I didn’t know this was a Great Gatsby vibed/retelling. I was more interested in the witchy vibes. I do think that she got the mix of vibes down really well. Sadly, I was a bit disappointed in this one.

I loved the aspect of a witch finding out about her heritage and reconnecting with her best friend? I just didn’t really get that here. Annie goes to Crow Island but she finds a lot more than she bargained for. There is something going on and she gets thrust in the middle. Now, there’s a lot of history with Annie and Beatrice and I really wish she would have explored that. We get little tidbits here and there but it didn’t really do anything for me. I just didn’t really love their relationship or understand it. It could be because Bea annoyed me to no end. I did not like her character at all and it could be why I didn’t get their relationship.

I think the worst part of this book for me is that it is very slow. I had such a hard tie getting into this book that it took me over a week to finish. I was really close to DNF’ing this book several times. I kept with it and when I hit 60% I got sucked into the story. The plot takes so long to progress and I’m not sure if it was trying to give off a mystery vibe but it was too slow. Once things finally pick up it was very interesting. I couldn’t put it down because I had to know what would happen next. It was also a bit on the creepy side so don’t read this at night! haha.

Isabella and Nathan were my favorite things about this book. They were very strong supporting characters and loved when they were present. I was also a bit sad about the romance because I don’t feel like it got there. It was a slow burn but kind of not. I know, confusing. It wasn’t believable because they barely knew each other but in love with each other. We definitely needed more development there. There are times that they talk about the magical connection but I need so much more than that in a romance. It was a bit confusing and I don’t know that we really get clarity on that.

Overall, I’m sad that this was disappointing. I know a lot of people are really excited about it and have enjoyed it. I’m so bummed that I’m not one of those people. I do think it will be enjoyable for many but just know that there are a lot of triggering subjects (murder & others that are spoiler-y) so look those up before jumping in.

Thank you Orbit & Netgalley for providing me with a copy for review! Receiving a copy for free has not influenced my opinions 

 

I can’t remember where I saw this but I remember I couldn’t wait to jump in. It finally became available at the library and it was the perfect timing. It is my first book by this author but it will not be the last.

I have been reading a lot of fantasy lately and really need a break. I was pleasantly surprised by this book! It was sweet, funny, heart-wrenching, and heartwarming.

The fact that an uncle has to take care of his niece and nephew because of a death and rehab, is rough. Patrick is kind of stuck and in limbo. He’s sure that he will not take the kids but of course, changes his mind. He was so funny. I remember laughing a lot throughout this book. There are some times that it felt like he was trying too hard to crack a joke though. Anyways, as we continue, we learn about his grief from the past and present. He’s trying to help the children with their grief and ends up helping himself too. It’s such a beautiful character arch that really was touching.

Patrick, Grand, and Maisie were just delightful together. They ended up having such a beautiful relationship. Patrick learned so much from them and it’s amazing how kids can have such huge impacts. The rules that he comes up with are hilarious but actually very applicable to life.

This book was so much more than I thought it would be. I figured it would be just a fun story but we get so much deeper. There are a lot of different struggles that Patrick has to face and it was done very well. I loved all the characters so much. Even his uptight sister, Clara. Haha. I think that JED, his neighbors, were some of my favorites though.

I really enjoyed this book and really loved the laugh-out-loud moments! I do wish the ending would have been a bit more fleshed out and not wrapped up so quickly. I needed to know what happened to his agent, haha! She was awesome and can we get a spin-off?? If you are looking for a heartwarming, wholesome story that will make you laugh, pick this up! 

 A book about gods, magic, and noble heirs forming an alliance to save a city?! Sign me up! This book was one that I was really excited about. There are some things that I didn’t love but by the end of the book, I was extremely pleased.

From the very beginning, this book hooked me into the magical, dark, and secretive world. There’s a very unique premise and the world-building was interesting and done well. The aspect of having four noble houses with their own magic and responsibilities was really great. We get all kinds of magic from shades, elementals, necromancers, and magic with the Light. Just a heads up that there are some really brutal and gory parts.

The heirs were such a diverse group of characters. They are all trying to work together yet trying to find out who they are and what their magic can do. Some of them were much darker and more evil than others. I enjoyed getting to know more about their magic and relationships. Taesia was definitely one of my favorites! She’s such a strong person but her character arc is intense and really good. Nik is kind of the puppy of the group. His Light magic really fits him because he’s such the peacekeeper. Risha is really cool and her powers were insanely awesome. Angelica was one that I didn’t love at first but by the end, I did. You get to know so much about these characters and their family dynamics. Tara Sim really did a great job writing these characters and fleshing out their characters really well.

This book was too long and the pacing was a bit rough. It just dragged so much before the plot actually took off. I understand there’s a ton of world-building and introductions to all the houses and politics but it was a lot. There were so many POVs that it took a while to get names and things down. Once we got past the halfway point this book exploded though. There was so much action and a lot of twists and turns. I had such a hard time stopping. The ending is full of action and chaos, it was entertaining!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and thought it was very unique! This is a dark and brutal world with a lot of dark magic. At the same time, we have a diverse cast of characters, you can’t help but root for them. I hope that in book two the pacing is better.

*Many thanks to Orbit for providing me with a Netgalley arc for review. All thoughts/opinions are my own and in no way influenced.* 

 I buddy read this with Dini and Julie and it was a blast! It was our first trio buddy read and not our last. We all rated this the same, I think? The buddy read aspect always helps me enjoy a book more! I can see why this book has a lot of hype. The enemies to lovers, romance is stellar. It does take a while to get there but it is agonizing. There are a lot of intense moments in this book that I was not expecting. The ending is WOW! I did find some issues that I could be nitpicky about but I really enjoyed my time with it and we are going with that. Weare picking up book 2 next month and I cannot wait!! 

