Review: THE JASMINE THRONE (Burning Kingdoms #1) by Tasha Suri

THE JASMINE THRONE (Burning Kingdoms #1)

by Tasha Suri

Date Published: June 8, 2021; Orbit

From Goodreads:

Author of Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash Tasha Suri's The Jasmine Throne, beginning a new trilogy set in a world inspired by the history and epics of India, in which a captive princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic become unlikely allies on a dark journey to save their empire from the princess's traitor brother. 

Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of the powerful, magical deathless waters — but is now little more than a decaying ruin. 

Priya is a maidservant, one among several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini’s chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, so long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides. 

ARC Review: GLEAM (The Plated Prisoner #3) by Raven Kennedy

GLEAM (The Plated Prisoner #3)

by Raven Kennedy

Date Published: May 31, 2021

From Goodreads:

King Midas made me the woman I am today. Notorious. Unattainable. His. 

The thing about being confined is that you believe it’s to keep the bad out... Until you realize it’s about keeping you in. 

I’m now in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies of my own, but I won’t sit idly by and let myself wither. No, there’s something that’s bloomed from the pit of my repression. Something dark. Something angry. 

But the last thing I expected was for my anger to call out to him. King Ravinger. 

He’s sinister and powerful and entirely too seductive. I’ve learned my lesson with trusting manipulative kings, so why does my chest constrict every time he’s near? I need to tread carefully, or I’m at risk of losing much more than just my freedom. 

ARC Review: FOR THE WOLF (Wilderwood #1) by Hannah Whitten

FOR THE WOLF (Wilderwood #1)

by Hannah Whitten

Release Date: June 1, 2021; Orbit

From Goodreads:

The first daughter is for the Throne.

The second daughter is for the Wolf. 

For fans of Uprooted and The Bear and the Nightingale comes a dark fantasy novel about a young woman who must be sacrificed to the legendary Wolf of the Wood to save her kingdom. But not all legends are true, and the Wolf isn't the only danger lurking in the Wilderwood. 

As the only Second Daughter born in centuries, Red has one purpose-to be sacrificed to the Wolf in the Wood in the hope he'll return the world's captured gods. 

Red is almost relieved to go. Plagued by a dangerous power she can't control, at least she knows that in the Wilderwood, she can't hurt those she loves. Again. 

ARC Review: THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN by Ava Reid

THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN

by Ava Reid

Release Date: June 8, 2021; Harper Voyager

From Goodreads:

In the vein of Naomi Novik’s New York Times bestseller Spinning Silver and Katherine Arden’s national bestseller The Bear and the Nightingale, this unforgettable debut— inspired by Hungarian history and Jewish mythology—follows a young pagan woman with hidden powers and a one-eyed captain of the Woodsmen as they form an unlikely alliance to thwart a tyrant. 

In her forest-veiled pagan village, Évike is the only woman without power, making her an outcast clearly abandoned by the gods. The villagers blame her corrupted bloodline—her father was a Yehuli man, one of the much-loathed servants of the fanatical king. When soldiers arrive from the Holy Order of Woodsmen to claim a pagan girl for the king’s blood sacrifice, Évike is betrayed by her fellow villagers and surrendered. 

But when monsters attack the Woodsmen and their captive en route, slaughtering everyone but Évike and the cold, one-eyed captain, they have no choice but to rely on each other. Except he’s no ordinary Woodsman—he’s the disgraced prince, Gáspár Bárány, whose father needs pagan magic to consolidate his power. Gáspár fears that his cruelly zealous brother plans to seize the throne and instigate a violent reign that would damn the pagans and the Yehuli alike. As the son of a reviled foreign queen, Gáspár understands what it’s like to be an outcast, and he and Évike make a tenuous pact to stop his brother. 

ARC Review: THE SHAADI SET-UP by Lillie Vale

THE SHAADI SET-UP

by Lillie Vale

Release Date: September 7, 2021; G.P. Putnam's Sons

From Goodreads:

In this witty and heartfelt rom-com debut for fans of Jasmine Guillory, Emily Henry, and Tessa Bailey, an Indian-American woman signs herself and her boyfriend up for a matchmaking site to prove they’re a perfect match, only to be paired with her ex instead. 

