the_cover_contessa's Reviews (1.75k)

I would like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group/Penguin Books for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Someone betrayed Anne Boleyn and her coven, and Lady Grace Fairfax is determined to find out who. But Grace is not the only one looking for the traitor. Kind Henry has his witch hunters out determined bring them to the light and punish them for their crimes.
I have been really enjoying this series by Dawson. I loved this chance I had to go back to the beginnings of how Her Majesty's Royal Coven and see the strength and fortitude it took to keep their coven alive. I love an origin story. Dawson takes us from present to past with alternating chapters as we watch the relationship between Grace and Anne develops as well as how their coven joins to ensure the continuation of their group.
All the characters are well developed despite the short nature of the story. I really enjoyed the twist on the relationship between Anne and one of her ladies; the love and intimacy they shared. And the fear involved in them potentially being found out. Dawson expertly shows the important connections between the witches, how they protect each other, and their determination to be kept safe from those who want them eradicated. She easily weaves in drama and emotion between her characters and touches on the power love, betrayal, fear, and death.
There is action and suspense making the story fast paced and impactful.
For those who know the story of Boleyn, this story truly delves into the idea of what if she were really a witch and how that played out behind the scenes. While this is part of the HMRC series, it can definitely be read as a stand alone, if you choose to do so. But if you're a fan of the series, it will give you a wonderful background of how HMRC was formed and how they continued to be enmeshed in the politics that are the royal family.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an egalley of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Formula 1 racer Dev Anderson has his career on the line. After a social media disaster he's looking to rebuild his image. When his best friend's sister, Willow Williams, steps into the picture with her recent college degree in sports management, he knows she's the perfect person to fix the problem. Willow has pined after Dev all her life but she knows he's off limits. When the two are forced to spend time together through their agreement, their short make out mistake a year ago comes roaring back to the forefront forcing Dev to realize his new found feelings for Willow and for Willow to see her crush on Dev is more than she ever though it would be. Can the two work together and avoid feelings getting in the way?
It's only recently that I have been engrossed by the power that is Formula 1. I love the fast pace of the races. I love learning about the drivers. It's intense and fun and one day I hope to see it in person, rather than on my TV screen. And I've been looking for romantic fiction, reminiscent of movies like Days of Thunder, Gran Turismo, and Rush. This one fit the bill!
I enjoyed the tropes set out in this one: childhood friends to lovers, brothers best friend, best friend's sister, off limits. These tropes are always fun and always bring fun drama and suspense to a romantic story. The need for the characters to try and stay away from each other, despite their attraction. The build up in chemistry and romance. The secretive nature of not letting anyone know. All great hooks for a story.
I enjoyed Willow's character. She's a bit shy but at the same time has no qualms letting people know her needs. At the same time, she is strong to almost a fault given her struggle with hypermobility which I assumed was EDS. I liked this representation that was woven into the story. I did think it might potentially cause an issue somewhere along the lines, but it didn't. Which was a bit disappointing. I feel like if you're going to include this aspect, there should be a plot line too encompass it's being there in the first place. The reader is just told about it through Willow's eyes but it never causes any issues at all throughout the entire story. Seems unlikely to me.
Dev was a hard one too pin down as far as liking him or not. It seems he's a bit of a self proclaimed playboy, but I don't really see any of that in his personality. If anything, he's definitely more of the brooding and protective type. I was a bit surprised with how fast he went from not having any kind of feelings for Willow to being almost obsessed with how much he cared for her and wanted her. It caused me a bit of whip lash. I needed more of an unfolding and that wasn't really there. I also wanted more from his races and being a racer, since it's very central to the plot. But I felt that was a bit lacking, as well. I did love his relationship with his friends who are also ensconced in Formula 1. 
I enjoyed the author's inclusion of different cultures. I always like too see this in books as it's important to show a more inclusive view of the world. I would have liked to see more of how this affected the characters, though. Dev does talk about being a minority and touches on how this has been hard for him as a driver, but I really don't see it explored enough given the author chose to include his background and skin color into the story.
I saw many parallels with Formula 1 as we currently know it. I could see the author did some research and tried to understand many of the aspects of the sport: the drivers, the teams, the set up at races, the pressure for the drivers, the competitive nature of the drivers and their teams, and the politics involved with the sport. Though the names of the drivers and the team names are changed, it was very obvious to me who they were modeled after. As a fan, I enjoyed that aspect yet at the same time would have liked to see the author take it into her own hands and really create characters and teams that were all her own.
I appreciate the no third act break up the author took. The epilogue, on the other hand, seemed kind of thrown in, like she had to include Willow and Dev would definitely be a forever thing and the only way to do that was with the cheesie scene given. I just would have liked to see a little more of that.
Finally, it's dual POV and that always makes me happy. I love watching the story unfold from both characters. It's fun too be in their heads and see how they are seeing things with each other.
I can see the side characters getting stories in the future, thought this one is definitely ok if it turns out to be a stand alone. There are some fun moments with humor and some cute spice but nothing over the top. I'm interested to see where the author might take future installments in this series and which characters she chooses to include.

