I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

The final book in The Naughty Princess Club by Tara Sivec Kiss the Girl is a romance inspired by The Little Mermaid. I’ll be honest I wasn’t looking forward to this one. I loved the first two books of the series, but Ariel was never my favorite character. She’s crass and rude. She’s that obnoxious girl who has to be the loudest in the room (you know, we all know one of them). However she quickly won me over as I learned more about her character through her perspecitve.

Ariel is not the character I thought she was. For one she’s a hoarder of antiques, she’s broke, and she’s nursing a broken heart. Her boisterous attitude is a cover for the insecurity she has felt since her ex-husband left her with nothing and feeling like less than nothing. Her ex is a piece of work that I’d love to punch, but that’s not the point here. The point is Ariel is a fun character, one I enjoyed getting to know and laughing with in her book.

And then there’s Eric Sailor *swoon* I thought that [b:In Bed with the Beast|38492044|In Bed with the Beast (The Naughty Princess Club, #2)|Tara Sivec|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1520125959s/38492044.jpg|60131757] would be my favorite book of the series and my favorite book boyfriend. I was wrong! Eric is swoon-worthy to the max. When Ariel’s house is repossessed by the bank, Eric takes her in on one of his yachts, no less. He’s had a thing for Ariel since the series opened, so I was curious to see how this would play out. And I admit I loved it. I loved Eric with Ariel. Like her, he’s not the character he’s been portrayed to be – the playboy slut, center of attention, lavish living guy. Nope, he’s all those, but he is more and I loved reading his character’s growth in this installment.

The plot of this one is slightly different than the others. Stripping was Ariel’s idea, and she has the body for it. But her ex was a piece of crap that made Ariel insecure about her looks, specifically her curves. As a result, the book follows as Ariel finds her voice figuratively and her courage to strip.

Overall, Kiss the Girl was my favorite installment of The Naughty Princess Club. I loved Ariel and Eric. It’s a enemies to lovers trope and it’s perfect for these two characters. If you enjoy fairytale retellings and explosive chemistry, I highly recommend it.

The second book of Tara Sivec’s The Naughty Princess Club is just as good if not better than the first. I can’t resist a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I love how it is employed here. Belle is my favorite of the three women introduced in [b:At the Stroke of Midnight|36440663|At the Stroke of Midnight (The Naughty Princess Club, #1)|Tara Sivec|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1512048679s/36440663.jpg|58142179]. She is a bit naive, having lived with her father her whole life, but in an endearing way. She’s book-obsessed (did you expect anything less for our Belle?). When she has a fight with her father, Belle winds up living at the library where she works.

Enter Beast, aka Vincent Adams. Y’all I love that Tara Sivec used the name of the Beast in the 90s TV series. I may have squealed when I read that 😀 I digress, Beast invites Belle to live with him in a spare bedroom until she has enough money to live on her own. Hilarity ensues! The very naive and shy Belle’s experience with men is limited to what she’s read in books and online. It doesn’t take long for Belle to crack the hardened Beast though. He comes off as surly and closed off to those around him, but in reality he is the opposite. Very gentle and caring, like the original Beast.

Belle asks Beast for his help in becoming seductive for her new job as a stripper. Y’all I about died. These scenes are some of the funniest I’ve ever read. While Cindy and PJ’s romance was a slow-burn, I not sure what to call this one. This is an instant chemistry romance, but the characters are VERY slow to act on it.

Overall I loved In Bed with the Beast. I loved Belle and Beast. They were perfect for each other. He brought the shy librarian out of her shell while she forced him to live again. Perfection!

The first book of The Naughty Princess Club is a loose retelling of Cinderella. And I do mean loose. Cindy is not at all what I expected her to be. She’s your typical suburban housewife, president of the PTA, raising a preteen daughter, and at her wits end. Her husband left her prior to the start of the book, and Tara Sivec drops us into Cindy’s story when she is at the end of her rope. She has no money left, the hope she held out that her husband would return is dwindling, and now she is looking at bankruptcy. That is until she meets two other women in similar situations: Belle and Ariel.

