Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Review: This book is a pressure cooker and I could not put it down! 

 

Following the events of the previous installment, “Carving Shadows into Gold” picks up with Tycho, Jax, and Callyn as they learn to wield the magic that is dividing their kingdom. 

 

All three characters undergo significant growth as they navigate life outside of Briarlock and the challenges that come with being cast apart. Tycho’s unresolved trauma begins to haunt him now that he is beholden to both the king and to the magical scraver that came to his aid, Jax faces prejudice as he works in a kingdom that was once enemy to his own, and Callyn has a hard time discerning who to trust at the royal court. 

 

I kid you not when I say that the tension in this book escalates to reach a fever pitch! With all three characters spread across both kingdoms, their points-of-view allow the reader to learn more about how the brewing war surrounding magic has affected not only the populace, but also the royal family. There is a lot in the way of political maneuvering as Callyn and Lia Mara work to prevent Syhl Shallow and Emberfall from being pitted against each other by the Truthbringers. Having to watch some of my favorite characters from the “Cursebreakers” trilogy—in addition to Tycho, Jax, and Callyn—suffer under the weight of the pressure hit me with a wave of emotion, because I’m so deeply invested in the lives of all of Kemmerer’s characters!  

 

While perhaps not the sole focus of the book, the romance made my heart ache. The looming conflict definitely serves as a source of tension for both Tycho and Jax’s as well as Callyn and Alek’s respective relationships. Their love is continuously put to the test, yet it remains steadfast. The intense yearning will definitely make you swoon! 

 

I anxiously await book 3 in hopes that it will put my heart at ease!

Review: A delightful tropical romcom! 

 

“The Honeymoon Crashers” follows Ami—a perfectionist maid of honor—and Brody—a carefree, surfer-bro best man—as they team up to plan a wedding and find a spark of their own. 

 

This is a fun full-cast sequel to “The Unhoneymooners”! Jessica Marie Garcia and Harry Shum Jr. ARE Ami and Brody. They make such a dynamic duo and I’m convinced that story would not be half as entertaining without them. 

 

I loved watching Brody worm his way into Ami’s heart as they worked together to plan Olive and Ethan’s  wedding. They couldn’t be more different with Ami being rigidly organized and Brody being more relaxed. As the story progresses, however, their duties as maid of honor and best man help them realize how their opposite personalities bring out the best in each other! Their banter is hilarious and the chemistry between them is heartwarming, made more so by Garcia and Shum Jr.’s narration. The tropical setting is just the cherry on top! I definitely recommend giving this one a listen.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

Review: This book broke me and put me back together! 

 

“Out of the Woods” follows high school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb Linwood as they join a grueling hiking trip intended to guide couples through rough patches in a desperate attempt to fix their relationship. 

 

I really connected with Sarah in reading from her point-of-view. While I haven’t experienced the death of a parent, I empathized with her grief and found myself relating to her struggles to find herself and determine the legacy she wants to leave behind. Rather than let life pass her by, she actively takes steps to know herself fully and I was moved by her journey of self-discovery. 

 

Having been introduced to Sarah and Caleb in “Out on a Limb,” I enjoyed getting to know more about their beautiful, messy, complicated love story. Some chapters alternate between the past and the present, so in addition to seeing how the loss of Sarah’s mother shaped her, we see how Sarah and Caleb’s relationship came to be and why it was really important for them to reconnect seventeen years later. The flashbacks left me feeling deeply emotional and raw upon seeing their young love and the way they navigated tough moments together. 

 

Watching Sarah and Caleb grow together as individuals and as a couple across the span of the week they spent in the wilderness warmed my heart. Knowing that they love each other so deeply, even when they are at their lowest, left me feeling a sense of hope as they worked through decades of grievances between them, found new ways to communicate with each other, learned to be more present, and reignited their love. I truly experienced a whole spectrum of emotions—their banter left me in stitches, their internal struggles made me sob, and the way they found their way back to each other made me swoon. Their relationship isn’t perfect and that’s what I love so much about this book, because no relationship ever is. You need to overcome the imperfections and inevitable hardships—deal with the differences, compromise, give something up, be willing to work at it—in order to have something great. 

 

Review: A home run for cowboy romance! 

