I discovered the Dark Witch Academy series late in 2023, gobbled up all three existing books in less than three days and have been waiting with baitedI discovered the Dark Witch Academy series late in 2023, gobbled up all three existing books in less than three days and have been waiting with baited breath ever since for the fourth book. I got myself a spot early on for the ARC team because I knew I wanted to read Gemini Wicked as soon as it was ready. It didn’t disappoint!
This installment picks up as Zara and her court (as it exists) head to her birthday celebration on a superyacht moored in the harbor outside the academy. The opening chapters of this book are tense and full of action, because of course they are. Nothing ever goes according to plan when a crown is up for grabs in a fantasy novel! (Plus, that’s kind of the major plot arc for the entire series, so we’d be without a story without a precipitating event, right?)
This disaster of a birthday celebration is only the start of a raucous set of events that stand between Zara and the crown. The pace of this book is fast, interspersed with action, lots of spice, and intimate conversations.
One of the things I love most about Laura’s Navarre’s writing in this series is her inner narrative for Zara. Most of the time I can’t stand first-person POV that breaks the fourth wall and has an extreme amount of slang. Somehow it just really works for me in these books. It fits the character, somehow. I can’t imagine Zara Gemini without her charming, cheeky inner voice.
Oh, and if you love breeding kink? Trust me, you’re not going to want to miss out. All of the Dark Witch Academy books are spicy af, but Gemini Wicked takes spicy af and adds a hefty dose of breeding kink on top for maximum effort. It’s giving ghost pepper levels of spice and I'm here for it.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
There’s a huge thrill that comes with being a long-time fan of both Saxon James and Eden Finley and their “Sadenverse”, and that’s when you get blastsThere’s a huge thrill that comes with being a long-time fan of both Saxon James and Eden Finley and their “Sadenverse”, and that’s when you get blasts from the past as your new main characters and get to watch the new generation fall in love. In A Stealthy Situation we’re getting a call from the CU Hockey series in the form of Benny Dalton, one of the Chaos Twins from both Line Mates & Study Dates and Puck Drills & Quick Thrills (don’t worry, Emmett’s in here too).
The Chaos Twins fell out of love with hockey before they could be drafted and fled to California in order to get away from the pressure that had surrounded them all their lives. The pair of them still love to sow a little chaos, which is why they take great pains to make sure no one in San Diego knows the Dalton Twins exist. They each go to a different school, they keep their appearances identical, they dress similarly, and don’t go out in town at the same time. They rely on each other to get through anything and everything, which is why things start to go awry when Emmett is suddenly expelled from his university and takes to crashing on a mattress in Benny’s bedroom at the DIK frat house.
A Stealthy Situation is cute and sweet, with a great sense of humor to it. I love a good cinnamon roll and snark monster dynamic, and that’s exactly what Harrison and Benny have. Benny has a deliciously morbid sense of humor that I adore and insults being used as a love language is something I myself use on an everyday basis, so I can totally be book bffs with him.
I thought the supporting cast really came in clutch here for comic relief and emotional support, and I thought the disability rep was very well done.
I can’t wait for Twincerely Yours (which comes at the end of FU 2) so I can read Emmett’s story!
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Franklin University is back, and The Hook Up Mix-Up reminded me right away of how much I loved this series and how I wasn’t wrong to look forward to iFranklin University is back, and The Hook Up Mix-Up reminded me right away of how much I loved this series and how I wasn’t wrong to look forward to it returning this summer. The authors behind FU and FU 2 definitely saw the success that came with the first season of these books and understood the assignment: Take all of that, rewind it back, and build on this universe in an interconnected, tangential way.
Riley Hart decided to build The Hook Up Mix-Up on top of the foundation of her FU book from 2023, Playing Games (the story of Brax and Tyson, who feature heavily in this book). In Playing Games we were introduced to Perry, Tyson’s half-brother, who is one of the MMCs in this book. The other MMC is Theo, a student at Franklin U.
This is your pretty standard bi-awakening, friends-to-bed buddies-to-lovers plot, but that simply doesn’t matter one bit, no matter how much I’m almost always down to read those two tropes combined, because the thing that makes this book worth reading is THEO.
Can I just say Theo is so cute and sweet I wanted to reach into the book, drag him out, and adopt him? I was like that gif of Kristin Bell fawning over a sloth while reading this book the entire time. I almost spent the entire book wondering how anyone could possibly not fall in love with him (before I remembered not everyone loves a people pleaser and that being a people pleaser isn’t always the healthiest thing for your mental wellbeing).
It’s not like Perry is a slouch. It was funny watching how oblivious to how in his deep in his feels he was long before he actually realized it. The boy was done for long before he knew it and it was absolutely adorable to read.
This book does have its hot and spicy moments, but not as spicy as some other authors’ books in this series might end up being. I didn’t find that upsetting in this instance because I was too busy loving Theo and Perry and their burgeoning relationship. Definitely a stellar start to FU season.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
We’re almost at the end of this delicious series and we get a call back to book one in the form of Caleb, the first person to make friends with JT wheWe’re almost at the end of this delicious series and we get a call back to book one in the form of Caleb, the first person to make friends with JT when he came to study at Astor. You may recall him warning JT about the Park Avenue Princes, and it turns out that knowledge was direct insider information since he used to be one of them. He’s Travis McKinney’s stepbrother.
