Review: "The Inheritance" (Breach Wars #1) by Ilona Andrews

The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

We are at war. The interdimensional invasion brought us unimaginable suffering, but it also awoke talents slumbering deep within us, a means to repel and destroy our enemy. Every day new gates open, leading to breaches filled with monsters and valuable resources. If you are a Talent, your country needs you. The world needs you. Be the hero you were born to be.

Adaline is a Talent. Ten years ago, she had a happy marriage and a job she loved. The invasion shattered both. Now she works for the government, searching the breaches for magic metals and medicine to help Earth repel an interdimensional enemy. Two kids, one cat, bills, benefits, mortgage and school tuition...Risking her life became routine.

She had gone into the dimensional gates hundreds of times. She was always well protected. This time everything goes wrong. Now Ada is trapped in the labyrinth of alien caves unlike any other. Her only companion is a scared German Shepherd named Bear. Together they must uncover the breach's secrets and escape, because Ada promised her children that she will come home.

The future of humanity depends on it.

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REVIEW

Solo Leveling meets the powerhouse that is the duo Ilona Andrews in this stunning new series, which is filled with action, exploration and hidden easter eggs!

Adaline's Earth changed when the first interdimensional hole opened and monsters poured out. The holes were omens of war but also awakened powers within some individuals. Ten years later, she is a Talent, great at sensing precious power sources as she travels into the pocket worlds within the holes. Divorced but happy with her children, she does her job pretty well, until a routine mission turns into a bloodbath, leaving her behind presumed dead...along with a dog and an alien whose powers she inherited. As she tries to find a way out of the pocket world she is in she will discover an ancient secret spanning millennia of galactic wars and the power she houses within her.

You must never underestimate the power os a mom. Ada does everything in her power in order to try and find a way back to Earth and to her children. She is smart and resourceful and always tries to find a solution to the problems presented to her and test the limits of her powers.

The POV moves between Ada, who is trapped inside the Breach, said interdimensional hole, and on Earth where her Guild Cold Chaos and its the leader of Elias McFeron, a powerful combat Talent, try to investigate what went wrong and lost such a unique Talent with Ada, as well as researching possible foul play. Knowing Ilona Andrews, I am pretty confident Elias is the future love interest, and I can not wait to see more of their interactions.

This book has no romance as it works in introducing the world and its mechanics, the worldbuilding and the power shifts that can easily manifest between Guilds and growing political interests. And it surely does. If you have watched Solo Levening, it is not that far behind in the idea of a world changed by the Invasion and the new power sources that can shift world power.

The ending was very satisfying. It set the way for the next book, giving us a solid start, and of course, the dog survives too. Definitely recommended!

About the author:

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

Review: "This Monster of Mine" (This Monster of Mine #1) by Shalini Abeysekara

This Monster of Mine by Shalini Abeysekara
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

She knows the taste of death. He'll stoke her hunger for it.

Eighteen-year-old Sarai doesn't know why someone tried to kill her four years ago, but she does know that her case was closed without justice. Hellbent on vengeance, she returns to the scene of the crime as a Petitor, a prosecutor who can magically detect lies, and is assigned to work with Tetrarch Kadra. Ice-cold and perennially sadistic, Kadra is the most vicious of the four judges who rule the land - and the prime suspect in a string of deaths identical to Sarai's attempted murder.

Certain of his guilt, Sarai begins a double life: solving cases with Kadra by day and plotting his ruin by night. But Kadra is charming and there's something alluring about the wrath he wields against the city's corruption. So when the evidence she finds embroils her in a deadly political battle, Sarai must also fight against her attraction to Kadra - because despite his growing hold on her heart, his voice matches the only memory she has of her assailant...

A dazzling Ancient Rome-inspired romantasy debut, This Monster of Mine is a bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love.

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REVIEW

I keep trying to wrap my head around why no one is speaking more about this book. A Roman-inspired world filled with magic, political intrigue, murder mystery, and a forbidden romance?

Sarai's story is one of vengeance. Armed with the knowledge that someone tried and almost succeeded in killing her, she travels to the capital armed with her magic as a Petitor, capable of sensing lies, and remembering only a voice that was there the day she was killed.

What she finds is a web of intricate politics between the Tetrarchs, the ruling body of judges, and when she is assigned to work for Kadra she realizes that he was the voice she had heard that night four years ago.