Thank you to Random House Ballentine and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Jeremey and Rafe went missing on a school field trip and dissappeared. When the two boys reappear 6 months later, no one can figure out what happened. One remembers everything. The other remembers nothing. Their story can't be told. But when Emilie is looking for her lost sister and approaches Jeremey, now a man who locates missing people for a living, he can't refuse what she's asking. But the truth of where her sister is is linked with the two boys, and no one can ever know about the enchanted world they entered when they all disappeared.
I loved The Wishing Game by Shaffer. Magical realism is so much fun for me to read. This book takes more of a turn towards fantasy. Set in modern day and tackling issues of friendship, found family, love, and second chances, it touches an many emotional aspects. It's an adult fairytale hitting all the fairytale bullet points, which really made it so much fun to read.
Shaffer really infuses the story with so much fun fantasy: magical lands, Valkyries, unicorns, villains, queens, princes, knights, and other magical creatures. It really hits all the fairytale highlights. Her verbal descriptors truly pull you into the fantasy world and make it so real. It was easy to picture it all in my mind. The story did give me some Peter Pan vibes with the villains introduced.
The story touches on being lost, being found, and finding family even if they may not be blood related. 
I loved the idea of the storyteller for the story. Addressing the audience directly was such a great idea! It gave such an interesting perspective. I did figure out who the story teller was about half way through, but that did not make it any less enjoyable to read. The perspective allowed for backstory and a different view of the characters and who they are.
Jeremey and Rafe's story is sweet. I love their connection. I love them finding their friendship and more again during the story. It makes for a much more emotional story. And Emilie is a fun character, as well. She's not shy, and she knows what she wants/needs. My heart ached for her lonliness. She has no one but so wants to find someone to be her family. And the LBGTQ representation was a nice addition to a fabulous plot.
The pacing was great. Lots of action, some down time, a little romance, and true friendships made. Shaffer really ticked all the boxes to pull you along in her story. 
I had high expectations for this book given my love of this author's first book and she did not disappoint. The book made my heart sing. It tugged at my emotions and ultimately made me so very happy. Definitely jump into this one if you are a fan of TJ Klune and fairytales. 

Thank you to Avon Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed her are my own.
Tullulah, a marine biology grad school student, is slated to work for Burgess, a friend of a friend and one of Boston's top hockey players. But her past haunts her and her ability to trust men has been obliterated from those experiences. When she tells Burgess she doesn't think their arrangement will work out, he's determined to at least make sure she's safe. But their attraction towards each other is undeniable and being able to stay away from each other is proving almost impossible. When a tragic accident happens, the two are pushed apart. But can their love for each other overcome all the obstacles in their way?
I adore Bailey's books. I always go in knowing how the romance will proceed, that there will be a third act break up, and that in the end the couple will find their happily ever after. This story did not disappoint. Throw in a little age gap love and I was really hooked. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Fangirl Down, and was happy to see the return of a few of those characters. Plus, seeing this couple at the end of Fangirl Down then reading their story made it even more fun!
Tellulah has much anxiety when it comes to men. She had a terrible experience in her past (which I won't spoil) that set her mind whirling. When she is put in situations that make her feel uncomfortable, it's hard for her to move past it and stand up for herself. Her past experiences have truly shaped her and how she reacts to situations. Burgess, being a hockey player, is quite aggressive on the field. But off the field, despite his grumpy demeanor, he's definitely not what he seems to be publicly. He's a single dad trying to make a good life for his daughter but ultimately unsure of how to do so or how to connect with her. And he's struggling with being the oldest on the team with the potential of his career coming to an end and nothing to fall back on. Tellulah and Burgess balance each other perfectly. There was a push and pull with communication. The characters did well with it until they didn't. But par for the course with making the drama in the book work.
I tore through this book. Bailey always has great pacing with her books. And I always know what to expect, which I love. But her stories are always so different. And her characters are well developed. I love watching them work through their flaws and find themselves. There is a heavy topic addressed in this book. I highly recommend reading any trigger warnings the author has in case it might not be fore you.
The sexy scenes were quite spicy. I did love how they communicated their needs during their times together. And the scenes were well done.
What made this book 4 rather than 5 stars for me is the insta-love. Yes, we got a glance of these two at the end of Fangirl Down so we know there's a connection. But it was so instant. I felt like there was no build up. There was no time for the characters to fall in love and feel all those feelings that come along with it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and I'm hoping it's Sig and Chloe's story!

My rating was higher until they started figuring out the who done it. Then it was just ridiculous. The writing is good, though. I’d still read more from her if she chooses to write more adult. 

