Kendall

This book was so beautifully done! I am, by no means, a classical music enthusiast. I know about as the much as your average person does, but this book made me want to listen to classical music on repeat (particularly electric covers of pop songs). As someone who has seen an orchestra maybe once in her life, I have a fairly poor grasp as to how it all works with chair hierarchies and such. Knowing this, I was a little hesitant to start reading a romance where it was all about this tension between certain "chairs" and different sections of instruments. Turns out, my worry was completely unfounded. The author did an amazing job at explaining how the orchestra worked and the life of a musician. It's not all glitz and glam, but sometimes eating ramen in your tiny apartment so you can live your passion of music. I wasn't confused or lost for a single moment. By the end, I had a very unfounded confidence that I was a music snob...if only for a moment.

Outside of the music element, the real heart of the book for me was the characters and their connections to one another. Gwen's commentary was truly entertaining and refreshing. Some of her thoughts were ones that I have had a hundred times. One aspect that really drew me to Gwen's story was the element of confidence that this book addressed. Gwen struggled with knowing her worth, and it wasn't done in this traditional, Hollywood way. It was realistic. Its the small things that build up to make you think that you are worthy of accepting less because you think you aren't "as good"...even though you are. It isn't always a "shy" girl hiding behind her hair, but a woman trying to do her best but taking the safe route. It really resonated with me in a way that I think a lot of people would appreciate. Xander, the male lead, is also about as loveable as you can get for a guy who is as subtle as a semi-truck. He pulls no punches on his words, and I loved it. He also played his cards close to the vest most times, but when his feelings peeked out...OH MAN! It was amazing! Talk about a man obsessed. We love! I appreciate the fact that while this book was mostly from Gwen's perspective (as it should be as the FMC!), I also got a small view of Xander (or should I say Alex's) perspective. You could really feel where the misunderstandings went wrong seeing it from each character's side. I also really loved how you got both viewpoints without having to re-hash the entire scene again.

Speaking of love, I can't talk about a romance book without mentioning the romance. It was very tension-filled in the best way. There were points went I felt ready to burst from their conversations. Their showdowns (excuse me...conversations) were legendary. SO MUCH TENSION! It made the romance parts that much more explosive and, let's be honest, downright steamy. This was a perfectly executed modern "Enemies to Lovers" trope.

I cannot recommend or sing this book's praises enough. I read the other author's book (that was semi-connected), and I loved it, but this one...this one has it beat. Something about the tension and the characters in this cutthroat world of classical music really hooked me.

*Special thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I read the first one, and I am not going to lie. I wasn’t impressed. BUT I kept hearing good things about the second one, so I thought I’d give it a shot, and I will say… I really liked it. The story was cute, the characters funny, and it all was grounded in a way that seemed real. It also wasn’t just an excuse to write a ton of sex scenes like the first one was (no shade if that’s what you want, but I like a slower build). I won’t say that this book had the most groundbreaking plot (it was pretty meh), but the characters were really well done, so it made the plot interesting. Lauren and Alex were such a odd duo, but they worked so well. They had similar humor, and their banter was really cute to see. I love seeing a Grumpy X Sunshine trope where the guy is the closest thing to a golden retriever as you can get. I really liked the plus size representation that Lauren brought. She wasn’t ashamed or trying to lose weight or anything like other plus size books normally do. She also wasn’t constantly talking about it either. She just was, and I loved that. I also really appreciated I liked the representation of mental health and ADHD. I feel like it was done in an interesting way. You can really see the impulsivity and certain aspects of ADHD in this book, and it was an interesting plot device.

After reading this book, I can genuinely say that I recommend it. I’ll probably try the third installment just to see if it gets any better. I can’t say that I would recommend the series…but this one was good. (Afternote: I think this book is the only saving grace of the series. I tried to read the book after this one and DNFed it SO….take that for what it is.)

The perfect end to the perfect story. The prose that Rebecca Ross is able to craft is honestly unreal. It is ridiculously beautiful. Not only that, the story hooks you and stays with you for months. Literally months. I couldn’t wait to read this book after then end that was Divine Rivals. I will say that the beginning started out a bit slow. I think this is because the last book ended on such a massive cliffhanger. Anything that didn’t match that energy was going to feel slow. Once the book got going, however, it didn’t stop. The plot pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It also helps that this story has one of the best romances of all time. This couple… I legitimately think they may have ruined all romance expectations for me. It was soooooo good! No matter what they keep getting drawn to each other in a way that is so heart wrenching yet sweet. If I could have a couple that says “Goals” it would be Iris and Roman. The ending was one that I (NO SPOILERS, Of COURSE) didn’t see coming, but it was incredibly fitting. I will say… grab a tissue cause you may cry (in the best way). I will recommend this book till my dying breath. Seriously… READ THIS SERIES!

