ARC Review - Storm of Secrets and Sorrow by Melissa K. Roehrich

 Thank you so much Melissa K. Roehrich for sending me this ARC!

Title: Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

Author: Melissa K. Roehrich

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance

Series: Legacy (book #1)

Pages: 656

Synopsis:

In a realm full of secrets, she’s collecting them all.

A choice to make.

Tessalyn Ausra’s fate has always been out of her hands. Still bonded to the Heir of Endings, she now finds herself with more control than ever before. Everyone wants something from her, and she has to choose a side. But in a realm full of villains, she trusts no one, and she has secrets of her own to keep.

A plan to salvage.

Control and knowledge have always been Theon St. Orcas’s greatest weapons, but both have slipped through his fingers. Given a task by the rulers of the realm, he’s racing against the clock to get his plans back on track. But as myths become reality, he finds himself fighting more than time in an effort to keep what’s his or lose it all to fury.

A fate to alter.

Axel St. Orcas has never minded rubbing shoulders with the depraved rather than the elite. It’s easier to hide his shame among the corrupt. But with each passing day, he risks triggering a curse and endangering those he cares for most. He’ll sacrifice anything to keep them safe, even if that means giving up everything he is. 

Who will be left standing when Chaos comes to reign?

Review & thoughts:

Storm of Secrets and Sorrow is the second book in a Dark Fantasy Romance series and a continuation of Tessa and Theon’s story. I loved the first book, Rain of Shadows and Endings, and was really excited to read the sequel and OMG it was even better than I expected, this book was everything I’ve been hoping for and now I’m desperate to read book 3 ASAP!

SOSAM begins shortly after the ending of the first book and with everything that happened and what we learned, there is a lot happening since the very first page. I loved the world the author created in the first book and it was amazing to return to it and learn even more about it, the world building, magic system and hierarchies are quite complicated but really interesting and I loved discovering it all and trying to figure some things out. There are a lot of plot twists, new information coming to light and while some things I’ve been hoping for happened here, there were a lot that I definitely didn’t expect and I can’t wait to see how everything will play out in the next books in this series. 

I still love Tessa as the main character, she went through a lot and it was amazing to see how much she changed in this book, she slowly learns how to fight for herself and I loved seeing that. I don’t want to spoil anything, but with how much her character developed and with the way this book ended, I'm extremely excited to see Tessa in the next book, I have a feeling we are going to see a whole new version of her and I can’t wait. When it comes to Theon… I still can’t decide whether I love him or hate him. He is a truly morally grey character (if not morally black) and really awful and cruel to everyone at times, he changes a little in this book, but he still has a lot to make up for. Theon and Tessa’s relationship is complicated, to say the least, a lot happens between these two in SOSAM and I have a feeling we haven’t seen anything yet, I can’t wait to see what will happen with them next. I also liked the supporting characters, Luka was amazing, Axel and Kat were unexpected but I loved seeing them together, and it was such a nice surprise to see some familiar faces from the author’s other series.

Storm of Secrets and Sorrow is a perfect sequel to Rain of Shadows and Endings, it has amazing characters, interesting romance and fascinating plot and world building, I love this series and definitely recommend it to all dark fantasy romance lovers. I can’t wait for book 3!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Dark Monsters by Elaia Crowe and Kiera A. Reynolds

 Thank you so much Elaia Crowe and Kiera A. Reynolds for sending me this ARC!

Title: Dark Monsters

Author: Elaia Crowe and Kiera A. Reynolds

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance

Series: Dark Monsters (book #1)

Pages: 307

Synopsis:

The shadows bring darkness and chaos, and Reza can control them.For years, the government sought to use her power to their advantage, but instead they unleashed a force inside her that not even she can contain. When Reza attempts to escape, her uncontrollable power threatens all of humanity.Zalaph, an ancient being has one to keep evil from entering the human realm. Summoned against his will, Zalaph must join forces with the person who caused all the mayhem in order to protect humanity and put everything back the way it should be.Can Reza and Zalaph survive each other while trying to save the world from destruction?

Review & thoughts:

Dark Monsters is the first book in an Urban Fantasy series and I absolutely loved it, it’s such a fun read with fast-paced and interesting plot, amazing characters and slow burn romance and I already can’t wait to read more about Reza, Zalaph, Cecil and Ned in book 2!