As Sarai tries to discover the truth, she has to keep her story hidden from those around her, as well as one more secret that haunts her body and soul.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it was a great book filled with equal amounts of action, mystery, and romance. Sarai's and Kadra's story was very, very interesting, and I really want to read more about them. Plus, some side characters were good, others not so, but in the end, the final chapters were those that captivated me.

Definitely recommended!


About the author:

Shalini Abeysekara (she/her/hers) is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of This Monster of Mine. As a former corporate lawyer, she enjoys using fantasy to interrogate reality, exploring monstrosity—perceived and real—and centering neurodivergent women of colour reckoning with themselves and their place in a world that tells them they’re too much and not enough. She is passionate about demystifying traditional publishing for all writers. When not writing, she games her life away and tries to make the perfect entremet. Most days though, she can’t believe she's an adult, and hope you don’t either.

Her debut dark fantasy romance, This Monster of Mine, is an Ancient Rome-inspired bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love. A second novel will follow in 2026.

Follow her @shalini.writes on IG/Tiktok to be the first to hear about promotions and more! 

Review: "Mate" (Bride #2) by Ali Hazelwood

Mate by Ali Hazelwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

A Human hybrid and an Alpha Were claw against the bonds of fate in the highly anticipated companion novel to the New York Times bestselling Bride.

Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left—if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her—and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

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REVIEW

The sequel to Bride caught me by surprise. Following Serena after the ordeal she had, being kidnapped by the vampires, I never expected her story to captivate me more than the first book. She slowly rediscovers her identity as a hybrid human-werewolf, and she also has to deal with the prospect of being mated to Koen, the Alpha of the Northwest pack.

Torn between duty and desire this was a really good, solid sequel. I enjoyed the humor of the wolf pack and how Serena slowly became part of the pack. What always got me were the small sentences in the beginning of every chapter from which Ali gave us Koen's inner thoughts. I loved those.

The story did not feel rushed and had a steady pace for me, at least, with a really good last part of the book. Ali never disappoints with her characters, and I would really like to see her experiment more with the genre.

About the author:

I’m originally from Italy, lived in Japan and Germany, and eventually moved to the US to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuroscience. I was a professor for about three years, but in 2022 I quit to write full time. When I’m not writing you can find me prowling around AO3, binge-watching shows with my three feline overlords (and my almost equally feline husband), crocheting, or eating candy.
(The name of the dog in the picture is Chica; she is not mine, but I wish she were. Love to Chandra Wicke for the photo, and to Barbara for introducing me to my new bestie.)

ARC Review: "All Superheroes Need Photo Ops" (Supers in the City #2) by Elizabeth Stephens

All Superheroes Need Photo Ops by Elizabeth Stephens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

A swooning photographer and a double-crossing superhero come together with electrifying chemistry in an out-of-this-world romantic comedy by the author of All Superheroes Need PR.

From the moment forty-eight alien superheroes crash-landed on Earth, photographer Monika Neumann had a favorite. She’s been crushing on the literally electrifying Taranis ever since she saw the cutie crawling out of his pod. Unfortunately, his popularity isn’t exactly crackling these days. He could use an image boost.

Monika is in. One right photo op and she’ll put her ridiculously hot lightning-bolt-wielding hero back in the public’s favor. The best part is, the mission will bring her closer to Taranis. She’s already looking forward to the sparks. Monika never imagined there’d be a worst an accidental recording that reveals Taranis could be more villain than hero. In fact, her pretty golden boy can get kind of ugly.

Going all 007 and spying on Taranis isn’t the adventure in romance and derring-do she expected. Can she trust him? Doubtful. Can she resist him? No way. Is she ready to risk everything on a shimmering Champion with the power to zap her heart in two? Well, yeah.

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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Getting an upcoming title by Elizabeth Stephens is always a treat! I couldn't be happier to have gotten the chance to read and review this beauty.

So our story this time focuses on the best photographer in the business Monika Newman, who also has a crush on the best of the best of superheroes, Taranis. But what no one knows is that Taranis actually is a huge jerk with an ego rivaling the sun. Knowing him, he would demand you honor him like the sun itself. And..he may be double-playing between Superheroes and villains. As Monika unwillingly becomes entangled in a tricky mission of uncovering his true motives, both may realize that they have a chemistry which will test Taranis's alliances and view of the world.