I love forbidden romances, especially of the stepbrother variety. Salacious Park Avenue Prince is enemies-to-lovers, with a bi-awakening, forced proximity, a secret romance, and a manwhore who falls fast, first, and hard. (Then there’s pining. So much pining). This installment is spicier than the last one, but not as spicy as Scandalous Park Avenue Prince (book 3, and still my favorite one).
A lot of the animosity in this book is based on miscommunication and what feels like willful misunderstanding, which isn’t a trope I like all that much no matter who’s involved. I did enjoy the chemistry between Travis and Caleb a lot, but that’s probably because I just enjoy Travis as a character a whole lot (I have throughout the whole series). I can’t put my finger on what exactly feels off about the character development in this book, but it feels like the relationship evolved but the characters didn’t evolve with it. I don’t know if that makes sense to anyone else but me, but there it is.
The spice is absolutely excellent, with dirty talk I love, lots of physicality, voyeurism, solo play, and a touch of exhibitionism. The romantic bits were exactly what I wanted to see, which is always nice. There was also no third-act break up, which isn’t an easy feat to accomplish when the miscommunication trope is in play. I was absolutely grateful for that.
As always, a great read from Ella and Brooke, and now we get a handful of months to wait before we finally get East’s story.
I was provided a copy of this title by the authors. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Possessive Park Avenue Prince picks up almost right after Scandalous Park Avenue Prince left off, with cinnamon roll Park Avenue Prince Gavin moving iPossessive Park Avenue Prince picks up almost right after Scandalous Park Avenue Prince left off, with cinnamon roll Park Avenue Prince Gavin moving in with resident bad boy Park Avenue Prince, Daire so he doesn’t have to listen to his brother’s noisy bedroom activities anymore. Could Gavin have asked for his own apartment in the Towers? Well, yes, but he’s neer lived alone before, and Daire has a two bedroom and offered it up so why not?
Then there’s the fact Daire knows things about Gavin none of the other Princes know and Gavin feels safer around Daire than most other people. There’s that.
I’m not going to lie to you: This book wasn’t what I expected and I didn’t dig it as much as I did the previous three installments in this series. It felt uneven in almost every way and I had issues with the chemistry between Gavin and Daire. Does that mean I didn’t enjoy the heck out of it? No, not at all! I always enjoy Ella and Brooke’s books. They’re excellent authors and they craft enjoyable and sexy gay romance novels. This series has been excellent up until now and I believe it’s unrealistic to expect every reader to adore every book in a series as much as the other. We’re only human–we’re going to have our favorites. Right now, I still love Scandalous PAP the most. That could change with the upcoming release of Salacious PAP, but who knows?
Just know, if you love very grumpy boys with very low self-worth, precious cinnamon roll boys who decide to put on some devil horns to get what they want, possessive alphaholes, jealous good boys, and a sumptuous helping of “touch him and die” (where he actually might mean it), then you’ll love this book.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Shattered Omega part three picks up almost literally where the previous book in the series left off, with everyone absolutely devastated by what damagShattered Omega part three picks up almost literally where the previous book in the series left off, with everyone absolutely devastated by what damage the Lincoln Pack has truly wrought–not only to their apartment, but also to their lives.
And even though Umbra is losing it, Dusk is struggling, and Ransom is panicking…Shatter is dressing for revenge. This time it’s not in the form of a dress, though: It’s in the form of knowledge. The Kingsman Pack is hers, and the Lincoln Park hurt them. Shatter is going to arm herself with as much knowledge as she possibly can in as fast a manner as possible to figure out how to save her alphas and get the Lincoln Pack out of their lives for good.
If her alphas can keep their sh*t together. If the weird mercenary dude the Lincoln Pack has following her around doesn’t straight-up kidnap her first. Just another day for Shatter, right?
This being the last book in the series you can really feel the payoff in so many ways. Shatter is such a unique and creatively-written omega that I find myself almost predicting her reactions and when she does something I’ll say, “That’s just so Shatter”. She’s the cutest, most feral little omega I’ve ever read and I love her to bits. (I don’t know if anyone who reads this review has ever seen the anime Toradora!, but in my mind, Shatter looks a little like Taiga). There are scenes in this book that make me love her so much I want to crawl in the book and be her omega bestie (we can rent a rage room).
The alphas are just as bad, with their insanely cute gestures and endless love for Shatter just the way she is. It’s just the right amount of marshmallow-cute to combat the trauma and darkness that permeates this series.
While I think the ending got a little muddled, I’m not mad about it. I was just so happy to finally read this book and see Shatter and the boys get what they always wanted and really deserved.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Fasten your seat belts, hang on to your hats, and watch the steep drop at the end. Just like Shattered Omega part one, this installment of the ShatterFasten your seat belts, hang on to your hats, and watch the steep drop at the end. Just like Shattered Omega part one, this installment of the Shattered Omega trilogy is a bumpy ride that will leave you (and Shatter!) bruised, love sick, and feeling dizzy from being thrown to and fro as Dusk, Umbra, Ransom, and Shatter try to puzzle out their pasts, how it’s tied to their present, and what that might mean for their futures.