After being experimenting on and escaping, Reza, unable to control her shadow powers, opens a tear in the world and pulls a powerful being from another world to herself. Now connected to each other, Reza and Zalaph need to quickly close all the tears she can’t seem to stop opening, all the while battling the monsters escaping from the shadow realm and fighting the growing attraction between them, despite their mutual dislike and constant arguing. 

This book was completely different from what I was expecting and in such a good way. It throws us in the middle of action from the very beginning and the plot was pretty fast-paced, I read the whole book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. I loved all the characters, Reza is a really strong FMC despite everything she went through and I loved how she always stood up for herself and wasn’t letting anyone tell her what to do. Zalaph was Reza’s polar opposite and a grump to her sunshine, I loved seeing him discover the human world and how he slowly changed and became the kind of hero we all love. Reza and Zalaph were an amazing couple, I absolutely loved their banter which made me laugh out loud so many times and despite their rocky beginnings, they became truly perfect for each other and I was rooting for them the whole time, I just loved these two together. I must also mention Ned and Cecil, they were written so well and I loved scenes with them even when they interrupted Reza and Zalaph in the worst possible moments, they all became a really beautiful family and I can’t wait to see all these characters in the next book. 

Dark Monsters is a really great Urban Fantasy book, I definitely recommend it to everyone and already can’t wait to read book 2!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

 Thank you so much Penguin Random House International for sending me this ARC!

Title: A Fate Inked in Blood

Author: Danielle L. Jensen

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Saga of the Unfated (book #1)

Pages: 400

Synopsis:

A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.

Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.

Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.

Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.

Review & thoughts:

A Fate Inked In Blood is the first book in a new Adult Fantasy Romance series from Danielle L. Jensen and having read and loved every book from this author I must admit this one is definitely one of my favorites, I absolutely loved it! 

Freya spent her whole life hiding who she really is, but when her secret comes to light, she takes a chance to escape the husband she doesn’t love and fulfill her dreams of becoming a warrior as the prophesied shield maiden. Forced into a new marriage, Freya soon realizes the life she dreamed of is nothing like she imagined and she will need to find a way to fulfill her destiny without starting a war and also figure out how to stop her growing attraction to Bjorn, her new husband’s son, whom she can’t seem to stay away from. 

As always, Danielle L. Jensen created a fascinating and unique world based on Norse culture and mythology and I loved every second I spent in it. It felt like I was exploring it alongside Freya and in combination with fast paced and interesting plot, I couldn’t put this book down. I loved the main characters, Freya was a really strong FMC who went through a lot and it was amazing to see how much she grew in this book. Bjorn was a complicated hero but I loved how he always cared for and supported Freya, these two had a beautiful slow burn enemies to reluctant allies to lovers romance and while their love was forbidden, I loved how they were willing to fight for a chance to be with each other and I already can’t wait to see what will happen with them next. 

A Fate Inked In Blood is an amazing fantasy romance book that kept me on the edge of my seat and that I really enjoyed. I definitely recommend it to everyone and already can’t wait to read book 2, it can’t come soon enough!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Rise of the Cinder Fae by Whitney Dean

 Thank you so much Whitney Dean for sending me this ARC!

Title: Rise of the Cinder

Author: Whitney Dean

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Dark Hearts Fairy Tales (book #1)

Pages: 680

Synopsis:

Born and raised in the forgotten and broken kingdom of Ashbury, Elora has spent years resenting the royals of Pumpkin Hollow, the kingdom that forced the fall of Ashbury and procured the town as its own. Separated by a mysterious glass bridge, Ashbury is treated as the orphan kingdom, left to squander and starve with only the promise of protection from King Jasper, preventing anyone outside their realm from coming to search for the magic that lay within the ashy valleys and red skies of Ashbury. Because twenty-five years ago, the Cinder Fae arrived. As mysterious as the magic encompassing Ashbury, the Cinder Fae bargained for their lives by promising to keep the entire realm warm with their ability to mine mountainsides into coal. But Elora and the Cinder Fae hold a secret that could bring death to Ashbury and the mysterious winged creatures, who, despite Elora’s best efforts to pry, refuse to share where they came from or why they can’t return. In her desperation to prevent the downfall of her kingdom and the death of her Fae friends, Elora drinks from an enchanted spring, convinced she can make the prince of Pumpkin Hollow fall in love with her and guarantee their safety. But magic takes to give. And Elora didn’t realize her heart would be the sacrifice.