This was scorching! Freaking hot, I tell you! Do you want the action? The banter and the comedy? The spice? Scratch it, the spice was off the charts. I loved Monika, she is a strong, capable woman who also has vulnerabilities, making her even more realistic, and Taranis, while a jerk, he kind of became a cute jerk by the end of the book. Seeing also the possible next couple also made me even more excited for the next book!

Definitely recommended if you love extra spice with your superhero alien romance.

And don't miss the first book of the series.

                                                 

About the author:

Top 10 USA Today Bestselling author Elizabeth Stephens writes books where beastly men—or sometimes just beasts—always get the girl.
A full-time hybrid indie and traditionally published author, Elizabeth is best known for her Supers in the City series (Montlake) and her indie works like The Bone King and the Starling and Dark City Omega. In all of her books, readers can expect diverse casts, epic world-building, quests with unexpected twists, and women of color being celebrated loudly, Black and biracial women in particular.
When she isn’t writing, you might find Elizabeth enjoying the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest or traveling and making adventures of her own with her husband, tiny humans, and doggo, King Louis.

Review: "Alchemised" by SenLinYu

Alchemised by SenLinYu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy—and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.

“What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.”

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.

In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.

According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?

To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.

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REVIEW

This book contains a whole list of TW. A few of them include, and are not limited to: blood, death, gore, war, torture, and rape. Please proceed with caution.

Helena Marino, once a gifted healer now a prisoner of the new regime of Paladia, filled with corrupt magical families and their necromancers who commanded the undead soldiers who led them to win the war. But she is missing her memories of months leading up to her capture and so she is given to the top and most trusted soldiers of the new regime, the High Reeve. Living as a prisoner and tortured for the secrets she may be hiding does not stop her from slowly unspooling the maze of her own mind and he connection to the High Reeve.

I'll be honest. I had read Manacled and that book gutted me so I had a point of reference and knew what would happen by the end of the book. But I never expected this monster of a book to pull me in and question human morality when faced with absolute death and destruction. The world is known as Paladia. There was a ruling family, gifted with the power of pyromancy and fire and below them socially are the Guild families, which strive for more power. Helena comes as a sponsored student to the Institute, which is the higher education system all gifted magicians strive to be and develop their own affinities to metal, healing and magic in general.

The book is also separated in three parts, going from present to the past, and we see how Helena becomes entangled to the Resistance and what choices she has to make, sometimes at the cost of her own sanity. Needless to say this is a character-driven book, but the worldbuilding does not fall behind. I was surprised they allowed the authors to keep it in one single book, and I couldn't be happier for that. Kaine Ferron is also a tragic character who carries trauma and is a victim of the war and its consequences.

You can not consider this story a romance. It is a tragedy and a brutal reminder of what happens in war, but with a love story that slowly develops like a small bud trying to survive an ashen world. And the epilogue lingers with you long after the book ends.

This is one of the best books of the year.

About the author:

SenLinYu grew up in the Pacific Northwest and studied classical liberal arts and culture. They started writing in the Notes app of their phone during their baby’s nap time. Their collected online works have garnered over twenty million individual downloads and have been translated into twenty-three languages. They live in Portland with their family. ALCHEMISED is their first novel.

Review: "The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy" (Dearly Beloathed #1) by Brigitte Knightley

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary from GoodReads

The first in a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romantasy duology featuring a scholarly healer and a gentleman assassin, set in an exquisite fantasy world, perfect for fans of The Love Hypothesis and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.

Osric Mordaunt, member of the Fyren Order of assassins, is in dire need of healing. Naturally – such is the grim comedy of fate – the only healer who can help is Aurienne Fairhrim, preeminent scientist, bastion of moral good, and member of an enemy Order.

Aurienne is desperate for funding to heal the sick - so desperate that, when Osric bribes her to help him, she accepts, even if she detests him and everything he stands for.

A forced collaboration ensues: the brilliant Woman in STEM is coerced into working with the PhD in Murders, much to Aurienne's disgust. As Osric and Aurienne work together to heal his illness and investigate the mysterious reoccurrence of a deadly pox, they find themselves ardently denying their attraction, which only fuels the heat between them.

Romance tropes

Enemies to lovers

High interaction slow burn

Hypercompetent idiots

He falls first and harder

Evisceration as a love language

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REVIEW

This book was a delightful surprise, filled with a unique magic system, hilarious moments, and shenanigans. Osric and Aurienne are sword enemies, even opposed by their magic and politics but desire can be found in the most...loathed places.