Through an unusual and hilarious mixup, the three women decide that stripping might be the way to go, to make the cash they need to NOT go bankrupt. I expected Cindy to be the one to balk at the idea. Instead she gives the fledgling idea 110% just as she has everything else in her life. I had to admire that, even if I don’t think I could ever bring myself to strip. What follows is a series of hilarious events that land Cindy in the arms of PJ Charming.

I adore PJ. He is the owner of a high end strip club, and son to a single mother. As a result, he finds himself enamored by Cindy and her daughter. A very slow-build romance ensues. VERY slow burn!!! I adored him. He is supportive, pushy when he needs to be, and silent on other occassions. Perfect in my opinion 😉

Overall I really enjoyed At the Stroke of Midnight. Cindy and PJ are opposites, but in that perfect way that compliments them. If you are looking for a laugh along with a slow burn romance, I highly recommend it.

Initial Reaction:



This is it!!! This is the episode I've been waiting for! Through Glass - Episode Eight by Rebecca Ethington like the previous episodes picks up where the last left off. Please note that if you haven't read this series, there are minor unavoidable spoilers to previous episodes in this review. Lex and Travis are finally on the move after their brief stay at the creepy kids' house. But they don't leave unscathed. In fact, they leave a bit broken, both physically and spiritually. The question now becomes can they make it to Briar Rose before Lex turns and if she turns will Travis kill her. Warning this is an intense read from start to finish!!!

Lex is understandably scared in this episode. She knows that it shouldn't be normal for her to crave the dark, to fear the light, and then the whispers she is hearing. It's enough to give anyone nightmares! Yet I have to applaud her. Despite everything that is going against her, her focus on her love for Travis and her desperation to find Cohen keep her grounded. My theory is that this has kept her from changing the longest.

Travis is weary of his sister. He obviously loves her and he's desperate to stop her change, but he's also scared. He's scared of what is happening to her, scared that he is now the older sibling, scared that she looks to him for answers he doesn't have or doesn't want to give. He's ashamed of what happened to Jason and he doesn't want the same to happen to Lex. So he keeps going.



I imagine that this is how Ethington feels writing these episodes. Not only that but she leaves me begging for more!



And boy does she deliver them this episode!!! Questions that I've been asking the whole series are finally starting to be revealed. With those answers inevitably come more questions. But you know what...I'm okay with that. I'm satisfied...no MORE than satisfied with the answers I received in this book. AND COHEN MAKES A REAPPEARANCE!!!!!!! After being absent for 5 episodes, he finally makes a reappearance. Can I just say I squealed aloud when I read his name?!

I think it goes without saying that I loved this book! Not only do you get major answers to questions that have plagued me the entire series but new questions arise and you cheer for Lex and Travis. And Brooke...I almost forgot!!! Brooke's in deep trouble....so yeah....just read it to find out. And COHEN :D (Can you tell I'm excited to finally see him again?!) If you're a fan of the series already then this is the episode you've been waiting for. If you haven't read it yet, what are you waiting for?! Go! Read it now!!!! If you're new to the series, don't miss out. I highly recommend this serial series for anyone that likes dystopians, horror (don't read this book alone at night...fair warning) and young adult lit.

This is it!!! This book contains the answers I’ve been waiting on!!! Through Glass: The Rose by Rebecca Ethington was originally published as three separate novellas (Episodes 7-9 for those that have previously read the series) and I have to admit these are my favorites of the series so far! So many of my questions are answered in this book, granted it raises just as many questions as it answers. Warning this is an intense read from start to finish!!!

Lex and Travis are finally on the move after their brief stay at the creepy kids’ house. But they don’t leave unscathed. In fact, they leave a bit broken, both physically and spiritually. The question now becomes can they make it to Briar Rose before Lex turns and if she turns will Travis kill her. I was heartbroken for Travis. As the reader we’ve seen from Lex’s perspective how protective and fearful Travis is of her. In this book we find out why. All of his suspicions about the Tar are confirmed with these kids. Not only was I shocked, I was horrified at the outcome and then suddenly I understood Travis’s fear for Lex….she’s turning and it won’t be long now.