Review & thoughts:

Rise of the Cinder Fae is a Fantasy Romance book and the first in a series of interconnected standalones. It has everything I love in fantasy romance genre and so many of my favorite tropes, I loved it! 

After the death of her father, the Keeper of the Cinder Fae, Elora is forced to live with her stepmother and stepsisters. When an opportunity to restore their fortune arises, her stepmother makes a deal with the cruel king to arrange a marriage between Elora and the prince in exchange for Elora keeping her friends, the Fae, in check. Neither Elora nor the prince want this marriage, but they soon realize they are not what they thought each other to be and when their feelings for each other grow stronger, they have to decide what they are willing to do for love, especially when it might cost them their lives. 

This book is a loose Cinderella retelling and I liked how the author weaved the elements of the original tale into a whole new story. It is a really interesting take on the Fae where they are more of slaves to the humans than their masters and I can’t wait to read more about them in the next book. The whole world building was really interesting and I liked reading about Pumpkin Hollow, the plot started a bit slow but once it picked up, I couldn’t put the book down. Elora and Finnian are amazing main characters, they are both complex and went through a lot, I loved them both and I absolutely loved their romance, they had such a great banter and tension and when they finally gave in to their feelings I loved seeing them together, they were just perfect. And I need to know what happens to them next because I refuse to accept this is the end of their story, I need the next book ASAP. 

Rise of the Cinder Fae is a really great fantasy romance book with great characters, beautiful and spicy romance, plot twists, found family and I definitely recommend it to everyone who enjoys this genre, I already can’t wait for the next book.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Behind the Broken by Chloe C. Penaranda

 Thank you so much Chloe C. Penaranda for sending me this ARC!

Title: Behind the Broken

Author: Chloe C. Penaranda

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Behind the Darkness (book #1)

Pages: 361

Synopsis:

A darkly heart-wrenching, swoon-worthy contemporary romance debut from Chloe C. Peñaranda. Book one of the Behind Darkness duet will leave you on the edge of your seat for the sequel to Rhett and Ana's tension filled, emotional story.

No one expects an angel to buy a ticket to hell. 

I would have lived my life the righteous way, but my path of vengeance forced me to become the monster my uncle wanted to create. When I lie my way into playing bodyguard for the senator’s daughter, I don’t expect our fires to cross or to become addicted to the blaze. Anastasia Kinsley burns the ice that froze my heart years ago, but I need to find the will to resist. Chained up in the devil’s playground, I won’t let myself loose again.

When the devil came I couldn’t resist. 

As the daughter of a hopeful new president, my life often doesn’t feel like my own. When my father assigns me a bodyguard during the run-up to the election, I’m determined to make sure they both see exactly why I don’t need their protection. But Rhett Kaiser is . . . unexpected. He ignites a match in me I didn’t know I held, and the closer we get, the more I’m drawn to use it to discover what lies behind his icy exterior.

Review & thoughts:

Behind the Broken is the first book in a new Contemporary Romance duet from one of my favorite fantasy romance authors Chloe C. Penaranda and I really enjoyed it!

Anastasia is the daughter of a presidential candidate and with the upcoming elections, she is assigned a new bodyguard. Rhett and Ana are attracted to each other from the first meeting and forced to fake a relationship before the media soon the lines between duty and desire are beginning to blur. But Rhett isn’t who everyone believes him to be and when his past is once again threatening the life of a woman he loves, they both need to decide whether being together is worth their hearts and their lives. 

Ana and Rhett had such a beautiful and emotional romance and I loved them together. It was amazing to see them open up to each other and grow stronger together, I already can’t wait to see more of them in the second book in this duet. Ana was a great heroine, she annoyed me a bit in the beginning but she grew a lot in this book and, after everything that happened in the last few chapters, I am so excited to see who she will become in book 2. Rhett is the kind of morally grey MMC we all love with tragic past and many secrets, I loved him since the moment he appeared and the way he always took care of Ana and believed in her was amazing. This book starts a bit slow, but it allows us to get to know the main characters better and once the plot started to pick up in the second half of the book I couldn’t put it down, there were some shocking plot twists and that cliffhanger at the end has me desperate to read the next book ASAP!