Osric is dying and what better thing to do than kidnap the best healer in the world and force her to heal him? Easy peasy. There is just a problem, Aurienne is not your everyday healer and she has a big ego to match Osric's own.

As they navigate therapy sessions, hidden political machinations and their own growing attraction, they will have to come up with more ways not to kill each other in the process. I liked the premise, the word feels like middle ages England with a good touch of magic and a system that categorizes it in 'good' 'evil' and....'chaotic'? We'll see because there is so much to explore here.

Osric was so funny in his assurance that he is the best assassin with the best ways to dispose of his enemies it was almost comical. And Aurienne was kind of a snob at start which almost made me not like her but she grew on me. The balcony scene was the best one in the whole book.

Overall this is a good story with interesting worldbuilding and a slow-burn romance.

Also recently, the cover of the second book was revealed!

About the author:

Brigitte writes what she wants to read: enemies-to-lovers romances that put the unresolved back in UST. Her debut novel, THE IRRESISTIBLE URGE TO FALL FOR YOUR ENEMY, is coming out July 2025 (Berkley / Orbit UK).

Cover Reveal: "The Light Under the Shadow Wing" (Heirs of the Second Dawn #1) by Amanda Bouchet

Welcome to the cover reveal of Amanda Bouchet's upcoming novel, The Light Under The Shadow Wing! I have loved Amanda's books since her debut series, The Kingmaker Chronicles. Without further ado, feast your eyes on this beauty!

                                           

Title: The Light Under the Shadow Wing by Amanda Bouchet

Release date: February 23, 2026

Tropes:

• Found family

• Trainer x trainee

• Who did this to you?

• Touch her and die

• Forced proximity

• Warring kingdoms

• Royalty

• Slow burn

• Dragon shifters

Blurb: 

DANGER, DESIRE, AND KINGDOMS ON THE BRINK OF WAR.

Idallia has been serving in the Dragon King’s Elite Wing of dragon shifters for nearly two hundred years. She doesn’t have fire or flight of her own, but she’s a phoenix rider with enough speed and skill to make her enemies think twice about tangling with her or her warbirds.

Centuries of life without knowing who or what you are is complicated enough without harboring a growing secret attraction, but the more time Idallia spends with Bale Cinderheart, the harder it is to stay away from the fiercely protective Dragon King. Dominant, intense…and the one man with the power to ruin everything.

Bale has centuries of ruling under his scales and more responsibilities than he has fangs. His greatest triumph is his Elite Wing and their warbirds, but his biggest fear is losing them. Especially Idallia. She’s his forbidden desire and the one person he can’t seem to let go of—even for his own good.

While the man in him guards his heart as relentlessly as the dragon in him guards his kingdom, he's also the keeper of the answers Idallia has been seeking her whole life. Revealing the truth now could cost him everything—his home, his crown, his heart…

The threat of war looms as magic fades from the world of Ellonrift. Will the Dragon King preserve the fragile peace between the kingdoms? Or burn it all down, for her…

The Heirs of the Second Dawn are interconnected standalone fantasy romance novels with no cliffhangers.

About the author:

Amanda Bouchet grew up in New England where she spent much of her time tromping around in the woods and making up grand adventures in her head. It was inevitable that one day she would start writing them down. Drawing on her Greek heritage for the setting and on her love of all things daring and romantic for the rest, her debut series, The Kingmaker Chronicles, took form. She writes what she loves to read: epic exploits, steamy romance, and characters that make you laugh and cry.

Her first novel, A Promise of Fire, was a Goodreads Choice Awards top ten finalist for Best Debut and an NPR Best Book of 2016.

Amanda lives in Paris, France with two kids, two cats, and a regular dose of fluffy, buttery croissants.

Review: Rose in Chains (The Evermore Trilogy, #1) by Julie Soto

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An instant #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Soto crafts a lush and dark romantic fantasy that’s filled with intrigue, magic, and an irresistible enemies-to-lovers romance.

The war is over, the dark forces have won, and the hero who was supposed to save them is dead.  

Captured as her castle is overrun by the enemy, the world as Briony Rosewood knows it is changed forever. Evil has won, and her people face imminent servitude, imprisonment, or death.  

​Stripped of her Magic and her freedom, Briony and the other survivors are quickly sold off to the highest bidders in an auction—and as Evermore's princess, she fetches the highest price. After a fierce bidding war, she’s sold to none other than Toven Hearst, scion of a family known for their cruelty.  