As Lex realizes Travis’s fears, she begins to question herself. Will she become like the boy? Will she hurt Travis? Where is Cohen? Is it too late for him? All of these questions bog Lex down in this book. She is understandably scared, knowing that it shouldn’t be normal for her to crave the dark, to fear the light, and then the whispers she is hearing. It’s enough to give anyone nightmares! Yet I have to applaud her. Despite everything that is going against her, her focus on her love for Travis and her desperation to find Cohen keep her grounded. My theory is that this has kept her from changing sooner.

Travis is weary of his sister though. He obviously loves her and he’s desperate to stop her change, but he’s also scared. He’s scared of what is happening to her, scared that he is now the older sibling, scared that she looks to him for answers he doesn’t have or doesn’t want to give. He’s ashamed of what happened to Jason and he doesn’t want the same to happen to Lex. So he keeps going.



I imagine that this is how Rebecca Ethington feels writing these episodes. Not only that but she leaves me begging for more! The answers given in this installment of the series is what I’ve been waiting for. Questions that I’ve been asking the whole series are finally starting to be revealed. With those answers inevitably come more questions. But you know what…I’m okay with that. I’m satisfied…no MORE than satisfied with the answers I received in this book. AND COHEN MAKES A REAPPEARANCE!!!!!!! After being absent for since the end of book 1, he finally makes a reappearance. Can I just say I squealed aloud when I read his name?!

I think it goes without saying that I loved this book! Not only do you get major answers to questions that have plagued me the entire series but new questions arise and you cheer for Lex and Travis. Oh and Brooke…I almost forgot!!! Brooke’s in deep trouble….so yeah….just read it to find out. And COHEN (Can you tell I’m excited to finally see him again?!) If you’re a fan of the series already then this is the book you’ve been waiting for. If you haven’t read it yet, what are you waiting for?! Go! Read it now!!!! If you’re new to the series, don’t miss out. I highly recommend this serial series for anyone that likes dystopians, horror (don’t read this book alone at night…fair warning) and young adult lit.

But that cliffhanger....

Awesome, Awesome, AWESOME

This series ceases to amaze me! Episode five picks up right where episode four left off. Travis and Lex are trapped in the basement of a house they sought refuge in. There are Ulama or the Tar everywhere, they're surrounded. How will they escape?

So this installment is packed with tons of actions and quite a bit of bravery required from our heroine Lex. She realizes in this book that her suspicions about Travis's eyesight were true and he can't see. It will be up to her to be his eyes in this black world. Travis struggles in this installment seeing that his sister who is still his sister in mind is more Tar in body. And ultimately this leads to them arguing about when do you start to call someone a monster, before when they are still themselves or after they've changed.

Apparently, fighting monsters with a pipe was okay, but riding death traps through dark, rubble strewn streets was where I drew the line.

Ironically funny at moments, especially when the teenage spirit of Lex comes out, and horrifying the next. If you haven't already started this series, you do not know what you are missing! I can't wait to see where Mrs. Ethington will take us next. For now, though I think I will go hide from the dark....

I LOVE this series! Through Glass: The Blue by Rebecca Ethington picks up right where it left off in volume 1. Having escaped her impending death and leaving an injured Bridget behind, Lex and Travis are now on their own in the darkness with nothing but the supplies on their backs and a destination that may not accept Lex. While the first book in this series is a bit slow moving, this one is the exact opposite. Packed full of action, I couldn’t set it down until I finished it.

The dynamic between Lex and Travis is interesting. For Lex she is Travis’s older sister, and in her heart she knows this, but seeing him physically and emotionally older than her is hard. I can’t even begin to imagine how this changes their relationship, but somehow it doesn’t. Travis is a bit protective of her, but I found that he still looks up to her, at least in my eyes he does. He respects her. And both of these characters love each other fiercely! For Lex who has been alone for 8 years, she is finally starting to feel like she isn’t anymore. She has family and in this book we see her heal a little bit from the trauma of being alone for so long.

For Travis though it isn’t just his sister he sees. He also sees her as a Tar. She is exhibiting signs of being near the change, and because of this he is a bit closed off. I can’t blame him for this. I can emphasize with him. He watched helpless as his little brother changed, the rest of his family dead, and now a sister back from the dead only to change soon. He is closed off emotionally, but at the same time as the reader you see his protectiveness and love he has for the sister he thought dead. It’s truly heart breaking!