 Thank you to Union Square & Co. and NetGalley for providing me with an audio galley of this title to listen to and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Evan can't keep his eyes off his new Filipino coworker Dailsay. When he asks her out and she rejects him, he learns from his Filipino friends there's more to dating in Filipino tradition than what American's know. On a bet, Dalisay encourages Evan to do The Five Stages of Courting traditional for her people. But along the way, things get blurry and Evan and Dalisay fall for one another. When Dalisay's world is turned upside down, she realizes going back to her traditions is best. But can she stay away from Evan? and most of all, does she want to?
I'm a nurse and have been immersed in a bit of Filipino culture since I started in the industry. I was anxious to read this book and learn some new information about the culture. And it was fun!
I really liked watching Evan learn about the Filipino courtship ritual. It was a testament to opening yourself up to new culture and realizing your way is not always the right way. But it was also interesting to watch Dalisay adapt to American culture and realize the same thing. Sometimes when we are so set in our ways, it can cause us to miss out on new things we may love.
The Filipino representation in the book was great. It absolutely sealed what I know of my friends and coworkers. It also made me want to learn more. Cruz captured what it means to be Filipino in America. How holding on to traditions is just as important as opening yourself up to new things.
The romance was nice, though a bit forced in the beginning for me. It was insta-love and I'm not really a fan of that. I understand attraction but it just seemed like more than that and I wanted more of a progression given the idea that the five stages were meant to take you through it.
This is not my first de la Cruz book and I can see her writing style does not change even with a change in genre. It's quite choppy. Her choice of third person narrative often took me out of the story. With romances I really like to hear the voice of the characters and the third person didn't convey this for me. This also made the pacing very slow for me and I felt myself having to push to pick the story back up once I set it down.
Overall I found the book a bit of a struggle but it's worth it for the cultural aspect if you're wanting to learn a bit about Filipino culture and tradition.
I was not really a fan of the narrator. I felt she did the Filipino voices well enough but they all sounded the same. It was hard to differentiate the characters. Also, her cadence was quite slow. I ended up speeding the narration up so it would sound more normal. 

 Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this egalley to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Georgia Woodward loves her lists, the most important one being the one with the rules she has about her ex Eli Mora. What she wasn't expecting was for Eli to break them or for him to be different than what she remembers from when they broke up. And being thrown into working with Eli to ensure their best friend Adam's wedding goes off without a hitch is throwing her off kilter. Georgia wasn't expecting her feelings for Eli to come to the surface, or to connect with him in a way she never thought possible. But her lists are slowly being dissolved and opening up to Eli can only lead to more heartbreak. Will this new version of Eli, can she trust they can build something new and better than they had?
I love a well done second chance at love story and Joyce truly hit the mark with this one. Add to it a close proximity trope and you've got the makings of something wonderful. But it's not just about those tropes, it's also about a journey of self-discovery, growth, and learning to trust.
The character development in this book is amazing. I wasn't expecting the growth and healing that happened with the main characters. It was easy to connect with both Georgia and Eli on so many levels. Georgia's need for stability is something I really understand. It makes her feel like she's in charge and able to dictate how her life will proceed. She needs to be in control and direct because this makes her feel safe. But life can be messy and Joyce shows us that with Eli. Like Georgia, he craves stability, but has come to realize you must be happy in life and going after what makes you happy is the most important thing. Their romance is very sweet. I love how the little things they experienced together helped build a foundation for their attraction. There's chemistry with them from the very start when she sees Eli for the first time in two years and he breaks their set rules. It also showed Eli and Georgia never really stopped loving each other, even after being broken up for 5 years. Their romance is messy, complicated, realistic, and genuine
My favorite quote from Eli: “When I say I’m still in love with you, I mean the first time I saw you and right now. I mean every second in between."
Joyce's choice to create a friend group going through life changes together was a great edition to the story. Not only was it realistic but it was a great back drop to the changes that were happening individually to the main character but also between them. I loved the banter they had, the understanding they had, the love they shared. It's so important to have your people. This was a found family struggling to adjust to the nature of how life moves forward.
The anxiety and panic attack representation was spot on. it was literally palpable in the descriptions the author used and made my own heart accelerate with the understanding of what this feels like. I feel Joyce really did her research or potentially has experience with anxiety because it was presented with kindness and grace. It was so raw and it made Eli seem so much more real. I'm also happy with the inclusion of the therapy aspect and how Eli has found this help after so many years of suffering. And he's open about it to a fault. He lays it all out on the table for Georgia to see so she can understand why things really happened the way they did between them all those years ago.
“Sometimes happiness is loud and messy.”
Books do not often make me cry. This book was the exception. There were so many times I was in a chokehold; times I felt my chest hurt with an ache that was beyond measure. I was not expecting the deep and passionate connection between Eli and Georgia given their past. And when that connection really started to bloom, I became very emotionally invested. Joyce gave us emotional dialogue that was true and honest and raw. No angst or silly misunderstandings leading to them parting and coming back together. The characters take the journey they need to come back together in the pattern that suits them best. There were quite a few moments I felt wrecked with the rawness between Eli and Georgia. I will say, all my tears had me worried how the ending would wrap up. I'm not a fan of unhappy endings, or lovers parting as friends. But Joyce did not disappoint in the end.
The only thing I didn't love about this book is that it was single point of view. I love my romance books to have that. However, this book really is about Georgia and so it is understandable we would only get her perspective so we can watch her growth. So in the end, it was redeemed not seeing some of the story through Eli's eyes.
I adored Joyce's book You With a View. It's one I recommend often. This book will take a place on that list. I was totally invested in the story and characters the entire time. This has also solidified Joyce as a go to author for me; a read whatever she writes because I know it will be that good author. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would. My only complaint is that it's over and I can't read it again for the first time. Fans of Ali Hazelwood and Abby Jimenez will enjoy this book for sure! 

