Book Review: Savage Lover by Sophie Lark

This was a bit of a stepdown. It just felt a lot younger than the previous books. Camille and Nero are both around 25 but they act like they’re in high school. 

I feel like this was supposed to be a bully romance, but it actually isn’t. I like that because I usually have issues with bully romances. 

Camille was easy to like and connect with. She rides the line of “not like other girls.” Nero is a manwhore with a heart of gold. He’s definitely all about the mafia life and supporting his family. But they also weren’t quite as developed as I would’ve liked.

Speaking of under-developed: when did Nero and Camille fall in love? I enjoyed the steamy scenes, but I don't know why they ever actually got together. It kind of just happened. 

Even though this wasn't my favorite, I plan on continuing with the series.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Anastasia by Sophie Lark

Oh boy, I have thoughts. This was hard to rate. The first 30-40% was a 4 star.  The last 30% was close to a 5 star. But that middle bit was a generous 2 star. So I settled on 4 stars. 

This was long and I would argue too long. So many moments were drawn out. I think it makes sense for this to cover as much time, but some things should’ve been more like a montage. Some scenes were just repetitive or a tad navel-gazing like. I think tightening those things up would’ve shaved off like 10K words and made it better in my opinion. 

Then, there’s the genre. Is this a fantasy romance? I’m honestly not sure. The last 30% or so felt like a romance, but not the rest. I’m not sure I can tell you how much romance you need to be classified as a romance, but I think there should be more. I think this would be more enjoyable if you know most of it won’t be romance-heavy. 

Anastasia is a difficult character. I can see people not liking her and DNF-ing because of that. I found her frustrating, but also fairly real. She’s raised in a very specific world which breeds some unlikable characteristics. She does also go on a very interesting journey.

Damien is the love interest and a much easier character to like and connect with. I would’ve preferred more of his actual POV. He is a compelling man and I want to know more about him and his magic. 

Ms. Lark plays with the history of the Romanovs and the Russian uprising. There are a lot of the known players like the Tsar and Rasputin, but it’s in a fantastical way. There is magic and fantasy characters. Generally, I liked what she did with all of that and I was often on the edge of my seat. It was stressful waiting to see how she was going to resolve things. 

Then, there’s the romance. I liked it-especially when it actually went somewhere. This wasn’t a slowburn-just slow. For a while I felt the attraction between Anastasia and Damien was forced for the sake of the plot. But eventually I came around. I don’t want to go into spoilers, but there were some very beautiful moments in the romance. The fire dance scene really stands out to me. 

I enjoyed a lot of the side characters and plots. Anastasia’s siblings-especially her sisters-have my heart. Irina and Felix, too. And Artemis. She’s probably my favorite character. I love her sass and personality.

OK, I think I’ve gone on long enough. I’m glad I read this even though it wasn’t quite what I thought or hoped it would be. It definitely feels like a passion project and Ms. Lark should be happy with what she’s done. 

Thanks for reading!
Holly 

January Wrap-Up (2023)

I think 2023 is off to a good start. I had some hard things happen in my personal life, but they also opened my eyes to some things. Because of these things I’m hopeful for how my mental health is going to proceed this year. 

And I'm Happy with my reading this month. I hoped to read more, but the quality of books was very good. And I’m super into Stephanie Garber now. I am trying to ration her books a bit. 

Here are the books I finished along with my rating and thoughts:

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Do I have coherent thoughts?

No.

Am I writing a review anyways?

Yes.

Stephanie Garber and I are just on the same page. Her writing works for me and grips me. Again, I stayed up late to finish this.

I rarely want books I read to be adapted, but I would love to see this on screen. There’s just so many visuals that I want to see outside of my mind. Like Scarlet’s dress. I don’t know if my imagination does it justice.

The romance really worked for me. Objectively, I think this was a tad insta-lovey, but I DON’T CARE! I 100% support Scarlet’s romance.

The sister relationship was part of why I picked this one up. I wish there was a bit more, but I also anticipate the future book may scratch that itch. 

I picked this up from my library because I’m trying to be more responsible. But I already added the box set to my Amazon cart.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

Love on the Brain is my favorite Hazelwood so far. I’m not bothered by the repetitive nature of her stories…yet. I think she does need to branch out a little bit or people will get bored.

What I liked in this one is the same I liked in her other books. Bee was easy to like and she was competent. I’m a sucker for a competent character. I like that she isn’t a stereotype and she isn’t an awkward nerd.

Levi was cute and a great hero. He kind of felt like Josh from The Hating Game. I mean it’s a similar plot so I guess that makes sense.

The romance was predictable and Bee was kind of oblivious to Levi’s feelings. I’m pretty observant, but she was really bad. That was one of the things that bothered me.

Speaking of oblivious, that ending. It escalated quickly and I’m not sure I saw teh build up. Is this only me?

