ARC Review - Lady of Starfire by Melissa K. Roehrich

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

Title: Lady of Starfire

Author: Melissa K. Roehrich

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Lady of Darkness (book #5) 

Pages: 875

Synopsis:

The Final Game Begins.

Scarlett Sutara Aditya has finally learned the full cost to save her world and correct mistakes that are not hers, but she refuses to accept the fate that has been decided for her. Making demands of her own, she fights for her twin flame, her family, and the realm that balances on her destiny. She has always played games by her own rules, but this time, winning might cost her everything.

The broken are remade. The lost are found. Fate is defied, and new destinies are forged as the realm comes together to defend what is theirs. Kings will fall, and Queens will rise. Power is lost, and Chaos is born. Truth can be uncovered in the darkness, but some secrets can only be found among the stars.

Review & thoughts:

Lady of Starfire is the fifth and last book in a Dark Fantasy Romance series and while I’ve loved all the previous books since I started reading this series over a year ago, this one is definitely my new favorite out of them!

Lady of Starfire begins right where Lady of Embers ended and there is so much action since page 1. This book is huge, over 800 pages, but I wasn’t bored for a single moment, there is a perfect balance between crazy action and mind blowing plot twists and sweet moments between our favorite characters. I loved that there are so many POVs here, we can see what’s happening in different parts of the world as everyone is preparing for the war and also see old and new relationships grow. I really like all the characters (let me just say that Razik and Eliza were everything I hoped for here), but my favorites are definitely still Sorin and Scarlett, I’ve loved them since the first book and it’s amazing to see them here together after everything they went through, I always waited for their chapters with bated breath and I can honestly say I am happy with literally everything that happened in this book, I just love it. 

Lady of Starfire is a perfect conclusion to an incredible fantasy series. I loved everything about it and already can’t wait for Melissa’s new series coming this August, she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. If you enjoy dark fantasy romance books with badass FMC, great romance and morally grey characters you should definitely start this series ASAP!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Black Rose by Karina Halle

 Thank you so much Karina Halle for sending me this ARC!

Title: Black Rose

Author: Karina Halle

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Series: Dracula Duet (book #2) 

Pages: 410

Synopsis:

Is it her destiny to love him?

Or is it her destiny to die?

Valtu Aminoff is no stranger to tragedy. Though many know him as the enigmatic vampire that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Valtu’s complex life is far more horrific than any fiction could imagine. When you lose the love of your life over and over again, it can do more than break your heart—it can corrupt your soul.
It's up to his new lover to decide if Valtu's damaged soul is even worth saving.

But destiny isn’t done with Valtu yet. And tragedy is always around the corner.

Review & thoughts:

Black Rose is a Dark Paranormal Romance and the second and last book in The Dracula Duet by Karina Halle. I loved the first book, Blood Orange, since the moment I read it a few months ago, but I think I might have loved Black Rose even more, it’s incredible!

Black Rose starts exactly where Blood Orange ended and the action begins since page 1. One I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. We learn so many new things about the main characters’s pasts and I loved seeing some familiar faces from Karina’s other books and how everything was connected. 

Valtu is not the same man we remember and my heart was breaking for him in those scenes we got to see from after the events of book 1. But I was so happy with romance in this book and that we got to see Valtu and Dahlia/Rose fall in love all over again. These two are perfect for each other and I loved seeing them together, especially one scene made me cry happy tears, I just love them so much. 

Black Rose is a perfect ending to Valtu and Rose’s story and I teared up a bit during those last few pages, I love how their story ended and that after everything they went through, they can now have their HEA. I hope we will get to see them in some of Karina’s future books because I already miss them, they are now one of my favorite bookish couples!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Body of Chaos by Nicolette Beebe

 Thank you so much Nicolette Beebe for sending me this ARC!

Title: Body of Chaos

Author: Nicolette Beebe

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Eliza Kingdom (book #1) 

Pages: 344

Synopsis:

Ripley has been locked away for twenty-one years within her mother’s windowless tower, afraid of what the world would do with her unpredictable magic. That is, until Fletcher breaches its walls and offers her a choice. 