This installment of the series is thick with plot and story, with spice taking more of a backseat this time around. That’s not a bad thing at all! We got to see a whole lot of Shatter’s true personality come out, got to meet and spend time with Ransom, got to spend time with Umbra, and got to see some more of Roxy (in her role as Shatter’s nestie bestie).
There are some truly great scenes in this book that not only show off Mackay’s trademark sense of humor but also show us Shatter’s cute and feral omega side. I lived for those scenes in this book. They made me absolutely goofy. There are also scenes that will both break your heart or grow it three times in size regarding how ignorant Shatter still is about how omegas who were raised in “regular” homes behave or what they instinctively know that she doesn’t.
Did I like it as much as I did part one? No, but I honestly didn’t need to. The middle part of a trilogy tends to be the weaker link. There’s a lot of exposition, a lot of character work, a lot of moving pieces, and so the pacing had to suffer some for it. This isn’t a huge deal to me but it does take a little of the shine off.
But then Shatter gets a revenge dress and the world is good.
Please be aware you will really want to read the warnings and triggers for this book before you begin reading it. Take care of yourself.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No compensation was offered or accepted in exchange for this review. Thank you.
Even though I’d read a few of Jessign Reign’s books in the past I wasn’t aware of the upcoming release of Rent Paid in Full until about a month beforeEven though I’d read a few of Jessign Reign’s books in the past I wasn’t aware of the upcoming release of Rent Paid in Full until about a month before it happened and when I saw the synopsis I was like, “How in the heck did I miss this? This sounds beyond hot. I love rent boy books!”
And so began the salivating. I counted down the days until the release date, cursing all along that I didn’t have this book on my Kindle yet.
It was torture to wait but now I’ve read it and it was everything Id’ hoped it would be and everything all those bookstagrammers I hounded about it told me it’d be. I don’t know what possessed Jesse Reign while writing this but it needs to keep it coming because this was stupidfilthyhot, omgallthefeelings, and gjshhgjtbshgthjtj all in one and I had to go to bed and sleep it off before writing this review because I didn’t have words or know what to do with myself after I read it. It was an out of body experience and I don’t even believe in that.
From the first sentence of this book I was absolutely hooked on Ryan’s snarky, uptight, contradictory nature. That man would bite off his nose to spite his face and then automatically regret it but then deny that he’s regretful about it. His brain is a washing machine set on vicious cycle and I am here for it because it makes him an absolute wind-up toy for our other MMC, Miller.
If Ryan is snarky, uptight, and contradictory, then Miller is earnest, laid-back (but resigned), and amiable in nature. He’s like water to Ryan’s flame. Miller can go with the flow, become tempestuous waves, or make himself into a whirlpool and summon people to him like a beacon. Miller’s inner narrative about Ryan is some of the most entertaining and amusing writing I’ve read in a long time.
I love how Miller found a way to get Ryan out of his head and accept what they both wanted without Ryan completely sacrificing his pride. I loved watching the two of them develop and grow together as people and lovers. I loved the story and the third act was a thing of romantic beauty. The spice was some of the hottest I’ve read in a long time. I mean, I think I spent a lot of time saying curse words and blaming drugs while reading this. It’s just that brilliant and hot and right.
All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you. ...more
Shattered Omega, part one, will be published on the one-year anniversary of the publication of the very first PoisonVerse novel, Havoc Killed Her AlphShattered Omega, part one, will be published on the one-year anniversary of the publication of the very first PoisonVerse novel, Havoc Killed Her Alpha, which was also written by Mackay. The PoisonVerse novels have ushered in a whole new world of omegaverse novels over this past year because they’ve all been so good. In addition to the two novels Mackay wrote directly for the PoisonVerse, she also wrote two novellas and one two-part novel set in the PoisonVerse. Now she has gifted us Shattered Omega, which is set somewhere even darker and deeper than the regular PoisonVerse novels, in a subset she’s calling “PoisonVerse Noir”.
“PoisonVerse Noir” has all the PNR and omegaverse trappings of Mackay’s regular PoisonVerse novels, but seems to be rooted in something deeper, darker, and more mysterious.
This book is Mackays best work since the beginning of the PoisonVerse. Havoc Killed Her Alpha was one of my top 23 indie romances of 2023. We’re switching out the urban settings for an academy setting and delving into an unsettling and deadly side of bonds, auras, scents, and packs. Of course, no PoisonVerse novel would be complete without intrigue and scandal too, now would it?
Shatter, our FMC, is almost a feral omega. She’s fiercely intelligent, but she’s also ruled by her instincts and is shockingly naive for a 19 year-old. Dusk, Umbra, and Ransom are the MMCs in this book, and you’ll forgive me if I don’t share much of their story because that’s a whole box of spoiler rocks and I don’t want to spill them. You don’t get to see too much of Ransom in this book, but if you’re like me you’ll fall in love with conniving charmer Umbra and clever caretaker Dusk.
The spice is a 3 out of 3 on my scale for the hotness of the spice scenes and the kinks.