 

“Burn the Wild” follows Reese Austin, a reigning country-pop princess, after she runs to the small mountain town of Resurrection when her world comes crashing down. Her first day there, she’s assigned a babysitter—Ford Montgomery. As the summer heats up, passion sparks, but there’s always a price to pay for trying to escape the past. 

 

“Burn the Wild” is darker than the previous books in the Runaway Ranch series in that both characters experience major depressive states. For Reese, those states stem from abuse and violence at the hands of her manager. For Ford, they result from a series of events triggered by a painful breakup. I appreciate Hunter taking great care in capturing both Reese and Ford’s trauma, having them open up about their painful pasts on their own time. I also value greatly that Hunter emphasizes the importance of medication and therapy in treating mental illness, while still communicating that they aren’t a cure-all. 

 

Reese and Ford’s relationship moved me to tears! Reese found Ford when she was at her darkest and I loved watching them support each other on their respective healing journeys. Throughout the summer they spend together, they slowly but surely let down their walls, allow themselves to be loved, and push each other to chase their dreams. They do so under the guise of being “just friends,” but the yearning glances, stolen kisses, and midnight swims, solidified the two as a couple, making my heart melt. I love that they found their happy in each other and on the ranch!

Review: This is the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to hands down!

“Know Your Newlywed” follows Cleo Weaver and Javi Godoy as they pretend to play the part of a smitten married couple to compete on a reboot of their beloved gameshow—Know Your Newlywed. As the competition heats up, the mounting pressure and their individual ambitions will put their very real chemistry to the test.  

I have a love-hate relationship with audiobooks. Depending on what I’m listening to, I can have a tough time concentrating on the story as it unfolds, but I didn’t have that problem with this one! The incredible full cast (which includes Tyler Posey and Mary Mouser as the leads), sound effects, and music in combination with Hillary Nussbaum and Heather Taylor’s swoon-worthy story make “Know Your Newlywed” come to life! Each narrator gave the character they played so much personality with the inflections of their voice and I was really impressed by the level of detail—right down to Know Your Newlywed getting its own theme song! As Tyler Posey put it, “it’s like a TV show for your ears” and I was so captivated I could not stop listening. 

In terms of the plot on its own, this rom-com made my heart flutter! I could not get enough of Cleo and Javi’s banter, which would not have hit the same without Posey and Mouser’s narration. As the story progresses, the competition forces them to get to know each other and I love how their fake marriage fostered very real pining and attraction. More than that, I love how they supported each other’s dreams amidst the chaos. I hope Elena Armas will executive produce more projects because this one is a real winner in my eyes!  

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review: A love letter for those who think they aren’t enough. 

 

“I Am Not Jessica Chen” follows seventeen-year-old Jenna Chen after she makes a wish to become her smarter, infinitely more successful Harvard-bound cousin, Jessica Chen—only for her wish to come true. Now trapped inside Jessica’s body, she discovers that being the top student isn’t quite what she imagined. She must decide if playing the role of the perfect daughter and student is worth losing her true self forever. 

 

Liang’s vivid prose, integration of magical elements in a seemingly ordinary world, and flawed characters come together to tell a cautionary tale about the cost of perfection. This is one of those books that I wish I could give my younger self. The younger me that, like Jenna Chen, judged my self-worth based on unrealistically high standards and feared failure more than anything else. The younger me that couldn’t celebrate her successes because she was always looking to the next thing. I hold this book close to my heart because Jenna’s experience made me feel less alone. 

 

I was captivated by Liang’s storytelling as she examines the age-old question “what if I could be someone else?” The longer Jenna navigates life through Jessica’s body, the more she realizes that everyone, no matter how perfect their life looks, is going through something—that perfection is a construct of our own making. Jessica—who supposedly has it all with the glittering mansion, doting parents, high marks, and respect of her classmates—reveals in her journal entries that striving for perfection has only led to burnout, self-doubt, and dissatisfaction. These words coming from Jenna’s “smarter, infinitely more successful” cousin only further emphasize the idea that we can’t fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others. At the heart of it, this book is about being enough in spite of the competition culture in the education system, social hierarchies, and pressure from family. Failure only makes us more human and helps us grow. 

 

While Aaron and Jenna’s romance is more of a subplot, their love story is heart-stirring. He reminds her of her worth and helps her come back to herself when she gets caught up in Jessica’s life. Their development from childhood friends to strangers to lovers is truly one of my favorites. 