I am delighted to say that I actually enjoyed this book! It definitely felt like a Fae Hunger Games in the best way. I haven’t read a Fae fantasy novel before, so my hopes were not high, and I will say, I was surprised to find that I enjoyed it. I think this was especially the case because it was juxtaposed against the human female character. In a way, the reader can experience Fae for the first time because Lor is as well.

I think one of the parts of the book that I adored was Lor. She was unhinged! She would say the most out of pocket stuff in the best way. I feel like many times, the main character in a book will think something about someone, but they won’t say it. Lor said it! and I absolutely adored it. She was feisty and slightly feral, but in the best way. It definitely felt different than your typical “strong, independent” female lead.

The plot was entertaining. I can see the threads of inspiration from other books, but I still felt it was unique on its own. There was always something happening, so I never got bored. Especially with Lor’s colorful narrative. It went by really quick!

One thing I really didn’t like was the odd POV switch. What I mean is that Lor’s is in first person…but Nadir’s is written in third person. It felt like such an odd switch, and I’m not sure if this was intentional or not. It did break up the flow a bit, so I hope that this changes in the future.

The ending. It was definitely a cliffhanger. I won’t say what it was, but I will say… I wasn’t exactly shocked by it. I feel like there were enough clues throughout the book that you can see it coming BUT I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing in this case. I think this series has 3 more books t. o come. If that’s the case, you really need to lay a solid base and background. This is exactly what this book did. I can with 100% fact tell you, I have no idea what is gong to happen in the next one and I can’t wait to find out!

Overall, I would recommend this book! Its definitely different that your average fantasy book (a tad bit spicier than my usual if you catch my drift), but really entertaining, and is that not why we read? to be entertained? If you are like me and haven’t read a book with Fae in it, this one is definitely a good place to start (courtesy of a newb like myself ;P) I will be reading the next one!

I had high hopes for this one, but it didn’t fulfill any of the hopes I had. I picked this up because it was a romance with Native American representation. I had never read one before, and I thought it was really intriguing. What I liked about the book were all the Native American parts. I loved seeing a different culture and also reading a more personal view of American history and how different it can be for those who were abused by colonialism instead of those who profited from it. The parts I didn’t like about this book… were all related to the romance.

The premise honestly… gave me the ick. He meets her as a 24 year old while she is 17… UM… Why? It could have been such a quick adjustment by even a year. I know what you are thinking… What does a year really do? Maybe not much, but the amount of times it’s brought up about how he is lusting after a girl who “isn’t legal”… it just hit me wrong. It wasn’t just that she was young… it was that she wasn’t legal. -____- You can’t tell me that doesn’t give you the creeps. On top of that, there is a whole “virginity” plot line that also made me uncomfortable in the way it played out. Once again… not an inherently bad trope or subject to explore in a romance book, but the execution just had me feeling uncomfortable. There was also the fact that you couldn’t get two characters who were not made for each other. Their political views, backgrounds, and even morals were different. Their differences are spun to be the grounds for their “explosive” chemistry, but these characters are incredibly headstrong. To the point where it is toxic the way that they do not go together, yet they continue to pursue each other. In fact… I actually liked the main female lead. It was her WITH him that I didn’t like. If there had been a different person with her (one who wasn’t so full of red-flags), I would have liked this book so much more.

This book ends on a massive cliffhanger. One that you couldn’t see coming from a mile away. After reading an entire romance book and to have it end the way it did…. I know that I will be reading the sequel. But make no mistake. This is begrudging sequel read. I want to know what happens because I have already invested so much time already, but I honestly… don’t love this couple. I think they are both in massive need of therapy (and it’s not like they don’t have the money to afford one).

Overall… I wouldn’t recommend it, but I may not steer you away depending on the books you like. This definitely has spicy parts to it (which I wasn’t really a fan of because of multiple reasons but largely context and how it was written). It also deals with politics in a very heavy handed way (which can be good.. once again… it depends on your interests). I liked the political parts of the book and the Native American representation (its the only reason that I am rating it 2 stars if I am honest)… but that is it. The taste of disappointment is strong with this one.

When I picked this book up, I didn’t realize it was the third installment in my favorite series. I knew it was written by an author that I loved, and I was sold. I will say, although it is tangentially related to the Love, Lists & Fancy Ships book in terms of characters, the feel of this book felt very different to me. It really felt like it could have been a stand alone if not for the fact that a certain couple (who will remain unnamed as I don’t do spoilers) pops up. The style and the story felt different, but still great.