Do watch out for your TW/CWs, because while I don’t think they’re quite as dire as Mackay warns, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. I also don’t get shocked by much, so I might have missed something. I just thought the whole thing was smokin’ hot. Just beware that cliffhanger! It’s a doozy.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No offer of compensation was asked for, nor provided in exchange for this review. Thank you.
This year I’ve felt like there was a time BSD (Before Stats Daddy) and ASD (After Stats Daddy). The era of ASD began on July 21st, 2023, when the firsThis year I’ve felt like there was a time BSD (Before Stats Daddy) and ASD (After Stats Daddy). The era of ASD began on July 21st, 2023, when the first book in this series, Too Safe, was released. Ever since Abby Millsaps unleashed the wicked and cunning Kylian (AKA Stats Daddy) on the world with the publication of the first book in the Boys of Lake Chapel book series, I’ve decided no other book boyfriend compares.
With the release of Too Far, the last in this trilogy, my opinion has not changed. I don’t care how much more Josephine got of Kendrick, Nicky, or even the great Decker Crusade himself. No. It is Stats Daddy who forever holds my heart and is still, in my mind, the true male star of Boys of Lake Chapel.
This review is as much for the whole series as it is for Too Far; but make no mistake, Too Far is a truly excellent novel and is the epitome of what a series conclusion should look like. It picks up almost exactly where Too Fast left off and keeps hurtling forward, barreling towards disaster. It’s obvious that all it will take is a single slip-up for the house of cards to fall down.
The first half of the book is suspenseful, heartbreaking, emotional, and frustrating (so, so frustrating). The second half of the book is swollen with emotion, angst, love, and lust. The epilogues made me cry. And cry. And cry. Heck, this whole book made my eyes leak water several times. I did not sob. You did.
The last epilogue was so touching to me. I didn’t cry, but I was deeply, deeply touched. I can’t express how much it meant to me which character was chosen for the last epilogue and what they said in it. My heart grew fifty million sizes.
If you haven’t picked up this series, I can’t express how much I recommend it. This is my book series of the year. If you know me, you must know how rare it is for me to pick a non-LGBTQ Why Choose romance series as my series of the year. I just can’t escape how deeply this series touched me nor how hot Stats Daddy made me. The charisma of the group as a whole cannot be denied. Congratulations, Abby Millsaps–You’re a genius.
All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No compensation was provided for this review. Thank you.
Man, oh man this one was hot. Fire. Spicy filthy hot.
This is the third book in the Park Avenue Princes book series and hooboy Ella and Brooke knockedMan, oh man this one was hot. Fire. Spicy filthy hot.
This is the third book in the Park Avenue Princes book series and hooboy Ella and Brooke knocked this one out of the park!
Preston Abernathy is the diplomatic good boy of the Park Avenue Princes: Straight, has a long-term girlfriend, doesn’t go around boozing and carousing as much as the other guys, does a lot of volunteer work, and does all his homework. Right?
Preston’s been keeping secrets: He’s very gay, his girlfriend is his happy bestie beard, he doesn’t really want the life his parents have had planned out for him, he’s starting to chafe at the sight of all of his friends falling in love and being happy around him, and he’s been in love with his girlfriend’s father for years.
This book just hits so many of my buttons: age difference (around 20 years), sexy men in sharp clothing (AKA expensive clothing and suits), filthy talk, voyeurism/exhibitionism, let’s-have-sex-in-as-many-positions-as-possible, and these two are just so lovely together in general. They take care of one another and pay attention to one another. I don’t know if there’s a kink for getting off on the fact that someone is so turned on by your age, but that’s in there too. I don’t know what it is, but I love it and I want more of it.
Preston’s friendship with Serena, Archer’s daughter, is one of the most important cornerstones of this book and I’m so happy with how Ella and Brooke handled it. It could’ve been mishandled so easily in other authors hands. She’s written as strong, knowing, and competent but not so blase that she comes off as cold and uncaring. She’s warm and emotional and cares about both Preston and her father. I cared a great deal about what would happen with her and I’m happy with the result.
I highly suggest you read this if you haven’t gotten into the series yet and then go back and start at the beginning. If you’re looking for an endorsement for the next book if you’ve read the first two books, then know you won’t be disappointed in the least. It’s hot and I’m here for it.
I was provided a copy of this title by the authors. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. No compensation was offered or accepted in exchange for this review. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/Age Gap Romance/Book Series/College Romance/Contemporary Romance/Forbidden Romance/Gay Romance/Kindle Unlimited/LGBTQ Romance/MM Romance/Romance Series/Spice Level 3 ...more
I should begin by saying I might be a bit biased because Ava Reid is one of my auto-buy authors. I love everything she has written so far, and I lovedI should begin by saying I might be a bit biased because Ava Reid is one of my auto-buy authors. I love everything she has written so far, and I loved A Study in Drowning, too, even if my love for it is more complicated than the love I feel for, say, Juniper & Thorn.