 

This is a book that lives inside my head. I can’t wait for everyone to else to experience it for themselves. 

Review: Monster romance era unloched! 

 

“Under Loch and Key” follows Keyanna “Key” MacKay, who journeys to Scotland after the passing of her father in hopes of reuniting with her long lost family. Enter Lachlan Greer—the gorgeous angry Scotsman who saves her from repeating her father’s mistakes. When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be untie key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairytales, and that love can be a real loch-mess. 

 

This book was definitely out of my comfort zone being the first monster romance I’ve read, but I had a great time! I really enjoyed how Ferguson incorporated Scottish folklore into her storyline, while still adding her own twist to it. 

 

Key and Lachlan’s grumpy x sunshine, enemies-to-lovers dynamic was enthralling. I found both of their perspectives equally compelling. Key and Lachlan are alike in that they both have painful pasts shrouded in secrets and mystery. Their shared desire to unravel a centuries old curse involving their two families brought them closer together. They have a magical connection and watching the pull between them wear them down made my heart flutter! 

 

As with Ferguson’s previous novel—“The Fake Mate”—the story began to lose momentum for me in the second half when they became physically intimate. Following that point, spice took over the plot and I found myself losing interest. Nonetheless, their banter and overall chemistry in combination with the mystery woven into the story kept me going and I love how things wrapped up! 

Review: A spur-tacular debut! 

 

“Holding the Reins” follows Cecilia “Cece” Ashby after she escapes the toxic relationship that has consumed her entire adult life. Shortly after returning to her family’s ranch, she finds herself falling for Nash Carter—the newly retired superstar of the Dallas Stars, notorious bachelor, and her brother’s best friend. Despite their initial reluctance, sparks fly and it isn’t long before they jump into the flames head first. 

 

I think my biggest gripe with this book is the pacing. Cece and Nash’s romantic relationship progresses very quickly with the two lusting after each other as soon as they reunite. While there’s some hesitation and a bit of a “will they or won’t they” dynamic that stems from the fear of a family-centric conflict, the two throw all caution to the wind once they agree to a one night stand to get each other out of their system. The steamy moments that follow were a bit too numerous for me as a reader, but those looking for a spicy cowboy romance will want to pick this one up. 

 

Nevertheless, I found myself enjoying the way Cece and Nash’s relationship brought them back to themselves. Both experience unspeakable trauma and the love, support, and comfort they offer each other helps them heal. There are many toe-curling moments. throughout and the small town of Laurel Creek serves as the perfect cozy backdrop for this story!

Review: Kuang’s debut novel is a gripping tale of the horrors of war and the cost of revenge. 

 

“The Poppy War” follows Fang Runin (referred to simply as Rin), a war orphan that is one of the select few to successfully test into the most elite military school in Nikara. Once there, she explores the depths of the lethal, unearthly power she possesses. The Nikara Empire is at peace for now, but a Third Poppy War is brewing…and Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. 

 

Kuang masterfully draws from Chinese history, more specifically the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Nanjing Massacre, to create her fictional world and inspire her system of magic. Though I was overwhelmed at times by how dense it was, I really appreciated her detailed world-building and how incredibly realistic it is. She weaves many underlying sociopolitical themes into her storyline, including race, class, colorism, and gender. The end result is a thought-provoking, haunting work of fiction. 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading from Rin’s perspective as she navigates life at Sinegard, then life on the battlefield. Her character undergoes massive development with each section of the novel, the jarring tonal shifts making it even more anxiety inducing to witness. At the very beginning, her only worry is to survive school, but once the Federation of Mugen invades, her innocence is pried away from her as she watches fellow classmates be kidnapped, tortured, violated, and killed. With time, war hardens her, her desire for vengeance clouds her decision-making, and the terrible choices she is faced with corrupt her. 

 

Admittedly, the pacing made it more challenging for me to get through this one. Life at the academy propelled the story forward for me, but there were moments—like when Rin and her division spent several weeks waiting for the Federation to strike—where I lost momentum. While I acknowledge that there is down time in war, I feel that had the pacing been more consistent and some of the character relationships been more fleshed out, I would have had a harder time putting this one down. I am interested to see where the story goes in book two.