#BookReview: A Bond with the Dark (The Beautifully Broken Saga, #1) by Inara Gage

In “A Bond with the Dark,” a reluctant witch, Sayah Thorne, finds herself thrust into a world of danger and deception. When her family perishes in a mysterious fire, Sayah's quest for truth leads her on a perilous journey alongside her witch aunts. Meanwhile, Dominic Sangravelli and his siblings battle grimspawn, reanimated dead plaguing their existence.

Fate intertwines their destinies when a prophecy designates Sayah as a catalyst for change. Despite opposition from Dominic's vampire family, he is drawn to Sayah, sparking a forbidden romance. But amidst their burgeoning love, dark forces gather, and Sayah becomes the target of those who believe her death will bring about balance.

In “A Bond with the Dark,” love and magic collide as Sayah and Dominic navigate a treacherous landscape, where betrayal lurks around every corner. Can they defy fate and save their world from impending doom, or will the shadows consume them? Delve into a world of mystery, romance, and supernatural intrigue, where alliances are tested, and the line between light and dark blurs.

#BookReview: A Secret Deep and Savage (The Lost Garden Book 2) by Lisa Amowitz

Rosalie Gatell may have saved Salttain Island, but her triumph comes at a devastating cost. With Liam cursed and her own scars still raw, she's plunged into the perilous depths of the Institute, surrounded by whispers of conspiracy and potential traitors.

Faced with an impossible choice, Rosalie must embrace her family's dark legacy or forfeit her memories and any hope of saving the boy she loves. Fate forces her hand when a terrifying new threat emerges, binding her destiny to her fiercest rival, Jessica. Their explosive connection hints at unimaginable powers, but it also puts both girls in grave danger. Jessica might just be the key to Liam's salvation, but can Rosalie trust her?

As darkness closes in and the clock ticks down, Rosalie and her unlikely allies find themselves on the run. Liam's life hangs in the balance, and unimaginable evil breathes down their necks. They must race against time to thwart a disaster that could obliterate not just their world, but the entire planet.

#BookReview: A Promise Bright and Fragile (The Prequel to An Island Strange and Wild) by Lisa Amowitz

Orphaned young and thrust into foster care, 18-year-old Tyler Fredericks remembers nothing of Salttain, the mysterious Maine island where he was born. His only link to his past is the shadowy Uncle Randy, a man whose unsettling presence makes Tyler feel as if his thoughts are being twisted.

Desperate to break free, Tyler relies on his stellar academic record, his uncanny knack for winning people over, and his secret love for Rosalie Gatell, the brilliant and beautiful daughter of a legendary climate activist. Rosalie is still grieving her father’s death, and Tyler has promised to never attend the Maine university where he taught—to always be there for her.

But when Uncle Randy dangles an irresistible scholarship offer, Tyler’s plans unravel, dragging him back to the one place he swore he’d never go. As inexplicable events begin to threaten the fabric of his reality, he must fight to maintain his sanity—and discover whether it’s true that you can’t go home again.

#BookReview: An Island Strange and Wild (Lost Garden, #1) by Lisa Amowitz

Live for today, before the island eats you alive…

When her fellow climate activist and secret crush dies unexpectedly, 18-year-old science prodigy Rosalie Gatell ditches her prestigious summer program for the remote, uncharted island where he was born. There, she discovers shocking secrets about her own past—and an island that defies the laws of nature, complete with a vanishing walled garden, a miraculous healing plant, and an unknown aunt trapped in a tree. But nothing confounds Rosalie as much as the enigmatic Liam, a reckless and beautiful island boy with a supernatural green thumb.

Falling for Liam is the worst idea imaginable, especially since he’s under a diabolical curse—but Rosalie can’t help herself. The closer she gets to unraveling his secrets and the island’s mysteries, the more she discovers that she possesses unexpected abilities of her own. But there’s no time to revel in her newfound magic. An ancient evil is stalking Salttain Island. And Rosalie will have to rely on her powers, instead of logic or science, to free Liam from his curse while keeping the corrosive threat from consuming her and everyone she’s ever loved.

Dive into this lush, haunting, romantic fantasy retelling of The Secret Garden, where no one is what they seem, and one wrong move can cost you your life.

#BookReview: The Rumble and the Glory (Sacred Trinity #1) by @JAHuss

Collin Creed is a killer. But he's Lowyn's killer. And after a twelve-year separation, she wants him back.

Deep in the hills of West Virginia, three small towns have found a way to flourish in the face of extreme poverty. Disciple runs a side-show tent revival that brings in millions of dollars a year. Bishop flaunts traditional ways in the vein of Colonial Williamsburg, luring weary city people to the slow-living lifestyle. And Revenant offers them an experience of sin filled with tattooed bikers and live-music dive bars.

It’s a sacred trinity that worships the almighty dollar and everyone plays their role like a well-trained Broadway actor.

But these hills have secrets, and so do the people.