 Thank you to Tor Books, Mcmillain Audio, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
In a world ruled by dragons, humans are of no consequence. Anahrod has lived her life far away from her home and prefers to stay hidden given the circumstances of her departure. When a band of misfits saves her and asks that she help them steal a dragon's hoard, she's thrown back into the world she has been hiding from for years. But it's no secret those from her home think she is dead after being banished for crimes she didn't commit. One dragon wants to see her dead and it's up to her and her found family to ensure the cloud cities are saved from destruction by a rouge dragon who wants it all.
It's so hard for me to review fantasy books without spoilers. But I'm going to try my best not to give too much away. One thing I will say, I rarely if ever see fantasy books that are stand alone. For the author to take on such a task is substantial and I give her major props for doing it. Because of this, the story is broken into many different parts, almost as if you are starting new books with each part. However, there is the allusion that the story doesn't quite end, especially with the epilogue she provides. I'd love to see her spin more of this and see where it goes.
First I want to say that I absolutely love Lauren Fortgang as the narrator for this story. Her voice is the perfect cadence for fantasy. The way she portrays each character with depth, the way she is able to show their differentiation with just the slightest adjustment to her tone, makes the story so much more enjoyable than any other narrator could have.
The world Lyons builds in this story is very unique. I saw dragons and knew I needed to see what it was about. Think Game of Thrones meets Fourth Wing meets Six of Crows with just a bit of Ninth House thrown in. But unlike Fourth Wing, the bond between dragon and rider in this story is different. The dragons hold much more power, with the riders almost being somewhat of a slaves to them. And still, teens enter the academic school that will train them to take on this task. I would have liked to see a bit more of the academia in this book, but I also understand it was not at all about the school as much as the politics of the dragons versus the people. I loved the dichotomy she builds with the Skylanders (the rich) versus the Deep (the poor). And the way she describes these places had an almost Avatar like quality. Cities floating in the clouds and places deep in the ungle. As I read along, my mind just kept flashing back to the movie and how the world looked. Lyons weaves magic and powers into the story seamlessly. Dragons have magic to breath poison or fire, teleport to other places, and a slew of other powers. And the humans also possess powers which are referred to as blessings.
Underlying the magic and world building is a heist which has the characters always hiding, always running, always trying to find ways out of sticky situations. It made for an action packed story.
I think my most favorite thing about this story was the diverse cast of characters Lyons builds. Given I listened to this it was harder for me to know exactly what the names looked like: Aanhrod, Sicaryon, Gwyndion, Claw, Ris: names I could not have understood how to spell (thankful for my fellow reviewers who had Kindle or print copies to help me out!). The characters are very relatable and easy to understand. Some are brash, some are quirky, but all are well developed and distinct and on top of that they feel real. There is a lot of banter, many laugh out loud moments, and many tender moments during the story. The characters all have different motives and skill sets but ultimately these differences prove essential to the bonds they form and to the dynamic we see amongst them. Lyons addresses gender differences and sexual preferences with depth and a wide berth of understanding. I loved her twist on transgender and also how none of the characters are surprised by relationships no matter who they are between making it a queer-norm story. Her system of rings denoted gender and other preferences was really genius and made the LBGTQ+ inclusion easy and so much more meaningful for the reader. And I enjoyed the poly relationship, though I don't usually love those. Lyons did a good job not making me want to smack all involved. And, while the romance is there, it certainly is not the main plot.
While the world building is complex, the story is not. Though there is much intrigue and politics involved in the world, the main idea of taking back their world from rogue dragons is easy to understand.
Overall Lyons created a fun, fast, original, and entertaining story with a unique world and a wonderfully varied cast of characters that completely held my attention from beginning to end. I really enjoyed being part of it.