Stay where her magic can be tamed or… venture to a kingdom in hopes to fix it for good.

But, she soon realizes that Fletcher’s help comes with a steeper price than she may be able to pay. She must trust her untried intuition or die in the process.

Review & thoughts:

Body of Chaos is the first book in a Dark Fantasy Romance series and a retelling of Rapunzel. I’ve just finished reading it and I’m in shock because OMG that ending! I NEED the next book now!

This book was definitely NOT what I was expecting and it surprised me in such a good way. I really liked the world building, it was a mix of a fantasy world and a modern one and the author mixed them in a really unique and interesting way, I would love to know even more about it and hope we will explore more of this world in the next books. 

The main character, Ripley, seemed a bit childish in the beginning despite being 21 years old, but she grew so much and I really loved her at the end of the book and can’t wait to read more about her. I also enjoyed the romance, Ripley and Fletcher were amazing together and I can’t wait to see where the author takes them in the next book. 

This book was fast paced, there was so much happening that I was constantly on the edge of my seat and there was honestly not a single boring moment, but that cliffhanger was brutal! 

Body of Chaos is a really great Dark Fantasy Romance & Rapunzel retelling. I usually prefer big books, but this one was such a fun and quick read, I’m definitely going to reread it soon and I can’t wait for the sequel.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Crown of Blood and Stars by Dana LeeAnn

 Thank you so much Dana LeeAnn for sending me this ARC!

Title: Crown of Blood and Stars

Author: Dana LeeAnn

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: The Starling (book #1) 

Pages: 256

Synopsis:

Guardian of the stars, slayer of the wicked, and commander of internal darkness…

Adeena Devna finds herself the lone survivor of Astrari after a massacre was orchestrated by King Demir, fae ruler of Tartarus. Abducted by the Royal Guard, Adeena is brought to King Demir as a potential human bride. An attack within the castle leaves the king dead at the hands of Adeena. Her escape from the kingdom is unexpectedly aided by Dreyden, the formidable yet handsome High Lord of Fire Court.

Ancient gold stars mark Adeena’s skin, a rare genetic mutation passed through villagers of Astrari. The dormant stars ignite as guarded feelings for Dreyden combust into blazing passion. A connection from Dreyden’s past steps forward with critical information regarding Adeena’s ancestors.

Wicked trouble brews in the night sky as Adeena explores her destiny. All fingers point to the newly crowned king of Tartarus, Erebus. Adeena and Dreyden must return to Tartarus to fulfill a prophecy of the stars and stop King Erebus or risk losing the Gods forever, allowing eternal night to take reign.

Review & thoughts:

Crown of Blood and Stars is the first book in a NA Fantasy Romance series and the author’s debut book. I got this ARC yesterday and read it in a couple of hours, I couldn’t put it down.

Our FMC, Adeena, is the only survivor of the Fae attack on her village. After killing the cruel Fae king responsible for the murder of her family, she flees the castle with a mysterious Dreyden who turns out to be the High Lord of the Fire Court. Adeena must work with the handsome and cunning High Lord to figure out what she is and what the star-shaped marks on her body mean, but the more time she spends with Dreyden the more she finds herself at risk of losing her heart. 

I really liked the plot and world building in this book, it was fascinating and gave me a bit of ACOTAR vibes which I loved. I don’t want to spoil anything, but when I got to the part where we learn what Adeena is, I thought it was a very unique and interesting idea and I’m excited to see it explored more in the sequel. I would have loved it if the book was a bit longer, at times I had a feeling a lot was happening very fast. Because of that, there wasn’t as much character development as I hoped for and the relationship between the main characters felt a little rushed. But I really liked all the characters and loved the romance which had most of my favorite tropes (fated mates, only one bed, touch her and die), I can’t wait to read more about Adeena and Dreyden in the next books, they were amazing together. 

Crown of Blood and Stars is a really good debut novel and a quick and enjoyable read. If you like Fantasy Romance books, you should definitely give this one a try, I enjoyed it and will definitely read more from this author in the future.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Of Curses & Beauty by Elle Blackenstoe

 Thank you so much Elle Blackenstoe for sending me this ARC!

