living with her right now... if only he could convince her that he could fit into her world. Looking for a fun rom com with a amazing protagonist who definitely isn't afraid to protect the people she lives and a soft love interest? If you loved rom coms like Ghosted, Hitman, Mr and Mrs. Smith, absolutely give this book a go. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens to the next Morelli sister! It was a really cute read and I loved the dynamic between Vanessa and Nate so much, she's tough but sweet and he's soft but dependable. It's a cute read and one I'd absolutely recommend!

Release Date: September 26,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Happily Booked for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

When your father dies and you suddenly find yourself inheriting a throne... and only have one month to figure out your magic before your coronation and hopefully surviving until then. MJ Rodriguez has spent her life living in hiding in the human world, she is half-encanto and the only child of King Vivencio of the Sirena Court. She is the rightful heir to the throne and when her father suddenly dies she is pulled back into the world of Biringan. She has to figure out her magic (something that she should have known by now) and only has one month to do so before her coronation... and that also means she has to go to royal magic school and deal with politics as well as trying to figure out the murder mystery surrounding her father's death. With everyone out for the throne and her place being challenged, she'll have to forge alliances and friendships to survive. She finds herself striking up an alliance with Sir Lucas of Sigbin Court, a boy surrounded in mystery and who has found a way to win her heart, and Nix, her newfound friend. This book was suppose to be young adult and MJ is around 17-18 but she read and felt as if she were 14-15. The story itself felt on the younger end of the spectrum, along the lines of Descendants (Disney). Unlike Descendants however, this one did not work for me. MJ has to find her magic in a month but doesn't really work towards trying to find it at all and it just ends up being there in the lat 10%of the book. The book hits all the tropes of : royal magic school, she's not like everyone else, mysterious boy who falls for her, mean pretty girl who is her enemy. Honestly it felt like Descendants without any of the charm or actual moving plot of Descendants. I really wanted to like this because I am always about supporting AAPI stories and characters, and I think this one was just too young for me. This is the first book in a duet and definitely ends with a cliffhanger. I think if you are a young reader around 12-14 and like Filipino mythology, this would be a perfect read for you.

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

In a world where only the lucky few people are gifted enough to summon phantoms (or beings they can call up to fight for them kind of like the familiars in The Golden Compass), a scribe who was raised to believe she didn’t have one embarks on her first journey and slowly starts unraveling her abilities. The story has two main plots, and has multiple points of views, but the overall main POVS are Marcus, the Heir who just got his phantom, and Ash, his best friend and scribe who was raised to believe she never had a phantom. Childhood best friends are then thrust on a journey with a few other friends and a very mysterious and dangerous but flirtatious sailor (who’s quite taken with Ash). The first plot line involves Marcus and his quest to prove himself to being the next Heir and completing training with his phantom. The second plot line involves Ash trying to understand why she can suddenly speak and control phantoms and why she has always had a voice in her head talking to her. Both of them are trying to learn to control their new abilities against the backdrop of war, assassins, and various deceptions. Also there is a side plot that isn’t really in the forefront as I think the author is teasing it for a bigger arc in the second book involving the Mar (sea people) wanting to kill Marcus & Crew, a corrupt villain named Tann who is trying to take over. Overall I did like the magic system in this book and I had fun with the plot. The pacing is a bit different and seeing as its definitely only just the beginning of the series I do look forward to how the story continues. My favorite part of the book would have to be the fun moments between Ash and Kaylin, Ash was a great protagonist and her inner voice was fun to read.

*Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Two exes with a complicated history and the job opportunity of a lifetime. Piper Bellini is a voice actor who has been struggling to get a job, it’s been her dream to finally make it. When her mom is pregnant with another child Piper comes home to help her family. Being home comes with its complications though, namely an extremely hot firefighter ex boyfriend named Sam O’Shea. Sam and Piper had a horrible breakup with Sam thinking that two weeks before prom Piper had suddenly dumped him with no explanation and so he does what the only thing he can do to not feel hurt, he kisses her friend. Piper thought she was holding him back and asked for time, to go on a break, but apparently to Sam that meant breaking up, and the next thing she knows she finds him in a foggy car half naked kissing her friend when she goes to pick up her brother. That was years ago, and they both are still reeling from that disastrous event. Sam and Piper loved each other, though they never really said it, they’ve known each other almost all their lives and Sam is Piper’s brother Caleb’s best friend. Piper feels horrible about destroying the friendship between her brother and Sam despite not disliking Sam. But when she comes home she discovers that Sam and Caleb have reconciled and are still friends and that she’s the only one whose been left out of the loop. Sam wants to win back her trust so that he can maintain a friendship with her brother and because he is now running for mayor and wants her mother’s support for his campaign. When Piper is given the opportunity to get her dream job she can’t believe it, the only hiccup is that it’s a two person job and she needs a male partner to be the voice actor opposite hers... and its to read steamy lines for an erotic romance. Sam see’s this as the perfect chance to win back Piper’s trust and get her to ask her mom to endorse his campaign and Piper desperately needs Sam to help her win her dream job. They two strike a deal but then find themselves trapped together with unresolved feelings from the past and the same chemistry building between them as they read erotic lines to each other in a tiny studio... can they find romance a second time or will it end disastrously just like the first time? This was a pretty cute second chance romance story. Piper and Sam both have difficulty expressing their feelings for each other, Piper tends to over think and make decisions for others without telling them and Sam tends to focus on things that make him feel like he’s not as guilty and that he won’t have to truly face his feelings for her. Piper would rather hold back her feelings until they choke her then show them because she’s afraid. They both have problems expressing themselves but they both truly love each other. It was a cute and sweet read and I loved the one bed trope and the best friend’s sibling trope in this!

*Thanks Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Embrace for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Merged review:

Two exes with a complicated history and the job opportunity of a lifetime. Piper Bellini is a voice actor who has been struggling to get a job, it’s been her dream to finally make it. When her mom is pregnant with another child Piper comes home to help her family. Being home comes with its complications though, namely an extremely hot firefighter ex boyfriend named Sam O’Shea. Sam and Piper had a horrible breakup with Sam thinking that two weeks before prom Piper had suddenly dumped him with no explanation and so he does what the only thing he can do to not feel hurt, he kisses her friend. Piper thought she was holding him back and asked for time, to go on a break, but apparently to Sam that meant breaking up, and the next thing she knows she finds him in a foggy car half naked kissing her friend when she goes to pick up her brother. That was years ago, and they both are still reeling from that disastrous event. Sam and Piper loved each other, though they never really said it, they’ve known each other almost all their lives and Sam is Piper’s brother Caleb’s best friend. Piper feels horrible about destroying the friendship between her brother and Sam despite not disliking Sam. But when she comes home she discovers that Sam and Caleb have reconciled and are still friends and that she’s the only one whose been left out of the loop. Sam wants to win back her trust so that he can maintain a friendship with her brother and because he is now running for mayor and wants her mother’s support for his campaign. When Piper is given the opportunity to get her dream job she can’t believe it, the only hiccup is that it’s a two person job and she needs a male partner to be the voice actor opposite hers... and its to read steamy lines for an erotic romance. Sam see’s this as the perfect chance to win back Piper’s trust and get her to ask her mom to endorse his campaign and Piper desperately needs Sam to help her win her dream job. They two strike a deal but then find themselves trapped together with unresolved feelings from the past and the same chemistry building between them as they read erotic lines to each other in a tiny studio... can they find romance a second time or will it end disastrously just like the first time? This was a pretty cute second chance romance story. Piper and Sam both have difficulty expressing their feelings for each other, Piper tends to over think and make decisions for others without telling them and Sam tends to focus on things that make him feel like he’s not as guilty and that he won’t have to truly face his feelings for her. Piper would rather hold back her feelings until they choke her then show them because she’s afraid. They both have problems expressing themselves but they both truly love each other. It was a cute and sweet read and I loved the one bed trope and the best friend’s sibling trope in this!

*Thanks Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Embrace for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

One girl, 5 other personalities... Elle is starting over at a new school and with her is 5 other personalities that she doesn’t know she has. Her friends are finding that she starts acting strange and soon Elle and her new friends realize that theres more than one Elle! This was a beautifully illustrated comic, the artwork is just stunning! This is the start of a fun mystery story and I can’t wait to see where the rest of this story goes!

*Thanks Netgalley and Europe Comics for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*