Behind the Broken is a really great book with amazing characters, beautiful romance and interesting plot that I loved and already can’t wait for the next book!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Fall of the Horizon by Jessica J. Ayala

 Thank you so much Jessica J. Ayala for sending me this ARC!

Title: Fall of the Horizon

Author: Jessica J. Ayala

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Dusk and Dawn (book #1)

Pages: 578

Synopsis:

The War of the Skies is over, the gods are gone, and the new world has begun . . .

Zara Santos is the adopted daughter of the Ikarrian king and mercenary of her kingdom’s guild, though throughout the Continent of Ribera she is known as the Rogue—the High King’s personal assassin. Every hunting season she kills in the hope to one day be free of her shackles. When Zara receives a unique assignment to hunt down the mysterious leader of the shadow markets, she will do whatever it takes to gain her freedom. 

The war has left Ronan Menodora a shadow of the male he once was. The archangel grapples with the underworld to provide for those he cares about as retribution for the failures of his past. When various cities are destroyed, their citizens disappearing, he makes a dreadful discovery that threatens the survival of his business and seeks the help of the infamous mercenary. 

As the unlikely pair delve deeper into the strange happenings of the Continent, along with the help of their close allies, rumors rise of the return of the Three Sun Gods—the main Primordials believed to be long lost to the mortal world—and the mystery behind the missing people may pose a greater threat than anticipated.

Review & thoughts:

Fall of the Horizon is the first book in a Fantasy Romance series with angels, fae, vampires, gods, morally grey characters and slow burn romance that I really enjoyed!

After the fall of her kingdom, Zara is forced to become a mercenary and take part in a hunt organized by the High King every year. When this year’s hunt takes her and her guild deep into the criminal parts of the city and Zara is tasked with killing their leader, the last thing she expects is for the handsome archangel who appears in the most unexpected moments to be her target. But when rumors start spreading about mysterious and powerful beings seen near the city and more people show up dead, Zara and Ronan need to work together even if it puts their lives and everyone they care about in danger. 

This book starts slow, but once we get introduced to all the characters and get to know the basics of the world building, it quickly picks up and I couldn’t put it down. The world the author created is really complex and fascinating, I loved discovering all of it with the main characters and hope we will get to see even more in the next book. I loved our main characters, Zara and Ronan. They are both really strong, morally grey, have tragic pasts and I loved how they went from enemies to reluctant allies to friends to lovers and began to heal together, they had a really slow burn romance, but I loved all their scenes together, how they began to be vulnerable with each other and all the tension, it was so satisfying when they finally gave in and decided to just be together. We also got to see the POVs of Daria, Zara’s adopted sister and Ares, a vampire general and her bodyguard and I liked reading about their story and their romance, they were polar opposites but perfect for each other and I can’t wait to see both couples again. There were also so many amazing side characters and I loved the found family trope, it was so well written here and I already miss Axar, Hakim, Eshe and Idris. While I mentioned this book starts a bit slow, the plot was medium paced and there were many plot twists, secrets and betrayals that made the book impossible to put down. 

Fall of the Horizon is a really great fantasy romance book with interesting world building and plot, amazing characters and slow burn romance that I definitely recommend and already can’t wait for book 2!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Prelude to You by Jacqueline Darling

 Thank you so much Jacqueline Darling for sending me this ARC!

Title: Prelude to You

Author: Jacqueline Darling

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Belmont Manor Billionaires (book #1)

Pages: 430

Synopsis:

The woman he can't have...is the one he can't live without.
A billionaire romantic comedy-drama

ROMAN
The heir to an empire, his whole life dictated before he was born. He was trained to be rational, calculating, merciless. Life was business and business was life. 

There could be no complications.

Then came Isabel. 

She was everything he never knew he needed. Now thoughts of her consume his days and haunt his nights.

That makes her the empire’s greatest threat.

And his greatest challenge...

ISABEL
A pastry chef, happy with a job she adores and a roof over her head. Until she’s fired and blacklisted with the rent coming due. 

Love is the last thing on her mind when a perfect stranger rescues her from a bookstore brawl.

They spend a magical night together, but he tells her they can never be. Leaving her with a shattered heart.

She lands a job at a mansion owned by a family richer than God. A job that might just be her salvation.

That is, until she finds out who lives in the forbidden south wing...

Review & thoughts:

Prelude To You is a Contemporary Romance that just released a few days ago and I really enjoyed this book!