Like the other Hazelwood books, I read this by audio book. I highly recommend it and thought the narrator did a spectacular job. I should seek out more books she’s narrated.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

This sucked me in and didn’t let go. I haven’t stayed up late to finish a book. While that messed up my already screwed up sleep schedule, I loved the nostalgia of doing that again. I also want to read the next one ASAP, but then I have to wait for 9 months for the last book. I’m scared of how hard that wait will be. 

I can’t even explain why this worked for me so well. Evangeline was a great heroine. She occasionally made stupid mistakes, but it didn’t really bother me. I’m interested in a lot of the characters and I’m confused about who I can trust. 

I think I know the end-game romance. Normally, I would be bothered by the ambiguity, but it works here. I Hope we get more development and tension in book two.

There was a fairy tale feel to this which really worked for me. It felt magical and colorful.

I hope we get the ending to the Ballad of the Archer and the Fox. THere are also little breadcrumbs that I’m very curious to see if my theories are correct. 

I loved this so much that the next day I picked up the Caraval trilogy from my library. I want to spend more time with her writing. 

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Meet Me At the Anvil by Kate Prior

This was fun and different from a lot of the historical romances I’ve read. Like Prior’s other books, this is a bit ridiculous. I mean that in a nice easy-not as a judgment. 

I wish we could have had some of Liam’s thoughts-not an unusual complaint for me. This is in 3rd person, but limited to Diane’s POV. 

I’m a bit confused about how certain things happened, but I’m going to just throw myself into it. It also has a bit of insta-love vibes. That’s why it’s three stars, not four.

Kate Prior is a great and engaging writer. I will continue to read books from her as she publishes them.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Devil of Dublin by B.B. Easton

I have a lot of feelings about this one. I’m hoping I can explain them and work through how I feel.

First, this cover stopped me from reading this book for a while. The guy on the cover screams F-boy. I had to prepare myself for that type of hero. Kellen is definitely not that character. He’s a quiet and damaged man. I just get a different vibe from the cover than the story actually has. 

The use of the past storytelling was very well done. It doesn’t always add to the story. This one did work and I quickly grew close to Darby and Kellen. I actually started crying around 25% in the middle of my hair appointment. 

There’s a lot of trauma being dealt with here by both characters. Most of it occurred off-page but some was on-page. Ms. Easton has detailed content warnings on her website. Because of these traumas, I would’ve preferred more time to pass. It just made me feel like the relationship was a bit unhealthy. Easton does address this eventually which I appreciated. 

This was definitely dark and there were high stakes. I was curious how Easton was going to resolve the conflicts she set up. I was fairly satisfied with it. 

I found some of the intimate scenes to be a little off. I was occasionally confused about what was going on. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention, but I re-read several pages so I don’t think so. Maybe it’s because the characters were disassociating. 

Overall, I enjoyed this. But I would’ve liked some things to be more finished. I would recommend this. And I would read more B.B. Easton, but I’m not running out to pick up her backlist.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

2023 Anticipated Releases

I’m here with my anticipated releases for 2023. I’m sure there will be more, especially Indie romances that haven’t been announced yet. There are some series I’ve been reading that are currently on hold-Sabine Valley and Girl Meets Duke. If those books come out I will pick them up.

Here are the books I’m excited for. I wonder if I’ll actually read them.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

December Wrap-Up (2022)

Well I made it through December and 2022. It was a particularly stressful time at work and in life. My birthday and Christmas were a little odd because of the winter storm that ravaged the US.

I think half my reading happened while I was on vacation at Disney World. That was a different experience for me, but it was fun. 

Here are the books I read along with my ratings and thoughts:

Thanks for reading!
Holly

November Wrap-Up (2022)

November, like much of this year, is a blur. Work has been very busy which contributes to it. This is just a very busy time of year. It’s also been causing me a lot of stress and anxiety.

I also finished eight books which is a good amount for me lately. And I finished the original ACOTAR series-book 3 was a huge slog for me. I’m happy with what I accomplished and am hopeful for December.

Here’s what I read along with my thoughts and ratings. 

Book Review: The Orc from the Office by Kate Prior

These books have no business being this good. Kate Prior is a great writer who knows how to pace a novella. I can’t wait for her to write more books. 

This had a different tone than the first book. It still had moments of humor, but it was also more sweet. I literally “ahh”ed and clutched my heart several times. Khent is currently my favorite guy in a romance. He’s so sweet and caring. I think I’m a sucker for a gentle giant. 

Janice and Khent are forced together due to a series of ridiculous actions. It’s a forced mating and the pheromones are hard to resist. So there’s lots of tension and sexytimes, but it’s the emotional connection that really got me.

These covers and the concepts are over-the-top, but they are expertly executed. And just like the first book, Prior weaves in satire perfectly. 