The action of the plot is fast-paced! Lex and Travis start and end the book on the run. Abran sends his men, the Black Team, after them. But the members are more than meets the eye and truly Ethington creates a horrific scene! Few questions are answered, but Lex is starting to understand the world her brother grew up in. She’s starting to understand the danger she is placing him in.

Apparently, fighting monsters with a pipe was okay, but riding death traps through dark, rubble strewn streets was where I drew the line.

Ironically funny at times, especially when Lex’s teenage attitude comes out, and horrific the next, Through Glass is one of my favorite reads! There is a tremendous build up of suspense in this book, and I hope to see it peak during the next volume. In fact, after the biggest cliffhanger this author has ever left me with (at least in my opinion as I did throw my kindle and yell out WTH at its ending), I have a feeling the next volume will be explosive! And I for one can’t wait!!!!

If you enjoy horror, suspense, YA dystopians, and lots of action and have not read this series yet, you just do not know what you are missing. Go get this series!! You will not be disappointed!

Just when I thought this series couldn't surprise me any more....


So Episode 6 picks up right where 5 left off, in Bridget's POV. She's just discovered the video files that prove Lex's and Travis's little brother was alive a lot longer than Travis believed. Not only did he turn into a Tar, he could stand in the light. This both terrified and intrigued Bridget. Cut scene back to Lex and Travis who are in a house with two hotters or children who've been in their house since the world went dark. Travis is with the little boy who is sick and Lex is gaining information from the little sister. What she finds out truly changes everything.

So I liked and disliked this installment for various reasons.

What I liked
I still love the characters of this series. I can't get enough of them. Seeing Lex's inner turmoil as she learns more and more about the world since it went dark and also as she realizes that she is fighting a losing battle in not becoming a Tar is heartbreaking and terrifying all at once. I empathized with her. Especially as she fought Travis in what she felt was the right thing to do. The two children living in this big house all alone gave me a horrible feeling the whole book and towards the end I suspected what was about to happen and my suspicions were accurate. I was literally screaming at my kindle "Run away!" through at least the last 30% of the book. I also love getting other characters' POVs and in this episode we get Bridget's twice. I'm indifferent toward this character. I like her, she obviously loves Travis, but can I trust her? I'm just not sure, and I hope I'm wrong.

What I disliked
I really feel like this episode was filler for the next episode. Yes there was a big revelation and the suspicions that Lex and Travis had in episode 5 were confirmed in this one, but it just felt....I don't know. Maybe I'm slightly unhappy because I wanted more, as I always do when I read a good series. In my own personal opinion, I felt there was a lot of redundancy this episode. (Again this is my own personal opinion and in no way reflects how I feel about the series in general or the author. I personally love this series and will see it through its entirety!)

Overall, despite what I disliked, I still love this series. This episode while I felt it had its shortcomings, I believe it has built up a tremendous amount of suspense (in addition to what is already there) and I hope to see that suspense explode in the next episode. In fact, after the biggest cliffhanger this author has ever left me with (at least in my opinion as I did throw my kindle and yell out WTH at its ending), I have a feeling the next episode will be explosive! And I for one can't wait!!!!

If you enjoy horror, suspense, YA dystopians, and lots of action and have not read this series yet, you just do not know what you are missing. Go get this series!! You will not be disappointed!

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This doesn't affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Oh my! I lost myself in Mary Weber's latest book To Best the Boys. It’s been a long time since I could say that! I loved the setting and characters, the main storyline and how relatable it is to today’s world. To Best the Boys is about a young woman who wants more education and joins the annual scholarship competition that is just for boys. From start to finish, this book will have you on the edge of your seat. Now let’s break this story down from this sentence in the blurb: "The task is simple: Don a disguise. Survive the Labyrinth. Best the boys."