I’ve seen numerous reviews from people who’ve said this book gives them all the “fall feelings”. Well, then I feel sorry for what you think fall is, because this book made me feel incredibly sad, heavy, and emotional. I felt as weighed down as all of Hireath (the Myrrdin family home mentioned in the book’s blurb) feels in all its waterlogged sorrow. (Interestingly enough, I know the word Hireath from its Welsh origins, and while there is no direct English translation, to the Welsh, it’s a feelings that mixes longing, yearning, nostalgia, wistfulness or an earnest desire for what–or how–something used to be).
Wales plays more than one part in this story, as Emrys Myrddin was the name of Merlin, King Arthur’s court magician, in the oldest known Welsh texts. Sadly, in those old texts, Merlin was just as atrocious a figure as Emrys is in this book, in the worst of ways. Also, notably, A woman named Angharad James was quite a notable poet in Wales from the mid 17th to mid 18th century. Both her son and husband died before her, and she wrote a beautiful elegy for her son. The manuscript survived and you can find it online.
I think my complicated feelings with this book begin with how much I identify with Effy, our female protagonist. It’s in her struggles to be taken seriously in academia, her mental illness issues, and her trauma. (BTW, here is a good place to suggest that you look up a list of TW/CWs before you read this book, if you’re the type of person who wants to know what they’re getting into before they start a darker book). For Effy, books have been her only friends and her only escape for her whole life, and I feel that sentiment in my bones. Books never leave like people do. Books never die. Books never physically harm you. Books are reliable, a portal out of here. And Effy, well, Effy has needed something to rely on her whole life because she’s had no one else to rely on. The only problem is she ended up relying on a single book to hold onto everything for her.
This book has a lot to say about misogyny, r@pe culture, victim blaming, grooming, the theft of women’s intellectual property for the sake of putting a man’s name on the work, prejudice against women in academia, philosophies behind what you believe and what you know, unwanted children, folklore, mythology, the younger generation changing the power structures, and more.
But what I find I enjoy more than anything when I read an Ava Reid book is the writing itself. The prose. The atmosphere. The imagery. The sentence structure. The way you can almost smell the sea, feel the ocean spray, shiver in the cold, smell the damp, feel the wood flooring bow beneath your feet, see the termite holes in the baseboards. Her books are immersive and evocative. You can feel the heavy doors and freezing water. You can see the trees flying through the air and the curving roads. And this is why I can’t help but love Ava Reid: her writing, just pure and undiluted, is magical all on its own.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/College Romance/Dark Academia/Dark Fantasy/Disability Rep/Romantasy/Gothic/Standalone Novel/Spice Level 1/Women’s Fiction/YA Fantasy/YA Fantasy Romance
Merged review:
I should begin by saying I might be a bit biased because Ava Reid is one of my auto-buy authors. I love everything she has written so far, and I loved A Study in Drowning, too, even if my love for it is more complicated than the love I feel for, say, Juniper & Thorn.
I’ve seen numerous reviews from people who’ve said this book gives them all the “fall feelings”. Well, then I feel sorry for what you think fall is, because this book made me feel incredibly sad, heavy, and emotional. I felt as weighed down as all of Hireath (the Myrrdin family home mentioned in the book’s blurb) feels in all its waterlogged sorrow. (Interestingly enough, I know the word Hireath from its Welsh origins, and while there is no direct English translation, to the Welsh, it’s a feelings that mixes longing, yearning, nostalgia, wistfulness or an earnest desire for what–or how–something used to be).
Wales plays more than one part in this story, as Emrys Myrddin was the name of Merlin, King Arthur’s court magician, in the oldest known Welsh texts. Sadly, in those old texts, Merlin was just as atrocious a figure as Emrys is in this book, in the worst of ways. Also, notably, A woman named Angharad James was quite a notable poet in Wales from the mid 17th to mid 18th century. Both her son and husband died before her, and she wrote a beautiful elegy for her son. The manuscript survived and you can find it online.
I think my complicated feelings with this book begin with how much I identify with Effy, our female protagonist. It’s in her struggles to be taken seriously in academia, her mental illness issues, and her trauma. (BTW, here is a good place to suggest that you look up a list of TW/CWs before you read this book, if you’re the type of person who wants to know what they’re getting into before they start a darker book). For Effy, books have been her only friends and her only escape for her whole life, and I feel that sentiment in my bones. Books never leave like people do. Books never die. Books never physically harm you. Books are reliable, a portal out of here. And Effy, well, Effy has needed something to rely on her whole life because she’s had no one else to rely on. The only problem is she ended up relying on a single book to hold onto everything for her.
This book has a lot to say about misogyny, r@pe culture, victim blaming, grooming, the theft of women’s intellectual property for the sake of putting a man’s name on the work, prejudice against women in academia, philosophies behind what you believe and what you know, unwanted children, folklore, mythology, the younger generation changing the power structures, and more.
But what I find I enjoy more than anything when I read an Ava Reid book is the writing itself. The prose. The atmosphere. The imagery. The sentence structure. The way you can almost smell the sea, feel the ocean spray, shiver in the cold, smell the damp, feel the wood flooring bow beneath your feet, see the termite holes in the baseboards. Her books are immersive and evocative. You can feel the heavy doors and freezing water. You can see the trees flying through the air and the curving roads. And this is why I can’t help but love Ava Reid: her writing, just pure and undiluted, is magical all on its own.