I think I’m going to try her full-length book because it’s the only thing left.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Love, Laugh, Lich by Kate Prior

I picked this up because Ruby Dixon talked about the 2nd one. So, I had to check the series out. 

This is ridiculous, but incredibly self-aware. It borders on parody of corporate culture. I love a good parody or satire. There was a take over and now an evil Lord controls everything. Lily works for the Lord Lich and is just on board for the world as it is. She also talks a lot with Janice in HR. Those are hilarious conversations.

Yes, there are sex rituals and they are pretty steamy. The Lich has some extra appendages that Lily takes full advantage of. They are also ridiculous scenes, but you just have to buy in. There’s also some sweet moments here.While a lot of this is over-the-top, it is very well written. I plan on continuing with the series but I’ll also keep an eye on Kate Prior because she has some real talent as a writer.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Excalibur Curse by Kiersten White

I was pretty confused by this. I originally thought it was my fault because it had been over a year since I read book two. After finishing, I read some reviews. Now, I think it was the book’s fault. It was mainly that characters were doing things I wasn’t expecting.

Generally, I still enjoyed this. I thought there were very good and impactful moments. Fina was also an addition. I wouldn’t complain if I got to read more about her. 

The overall plot was a bit convoluted and the packing was off sometimes. Then, there’s the relationships which make no sense. I felt some friendships were pushed aside. And I have no idea what’s going on with the romance. Like WTF was going on?

Also what was the purpose of this? Not that every story has to have a message, but this felt like it was trying to.Part of me thinks this is about sacrifice, but there’s a bit lacking. I don’t want to go into spoilers, but I think certain characters delivered on that. 

And what was that ending? Pick a side!

I do think this would’ve been better as an adult book instead of YA. I just think she could’ve gone a little farther if it was adult. 

Sorry for the random collection of thoughts.

Thanks for reading!
Holly 

Underdog by L.A. Witt

This isn’t a second chance romance but still a second chance since Landon is on parole after serving a 10 year prison sentence. I always like a second chance and a reformed criminal. I also like animals in my books. 

This was a tad too long. There was a lot of cute romance stuff. I actually like that but if there’s going to be a lot of it, I need that to be a second book in a series or something. A little bit is nice, but here it made the story drag a little. There was also a lot of the same conflict especially on Ty’s side. He was so hung up on never being in a relationship because of his parents. 

I liked the romance. It was faster but not instalove. Two characters can be attracted very quickly and have it not be love. And they did get to know each other and connected on multiple levels which helped me be more invested in the story/romance. 

Like I’ve said before there are a lot of animals. Ty runs a horse farm. Landon ultimately works on the farm along with another “farm” for dogs in need. There’s lots of cute moments with both kinds of animals. This cover isn’t a lie. Witt may go into too much detail for some readers but I don’t mind. 

This was cute and had callbacks to other books but took place mainly in the country.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: Counterpoint by J.E. Birk

This was a fun read but I think I’ll forget it pretty quickly. I was more invested in the side relationships than the romance. I like the romance and think Aaron and Jeremy are a good couple. They are in fact good counterpoints for each other. But it also felt kind of one-note. They had the same disagreements and conversations. The side relationships with their friends, family, and work just felt deeper. I especially liked Jeremy’s family drama. It was hard to read as someone who has dealt with Alzheimer’s in my family but it felt real. Birk handled those situations well. Generally, I liked that Birk made a lot of the characters that could be villains like Benson and Jeremy’s mom real people. They had issues but you can see why they are the way they are. People are complex. This is a good addition to the World of True North and I’ll keep reading these books as the plots intrigue me.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. I think I had a bit of a bias because I heard this started as a Rylo fanfic and I’m an anti-Rylo shipper. But this ended up being adorable and gripping. My ratingin is probably more of a 4.5.

Where to start?

This made me very happy. And I read it in one day, which I wasn't expecting. I would describe this as sweet. That’s weird, because it does address some serious issues. And the steamy scenes were spectacular. There weren’t many, but it felt like the right amount. 

Hazelwood does a good job of writing well-rounded and intelligent characters. I don’t have any experience with academia, but it felt like it was there. I also am a sucker for a competent character. So, I think Hazelwood will be an auto-buy author for that reason. 

The romance was cute and well-paced. There was a huge conflict surrounding a refusal to talk to each other. I hate using that in a romance and this one lasted a long time. Olive and Adam were fake dating and I loved their conversations. Like always, I would like Adam’s perspective, but this book barely suffered from that.

The friendships here were also great. Both Olive and Adam have great friends. I love a supportive and loving friendship.

This lived up to the hype and I’m still happy I gave Ali Hazelwood a chance. Now I have to wait for more books though.

Thanks for reading!
Holly