High school sweethearts Rita Chitniss and Milan Rao were the golden couple, until the day he broke her heart. Now, six years later, Rita has turned her passion for furniture restoration into a career and has an almost-perfect boyfriend, Neil. The last thing she needs is for Milan to re-enter her life, but that’s exactly what happens when her mother, an unfailing believer in second chances, sets them up. Milan is just as charming, cocky, and confident as he was back in school. Only this time, he actually needs her business expertise, not her heart, to flip a hard-to-sell house for his realty agency. 

ARC Review: A WICKED AND BEAUTIFUL GARDEN (Witches of the Island #1) by Katie McGarry

A WICKED AND BEAUTIFUL GARDEN (Witches of the Island #1)

by Katie McGarry

Release Date: May 5, 2021; Katie McGarry LLC

From Goodreads:

Twenty-eight year-old Cassie Strega can’t escape fate. 

All she wants is to live a normal, quiet life delivering the babies in her small town. But when she discovers she comes from a lineage of witches, her life becomes extraordinary—in the gravely dangerous type of way. 

Then, she’s reunited with her first love. 

Orion, the sultry Fae warrior who broke her heart years before, is searching for a baby. Not just any baby, but the queen of the Fae who will one day lead them in their final battle against the demons determined to rule the world. The same baby who has been calling to Cassie for help in her dreams. 

Fighting the intense attraction of their former blood bond, Cassie and Orion work together to find the child. But when the heartbreak that nearly destroyed Cassie nine years before looms once more, she’ll have to decide whether getting involved in the supernatural war is worth losing everything, including her life.

ARC Review: BENEATH BLACK SAILS (Beneath Black Sails #1) by Clare Sager

BENEATH BLACK SAILS (Beneath Black Sails #1)

by Clare Sager
Date Published: March 30, 2020; Independently published 

From Goodreads:

Sometimes it takes a pirate to catch a pirate. 

With weather magic on her side, Lady Vice is the bane of the high seas, but she isn’t captain of her own ship. Yet. If she can persuade her captain to give her a command, she’ll be in charge of her own fate. 

To pay off his family’s debts, Knigh Blackwood hunts pirates for the Royal Navy. And he’s damn good at it. When the bounty on Lady Vice increases, he’s determined to make her face justice, even if that means using unorthodox methods. 

Forced to work together, neither can deny their mutual attraction. As they face battles at sea and schemes aboard their ship, they discover hints about a long-lost treasure that could be the answer to both their problems. 

Blog Tour & ARC Review: THE BLOOD WITCH (The Osseous Chronicles #2) by Ivy Asher

THE BLOOD WITCH (The Osseous Chronicles #2)

by Ivy Asher

Release Date: March 27, 2021

About the book:

I never saw it coming...the bones...the magic...the betrayal. 

It’s no longer a question of who I can trust—the answer is no one. Now, it’s about survival. 

I’m in the heart of the Order, trying to solve a series of mysterious disappearances, while doing everything that I can not to become bait. 

Enemies are circling, and they can’t seem to decide if they see me as a pawn or as a threat. Oh, and there’s that little issue of being tethered to Rogan, who I now want to kill. 

It’s time to figure out just what I’m capable of though. Because fool me once...shame on you. But fool me twice...and I will crush your bones to dust.

ARC Review: YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER by Sarah Hogle

YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER
by Sarah Hogle
Date Published: April 7, 2020; G.P. Putnam’s Sons

From Goodreads:

Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him. 

Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare. 

But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves--and having fun with the last person they expect: each other. 

Review: FROM BLOOD AND ASH (Blood And Ash #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

FROM BLOOD AND ASH (Blood And Ash #1) 
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: March 30, 2020; Blue Box Press

From Goodreads:

Captivating and action-packed, From Blood and Ash is a sexy, addictive, and unexpected fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Laura Thalassa. 

A Maiden… 

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers. 

A Duty… 

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden. 

A Kingdom… 

Release Blitz: PETAL PLUCKER by Iris Morland

PETAL PLUCKER 
by Iris Morland
Date Published: April 9, 2019
Romantic Comedy

About the book:

The man I hate might be the first one to pluck my petals… 

Confession: I, Dandelion “Dani” Wright, am twenty-six years old and have yet to be deflowered. No man has hosed my hyacinth. Fondled my freesia. Diddled my daffodil. 