Yet despite the horrors of her new world and the role she must learn to play within it, all is not lost. Help—and hope—may yet arise in the most unlikely of places…

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REVIEW

This review, as also the other two which will follow in the next weeks, are part of what I call "The Dramione Trifecta". For those who may be unaware, this book, The Irresistible Urge to Fall for your Enemy and Alchemised are all books related to the Dramione idea from the Harry Potter series, which means they all began as fanfics, then everything changed for obvious reasons.

The premise is this: Princess Briony is captured by the enemy kingdom as both are opposed in different kinds of magic, separated to heart and mind magic. Following the plan of a fanatic ruler of the enemy kingdom she is sold as a slave to Toven Hearst, her archenemy and her old classmate. Slowly, they form a tentative alliance in order to locate the remaining friends and allies of Briony's, navigating also the treacherous spies, old spites and bullies and Toven's secrets.

This was an interesting premise, something I would easily see in any other romantsy. The plot is ot for the faint of heart either as there are CW at the beginning of the book so please be also advised. I liked the characters, though I was slightly annoyed at Briony at times, because her smartness made her also slightly stupid to matters of heart, but she will get there I believe in her.

The ending was also a cliffhanger which left me in an interesting point plot-wise, as the fanatic ruler is a magician who would no anything to gain more power for herself.

Recommended if you still ship these two.

About the author:

JULIE SOTO is a USA Today bestselling author, playwright, and actress originally from Sacramento, CA. Her musical Generation Me won the 2017 New York Musical Festival’s Best Musical award, as well as Best Book for her script. She is a musical theater geek, fandom nerd, and the author of many spicy fan fictions. Julie now lives in Fort Bragg, CA, with her dog, Charlie. She is probably drinking coffee as you read this.

Review: Warrior Princess Assassin (Braided Fate, #1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer makes her adult debut with this irresistible and steamy fantasy about three characters whose paths will collide in surprising ways – two royals pushed into a political engagement, and the assassin tasked with hunting them down.

WARRIOR. King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his kingdom is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring nation of Astranza, and hope that the royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his land flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how the blaze began.

PRINCESS. With war looming on the horizon, Princess Jory’s home needs the protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous secret: her family’s magic is fading. Tempting as it is to reject her duties and run away with her childhood friend, Asher, Jory knows that she is the kingdom’s last hope. When she meets her intended, Jory is surprised to discover that beneath Ky’s daunting exterior is a compassionate and sharp-witted man who sets her heart aflame. But what will he do when he realizes she's deceiving him?

ASSASSIN. Asher’s done what he must to survive, even if that means getting his hands dirty. Once a young nobleman in Astranza’s palace, where he and Jory caused mischief together, now he’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, employing much darker skills. When a lucrative job comes his way, Asher can’t say no—until he discovers the targets. Someone wants Ky and Jory dead. With the Guild watching, Asher must decide what he’s willing to do to protect the woman he loves.

A tale of three complex characters torn between chasing, betraying, and falling in love with each other, Warrior Princess Assassin marks the beginning of a thrilling new fantasy trilogy filled with enchantment, adventure, and passionate romance.

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REVIEW

Brigid Kemmener dove into the 'why choose' pool and she got a gold medal. This book has the perfect balance of fantasy, political intrigue, mystery and a trio of characters who are messy but they are perfect for each other despite their differences.

Princess Jory is set to be married to King Maddox in order to cement the political alliance between their two nations as a third is vying to destroy them both. But she has always been in love with her best friend Asher who urgently needs a fluffy blanket and lots of hugs.

Following a series of mishaps the three of them become entangled in a assassination plot which spans kingdoms and a looming war which may tear them all apart. And between them both tensions and emotions rise as they have to navigate both their pasts and possible future.

While the plot did not progress too much for my style, I did not mind as it gave the perfect ground for the characters to evolve. Ky Maddox, Jory and Asher are flawed but strong characters, and I kept rooting for them from the start. There is longing and pining, which I devoured so suffice to say that I will stick to this ship for a long while.

Definitely recommended!




About the author:

Brigid Kemmerer is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of dark and alluring romantic fantasy novels like Warrior Princess Assassin, Defy the Night, and A Curse So Dark and Lonely. A full time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her family. When she’s not writing or being a mom, you can usually find her playing board games with her loving husband, or hanging out in the gym, with her hands wrapped around a barbell.