After losing her job, Isabel finds herself in a bookstore where a handsome stranger saves her from an embarrassing situation. Isabel and Roman feel an instant connection and attraction, but neither of them is looking for a relationship and they are complete opposites. But when they can’t stop thinking about each other and when their paths seem to constantly cross, Isabel and Roman start thinking that maybe they will be able to find a way to be together, but with Romans secrets and Isabel’s mysterious new job, it might prove to be harder than they thought. 

I was so excited to read this book as soon as I heard about it and it’s as good as I thought it would be. Isabel is a really great FMC, she was relatable and I loved seeing her in her new job and explore the world of rich people with Roman. Roman is a mysterious billionaire that I couldn’t help but want to know more about and the more I knew, the more I loved him and I already can’t wait to see more of him in book 2. Isabel and Roman were amazing together, I loved how open they were with each other about their feelings and expectations, they had really great communication which is pretty rare in romance books and I loved that here. Despite coming from completely different worlds, they were perfect for each other and I loved all their moments together, I can’t wait to see what happens next with them in the next book. 

Prelude to You is a really great romance book with amazing characters and sweet romance with a lot of mutual pining that I really enjoyed and definitely recommend. Book 2 can’t come soon enough.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Until the Stars Fall by Vanessa Rasanen

 Thank you so much Vanessa Rasanen for sending me this ARC!

Title: Until the Stars Fall

Author: Vanessa Rasanen

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Immortal Reveries (book #1)

Pages: 510

Synopsis:

The last time a fae royal took a human bride it started a war.
This time it could prevent one.

I have been a loyal servant to the fae crown my whole life–an arrangement that has kept me safe from the violence between our two races…until I kill a fae noble.

Sentenced to death I beg the king for mercy and am shocked when it comes from the eldest prince who hates me.

But there’s a catch…

Now thrust into the role of my growly protector’s bride-to-be, I have to choose between playing along with this fake engagement or following my own heart to protect my people.

Review & thoughts:

Until the Stars Fall is a Fantasy Romance book and the first in a series of interconnected standalones. It has so many of my favorite tropes like fake engagement, fated mates, grumpy x sunshine and I really loved it!

Lieke is a human serving the Fae royal family and she’s in love with her childhood best friend, Prince Brennan. But when her life is in danger it’s Brennan’s brother, Connor, who saves Lieke and despite their mutual dislike, these two need to fake being engaged. With human and Fae’s relations straining more with each day, Lieke and Connor need to work together to save all their people all the while fighting their growing attraction and feelings for each other.

I must admit this book started a little slow for me but once it picked up, I couldn’t put it down. The plot was really interesting with some twists I didn’t see coming and I enjoyed discovering the dynamics between humans and Fae and how everything worked in this fascinating world. This book was focused on the characters and their relationships and I absolutely loved the romance, it was definitely a slow burn but Lieke and Connor were worth the wait and perfect together, these two were polar opposites and I loved their banter. Lieke was a strong FMC, she annoyed me in the first half of the book but I ended up loving her development and who she was at the end of the book. Connor was a grumpy Fae prince with a heart of gold and I loved how he always took care of everyone, he was a really great brother and later on an amazing partner for Lieke and his POV was everything. The supporting characters were also well written and I hope we will see more of them in the next books. 

Until the Stars Fall is a really good Fantasy Romance with amazing characters and beautiful romance that I really enjoyed and I already can’t wait for more books by this author!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Cluelessly Yours by Max Monroe

 Thank you so much Max Monroe for sending me this ARC!

Title: Cluelessly Yours

Author: Max Monroe

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Series: Standalone

Pages: 318

Synopsis:

The bad news? Getting hit by a cab can officially get crossed off my bucket list.

The worse news? While I’ve woken up from my coma, the man I’m in love with hasn’t stirred from his. 

And the most terrible news of all? A pregnant woman is at his bedside, holding his hand, and saying that he’s the father of her baby. 

Sammy Baker is a divorced, single mom trying to find her way again. With two boys and an absent ex-husband, she’s got the world on her shoulders and Legos under her feet.

Amid the chaos lives the dream of, one day, finding love again. 

Though, she didn’t think that would land her smack-dab in the middle of two men. 

Will Sammy choose the successful businessman who doesn’t hesitate to tell her he’s interested? Or will she go for the eligible bachelor doctor with a constant influx of women vying for his attention? 