I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: 5 Star Review/College Romance/Dark Academia/Dark Fantasy/Disability Rep/Romantasy/Gothic/Standalone Novel/Spice Level 1/Women’s Fiction/YA Fantasy/YA Fantasy Romance...more
Now this–this book is the hot stuff. This book was everything I’ve come to expect from Ella and Brooke and their naughty minds. Take one male supermodNow this–this book is the hot stuff. This book was everything I’ve come to expect from Ella and Brooke and their naughty minds. Take one male supermodel and one up-and-coming adult movie star, throw them together in a moment of serendipity, and you have an explosively passionate and dirty romance novel that will warm up some sheets and make you swoon at the same time.
If I could put a theme to this book it would be, “I’m not ashamed of you, I just care that you’re mine.” This goes both ways, too. Donovan may be the uber-rich supermodel in this book, but it’s not unheard of for the character who has money to be the one who has to work hard for affection in a romance novel. Instead, Ella and Brooke worked hard in this novel to put Donovan and “Sin” mostly on the level: neither of them is ashamed of the other. “Sin” mostly doesn’t care that Donovan comes from money and Donovan couldn’t give a crap that Sin comes from none and lives in a shoebox apartment. The thing they care about most is that they belong to each other and with each other. They each feel like they were made for the other and they want to fight to find a way to stay together.
It’s really freaking sweet. They’re really freaking sweet. That is, when they’re not busy having filthy hot spicy scenes. (And believe me, they are H O T.)
The rest of the Park Avenue Princes are around providing advice, comedy, and color commentary, as per usual. It’s unclear which of the Princes are up next for a book, but keep an eye on Donovan’s little brother, because he’s a sullen brat in this book and is definitely going through some stuff.
Overall, I liked this installment more than the first book in this series, so it’s an excellent read and I highly recommend it. You’ll definitely want to start with Infamous Park Avenue Prince, but that’s not a hardship.
I was provided a copy of this title by the authors. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without recompense. Thank you.
This book had everything going for it but the plot. That’s the main point I feel I need to make in this review. It’s that I Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
This book had everything going for it but the plot. That’s the main point I feel I need to make in this review. It’s that I read this book and kept hoping Ella and Brooke weren’t going where they were going with the plot. I kept hoping they were going to give it a new twist or a spin. They didn’t, and I can’t tell you how disappointed that made me.
Because otherwise, this book is a yummy, spicy, funny, charming, and sometimes sweet bi-awakening LGBTQ romance. This is the first book in Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine’s new Park Avenue Princes series, so there is a good amount of page time given over to introducing us to all the Princes, not just West, who is the “Infamous” Prince who’s one of the two MMCs in this book. The other is JT, a freshman at Astor University, where his mother runs the show. JT is eager to break out of his childhood chrysalis and make new friends, since all of his high school friends had chosen to go to college elsewhere. He’s aware since his mom runs the school he’s already a pariah, in a way, and he’s eager to try and stand out and make his own way. JT is sweet, earnest, and hardworking. West is almost the exact opposite. You could call him gregarious and maybe even well-meaning, but he knows money solves almost any problem and he’d rather party than work any day.
I did love the humor, the spicy scenes (good lord I forgot how much I love Ella and Brooke’s spicy scenes!), the dialogue, and I always love a good New York romance. I just wish with all of my being they had gone with another plot.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I’m so happy that Amber Nicole and Jenn Bullard seemed to have upped the ante and put some really solid work into Locked Promises, the middle book in I’m so happy that Amber Nicole and Jenn Bullard seemed to have upped the ante and put some really solid work into Locked Promises, the middle book in the Society for Lost Souls trilogy. This is definitely not a case of sophomore slump–this is a case of sophomore improvement.
While I enjoyed Locked Hearts a lot, I did think it had a whole lot of potential that wasn’t fully realized. The book simply felt like it hadn’t been worked through enough or polished enough to be published. It still felt really rough around the edges. And the characters were still only cookie dough; they weren’t quite cookies yet. They needed to rise and fill out and become fully fleshed-out cookies and they just weren’t there yet.
Thankfully, so many of these issues have been resolved, leaving behind a much smoother, leaner, suspenseful storyline and plot and characters that are definitely fully baked and perfectly cooled cookies.
We got to know so much more about Chastity and all the other characters in this book, and a lot more about the Society for Lost Souls, too. We got so many answers to burning questions from the first book and in the last act of the book we were suddenly peppered with many more!
And then, there’s that last step known as a cliffhanger. It’s a doozy! If you thought the cliffhanger from the first book was a wallop, then this one is going to twist your head around.
Let’s not forget the spice, because Bullard and Nicole sure don’t forget how much they denied us satisfaction in the first book. They make up for it with some very sexy and sensual spicy scenes I quite enjoyed. But I’m the blasphemous type.
If you liked Locked Hearts you’ll love Locked Promises. If you were mild on Locked Hearts, I say give it a try before you make up your mind. If you haven’t tried this series yet, give it a shot!
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Come for the spice, stay for the spice. Because there’s a whole lot of spice. I mean it. If you’re looking for a book with a lot of plot and depth theCome for the spice, stay for the spice. Because there’s a whole lot of spice. I mean it. If you’re looking for a book with a lot of plot and depth then don’t look here, because this book is almost all spice while other people take care of the tiny slice of plot in the background.