ARC Review: The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash, #6) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Primal of Blood and Bone by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the shadows and flames, Primals will fall…

And from the blood and ash, new gods will rise.

What was dreamt.

Poppy was never meant to awaken, and the consequences are devastating and far-reaching, stirring ancient powers from their slumber and transforming Casteel and Kieran in ways even the Fates couldn’t have foreseen. But what that means is the least of their concerns. For now.

What was foreseen.

The Blood Crown has fallen, but what has risen is a far greater danger than they’ve ever faced. From flesh and fire, the Great Conspirator has returned to the mortal realm, and he wants only one thing. They must stop the true Primal of Death before he regains his strength, and it won’t be easy. Even weakened, his influence is undeniable. His power, unthinkable.

Has come to be.

While the future of the realms rests upon them, they won’t stand alone. The gods have awakened—each harboring their own blood-soaked secrets. But they must navigate an unbalanced realm, where every choice—past and present—has the potential to not only undo everything they’ve fought for but also destroy the very bonds that have Joined them together.

For the Harbinger and the Bringer of Death and Destruction has risen.

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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

This review comes after days of having finished the book. I am still in turmoil because some things could have been avoided, but others were...inevitable? (trying hard not to sound like Thanos here)

The story continues with Poppy, Cas, Kierra, and co as they try to navigate a world after Kolis has awakened, hidden secrets and multiple plots which are realm-wide. To say that the Fates here are kind of annoying little jerks is an understatement (not you T. I love you.)

Poppy grapples with her powers and also her troubled family history. We get to see Sera again, which leads into one of the best chapters of the series for me. Also Reaver has some quite good scenes and others are heartbreaking.

The POV is double, meaning we also see how Cas acts and feels and despite some things being slightly repetitive, I became slightly annoyed with him in this book. Was he right in some aspects? Sure, but my friend, why don't you resolve your issues and let them fester for a whole damn book? The spice is burning, which we have all come to love in this series, and the revelations are quite good, though in some scenes I would catch myself wondering why we would have something almost being revealed... but then all would be interrupted by something or someone.

The missing star goes to a certain trope, but that does not diminish the fact that this is yet another banger by Jennifer Armentrout, who delivers amazing stories with expanded world-building and fluff moments amidst the chaos.

You are not prepared for what is coming...

Don't miss the rest books of this series!

About the author:

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.

ARC Review: "This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me" (Maggie the Undying #1) by Ilona Andrews

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary from Storygraph

Game of Thrones meets Outlander in This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

When Maggie wakes up, cold, naked, and filthy in Kair Toren, a city in the kingdom of Rellas, she recognizes it immediately. It’s the world she knows intimately from the pages of an unfinished dark fantasy series she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel. With no idea how or why she landed in this gritty, violent world, she’s determined to survive until she can figure out how to get home with her only tools – an encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, setting, and the characters’ actions, motivations, and fates: information she can sell to the highest bidder – all while staying under the radar so as not to change the very information she plans to barter.

Soon Maggie discovers another surprising “skill”: she cannot be killed (though many will try.) And as she becomes more attached to the motley band she’s somehow gathered – which includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, a dangerous soldier, and various outrageous magic creatures – she abandons all thoughts of lying low for her own good. Instead she finds herself trying to save them, and the Kingdom of Rellas from the cataclysmic war she knows is coming.

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REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the publisher and Edelweiss in exhange for an honest review. 

This is the book that took me out of my blogging funk. Since March I had no desire to write any reviews. Did I read amazing books? Sure. Did I have the mentality to write said reviews? Nope.

But here came Maggie the Undying and the fantastic duo of Ilona Andrews who delivered such an amazing story which reminded me the good times when we'd get a new SJM book and want to rant for months and months. In my case I have to wait until publication day but that does not mean I can not pester you to pre-order this beauty right now!

The cover is glorious it has elements from the story which are spot on (since I read it I have inner scoop hehe) and the colors are gorgeous!

As for the story itself? Well the premise is quite clear. Maggie is isekai'ed into the wolrd of her favorite series and her only 'power' is the story itself. She has read the books so many times she is an encyclopedia of everything that has happened and will happen. Her tendnecy also to not die after being killed, leads her to slowly gather a group of misfits and secondary characters from the book in an attempt to stop the upcoming war that happens in the book.

