NOT TOO SHABBY.

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Eek. It’s a standalone fantasy series. This is my struggle bus. I like more full blown epics and not a fantasy love story shoved into one book. They’re hit or miss and this one landed somewhere in between.

I enjoyed the general world building and magic system. The dynamics were good and easy to follow, even in audiobook format. I especially loved the sister bonds here!! The support and caring between all three of them was incredible. I liked that the Dad was evil-ish but not to his girls? There’s great aspects in those points.

The main character didn’t do much for me. She spent most of the book ALMOST doing things, but then talking herself out of them. At the end she finally picked up her magic and did something with it (which led to a lackluster villain expiration but that’s another story).

Romance wise, it was sweet. I thought there was a pretty good burn. It’s got some banter and a little bit of misplaced opinions about each other that unravel when they finally get a chance to talk to one another. I liked that they worked together. I don’t know, I just needed more from this in many places.

Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy Romance
- Language: some
- Romance: brief open door
- Violence: mild
- Trigger/Content Warnings: domestic abuse, magical possession resulting in self harm 

Full review to come!

This was a sweet novella! Nothing fancy, but a nice quick read.

Oh wow does Emma St. Clair never disappoint.

Let’s run a small list of things you can find in The Bluff:

I love the way these closed door romances are written. They are sizzling while keeping the spice away. Another reason to give these types of romances a chance.

I absolutely LOVED Winnie and James. There banter was perfect. The chemistry, off the charts. And the raw way they learned to speak to one another made my heart want to burst. An undeniable connection (but with out being insta-love) from the beginning, I could NOT get enough of these two. Gimme more.

The plot moved steadily and it was filled with plenty of forced proximity, but also, necessary time apart. I liked the character growth on both sides (but especially James). I’m obsessed with anything St. Clair writes and this was another hit. My current fav of this series.

 

EXHAUSTING.

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I adored this author’s first book and have been very excited to read book two. Unfortunately, this book left me feeling nothing but exhausted.

I was exhausted with the hateful parents (that we didn’t even get an ending or some kind of wrap up with??). A lot of this book was spent fighting. Over everything. And I thought the focus could have been a bit broader so character growth on all sides could be found.

Aaaand the romance. D*ickhead is not a term of endearment. I will not be accepting other opinions at this time. Full stop. I’ve overlooked smarta** in some books that have used it sparingly as endearing, buuut I can not even with d*ckhead. What started off as a name used when Mina and Emmitt get off on the wrong foot somehow turned into a “charming” word and I cringed every time I heard it. AND SHE WAS SO MEAN. That’s not how enemies/rivals/whatever to lovers is supposed to go.

It’s fast paced and they’re some good conversations about culture, expectations and passions. The small pieces in there kept this rating at a three star. I needed so much more from this than I was given and I too tired to continue.

Overall audience notes:
- YA Contemporary Romance
- Language: strong
- Romance: kisses
- Trigger/Content Warnings: emotional parental abuse, depression, grief/loss depiction, death of a father mentioned 

I held off on picking this one up as long as I could. Unpopular opinions flying out ya, you’ve been warned.

Nothing happens in this entire series for 90% of these books. The last 10% gets a bit wild, you feel called to pick up the next, but it’s the same dang cycle. Auren spent most of this particular installment wandering around a castle looking for an old guard who I didn’t know she cared so much about?? I must be feeling cold-hearted, but I needed way more than that. Castle wandering is BORING. BO-RING.

I did like some stuff; namely Rip. The romantic development was good. Plenty of swoony conversations when Rip shows his feelings and his alpha nature is *chef’s kiss*. The steam was wayyy past my limits, but there wasn’t much of it (considering 700 pages) and is easy to skip by. If there had been even more just general interaction between Rip and Auren that would have raised this book.

At last, Auren finally used her power. So the ending was interesting and expected. I wasn’t flipping out (as I was told would happen) but I am genuinely curious how there’s supposed to be a book four? I’m sure there’s more wandering to be had. One can hope that Auren really does something next round.

 

NOT A BAD START.

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I guess I must not have realized this was an adult fantasy? Which was totally fine, but the set-up was definitely different.

Starting out with the character at a young age, following her through an academy and then seeing what she does after can feel a bit long winded, and it did here. I don’t need to see every facet of the growing up phases, lets get into the action and move the plot from there.

I did find it to be a very easy listen (audiobook was great!). The world building made sense and I understood enough of the magic system to not feel lost as the pages turned. It’s an interesting set-up with evil forest spirits and the like, clearly something bigger is happening with them and I look forward to exploring that more.

While the character arc for Daleina is in progress, I did like where this book took her. Some of the other side characters like Ven grew on me too. What didn’t work was the romantic sub-plots. I’m fine with them being sub, but it felt haphazardly thrown together and when Daleina kissed someone I had to listen to it three times to make sure I figured out what was happening.

A good start to an older series, I do have plans to continue with the next book! The ending was absolutely wild and I didn’t mind the gruesomeness of it all.

Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy
- Language: some
- Romance: closed door
- Violence: high
- Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, descriptive explanations of loss of life, very bloody/gory, battle themes 

A great novella. I'm a sucker for anything with mermaids!

ADORED.

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I technically would give this four stars, BUT GOSH DANG I enjoyed the heck out of this read y’all. I did. It was exactly what I needed to pull me out of a few books I didn’t love as much. I beg of y’all to give this a chance, it deserves it.

Why four stars? Part of the plot felt repetitive in nature. Go over here, get captured, be rescued, move on. That was the base of the story, BUT, there’s also enough else happening that I overlooked it. Once again, for pure enjoyment purposes.

Monsters and mobsters?? Oh so clever a setting. I loved the 1920’s speakeasy vibes and the clothes, the perfectly used pet names (doll? SWOON) and more. Undercover agents turned monsters?! All the urban fantasy things I struggle with absolutely captivated me here.

And the romance was sweet. It was a slow burn that grew on me. I liked how Colt had a lot of personal growth, trying to move past childhood trauma. Eris was easy to love and intensely compassionate. Both are characters to cheer for as they attempt to escape their forced upon fate.

Intense action, swoony kisses, all the monsters.

Read it.

Overall audience notes:
- Historical + Urban Fantasy Romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: make-outs
- Violence: high
- Trigger/Content Warnings: medical experimentation on children, loss of life, explosions, torture, kidnapping, gun violence 

 ADORBS.

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Jenny Proctor is an auto-read author y’all. She has cemented this for me and I am HERE FOR IT.

I adored this sweet friends to lovers. It got off to a slow start with not enough page time between Kate and Brody. And I also wasn’t loving the way Kate was treating Brody. It didn’t come off as intentional, but I do wish she was more cognizant of her use of Brody.

BUT ENTER CHARACTER GROWTH. My favorite thing to look for in my reads. Kate gave me just what I needed. I loved that the third act “break-up” was more of a very needed introspection on both parties. Brody’s brother’s were fantastic about talking to him and Kate got the story she truly needed from her Dad to make big decisions in her life. It worked.

Plus the second half was filled with so much more sizzling chemistry between these two that I was swooning plenty. I love that this felt intense but remained very much closed door (both can be done folks!). Love the writing, love the story, I hope to get the other brother’s next!!!

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: make-outs
- Trigger/Content Warnings: difficult parent relationships, divorce