I went back and took a peek at my review for Little Bird, the first book in this series, and I remembered how I felt about that book and why before I started Venomous Queen, and I was very satisfied with how much this book improved on what I saw from an objective POV in Little Bird. I may have given both books the same rating, but it was for very different reasons.
While reading book one I hated Link, and I couldn’t understand Raven’s attraction and reactions to him. I stated in my review that I didn’t think it vibed with who she was or how she believed women should be treated. I also said that I thought the book had really good bones and that there was time to fix a lot of the issues I had with Little Bird when book two (Venomous Queen) came out. I’m proud to say I do believe the issues I had with Little Bird have been ironed out, including the issues I had with the dynamic/relationship between Link and Raven. Williams seems to have taken some time to use Quinton (Raven’s silent and shadowy guardian from the first book) as a sounding board to explain why Raven loves the way the other men she loves, even Link, treat her. We also gleaned some knowledge from her inner narrative about the attraction of Link’s dominance and feral nature, which helped me understand where Raven is coming from and I count this as a very good thing and a smart move by Williams.
I love that Quinton was brought on board as a contrast to the other four men in Raven’s life, giving her a developing relationship like she’s never been able to experience before. He’s such a deadly teddy bear. Love that for her.
Like I said, the spice is plentiful, and it is both rough and sometimes very kinky. I was totally down for all of it. Does it come at the expense of a solid plot? Yes. Do I care? Not really. I didn’t come here for a solid story. I came here for smut. And smut is what I got. I’m not sorry.
I was provided a copy of the title by the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I loved the first installment of this series, Problem Child, so much I knew I wanted to get to the next book in the series aReal Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
I loved the first installment of this series, Problem Child, so much I knew I wanted to get to the next book in the series as soon as I could. I was downright greedy for more of KC, her friends, and the mercurial boys in her life…especially after that cliffhanger ending!
So I went into Mad Boys hoping it would be as fast-paced, exciting, and event-filled as the first book, even if it meant putting up with even more slow burn (yeah, yeah, I’m a thirsty girl and I have a hard time with slow burns in contemporary romances in this age group. It’s a thing and I acknowledge it). That’s not what I got from the book. This, sadly, was a huge case of sophomore slump in a book series. I can’t pretend it’s all sunshine and roses and everything is superb in this book, because it’s not. It has a lot of problems. There is a lot to recommend, though!
KC’s character development has evolved between the first book and this one, and I’d say it’s for the better. While not outright hostile to people at Blue Ivy Prep, she does have a cynical bubble around her now due to the events of the last book and because of current events in her personal life. If you thought she had trust issues before, well, now her trust issues have trust issues and she’s not afraid to straight-up NOPE out of a situation if she thinks it’s only going to lead to something bad. Aubrey has also gone through some character growth due to what went on with KC and the pressure their record label is putting on them to work on their new album. And the most positive character change between books one and two was Jonas, who went from being madly in love with KC but being unable to speak to her except to leave sheet music for her in the first book to being able to speak to her but being very shy and reserved in this book.
But there were a whole lot of issues with the book, too: a huge plot hole that may have solved the central mystery of this book if only two of the guys remembered one cringe morning in their apartment, deliberate miscommunications, immature reactions, immature measures, and a lot of repetitive scenes. Then there’s the fact that I can’t suspend my disbelief enough to think that the guys wouldn’t have thought to search on their own to see if they had any other step-siblings in the world, considering their stepfather isn’t keen on keeping it zipped.
Heather Long is a gifted writer when it comes to characters, especially the female ones, and that’s one of the reasons I show up. Her premises and plots are another reason I come to read. I just think this book was a hiccup in the series, which I’m looking forward to continuing.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. All views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
I knew when I read the previous book in this universe (don’t worry, both books can be read as standalones and you won’t miss a single thing), We Are WI knew when I read the previous book in this universe (don’t worry, both books can be read as standalones and you won’t miss a single thing), We Are Worthy, that I would want to read any other book Alisha Williams wrote that was set in the same universe. So, when We Are Destiny was announced, I signed up to read, review, and promote that book right away.
This book hit two huge omegaverse sweet spots for me: omega on omega action, and alpha on alpha action. It’s all well and good to read your standard omegaverse novel where it’s all just alpha(s) on omega action, but to be honest, I’ve really gotten tired of them. They’ve started to bore me in the same way that about 75% of heterosexual contemporary romances have, which is why I don’t usually read m/f contemporary romance unless it’s highly recommended to me by people I trust to make good recommendations. With omegaverse, I now see the standard alpha(s) x omega and I’m already pretty bored. I end up returning them to KU usually before the 20% point because I just need more from my omegaverse novels now. And mixing things up or adding up the kink and/or spice factor is a spectacular way to grab my attention and keep me reading.
While I loved We Are Worthy because of its unconventional yet BAMF FMC who was more into who her potential pack members were inside rather than what muscles they had on the outside, I loved We Are Destiny because of the two omegas in the book: our MMC, Spencer, and the feisty little omega Everlee, who is barely-controlled chaos with devious plans in mind that are meant to make everyone happy. The two together are so sweet and cuter than a pair of kittens who have just discovered their toe beans.
