theartsybookwitch's Reviews (393)

“But something about her drew me in like a moth to a flame, and I was curious to see what getting burned would feel like.”

OUT NOW.

I absolutely loved The Syrens Mutiny and everything out about it drew me in.

Syrens. Pirates. Anxiety rep. Bisexual FMC. Forbidden romance.

From the moment we meet Brigid, I fell in love with her. Yes, she is a murderer but who doesn’t have a few faults. And Caelum, omg, I think he’s one of the new top book BFs. He has such a big heart and is loyal to those he truly loves.

And his crew? I would die for those men. Cameron, in particular.

Jessica S. Taylor’s writing style is so good, the way she describes everything and it really makes you feel like you’re there with them.

I can’t wait to continue on with their story next year.

And that ending is SO UNFAIR.

SPOILERS BELOW

TW // graphic death, blood, anxiety rep, toxic family relationship, murder, drowning, torture, abandonment, physical Bude, child endangerment, dismemberment, past arranged marriages, kidnapping, domestic violence, violence

📸 edit is mine, photos from Pinterest

#2022releases #2022arcs #jessicastaylor #jessicastaylorauthor #fantasyromance #romance #fantasy #syrens #thesyrensmutiny #arcs #2022arcs #2022reads #2022arcreviews #forcedproximity #pirates #puppydogpirates #syrens #mermaids #forbiddenromance #mermaidxpirate

“Who could that girl have been in my dream? I can’t remember what she looked like, only what she smelt like. Lavender and citrus.”

The Dragons Sanctuary, the first novella in C.E. Kingsley’s newest series, The Love Fountain.

A fast paced smutty novella, and I'm obsessed.

Ajax, a dragon shifter, comes to The Love Fountain, looking for his mate. Just when he's about give up, after years of looking, comes Hattie. A near insta-love, Ajax and Hattie fall in love, and spends forever together. I enjoyed seeing their dynamic and how they challenged each other and made each other better in more ways than one.

I am forever in love with Kingsley's writing and I cannot wait for the next installment of The Love Fountain.

“ ‘Oh, baby. It’s okay. Like I said, if I have to remind you that you are beautiful every morning when we wake up and every night, I will. You are absolutely precious and perfect, and I want you to know that…’ “

“ ‘I promise I won’t kill for fun, but I can’t promise you that I won’t kill someone if they are a threat to you.’ “

TW // murder (both on and off page), self harm, fat phobia, violence, sexual content, genocide (off page), violent threat, suicidal tendencies 

#thedragonssanctuary #thelovefountain #firstinseries #cekingsley #cekingsleyauthor #shifterromance #romance #novella #paranormalromance #fantasyromance #fantasy #newrelease #arcs #2022arcs #2022releases #arcreview

“Second star to the left and continue until morning.”

The Lost Darling by Bailey Black is a dark romance Peter Pan retelling.

I fell in love from the title alone and fell deeper from the very first line. 

I’m a huge Disney fan and complete trash for anything Peter Pan and this didn’t disappoint! 

Wednesday was amazing as an MC and I loved her dynamics with everyone. And Peter. 

I loved having the dual povs and I enjoyed getting Peters head as well. 

Overall, an amazing job and I sincerely hope there’s more in this universe cause that ending was NOT FAIR. 

Potential Spoiler Quotes Below: 

“ ‘You, Darling, are going to give Peter a run for his money.’ “

“It’s a first edition publication of Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie.”

“ ‘What we have is more than something, Darling. So much more.’ “

SPOILERS BELOW:

TW // drowning, death, kidnapping, homophobia, murder, graphic sexual content, noncon drugging

#thelostdarling #baileyblack #baileyb #peterpan #retelling #retellings #darkromance #romance #kidnapping #enemiestolovers #2022releases #newrelease 

'You are my business, sunshine.' "

Hollow's Grove, the latest installment in Jacquot's Holinights series, is a novella worth dying for. 

A perfect spooky romance to add to your October TBR. 

Since Queen of Madness at the beginning of the year, I've been a huge fan of Jacquot's works. And Hollow's Grove was no exception. 

Evelyn, best friends with Ciara, and Dorian, Ciara's brother, sign up to help Ciara with her haunted house Clue themed murder mystery party. With a new few extra characters, of course. Thrown together by Ciara, Evelyn and Dorian go off and help set up the house, and realize that all they wanted was each other. 

I absolutely loved reading about them, and just their dynamics is amazing. The sexual tension, Dorian <i>knowing</i> just how long he's wanted to have her, and her realizing that? Ugh. 

And set on Halloween makes this even better.

4.5/5

Tropes // best friends brother, praise kink, Halloween

TW // divorce, sexual content, pleasure dom

SPOILER(ISH) QUOTES BELOW

" 'And wedding venue? The only people getting married in that house on the hill are The Addams Family fanatics and ghost hunters.' "

" 'Is that something you want? For me to be yours?' //
'Sunshine, I've wanted that for longer than I'll ever admit.' "

#2022releases #hollowsgrove #leejacquot #arcreview #2022arcs #2022reads #holinights #holinightsseries #romance #halloween #clue #halloweenromance #hauntedhouse

“ ‘I choose you, Shiloh Huxley.’ ” 

 

ARC Review 

 

OUT NOW. 

 

Bex has outdone herself once again. I fell in love with her writing in Violet Craves and it just keeps getting better. 

 

I do love that we are getting more of Shiloh and Logan but absolutely hate that it’s a standalone. Because I love them that much. 