Title: Of Curses & Beauty

Author: Elle Blackenstoe

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Standalone 

Pages: 245

Synopsis:

One curse to bring them together.

One kiss to tear them apart. 

All her life, Alaine has suffered the weight of her beauty and she is tired of it. When an unexpected debt threatens her family, Alaine is urged to accept a lucrative marriage to her worst nightmare. She flees to the nearby forest and encounters a witch that offers to help her. The last thing Alaine expects is to be taken away, stripped of her beauty, and abandoned at a curious cottage with no way out.

Daric has been cursed for centuries when a strange young woman wanders into his secluded corner of the woods, claiming to be a lost beauty. For years, his only goal had been to escape the enchanted cottage and exact revenge against the witch that ensnared him. But sharing his curse with Alaine might not be so bad, especially if she’s the one that can break it.

Daric yearns to see them both free. Alaine knows her family is counting on her, but as her reluctant friendship with Daric blossoms into something more, she must decide if saving her parents is worth losing him and returning to the marriage she escaped.

Review & thoughts:

Of Curses & Beauty is a standalone YA Beauty and the Beast retelling and a debut novel from Elle Blackenstoe that I really enjoyed!

Alaine is considered a great beauty in her village, which often causes her problems in the form of unwanted suitors. When a family situation forces her into engagement with a man she hates, Alaine makes a wish and finds herself stripped of her beauty in a cottage in a middle of a forest. Prince Daric spent 300 years cursed in a cottage unable to leave and the unexpected visitor fills him with both hope and dread that another innocent life is forced into his hell. But the more time Alaine and Daric spend together, the more they feel attracted to each other and the more they hope they might be the answer to each other’s problems. 

Of Curses & Beauty was a really fun and quick read. The author did some interesting twists on the Beauty and the Beast tale and I liked seeing all the references to the original tale. I enjoyed Alaine and Daric’s romance, since it was a short book, the romance was a bit of insta love, but they were so sweet together it didn’t bother me much and I liked the forced proximity aspect. The main characters were likable and it was fun to see their relationship grow, my only complaint is that the book might have been a little longer to make them more fleshed out. 

Of Curses & Beauty is a fun and enjoyable YA Fantasy Romance book with sweet romance and likable characters. It is a really great debut novel and I will definitely read more from this author in the future, I enjoyed the writing style and the fun twists on the original tale.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Prince of Prohibition by Marilyn Marks

 Thank you so much Marilyn Marks for sending me this ARC!

Title: Prince of Prohibition

Author: Marilyn Marks

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: Fae of the Roaring Age (book #1) 

Pages: 554

Synopsis:

The year was 1926. Glamour, riches and greed filled the air, but under the facade of glitter and gold lay truths much darker, more sinister, and entirely less human . . .

Adeline Colton was cursed. Everyone in Georgia knew the devil walked her farm, and maybe they were right, because each month she had . . . dreams. Visions of a dark prince and a shadowed forest. A creature so wrong, temptation lurked beneath her skin.

So after escaping to New York City, it’s no surprise when her bad fortune follows. Only this time, it’s in the form of Jack Warren: millionaire bootlegger, infamous gangster, and criminal who makes Addie his fervent obsession.

Jack is everything Addie should avoid, but the more she resists his pull, the deeper she’s drawn into his extravagant world. Lured by a life of freedom and desire, Adeline must make a choice: heed her family’s warnings or follow Jack into the dark. But when fate binds them together, Jack is revealed to be something else—not man, not beast, not even the devil, but a creature much, much worse.

Review & thoughts:

The Prince of Prohibition is the first book in a Fantasy Romance series set in New York in 1920s. I was overjoyed when the author reached out to me to see if I wanted to read an ARC, I had high expectations of this book and now I can safely say it exceeded all of them, this story is incredible!

Adeline has been seeing magical creatures ever since she can remember. When her brother’s unexpected new job has her moving from her quiet life on a farm to the big New York City, Adeline quickly catches attention of the most powerful man in the city, Jack Warren, and is thrown into the fascinating but dangerous world of the Fae. With her world turned upside down, Adeline must quickly decide who she can trust and start making decisions for herself for the first time in her life.