You get the point. 

My excuse? I was too busy running my family’s flower shop and winning floral design competitions.

Suddenly that whole pesky virginity thing becomes a big deal when Jacob West walks back into my life. The boy I once loved. The same boy who humiliated me when he stood me up for prom. 

This Jacob is no boy, though: he’s all man now—confident, charming, and so sexy my metaphorical blossoms are getting scorched. I can almost forget I’m supposed to hate him forever. Almost. 

To make things worse, he’s my main competition now, since he took over his parents’ flower shop. If I give into this sizzling attraction between us, it could jeopardize everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve. 

Blitz & Giveaway: RUINS OF FATE (The Omni Towers, Prequel) by Jamie A. Waters

RUINS OF FATE (The Omni Towers, Prequel) 

by Jamie A. Waters 

Release date: April 4, 2019

Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic

About the book:

One wrong decision, and the future will crumble…

Skye Levanthe traded everything she owned in order to secure a place for herself and her son, Veridian, in a scavenging camp.

But all contracts have an expiration date.

Desperate to obtain the resources they need to survive, Skye agreed to navigate the dangerous ruins of fallen cities to search for tradeable materials. When a strange storm forced Skye and her scavenging partner into forbidden territory controlled by The Omni Towers, a ruin collapsed, nearly taking their lives and destroying countless others.

Only one other person survived the ruin collapse: a mysterious young girl named Kayla.

Faced with the decision to save her son or abandon her new foster daughter to a terrible fate, Skye agreed to the only possible course of action—to go into exile and take on the Omni traders in their own den.

No one ever said survival would be easy.

And every choice has consequences.

PETAL PLUCKER: A Steamy Romantic Comedy by Iris Morland #Excerpt

PETAL PLUCKER 
by Iris Morland
Release Date: April 9, 2019
Romantic Comedy

About the book:

The man I hate might be the first one to pluck my petals… 

Confession: I, Dandelion “Dani” Wright, am twenty-six years old and have yet to be deflowered. No man has hosed my hyacinth. Fondled my freesia. Diddled my daffodil. 

You get the point. 

My excuse? I was too busy running my family’s flower shop and winning floral design competitions.

Suddenly that whole pesky virginity thing becomes a big deal when Jacob West walks back into my life. The boy I once loved. The same boy who humiliated me when he stood me up for prom. 

This Jacob is no boy, though: he’s all man now—confident, charming, and so sexy my metaphorical blossoms are getting scorched. I can almost forget I’m supposed to hate him forever. Almost. 

To make things worse, he’s my main competition now, since he took over his parents’ flower shop. If I give into this sizzling attraction between us, it could jeopardize everything I’ve worked so hard to achieve. 

THE DAY OF THE DUCHESS (Scandal & Scoundrel #3) by Sarah MacLean #Review

THE DAY OF THE DUCHESS (Scandal & Scoundrel #3)
by Sarah MacLean
Date Published: June 27, 2017; Avon

From Goodreads:

The one woman he will never forget… 

Malcolm Bevingstoke, Duke of Haven, has lived the last three years in self-imposed solitude, paying the price for a mistake he can never reverse and a love he lost forever. The dukedom does not wait, however, and Haven requires an heir, which means he must find himself a wife by summer’s end. There is only one problem—he already has one. 

The one man she will never forgive… 

After years in exile, Seraphina, Duchess of Haven, returns to London with a single goal—to reclaim the life she left and find happiness, unencumbered by the man who broke her heart. Haven offers her a deal; Sera can have her freedom, just as soon as she finds her replacement…which requires her to spend the summer in close quarters with the husband she does not want, but somehow cannot resist

LADY DERRING TAKES A LOVER (The Palace of Rogues #1) by Julie Anne Long #Excerpt #Giveaway #BlogTour

LADY DERRING TAKES A LOVER (The Palace of Rogues #1)
by Julie Anne Long 
Release Date: February 26, 2019; Avon Books
ISBN 9780062867469; $7.99

About the book:

A mistress. A mountain of debt. A mysterious wreck of a building. 

Delilah Swanpoole, Countess of Derring, learns the hard way that her husband, “Dear Dull Derring,” is a lot more interesting—and perfidious—dead than alive. It’s a devil of an inheritance, but in the grand ruins of the one building Derring left her, are the seeds of her liberation. And she vows never again to place herself at the mercy of a man. 