 I’m really enjoying this series. I think I would have loved it a lot more back in my young YA vampire days. haha. I think we spend too much time traveling and not enough time in the action. I don’t think it really falls into the sequel slump but it’s a bit slower than the first book. We really do take a lot of time to get to know the characters, which I loved. Jackal was a fun addition and really kept this book entertaining without going too dark. I love how Alli is constantly battling to keep a hold of her humanity. She really shows the struggle and how easy it is to cross that line. I really love Kanin! He’s the calm to all the crazy, haha. The ending of this book is epic and I can’t wait to jump into book three. 

 

Well here goes an attempt to review a book that I adored and loved. I’m sure that I will not do it justice. I want to thank Dini for recommending this to me to pick me back up after, A Little Life. It was the perfect book to lift my spirits and bring the biggest smile to my face.

Is this going to be one of my favorite fantasy books of the year? Maybe so. It’s not your longest book and it’s actually perfect that way. I devoured it in two days. If I didn’t have a kid it would have been in one sitting. There are so many cozy vibes, magic, coffee, friendship, and baked goods. Oh my, Baldree does such an amazing job with his descriptions, I felt like I could smell the coffee and treats. You will be hungry while reading this.

Viv wants a fresh start. She’s got some magic up her sleeve and wants to open up a coffee shop. No one knows of it but she’s determined to make it work. Along the way, she meets all sorts of people that help her along the way. I cannot even tell you how much I adored these friendships. They are so pure and wholesome. The romance is very slow and subtle but so sweet.

There are a few intense moments when her past catches up to her. If anything, we get to meet more characters that we can love. This book is short and I’ve become so attached to these characters. It shows how great the writing is.

Overall, I loved this and I felt like I was being hugged by the time I finished. Yes, this book is so cozy and heartwarming. The message is important and I love how the friendships shine in this book. Guys, friendships are really important and remember that it’s quality, not quantity. I highly recommend this book! If you pick this up you will not be disappointed! Also- Kindle Unlimited but I want to own a copy.  I cannot wait to see what Baldree does next! 

 

This was a book I was really excited for. It sounded amazing and what could be better than twins and magic?! I did not know this was a retelling of The Princess and the Pauper, which I do not know the story all that well. There was so much potential, and this book started out so strong, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me.

The dual POV (Rani and Ria) chapters were done so well. I was reading so fast because there was so much going on with both sides of the story. I flew through the first 350 pages and because I couldn’t put it down. I really liked the love interests in this book, but I didn’t love the actual romances. They felt too forced and we didn’t have enough time to explore each relationship. This book was meaty but there was a lot going on. Sometimes there was too much going on and things didn’t get fleshed out, as much as I would like. The plot was really fun though and there’s a lot of action and really cool supporting characters, who I do want to get to know more in the next book.

Rani and Ria have a lot of growth in this book, which was so great to see. The thing is, I really wanted more of the sister relationship in this book. We don’t get much of that in this book and I was really wanting more. I loved the culture representation in this book. It was great and really enjoyable to read about.

Where this book came apart for me was the ending. The last 100 pages of this book were a bit hard to get through and it just ended up way too pretty and convenient. I didn’t get that punch of YES!! I was left disappointed, and a bit confused on how such a strong 2/3’s of the book ended up that way. I kind of started skimming and just rolling my eyes and sighing a lot. It almost felt unreal and it’s where it lost me. It might be that it is geared to a younger audience, but it didn’t sit well with me.

Overall, I did like this book, and it was a really fast paced read. There’s a lot of awesome culture and the magic is definitely unique. I will take a moment to say that if you don’t like snakes, you might want to stay away from this one. I decided to read this one as my “nighttime” book and that was a mistake! haha! Anyways, I would have rated this a bit higher if it wasn’t for the last hundred pages or so of the book. I am not sure if I will pick up the next book. I might be curious enough to do so. 

 

I’m giving the series as a whole 4.5 stars. There were some novellas that I gave 4 stars and most 5 stars. I’m going to just go in the middle and do 4.5.

I have to start by saying that these covers suck. They do not match what’s inside. If you look at it you think that it’s just smut. Don’t get me wrong… there’s some spice but this is about so much more than what these covers show. This is twisted, dark, and insane. haha, I’m not sure what this says about me but I loved it. It’s brilliant to have a serial killer get involved with an FBI agent that is looking for her. This is a dark romance and it is brutal. I highly recommend checking out the TW on Goodreads before picking this up. There’s a lot of murder and a lot of graphic details. These are all novella length so it’s extremely easy to just binge all 5 of these books.

The title of this series is actually pretty spot on. I feel the same way after reading this series. How on earth did I get through that and love it? haha. It’s amazing to learn her story and then you start to wonder, is she wrong? I mean obviously but maybe not? See? Mindf*ck! The plot is always moving because there are a lot of twists and actions. There are many predictable elements but it didn’t take away from being enjoyable.

The characters in this book are amazing. Hadley and Jake were awesome supporting characters. I am always in awe of hackers and how they can take over the world. But, they added so much to the overall main character’s development. Even some of the characters that have less time were so good. I’m trying so hard not to spoil anything.

Overall, this was so enjoyable and definitely an insane time. I’m so glad that a blogger (Dini) I trusted recommended it because I don’t know I would have ever picked it up with those covers. If you want a fast-paced, action-packed book then give this a go. Just remember to check out the trigger warnings and content because it’s dark.

Why was this so hard for me to review?! haha