I’ve read a lot of books about Fae, but I must say this is one of the most unique representations of them I’ve ever read about. The world this author created and the Fae featured there are so fascinating and setting it in 1920s NYC was a brilliant idea, it fits this story so well. I was really engrossed in this story since the first page and finished the book in one sitting in the middle of the night because I couldn’t stop reading, I loved everything about it, all the characters were well-written (I especially liked Violet and Lillian) and the plot was so captivating I didn’t even know when I was turning the pages until I realized I was at the end of the book.

Our main character, Adeline, annoyed me at times, but I really liked her development through the book and considering the ending, she is going to be so much more interesting in the next book and I can’t wait for it! On the other hand I loved the MMC, Jack was so freaking amazing and I liked him since his first appearance in the book, he was arrogant and morally grey, but he was also so devoted to Adeline and adorable at times. I loved their slow burn enemies to lovers romance and I can’t wait to see more of them in the next book, with that cliffhanger I need to know what happens next ASAP.

I really enjoyed The Prince of Prohibition, it is a great Fantasy Romance book with unique world building, fascinating characters, cute but steamy romance and fast-paced plot that kept me on the edge of my seat. I’m already dying to read the sequel and recommend this amazing story to all fantasy romance lovers!

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

ARC Review - Season Warriors & Wolves by Wendy Heiss

 Thank you so much Wendy Heiss for sending me this ARC!

Title: Season Warriors & Wolves

Author: Wendy Heiss

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Series: The Quran Chronicles (book #3) 

Pages: 647

Synopsis:

In a god cursed realm, where rage is the food of war, Snowlin was already satiated.

Now a prisoner of her father again, she has no choice but to play gambit for the sake of the people she loves. With only three pieces away from forming the Octa Virga, the Winter King prepares his armies of monsters and humans to overtake the realm and claim it as his own—crown himself a God. But his daughter lays the chessmen to play one last game of deceit.

Who will move first?

A pawn can be a queen, but a queen can never be a pawn.
And a king who has lost his queen will do everything to claim her back.

An alliance like no other forms in Numen to face the inevitable war. The odds knew no favour to the wicked or kind in Numengarth, but there were no odds to favour the wicked or kind as the realm awaits to see which Guardian will remain at the end of it all.

Flame or lightning.

While eyes are blinded by power, who will lose grasp of it first? The greedy King or the cursed Queen?

Review & thoughts:

Season Warriors & Wolves is the third and last book in a Dark Fantasy Romance series The Auran Chronicles. I loved these books since book 1 and this last one just confirmed my conviction that this is one of my all time favorite book series.

Season Warriors & Wolves begins a few weeks after the events of SG&S and since the second book left off on a huge cliffhanger, I’m not going to say much about the plot. I was really satisfied with how things turned out and loved every single moment I spent with this book. So much is happening here, we get everything we loved in the first two books and even more, there are more of Snow’s secret plans with grand reveals, more crazy action and fighting scenes, more mind-blowing plot twists, more enemies turned allies and betrayals, more banter and of course more sweet moments between our favorite characters.

I love all characters in this series so much and am extremely happy we will get to see more of them in the upcoming novellas. But my absolute favorites are definitely Snowlin and Kilian, these two stole my heart in the first book and are one of my favorite bookish couples. I loved how perfect they are for each other and how they always support each other. After everything they went through in the first two books, here they can finally freely admit their feelings and I loved all their scenes together, the adorable and sweet ones and, of course, their amazing banter. I just love them and I’m already missing them, hope we will see them too in the novellas. 

Season Warriors & Wolves is the perfect ending to an incredible series that I really loved and am already planning a reread. Seriously, that ending is perfect, I was crying through those final chapters because I didn’t want to finish this book, it is definitely one of my favorite books ever and I already can’t wait to read more books by this author. If you haven’t read this series yet and enjoy Dark Fantasy Romance books, trust me, you should give this series a try, it is truly incredible.

Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5