But the more she changes the plot the more unexpected the future may unfold.

I can not spoiler since I do not want to rob you my friend from experiencing the amazing tiwsts and turns this book takes. You will not be bored as Ilona Andrews weaves humor, kickass action, magic and budding romance in these pages. Not to mention how each chapter is a bomb of information but never too cramped into a few chapters. Through Maggie the world of Rellas unfolds through her eyes and we the reader discover it along with her.

If that is not meta, I don't know what is.

The characters all come from different backgrounds and enrich the story. Maggie is the protagonist sure but she works along with the rest of the characters and help them in any way she can.

As for the romance interesrt? I'll let you discover it on your own, because he is f*ing awesome.

I will defenitely re-read this and will not atop recommening it. I believe this will be the best book Ilona Andrews has written ever and I hold all their books in high standards.

But this for me screams: animated movie/series adaptation or HBO series adaptation.

About the authors:

“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.

They have co-authored several bestselling series, including the #1 NYT bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles, which they post as a free weekly serial. 

For complete list of their books, fun extras, and Innkeeper installments, please visit their website at Ilona-andrews.com.

ARC Review: "All Superheroes Need PR" (Supers in the City #1) by Elizabeth Stephens

All Superheroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

He’s a villain looking for a hero rebrand. She’s the marketing genius who can make it happen in this fantastical romantic comedy by the author of the Beasts of Gatamora series.

Over two decades ago, forty-eight young, gifted superheroes fell to Earth and were eventually marketed as opposing heroes and villains. Now, one exceptionally gruff bad guy is looking to hop teams. Hello, PR director Vanessa Theriot.

His real name is Roland Casteel a.k.a. the Pyro. First, swap that with the less incinerating the Wyvern. Next, put him in spandex to highlight that near-godlike body. Finally, give that hero in training a heroine—if Vanessa will play the part in a pretend romance guaranteed to make the city swoon. She’s game. As shy as Vanessa is, it’s her job to be Roland’s very own Lois Lane. Who knew that fake dating would change their worlds?

But falling head over heels for real makes for a dangerous shift in the narrative. A monstrous supervillain is bringing out Roland’s bad side again. This time, it’s to save a woman who, against all the odds, is becoming the human love of his superhero life.

PRE-ORDER ON 

AMAZON | BLACKWELL'S

REVIEW

I received an e-ARC from the author and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 

Where to begin with this upcoming gem of a book? Hmm....

In a world similar to our own two decades ago 48 pods containing alien children fell on Earth, Superman-style. After years of being held by the government, the children grew up becoming some them heroes, some of the villains and some....morally grey individuals.

Branded as factions fighting for good and evil (The Boys-style) they save the world everyday and they have terrible powers.

And that is where we find our heroine Vanessa, genious PR president of her own firm, staring at Roland who is a terrifying and powerful man capable of weilding fire...and who she has to represent as the new addition to the band of heroes. Not to mention that he looks like he could turn a person to a marshmallow or that he is attracted to Vanessa.

The book is quite a fun ride as we follow the development of their relationship and seeing how they grow closer. The friends and family of Vanessa are all amazing and they offer quite a positive feeling to the story which despite being a romance (spicy all the way baby) it has a really well thought plot and as the story progresses we realize that there is a far more sinister plan in the horizon.

And honestly Roland gave me Kaleb Krychek vibes (my favorite man of Nalini Singh's books), so I defenitely recommend this to anyone who loves a moraly grey character, capable to do everything for the woman he loves.

About the author:

Elizabeth Stephens writes romance of the SciFi, paranormal and suspenseful varieties. Her favorite trope is enemies-to-lovers and she loves to world-build so much so that she sometimes gets lost in places that don't exist.

One year into her author journey, she's been shocked to see her books listed among Amazon's bestsellers in their categories. Still, her favorite pieces of fanmail are from BIPOC women expressing surprise and gratitude that they've found an author who looks like them and (does her very best!) to write books that make them feel included.

When she isn't tip-tap-typing away, you might find her getting her hands dirty on a pottery wheel, traveling as much as she can, or learning a new language. A Seattle native, after over 15 years spent in Johannesburg, Cairo, Beirut, Geneva, Addis Ababa, and Berlin, she's made her way back home with her loving husband and doggo, King Louis.

To find out more about her projects and upcoming releases visit her website at booksbyelizabeth.com.