The smart choice and what the heart wants are two different things. And sometimes, fate has a way of making it so the choice isn’t ours at all.

Review & thoughts:

Cluelessly Yours is the newest standalone Romantic Comedy from my favorite duo rom-com writers Max Monroe and as always they didn’t disappoint, I loved this book!

When Sammy wakes up in a hospital after an accident, she definitely doesn’t expect to see her boyfriend in a coma next to her and a pregnant woman claiming to be his girlfriend. As a single mom with two little boys with unlimited energy and tendency to cause trouble wherever they go, Sammy’s life is complicated enough and when she is pursued by two completely different men, she knows her life is about to get a lot more interesting. 

I’ve been waiting for Sammy’s story since we met her in her sister Brooke’s book and it definitely didn’t disappoint. I loved how strong she was, she was an amazing single mom and adored her sons and I loved her relationship with her family, especially her sister. Both her sons and her sister were amazing and made me laugh out loud so many times with their antics, they were hilarious. The romance was not at all what I expected but I loved it, there was definitely the case of ‘he falls first’ and I adored the hero, he was such a sweet and great guy both to Sammy and to her boys and I loved all their scenes together and as a family, they were all just so perfect. 

Cluelessly Yours is a really great romantic comedy with amazing characters, sweet and spicy romance and I definitely recommend it to everyone who enjoys this genre. I already can’t wait for the next Max Monroe book!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Wings So Wicked by Emily Blackwood

 Thank you so much Emily Blackwood for sending me this ARC!

Title: Wings So Wicked

Author: Emily Blackwood

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Golden City (book #1)

Pages: 380

Synopsis:

Huntyr has fought for survival her entire life. Raised under Lord, the master of assassins in Midgrave, she has spent over twenty years learning to kill the blood-hungry, depraved vampyres that lurk in the darkness. Huntyr is the most lethal fae in the kingdom, which is why Lord chooses her to complete the next mission.

Huntyr must survive Moira Seminary and make it into The Golden City—the mysterious elite society of the few remaining angels and the magic fae who live in luxury with no crime, no poverty, and certainly no vampyres.

Only when she arrives at the academy, she’s forced to room with Wolf—the terrifying fallen angel who happens to know her assassin identity.

Determined to keep her head down in Moira, Huntyr tries her best to ignore Wolf. Over time, though, he not only becomes the only person she can lean on, but the one who might keep her alive through the life-threatening tests to get into The Golden City.

A wolf and his huntress. An academy designed to break them.

Huntyr will do anything to please the assassin master, but Wolf begins to test her in ways she never imagined. Is she strong enough to stick to the mission? Or will new truths—and alliances—put everything at risk?

Review & thoughts:

Wings So Wicked is the first book in a Fantasy Romance series with fae, vampyres, fallen angels, shocking plot twists and amazing slow burn romance that I’m already obsessed with! 

When Huntyr, an assassin brought up by a Lord to kill vampyres, is tasked with infiltrating the Golden City where only the elites are allowed to go, she knows her life is going to change forever. Forced to attend an academy and compete in deadly trials before she enters the city, she knows she can’t trust anyone, not even Wolf, her roommate and a dangerous fallen angel who saves her life on several occasions and to whom she is more attracted with each passing day. 

I was so excited to read this ever since I first heard about it and it definitely didn’t disappoint, it was so good! Wings So Wicked has everything I love in fantasy romance books: fascinating world building, perfectly paced and interesting plot, morally grey characters, strong heroine and amazing slow burn enemies to reluctant allies to lovers romance. I loved Huntyr and Wolf as main characters, they were well fleshed out and so interesting to read about and their romance was everything. It was definitely a slow burn but so worth the wait, I loved the tension and couldn’t wait until they gave in to their attraction and I must just say they were everything I hoped for and more. I also liked how the academy and trials were written, everything that happened kept me on the edge of my seat and I already can’t wait for the sequel to know what happens next to Huntyr and Wolf, with everything that happened at the end I already know it’s going to be even more interesting read. 

Wings So Wicked is a really great fantasy romance books with so many of my favorite tropes and a mind-blowing cliffhanger that has me already dying to read book 2. I definitely recommend it to everyone who enjoys this genre, it’s a really amazing book!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Courting War by Hazel St. Lewis

 Thank you so much Book of Matches Media for sending me this ARC!

