mystiereads_dbooknook's Reviews (723)

This is how you write a book 2 in an EPIC trilogy.

Loved this book!

However, as with Faebound, I thought this book started a bit slow, stuff would happen but it felt a tiny bit draggy. Pretty soon though, unexpected events flowed and the drama and world building started to propel the story forward at a much quicker pace, at times breathless even.

Saara El-Arifi, the author, did an excellent job expanding the world and revealing past and possible future events that definitely shaped the now the characters were living in. We also got introduced to new characters who changed EVERYTHING and turned all you thought you knew and understood upside down! I really loved that! It was a subtle build into a massive hit over the head when the revelations came.

The main characters have much emotional upheaval to handle and some betrayals that make this a captivating read. We also dive into the realm of morally grey where you wonder who is right and wrong. This was some thought provoking writing that kept me thinking and reading through the night.

In the end all I could feel was that the author just took me on an exquisite journey. And now I can only ask when is book 3?!?!?!?!

Thank you once again to Net Galley for sharing this arc in return for my honest review.

Although a quick listen this really touched my heart. 
Technically Speaking, is all about a single mom trying to move mountains for her beloved son, with every odd stacked against her. 

The celebrity voices (And there are a FEW) captured the emotion this story poured out and maintained a lightness, humor, and truth that resonated within me.

Started this one on Friday night as I was restless and could not stop until it was over. If you are looking for a story that hits love chords and will make you laugh this is it.

Cute story, warms you up and a perfectly sweet ending to make you go awwwww!

I do not read Mafia Romances. I have not read Urban Fiction much. But I saw a fellow bookstagrammer give the most excited review about this book and I figured reading a sample page on the Zon could not hurt. 

That sample page turned into 4 pages and an immediate click to download (It is on KU). Those 4 pages were enough to have me quit the book I was already reading and dive eyes and emotions first into Demon's Dream.

Now this book will not be for everyone. It is about a violent man, with a deeply disturbing and violent life and childhood, who has to drag and crawl his way forward to find a life he can truly cherish. Reading this is hard on the soul, mainly because you know this is real life for children out in the real world. For me though, between the immersive writing, the growth, and those toe-curling moments, it was worth the tears this book made me shed.

There is a LOT OF SPICE. Those scenes are intense. In the book, issues get worked out that way so be warned it is HOT n HEAVY physically and emotionally.

This book was a lot. But I feel changed by it, which is always an amazing thing to be able to say about a book. Reading this made me feel that maybe I have not enjoyed the books I said I did, because I could not sleep, I did not want to put this one down, I took it everywhere with me, and I have not done that in a while with a book. 

At close to 800 pages this is a thickums, but you never get bored and the story is so enthralling, and keeps growing along with the characters, you just never want to stop reading.

Loved it. Shocked myself by how much I loved it. I feel SHOOK. And I will be reading more from this author.

Quick, entertaining read, that honestly had some of the best world building I have ever come across. Additionally, the plot was excellent and kept me glued, as I needed to know what happened next.

The thing that lowered the stars for me, was that the characters were a bit underdeveloped and things jumped around a bit, but I was always able to keep up and still enjoyed this book.

With an ending and epilogue that satisfied all I needed to know...this a great read if you need a yummy romantasy fix.

Much thanks to Jessica for sharing this arc with me in return for my honest review. 
Please keep writing!!!!

Oh!!! You know how in some series the second book kind of falters?
NOT THIS ONE!!!!

Mai Corland slams her foot on our collective necks from the word go in Four Ruined Realms!!!

I had to take breaks because it was a helluva ride! From the action, to the new secrets, and oh my word the plot and world building were phenomenal!
It was everything we needed after that amazing start in Five Broken Blades, with its cliffhanger ending that left me breathless. 
Thankfully this books starts just as that one ended, and our beloved anti heroes are all struggling.

After learning to trust one another in book 1, trust is now a commodity they can no longer afford. It was emotional watching them grapple with the truth of who they themselves were and who they thought their friends were. This was some excellent parsing of emotions and so real. Loved it! Truly one of my favorite parts of this book.

The other part that really stood out to me were the new mythical elements to the story. Those were fun and always with unexpected twists. But then that was the entire book. Twists that twisted my innards outwards, while I screamed into a pillow lol!

This book also reminded me of Mission Impossible. The team had missions to do that could not really be done, but they figured it out anyway...sort of. (Read the book and see lol)

Four Ruined Realms has all the things Fantasy lovers could ask for and so much more. The romance aspect was there too btw, and swoony, and heartbreaking. 

Sigh I just loved it. 

I can again safely and LOUDLY recommend this series by Mai Corland. 

Do yourself a favor and READ IT!

This one is 4.5 stars!!!!

What an unexpected delight! I was given the opportunity to read this arc on Net Galley in return for my honest feedback. And honestly that can be hit or miss, but luckily this one was a HIT!

Multiple POVs, characters fully fleshed out, and WHAT a PLOT! 

One of the best parts of this book was the way you never really knew what was going to unfold next as you moved from character to character and even back and forth along time lines. There were also subtle clues in the pre chapters(?), which makes me hope there will be a prequel explaining what happened with that one character in particular. (Not going to give away anything lol.)

In reading this prepare for a deeply woven and detailed story of Fae, prophesies, fated mates and found family. The basic premise is one young woman who has never belonged in her human village, who feels the call of the other. Meanwhile in the other, a young warrior and a princess are prophesied to save the land, but what they are supposed to feel, they simply do not. Among these three main characters are supposed side characters whose paths intersect and change everything you are told is true in the beginning.

It was a layered, exciting tale, with snippets and foreshadowing that all just came together in a way that makes your brain go...WOW!

This was the first in a series that will be fully released in 2025. Yay! I look forward to seeing this plot unfold and seeing exactly who ends up with who and how the world of the other ends up.

Read this if Fae and their drama is your kind of thing. 

I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for this story. The emphasis on me being lucky to read this one.
Let me tell you, this is an emotional journey. One that starts in death and ends with MURDER!!! 

Tee hee! 
We meet Our Lady Widow at the funeral of her beloved husband, who was an alien. Yup! As she is dealing with this, she is offered the chance of a lifetime...to explore the stars above. I mean who could say no?

The FMC in this one is not 'good' but nor is she 'bad', she was above all else REAL. A quality shared by all of the main characters, and the reason why I so quickly got into this one.
When diving into this prepare for a journey with people who have issues but who work and talk through them...with weapons...eventually, they deal in other ways first lol!
My favorite kind of people ;)

Overall an introspective read, but one with an arc that leads into action and choices, which make it a really good time that speeds by all too quickly.

Can recommend this book and I am definitely looking forward to reading more about The Lady Widow and her adventures in the stars!

Ilona Andrews do not miss. This book was a dark deep dive into a long loved character from the Kate Daniels series.

In this book we get to explore the backstory of Roman. The dark priest who lives to complain every time Kate asks for a favor.

All secrets about his life are revealed including how he became the dark priest and how that led to the very worst moment of his life.

If you are a fan of Roman, this is a mandatory read and thankfully an enjoyable one!

Sweet and unorthodox Christmas story. Check it out if you want some Hot Lanta flavor in your merry season.

This book made me scream a bit. The plot was intriguing, the characters were all morally grey tending towards true darkness, and it truly was well written.
The South Asian mythology it was based around was new to me and held my imagination in its grip.

The reason it is not five stars is due to length. I felt it could be shorter. The middle to 65% of the book dragged for me with a mis/no communication trope. I dislike that particularly path in a book but thankfully it did not last too long.

Overall great read, delightful new mythology, with twists that still have me reeling.