One thing that I really appreciated about this story was the talk about mental health. It touches specifically on OCD and ADHD. While I am pretty familiar with the latter, it was the representation of OCD in the main male lead that had me really interested. It was such a different take on mental health. I feel like there is a trend to embrace your mental health issues such as ADHD or Anxiety (this is, in no way, a judgment of this type of thinking! It isn’t something that people should hide or be afraid of. You do you (with the help of a licensed therapist, of course)), but this type of behavior is not something that you can apply to all mental health issues. OCD is one that is often misrepresented as just being a clean person, but here you can see the real impacts on someone’s life and even romance. It was something that only serious therapy, time, and an earnest want to do the work could help. I appreciated that it was ACTUALLY talked about instead of glossed over and made to out to be something you just needed to accept to be “better”.

The romance in this one felt… real. It had it’s swoon-worthy and adorably cute moments like any great romance does set in Ireland has, but it was also firmly grounded in reality. It felt like one where the characters would last past the last page of the book. They inherently knew, understood, and cared for the other person. It was touching. There are a lot of reasons that the romance gave this impression off, but one of them is the passing of time in the book. There are multiple time skips, and it allows for actual growth to be had.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It wasn’t the book I was expecting, but I am so glad that this is the book that I got. I would recommend it to those who have read this series and haven’t. I don’t think there are too many spoilers in this where it is needed to read the other books, but it doesn’t hurt. I would recommend!

It’s rare for a YA romance book to live up to the hype, and let me tell you… this one does. I think it is in part due to the fact that although this is a book that is obviously set in high school, it didn’t feel childish. It felt just like a classic, sweet, and funny romance story. I could easily see this book being made into a movie that I watch multiple times on repeat.

As a rom-com lover, this book was the perfect mix. I loved all the references to my favorite movies and seeing the tropes play out in a way that broke the fourth wall but also was serious in playing them out. Not only that, but it is clear that Wes… ELITE male romance lead. He was funny, sweet, and clearly madly in love with the girl even if she didn’t see it. (Also… is it just me who pictured a Dylan O'Brian in his Teen Wolf era as Wes while reading this book?). I was practically swooning at certain parts.

This book is also hilarious in a way that I wasn’t expecting. There are multiple events where it seems like fate is trying to tell our brilliant female lead to maybe look for romance elsewhere, but goodness… it was gold. I truly found myself laughing at the absurdity while also thinking about how that could totally happen to me (misfortune is my bestie…what can I say?)

As with any good romance book, it touched on more topics than just romance and “getting the guy”. It dealt with grief and what it’s like to NOT move on while everyone else does. It was such as interesting and yet relevant subject that was written in a really relatable way.

Overall, I loved this book. It was a perfect weekend read, and I can see myself re-reading it in the future. It gives you hope… and if you are a hopeless romantic already, this book will just add to the proof that it exists. I would highly recommend!

This book is one that I know I will be talking about this book for many years to come. It felt special. It was dark, suspenseful, beautiful, and sweet. There are some books that you read in your life where you know that you are going to think about the first time you read it. This is one of them for me.

The plot was something that was unique. I really loved the world building. It felt old, yet familiar. It didn’t take a lot to get into it, but it was complex enough where it was memorable. A lot of the magic is concentrated in these playing cards, each with a power that gives and takes if you take too much. At first, I will be honest… I thought the cards were lame. All I could think of was some sort of nerdy solitaire game, and I struggled to take it seriously. However, as the story unfolded, I got more into it. By the end, I wished I could have the chance to hold one of the cards. The way it is written is truly masterful and addictive.

The characters in this book are probably one of the biggest selling points. They all have their flaws and that is what makes them so magnetic. You end up rooting for them despite it all. You also get multiple points of view, and that always makes my heart happy. The romance is also one that starts slow but by the end has you rooting for them like no other. I ate it up!

Overall, I will DEFINITELY be recommending this book to everyone, and buying several copies for myself to drool over. I cannot wait for the second book!

SIDE NOTE: I will say, this book was recommended to me via Booktok as a follow up to Fourth Wing. Having now read both… I will say that is an INSANE connection to make. These books are in no way alike other than the fact they are good books (just in very different ways). This book has gothic magic, creepy monsters, and a story that grips your stomach and won’t let you go. Other than it is a “fantasy” book and it has a hundreds year-old character that telepathically talks to the main character in their mind, the books are NOT similar at all. I guess this is all to say… not all the recommendations you get online make sense so be aware.