DINOSAURS, OH MY!

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Wow am I so happy I found this series! It’s pure entertainment for me (as a dinosaur fanatic) to get to read these. I love the dystopian-type setting and the exploration of Piloria.

Once again we have our two main characters, Lincoln and Stormchaser. I still liked them this time around. Though it looks like there might be some feelings there and I want more exploration of that. More exploration of all the characters interactions and musings. It’s a continual high stakes read with being chased by dinosaurs and surviving in the wild, that I’m realizing I’m not getting a lot of character connection.

I did see it come out towards the end and am so happy that it went the direction I was hoping. I think Strom and Lincoln both have some big decisions to make and it has amped up the finale. This series is overall an intriguing premise and I will practically read anything that involves dinosaurs.

Overall audience notes:
- Young adult dystopia
- Language: none
- Romance: none
- Violence: dinosaur attacks, endemic of a skin disease, physical/weapon attacks

Thank you the Berkley and Netgalley for an eARC. All opinions are my own!

AAAAAAPRIL.

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Someone please tell me they read that in Andy Dwyer’s voice?

After that brief intro, let me voice my thoughts on this book.

BECAUSE I LOOOOOOVED IT.

All I could want for Mitch and April’s storyline was in here. I have been waiting for this book since Well Met. It wrapped me up and filled me with so many emotions throughout. I finished it in a day because I was so enraptured by this love story.

I love that there was a deeper story for Mitch. I really got to see all of his layers pulled back and see the insecurities that he struggles with. Watching April stand up for him and be by his side brought all the warm fuzzies and fist pumps because I was behind her back saying YEAH TELL ‘EM. The united front brought on by fake-dating (YUP THAT TROPE Y’ALL!!!) gave way to the clear emotional pull between them. [And let’s face it, I’m a total sucker for the fact he wore a kilt for a good portion of this book.]

April frustrated me, but not in an overly annoying way. More of a, I get it, kind of way. She had to work through a lot of feelings. Coping with becoming an empty nester after being a single-mom, seeing her ex again and learning that plans change. And that all of that is okay. But that it’s also okay to have moments of pure doubt and freak out a little because change is scary. Even when I felt exasperated, I still sat in April’s corner cheering her on to her, much deserved, happy ending.

There’s many a trope abound in here. And I love a good mash-up. Fake-dating was already mentioned, but there’s also single bed, age gap, and more. I was wrapped up in all the Ren Fest related and this series always makes me want to pull out a corset and dive into the fray. I ADORED a moment that reminded me of a scene in Grease (and I’m sure many other books/movies, IYKYK because I don’t want to spoil). There was layer upon layer of story here that had me swooning, begging for reconciliation, and rallying for that final push to my favorite kind of HEA.

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: kisses to a few open door scenes
- Trigger/Content Warnings: divorce (husband abandons April), family tension/bullying, abandonment of a child (side character)

Two books in and I think I might love this more than the other series in this world. Such an enjoyable read!!

Full review to come.

STILL GOOD.

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This definitely felt like a filler book for a series. That was my only main issue with it. Since nothing plot wise really happens for a bit it was another summer with another problem. Problem was solved and that was it!

Now, the ending did leave a lot more open for book three. I think it will definitely pick up for the rest of the series.

I am still loving all of these characters and LOVE Percy & Annabeth. They are absolutely fantastic. I love that their youth shines through, but they are also bold, intelligent and really try to choose the best option. They are easy to enjoy and cheer on as they go through battle after battle.

I don’t really have much else to add, it was a good book. I definitely enjoyed it, just not a lot to expound on. I can’t wait to keep this going!

Overall audience notes:
- Middle grade/Young adult fantasy + mythology
- Language: none
- Romance: none
- Violence: physical, swords, magical

FOUND A NEW COZY SERIES.

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This was a friend recommendation that did not disappoint! I found a love for cozy mysteries last year and now I may have found the series I read this year.

I looooove that this was set at a bakery! As someone who bakes a lot I loved getting to see all of the delicious treats come alive. What’s fun is that anything made in the book is left with a recipe at the end! I plan on trying some of the ones I read about.