But battle-hardened Captain Tristan Hardy is nothing if not merciless. When the charismatic naval hero tracks a notorious smuggler to a London boarding house known as the Rogue’s Palace, seducing the beautiful, blue-blooded proprietress to get his man seems like a small sacrifice. 

WALK OF SHAME (Love Unexpectedly #4) by Lauren Layne #Review

WALK OF SHAME (Love Unexpectedly #4) 
by Lauren Layne 

From Goodreads:

Sparks fly between a misunderstood New York socialite and a cynical divorce lawyer in this lively standalone rom-com from the USA Today bestselling author of Blurred Lines and Love Story.

Pampered heiress Georgianna Watkins has a party-girl image to maintain, but all the shopping and clubbing is starting to feel a little bit hollow—and a whole lot lonely. Though Georgie would never admit it, the highlights of her week are the mornings when she comes home at the same time as her uptight, workaholic neighbor is leaving to hit the gym and put in a long day at the office. Teasing him is the most fun Georgie’s had in years—and the fuel for all her naughtiest daydreams. 

Celebrity divorce attorney Andrew Mulroney doesn’t have much time for women, especially spoiled tabloid princesses who spend more time on Page Six than at an actual job. Although Georgie’s drop-dead gorgeous, she’s also everything Andrew resents: the type of girl who inherited her penthouse instead of earning it. But after Andrew caps one of their predawn sparring sessions with a surprise kiss—a kiss that’s caught on camera—all of Manhattan is gossiping about whether they’re a real couple. And nobody’s more surprised than Andrew to find that the answer just might be yes.

January 2019 Wrap- Up

Hi everyone! In today's post I will be highlighting the books I've read for the month of January. It was honestly a great month of reading for me. My obsession for The Wicked King and Beasts of the Frozen Sun is still going strong and I don't see it lessening anytime soon! Lol.

I read nine books the last month. NINE BOOKS. I had no idea I'd be able to read that many!! (Nine may not sound like a lot for some but for me, that's already a daunting number.)

Without further ado, here are the nine books I read in January..

SOUL IN DARKNESS by Wendy Higgins #ARC #Review

SOUL IN DARKNESS 
by Wendy Higgins
Release Date: February 12, 2019

From Goodreads:

People travel from afar to the small isle in the Aegean Sea hoping for a single glimpse of Princess Psyche. Their adoration for the mortal woman is so all-consuming that citizens begin to shower her with the very gifts and offerings they once left at the alter of Venus, goddess of love and beauty.

But gods are known for their jealousy.

Cupid, the god of love, takes pleasure in causing strife and mischief in the lives of humans. He uses love as a weapon, humoring in the weakness of people at the whims of their feelings. When his mother Venus approaches him about punishing the human girl who dares to steal her offerings and affections from the people, Cupid gladly accepts.

Psyche's punishment is to be given to a mysterious creature who only comes to her in the dark of night under the pact that she will never lay eyes on him. She is terrified of this stranger, who the oracle described as a serpent. Her mate, however, is masterful in his dealings with his bride. He takes his time, morphing her fears into different sensations completely.

AMARYLLIS by Joyce Proell #Review

AMARYLLIS 
by Joyce Proell
Release Date: January 23, 2019; The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

From Goodreads: 

When it’s spy vs. spy, love vs. loyalty, someone is going to get hurt. 

Lily Fitzhugh is desperate to get to America when her father is imprisoned as a traitor against the Crown. To gain passage, she accepts a dangerous job: To sneak aboard a ship headed to New York and spy on suspected colonial patriot Griffin Faraday. 

Griffin Faraday doesn’t have time for a beautiful, tempting stowaway—especially one he can’t trust. He has a secret shipment of guns to deliver to General Washington and the Continental Army. Nothing can get in the way. But when the ship’s captain orders Lily sent away with pirates, a sure death sentence, Griffin must propose something else entirely: Marriage, the absolute last thing he wants. 

IRON AND MAGIC (The Iron Covenant #1) by Ilona Andrews #Review

IRON AND MAGIC (The Iron Covenant #1)
by Ilona Andrews

From Goodreads:
No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work. 

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.