Title: Courting War

Author: Hazel St. Lewis

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Vicious Gods (book #1)

Pages: 356

Synopsis:

The number one rule in life: never make a deal with Death … even if Death is your sister.

Theodra, Goddess of War, knows not to break this rule. But like all arrogant gods, she does just that. Unable to hold back, she destroys a ship full of traffickers, unaware there are girls on board. When one of them dies, Theo trades with Death for a soul she will someday love. A soul for a soul. A good deal, in her esteemed opinion, since she is incapable of falling in love.

Unfortunately, Theo might have been mistaken.

Thirteen years later, as a punishment for killing too many wicked men, she is sentenced to play as a mortal in a deadly tournament called the Sacrifice. The games are played in pairs, and her partner is the sinfully handsome Prince Kellyn. Even though they despise one another and can barely work together, sexual tension burns between them. But if their hatred turns to love, it will cost Kellyn his life, for Death is always waiting to collect.

Review & thoughts:

Courting War is a NA Fantasy Romance with fast-paced plot, interesting characters and slow burn romance that I really enjoyed! 

Theodora is a Goddess of War and even she calls herself a villain in many people’s stories. She thinks herself unable to love so when she makes a fatal mistake and the price to make it right is the soul of a human she will one day love, she agrees without hesitation. But when years later Theo angers the gods and is turned into a human to help a human prince, Kellyn, participate in deadly games that most will not survive, she finds herself drawn to the handsome prince and remembering why falling in love is not a good idea is more difficult with each passing day. 

Theodora is a true morally grey FMC and I absolutely loved her, at the beginning of this story she is arrogant, ruthless and only cares about herself and it was amazing to see her changing throughout the book. Kellyn was Theo’s opposite in almost every way, his difficulties with dyslexia were described really realistically and I loved his and Theo’s slow burn enemies to lovers romance, despite their initial disdain and distrust they learned how to trust and support each other and I loved how perfect they were together and hope we will see more of them in the next books in this series. I also can’t wait to meet all the supporting characters again, the found family trope was written very well here and I hope they will all get their own books. 

Courting War is a really great debut book with everything I love in NA Fantasy Romance. I literally couldn’t put it down and already can’t wait for the next books in this series!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - The Doll and the Domination by Brandi Elise Szeker

 Thank you so much Brandi Elise Szeker for sending me this ARC!

Title: The Doll and the Domination

Author: Brandi Elise Szeker

Genre: Dystopia, Romance

Series: The Pawn and the Puppet (book #4)

Pages: 625

Synopsis:

When Skylenna, Dessin, and their friends make a vital error aboard an enemy warship, they end up in the hellacious cages of the Vexamen Prison. From Fun House nights to public executions... what happens when Patient Thirteen isn't the only grandmaster who enjoys playing the board ten steps ahead?

Meet Kaspias Valdawell, Kane's twin brother, raised by the demented leaders of Vexemen to build the perfect commander. And the ultimate warden for his special inmates.

Throughout their stay, Dessin and Skylenna fight to protect their family, understand Skylenna's new gifts in battle, and resist the menacing ways of their new captivity, slowly breaking their minds, bodies, and souls.

Review & thoughts:

The Doll and the Domination is the fourth book in The Pawn and the Puppet series. It’s a dark romance set in a dystopian world with morally grey characters, interesting plot with mind-blowing plot twists and amazing romance, I absolutely love these books and this new installment is my new favorite in this series!

OMG I still can’t believe everything that happened in this book and am speechless after that ending, this must be the biggest cliffhanger in this series and I didn’t think it was possible after the endings of previous books. TD&TD is darker, more twisted and I loved every single moment I spent reading it, I love all these characters and it was amazing to see how much they all grew in this book. Dessin and Skylenna are, of course, my favorites and I loved seeing them together after everything they went through in TP&TPP, they are as strong as ever and true soulmates in every sense of that word, I already can’t wait to see them again. While reading this book I was laughing, crying, blushing and crying some more, Brandi once again proved she is an amazing storyteller with all the emotions she pulled from me and there were so many plot twists, secrets, betrayals I was left literally speechless many times and had to take a moment to process everything that was happening, this book and the whole series is a real masterpiece. 

The Doll and the Domination is a perfect continuation to this amazing story and I already can’t wait to see what happens next, after THAT ending I NEED the next book ASAP! I love this series and definitely recommend it to everyone.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5