Also, bravo to Williams for tackling the struggles that come with depression and anxiety and the unhealthy coping mechanisms one might use in the dark times when it seems you’ve lost everything and don’t know if you’re ever going to come out of the dark pit you’ve found yourself in. As someone who has a panic disorder and an anxiety disorder (let’s not talk about the bipolar), I felt those scenes were written rather well and handled with appropriate care instead of exploitatively. While Spencer’s anxiety and depression are intrinsic to the plot, Williams did take care to not make Spencer all about his depression and anxiety, instead opting as often as possible to show as many different facets of Spencer as possible.
Now, we all know we don’t read omegaverse for plot. We read it for fun and for spice. You don’t have anything to worry about on that front. There is a lot of spice in this book, and the pairings are in every formation possible. It’s all hot, and it’ll make you squirm real good. Not only that, but you get a lot of sweet and soft intimate moments, which is always nice.
All in all, it’s another winner from Alisha Williams in this omegaverse universe. It’s a great book available on Kindle Unlimited and you should definitely check it out if you like your omegaverse novels spicy, diverse, and versatile.
I was provided a copy of this book by the author. All opinions, thoughts, ideas, and views expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Note: I have read and reviewed the previous two installments of this series so my review may reflect my knowledge of the previous two books. I will trNote: I have read and reviewed the previous two installments of this series so my review may reflect my knowledge of the previous two books. I will try to make it as spoiler-free as possible, I promise. Also, please note that you definitely should not attempt to read this book without reading the previous two books in the series or you will be very lost.
I gave both previous installments in the Redwood University series four stars, and it seems the tradition continues with the third and final book, making this series a consistent and satisfying read when taken as a whole. The individual books have their own pros and cons, but I will say I’m so happy the predictions and musings I wrote about in previous reviews seemed to have paid off in this book, the culmination of the series.
I admit fully my favorite part of this book is the characters, how they interact with one another, and the dialogue. Even though the romantic and sexual relationship between Alexei and Nicole never quite settled well for me, the friendships and found family relationships surrounding them more than made it up to me. They’re all such colorful and unique characters I can’t help but want to recruit them to be my friends. It helps to have such a disgusting antagonist, too.
After complaining about the lack of spice in the first two books, I was happy to see spice in this last book, but I did feel that after the minimal spice in the first two books and how much plot resolution there was to be done in this book that there were too many spice scenes in this book. The scenes themselves felt excessive and repetitive. I ended up skimming them, mostly.
So why four stars, you might be thinking? Because I really think that this book wraps up the trilogy in an organized, fun, action-packed, compelling, page-turning way. Poppy Ireland knows how to plot, and she did it well. This trilogy is a well-crafted story, even if the romance part of the story needs a lot of work, in my opinion. I enjoyed it and I recommend it.
I was provided a copy of this title by the author. Any thoughts, ideas, views, and opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Fantasy Romance/Shifter Romance/Paranormal Romance/Fantasy Series/Book Series/College Romance/Coming of Age/Kindle Unlimited/KU/Romance Series/Spice Level 2 ...more
I read over my review for the previous installment in this series, To Reject a Mate, before I sat down to write this review and see if/how my feelingsI read over my review for the previous installment in this series, To Reject a Mate, before I sat down to write this review and see if/how my feelings after reading that book and this book has changed. Very little of my opinions and views have changed, and I’m surprisingly okay with it. Which, if you know me, that’s a touch out of character for me.
My main complaint about To Reject a Mate (which also received four stars from me, in case you’re curious) was the incredibly slow burn and how mild the single spice scene was when we got to it. I was hoping for more spice and spicier-spice in this installment. Well, I guess there just wasn’t anywhere to fit it in, what with all the new characters, the revelations, the evolutions of different characters, the sheer madness that is the rapidly-escalating and ugly evil plot, forming allies for what’s looking like a secret rebellion that’s been forming behind the scenes for a while, and the serious need to find out exactly what Nicole is, because the longer they all go without knowing her supernatural heritage is endangering them all.
The rumbling of conspiracies under the surface and and buckets left of secrets left to be spilled (as I said in my review for the first book) was definitely a prophecy fulfilled in this book, with those conspiracies that were only being heavily hinted at coming fully out into the open and it seemed like barrels of secrets (instead of buckets) were spilled. There’s a whole lot of stuff that gets shaken out of the trees, and it makes for compelling and propulsive storytelling.
I said in my review for the last book that it seemed Ireland was trying her best to get the vast majority of world-building and serious character development done in the first book so she could spend the second and third books truly concentrating on the story and how risky that move can be in the wrong hands. Thankfully, it paid off in spades in Poppy Ireland’s case, as it left her without having to constantly stop and explain matters and dynamics constantly and it left lots of room to introduce the new characters and situations that needed to be introduced without making the books seem rushed or poorly-paced.
It’s another solid book, and I’m looking forward to the conclusion!
I was provided a copy of this book by the author. All thoughts,views, and opinions contained herein are mine and mine alone and are expressed of my own free will. Thank you.
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