Twelve years ago, when he was just eighteen and dreaming of a future with his high school sweetheart, Collin Creed learned something about himself. Something so disturbing he left Disciple to join the Marines and didn’t once look back. But all that came to a screeching halt with the congressional hearings, forcing Collin to return home and rebuild his black-ops empire brick by brick.

Lowyn McBride’s heart broke when Collin shut her out and left town without an explanation just as they were getting ready to start their adult lives together. The death of her mother the following year was a make-or-break moment and Lowyn rose to the occasion, giving up her university education to parent her younger sister while building an empire of her own as a specialty antiques dealer.

Anger and desire, guilt and shame—the return of the enigmatic Collin Creed ignites the town and sparks an explosion of emotions inside Lowyn. But he’s not the only one with a secret in his past.

Lowyn has always played the good girl to Collin’s bad-boy reputation. But it turns out—she’s just like everyone else up in these hills—not as wholesome and pure as she looks.

The Rumble and the Glory is a cinematic and spicy small-town secret, second-chance romance wrapped up in a cloak of mystery and suspense. It honors the themes of found family, redemptive anti-hero, and is filled with bigger-than-life, morally-grey characters against a backdrop of deceit and deception.

TROPES:
Small Town Secrets
Touch Her and Die
He Falls First
Enemies to Lovers
Morally Grey
Found Family
Second Chance
Childhood Sweethearts
Anti-Hero

#BookReview: An Epitaph for Jezebel by L. Divine

An Atlanta investigative reporter who speaks for those without a voice. A female-owned strip club famous for treating its performers as well as its customers. But when one popular dancer is ritualistically murdered, reporter Keke McCoy’s investigation won’t leave hers—or anyone’s—secrets safe, in the first of a thrilling mystery series by L. Divine . . .

When Keke starts looking into secretive stripper Monaka's grisly death, she’s instantly caught between her past and her present. Through The Honey Pot club owner "Honey Mama" Thiboudeaux, Keke found refuge from the streets, earned much money from her stage persona "Brandy," and got a chance at a new life all her own. Her bombshell exposé about the club launched her reporting career. But it caused a bitter, seemingly irrevocable split between her, the only family she's ever known—and Drew, the one man Keke won't admit she's never gotten
over . . .

At Honey Mama request's, Keke goes undercover as Brandy to find the truth before political pressures shut the progressive club down for good. But Keke has to watch more than her back when she finds Monaka had an unshakable, dangerously elusive stalker, an illicit club sideline—and vicious conflicts with rival dancers. Even more explosive, Keke's persistence is putting her at odds with Drew, now a police detective working this case . . . and the secrets she herself can no longer hide.

Now with the clock fast ticking down, Keke must tantalize the killer with the one lure he—or she—can't resist. But using fantasy as a trap could put more than her pursuit of justice on the line--it risks ending her career and life for good . . .

#BookReview: Heir of Stardust and Secrets (Mystic Spark, #1) by CC Hartly

In the shadow of war, love may be her greatest enemy...

Nyleeria has always lived in the shadow of loss, with only her childhood friend to bring light to her days. But when an ancient power is discovered within her, everything changes. Her family is torn apart by tragedy, and she is thrust into a conflict that has smoldered between humans and fae for centuries.

King Thaddeus, a human ruler hardened by the endless war against the fae, seeks to protect his kingdom at any cost. When he discovers Nyleeria’s dormant magic, he knows it could be the key to his people's survival. But the closer Nyleeria gets to the King, the more she realizes that her greatest danger may not be the Spark or the fae—but the feelings he stirs within her.

As the veil between realms grows thinner, Nyleeria must navigate a path filled with peril, where trust is a luxury and love could be the most dangerous weapon of all. Torn between duty and desire, she must decide what they are willing to sacrifice—for her people, for him, and for a future that hangs in the balance.

#BookReview: A Dream of Blood and Magic (Spirit Marked, #1) by Olivia Boothe

Underworld meets Kingdom of the Wicked in this forbidden love, rivals to lovers, high stakes, slow-burn gothic contemporary fantasy romance.

A SINISTER DARKNESS BREWS, SOWING THE SEEDS OF WAR. AND AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL IS A YOUNG WITCH WILLING TO RISK IT ALL TO SAVE THOSE SHE LOVES.

When a mysterious crow crash-lands through Avery Jaxon’s Brooklyn apartment window, awakening the elemental magic dormant in her veins, Avery soon discovers her entire life has been a skillfully woven lie, and that even her new avian friend holds secrets of its own, including the answers to her shrouded past.

But pulling back the veil is only the beginning. An ancient prophecy has been set in motion, thrusting Avery into a centuries-old supernatural war between witches and vampires.

Seeking to harness Avery’s rare and ancient power, the most notorious dark arts witch hive in the world is on the hunt to find Avery before she’s captured by Kane, a vampire sworn to protect humankind from the next Spirit Marked—a foretold witch with such immense, raw magic, it will threaten to destroy all life on Earth.