Don a Disguise
Rhen Tellur is a fantastic character who I instantly fell in love with. She is driven, smart, and a little quirky. She lives with her father and very sick mother in what can only be described as the slums of her town. She works with her father in his small home laboratory, learning all she can about science, health, and disease…especially disease. A plague has struck her community, and she is desperate to find a treatment. I loved how focused she is on her research, how evident she loves what she does. When the letter for the scholarship comes around as it does every year, Rhen makes a daunting decision. If she can’t get the help and equipment she needs as a girl, she’ll enter the contest and win. I love that she doesn’t even hesitate to cut off her locks, steal a dead man’s clothes, and walk right into the labyrinth.

Survive the Labyrinth
The labyrinth reminded me a lot of [b:Caraval|27883214|Caraval (Caraval, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1465563623s/27883214.jpg|45697227] and the maze featured in [b:Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire|6|Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)|J.K. Rowling|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361482611s/6.jpg|3046572]. It mostly messes with your mind, putting the characters in situations where they are terrified but must think intelligently to make it to the next round. I loved the puzzles and mystery surrounding the Mr. Holm, the nobleman responsible for the maze and scholarship. It kept me engaged and on edge throughout the book.

Best the Boys
There are basically two boys in Rhen’s life that are causing some complications. Vincent is her childhood friend, one she would have considered her best friend if not for the way he is currently acting. Basically he plans to marry Rhen (even though she doesn’t want too) and use her research for his own gain. Y’all I can’t say what I’d call him 😉 The other is Lute, a local fisherman who Rhen grew up with and has been nursing a crush on for a long time. I loved Lute. He respects what Rhen does and doesn’t hold her back. We all need a Lute.

My Final Thoughts
Overall I really enjoyed To Best the Boys. The setting, which is comparable to our late 1800s-early 1900s, is perfect for the fantasy Weber created. The subtle feminist viewpoint was also perfect. I loved that the author shows two feminists with different life goals and (guess what!) they supported rather than tore each other down. (Y’all I didn’t mention Seleni in my review, but she is the opposite of Rhen and a fantastic character). This notion that a woman can pursue a career and have a family at the same time is relevant in today’s society, and I love how it was shown here. If you enjoy historical fantasy, a touch of romance, and a lot of suspense/action, I highly recommend it.

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

I don’t know where to begin. The Warrior by Sarah Fine is not at all what I expected it to be. In fact, I’m a little disappointed. I never thought I’d say that about The Immortal Dealers. My disappointment stems from the ending. I don’t want to spoil anything so I’m going to be intentionally vague. The entire series is building to this showdown with the Forger. Literally it lasts about 3 pages before everything is wrapped up in nice bow. Not cool y’all!

At the opening of The Warrior, Ernie is adjusting to her new life and struggling with guilt over things that happened in previous books. Not to mention she’s running from her feelings for Gabe, scared of how big they are and the danger they find themselves in constantly as Dealers. Ernie has been a favorite character of mine from the opening of the series. I like her strength and resilience. But it isn’t just those things that draw me to her, it’s her loyalty and her drive for fairness to all that gets me. She is loyal to a fault to other dealers who would leave her on her own if necessary. It’s her greatest weakness but also her greatest strength.

Virginia is a formidable foe in her new role as Forger. She presents herself as wanting peace, turning over a new leaf, etc & etc. BUT it’s all a trick to get the Dealers to do her dirty work, and Ernie and Gabe won’t stand for it. When approached by the Hyena dealer to find the missing Sunrise relic, Ernie goes. But it will take more than just the relic to defeat Virginia, and Ernie must rely on her former allies to do so.

Y’all I don’t know how to go on without spoilers. I’m doing my best here though. The book could really be split into two plot points. The first centered around Virginia and the Sunrise relic and the second around a mystery woman who appears with a Dealer thought dead. I can say that my emotions were all over the place and I was invested in what was happening and what was coming at the characters. However as I already mentioned, I was really disappointed in the ending. It felt rushed and too neat for characters who have been through so much. Don’t get me wrong, I love a HEA as much as the next reader, but this didn’t feel right. AND it’s the last in the series which makes it worse.

Overall I have loved The Immortal Dealers, but The Warrior was just okay. It was ending to the series, and if you have enjoyed the series up to this point, I feel like you should see it to its end. And who knows? Maybe you’ll feel different than me.