 

We follow Shiloh, a 33 year old fresh off a divorce, and Logan, a lumberjack contractor running his family business. You get 2 so powerful characters by themselves and together, they’re unbelievable. I absolutely loved both of them; I think maybe Shiloh a bit more. She’s gone through hell and back, and still manages to keep herself and Porkchop afloat and has done everything to the best of her ability. They’re so good for each other, and meshes well, from the moment they met. And Logan. Catching her off guard since forever. The way he never makes her feel unsafe or insecure, even if she already was. Him taking all of her in, the way she is, not the way someone should be. 

 

Cracked Foundation is a masterpiece unto itself, and goes into hard-hitting topics, some that I don’t see a lot in media; PCOS, body issues, and dermatillomania, just to name a few. 

 

“Logan think I won’t choose him. Silly boy. He should have realized it was never a choice at all.” 

 

“ ‘Fine, you can stay.’ “ (and thus the beginning of a beautiful relationship) 

 

It’s the way I’m obsessed, and now want to immediately devour Primal Urges is insane. 

 

Tw // fat phobia, anxiety, alcoholism, child death (off page, past), familial loss, cheating, toxic relationship (referenced, past) PTSD, war, dermatillomania, miscarriage, PCOS, body issues 

 

📸 Edit is mine, photos from Pinterest 

 

#2022releases #2022arcs #bexdawn #bexdawnauthor #darkromance #romance #arcs #2022reads #2022arcreviews #contemporaryromance 

For Those Who Fear The Dark is a newly published children's book about one of the greatest nightmares for kids. The Dark.

Darkness is personified as Spook, aka Dark, and takes kids on a journey to show that the dark is something to be celebrated. 

I really enjoyed this short and cute tale of the darkness personified.

Jones takes readers through the journey of the things associated with darkness; fireworks and stars to name a couple, and helps kids see them as something beautiful. 

A great children's book perfect for the spooky season.

“ ‘Because you’re special to Wonderland, Alice, and he knew he could love you. We all love you.’ ” 

 

Ask Alice is a dark romance why-choose Alice in wonderland retelling. 

 

I was sold from the blurb alone, and the more I read, the more I fell in love. 

 

I’m trash for anything Disney and fairy tale related, and this was no exception. 

 

Alice and the guys are a great dynamic and I loved how protective they all are of her. Every single guy has something different to contribute to their relationship with her and seeing them play off each other is so well done. 

 

Frillman paints such a great picture of Wonderland, and I really enjoyed seeing Alice’s journey, not just the start from the first time she went to Wonderland, but her time back on Earth and her time in the hospital, and coming back and coming and growing more into herself again. 

 

A great start to her newest series and I cannot wait for the next! 

AND THAT ENDING. UGH KILL ME NOW.

 

“ ‘I’ve been starving for a long time, Butterfly, but the only thing I’ve wanted to taste is your sweet honey.’ “ 

 

“ ‘If you EVER do that to her again without being forced to, I will fucking end you.’ “ 

 

“Sometimes, Butterfly, we must have our innocence stripped away to understand who and what we truly are. We have to shed everything bright and human about us.’ “ 

 

Tw // self harm, dub con, torture, drug use, forced institutionalization 

 

📸 Edit is mine, photos from Pinterest 

 

#2022releases #2022arcs #darkromance #romance #arcs #2022reads #2022arcreviews #whychoose #whychooseromance #askalice #kellfrillman 

It all started with a game of truth or dare.

Poppy Jacobson has hit it out of the park with her debut novella for her darker alter ego.

Their Monstrous Natures has everything you could possibly want in a dark romance why-choose monster novella.

It's such a fast paced novel that reels you in from the very first line. How she keeps you in and packs that much in so little is amazing. You get so much detail and storyline and it goes by in the blink of an eye.

I love/hate that it's only a stand alone novella, because I need more of this group. Like now.

A great short story to start off your spooky halloween vibes this fall.

TW // (copied from author's website) noncon, dubcon, monsters, knife/blood play, impact play, degradation.

“Drákon the infinite no longer sleeps.” 

 

HAPPY RELEASE DAY 

 

Heir became the death of me. 

 

I don’t know how its possible, but I think I loved Heir even more than Protege. 

 

So much happens in so little time, and you can’t help but get sucked in. There are so many twists and turns that you just can’t predict. 

 

Acadia Drákon is such a badass, and so powerful. Even at her very core, she is so very much a leader and infamous. She’s been through hell, and even knows all the guys are keeping secrets from her; and yet, she still radiates power and the tough attitude. But she knows when to back off, which is something that most people don’t know how to do, 

 

We get the instant mystery from her mother’s letters; ones that could change the world. 

 

You instantly fall in love with them all in Protege, and my love for them only deepened now. 

 

And I will never forgive Lybaek for that ending. 

 

You fall head first with the instant mystery, intrigue, romance, relationships, secret societies, and everything that lures you in. 

 

Do be mindful of the triggers and read Protége before diving in. 

 

“ ‘Listen to me, William Drákon.’ // … // ‘Unless you want me to release you from your oath, you’re not going anywhere. You’re not expendable and you’re certainly not negotiable. You. Are. Mine.’ “ 

 

“When we were together every day, I never paid much attention to the little things. But now that we’re not, I find myself constantly doing things I know she’d approve of– especially when it comes to what I’m wearing.” 

 

📸 Edit is mine, photos from Pinterest 

 

#2022releases #2022arcs #darkromance #romance ##arcs #2022arcs #2022reads #2022arcreviews #mythology #blybaek #whychoose #thedrakonlegacy #drakonlegacy #heir #thedrakonlegacyseries