I thought Juliet Capshaw was a fun main character. A bit ditzy about locking her shop’s door at night, but otherwise a pretty solid amateur sleuth. I only got the beginnings of her story and would love to continue unravelling everything. I think there’s a great set-up for a little romance, some growth in the bake shop and more.

It was a charming read, in a smaller town in Oregon. I liked the dramatic characters and Shakespearean anecdotes. It’s a typical cozy mystery, but isn’t that the point? I love the simplicity and easy-going-ness of it all. This is what this genre is about for me and why I fell for them!

Overall audience notes:
- Cozy mystery
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: murder, physical altercations, smoke (from surrounding wildfires)

This was super spooky (even though I've read the rest of the series and know what happens). Love this look into AIDAN and his corruption before the series.

A quick audio book with a full cast. Highly enjoyable as always! Love the sound effects.

NEW ROYAL FAV.

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First: ADD TO TBR.

Second: Continue with the rest of the review.

Y’all. I don’t find book boyfriends easy. Ones that live absolutely rent free in my mind. Rafe has been added to that list. RENT FREE. Ohhhhh my gosh what a vulnerable cinnamon roll with swagger. I loved every single moment he was on page. All that I learned about him. His emotional willingness to help Serafina find whatever she wanted. The support from both sides. Tender ending. ALL SO GOOD.

Not to put Serafina aside because she was top notch as well. I love how formidable she was. Intelligent and uncompromising. Not only did she really grow as a character, Serafina also showed my favorite kind of shut down. Thank heavens, when a miscommunication came up that I thought about throwing my kindle, she said, wait let me talk to him first. WHAT A CONCEPT. Five stars.

This gave off MAJOR Princess Diaries 2 vibes (it’s the best of the two, I will die on this hill). All the royalty I love to see without over the top dramatics. Everything was laid out perfectly and this book was just so dang good. My new favorite for this author.

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses / make-outs
- Trigger/Content Warnings: gaslighting and psychological abuse (recounted and a bit on page)

I’M ON THE WRONG SIDE.

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…OF THIS LOVE TRIANGLE. Ugh. I have one book left to see if things go by way because gosh dang it, I hate being on the wrong side. Don’t get me wrong, Jameson made some great strides and I saw growth in his character. BUT IT’S TEAM GRAYSON OVER HERE.

I’m in awe of this authors ability to craft amazingly detailed and intricate puzzles. They wow me. The reveals mostly catch me off guard. Explosions, kidnapping, being followed. Avery goes through another wild ride trying to keep her inheritance at the Hawthorne’s.

For a middle book I was thoroughly charmed. The pacing kept up and action was definitely there. I found enough quiet moments to relax before things picked back up and I love that I feel like I can’t trust many characters. It’s fun to be on my toes wondering what’s going to happen next. The finale is sure to be something else and I can’t wait!

Overall audience notes:
- YA Mystery
- Language: very little
- Romance: kisses
- Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, recounting of house fire with loss of life, plane explosion, gun violence

3.5 stars

WHERE’S MY CRUISE?

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Mostly because I read this book in winter, am I desperately wanting to find myself a cruise ship. Wow did this make me want to travel (which is definitely a bonus point for it).

Shipped was a good, quick read. I didn’t find myself falling in love with it ever. Every time it got close to that level, something would drag me back down. Hard to nail it exactly, things were just missing to make it a complete romance for me.

I liked Henley. She was intelligent, a bit of a workaholic, and had a lot of space to grow. By the end I appreciated her arc and thought it was empowering. Henley found the support of her friends and the strength within herself to make some big decisions that ultimately helped her find her true career passion.

Graeme was adorable. From the first page he popped up on I liked him. I thought there would have been more banter and angst between Graeme and Henley. It was a letdown to see how quickly they became an item honestly. I wanted some more push and pull.

The Author’s Note and the general theme of the book being in the Galapagos Islands was fantastic. It encouraged me to research eco-tourism and want to plan my own supportive trips. This was a bit of romance and larger plots that bounced off of each other well enough.

Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: some strong
- Romance: kisses to closed door scenes
- Trigger/Content Warnings: side character in a domestic abuse situation