Now, to save humanity and protect her friends, Avery must learn to control her potent magic, all while building an alliance with the warrior vampire sent to seize her. Their destinies are more entwined than either could have ever foreseen. But despite the magic that binds their paths and the enigmatic attraction growing between them, Avery struggles to trust the man born to be her enemy.

However, Kane’s not the only vampire thirsting for the honeyed taste of Avery’s blood...someone else also seeks to wage a war against her heart. 

In the end, Avery must not only grapple with the painful truth behind her family’s past, but she’ll need to accept the journey laid out before her. For not only do the lives of those she loves depend on it, but so do the lives of every mortal and immortal creature alike.

Intended for audiences 18 years+ 

A Dream of Blood and Magic is a gothic, contemporary (modern world) fantasy romance intended for audiences 18 years+.

Please see below for the full list of content/trigger warnings:

Blood and gore, death and graphic violence, explicit language, some sexually explicit content, stalking, abductions, mention of young girls being trafficked for blood, mention of mental illness and emotional childhood trauma.

Reader discretion is advised.

Additional tropes/content: multiple POVs (prologue and interlude in 3rd person, rest of book in 1st person), rivals to reluctant allies (to lovers in second book), forced proximity, found family, ancient prophecy, supernatural war, elemental magic, vampire & witch lore, bratty FMC & broody MMC, spirit-animal shifters, time and space bending powers, dreams and visions, villainous twin, portal magic, traveling between realms, and fast-paced action.

A Dream of Blood and Magic is book one in the Spirit Marked series and is not a standalone novel. .

Ready to join Avery on her magical journey toward self-discovery and epic love? Then let’s go! Your adventure awaits….

#BookReview: Princess of Air (Elements of Royalty #1) by Natalie Cammaratta

Kingdom. Family. Love.
Which will shatter? Which can she save?

Air may not pummel, scorch, and drown like the other elemental magics, but with Arabella wielding it, it might be the strongest power.

When the Queen reveals the heir to her throne will be determined by a competition rather than birthright, the first born Prince of Earth’s rage quakes the palace, and Arabella feels the shock to her bones.

Trials between four siblings—four elements—are bound to be quite the show. Enough to distract from escalating problems throughout the continent.

Arabella will already have a new title soon, but her betrothal does not change the fact that she must compete. If the crown would let her have more moments that ignite her skin and send her heart racing with Tomas, this would be the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s his dark hair and blue eyes that pool heat in her belly.

Alas, if she wins, she’ll spend the rest of her life facing everything she can’t have.

Princess of Air is the spicy first book in the Elements of Royalty epic fantasy romance series. This whirlwind adventure is perfect for lovers of snarky heroines, gripping tension, and steamy desire.

#BookReview: The Love Hack by Sophie Ranald

She’s a rookie advice columnist. He’s her office crush. It’s about to get complicated.
Landing a new job as online agony uncle “Ask Adam” Lucy dishes out relationship tips to men. But when it comes to her own love life, she’d rather spend Friday nights curled up on her sofa with Netflix and her cat, Astro. That is, until she meets Ross, her new co-worker who makes her snort with laughter at his silly jokes and sets off butterflies in her stomach when his hazel eyes meet hers over his laptop. After her last work boyfriend broke her heart, Lucy swore she’d never fall for someone in the office again. And she’s just about to have two more good reasons not to.

An email has just landed in the “Ask Adam” inbox and Lucy is convinced it’s from Ross. He’s most definitely not single. As her advice column goes viral and her inbox overflows with problems, Lucy turns to her AI assistant for help decoding romantic troubles, including her own. Can her state-of-the-art cupid really help her navigate her feelings for Ross? Or will the truth behind “Ask Adam” turn her non-existent love life into a hot mess? 
A totally heart-warming, feel-good, and relatable romantic comedy that will have you laughing and crying as you race through the pages. If you love Sophie Kinsella, Emily Henry and Beth O’Leary, you’ll instantly fall for The Love Hack.

#BookReview: The Accidental Sereph (Carran Hollow Fated Mates) by Maci Aurora

When Atlas Black, a bad boy with a reputation in Carran Hollow, walks into The Hole-in-the-Wall bar investigating a demon sighting, it’s mostly business as usual until he comes face-to-face with his calix—his fated-mate. Except Ivy Day, oblivious to the world of serephs and demons, thinks she’s stranded in Carran Hollow because a stupid bus has broken down. She just needs a ride to get to the next bus in order to get to her sister across the country. While the guy in the bar hitting on her is hotter than any human has the right to be, unless he’ll give her a lift, she doesn’t have any patience for anything else. But little does she know, Atlas is about to take her on the ride of her life—that is, as long as they can get through the demons.

#BookReview: A Court This Cruel & Lovely (Kingdom of Lies #1) by Stacia Stark

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK: 

For years, when I fell asleep, I dreamed of a man with blazing green eyes and a cruel smile. 

The day I meet him, the ruthless mercenary leaves me for dead. 

Just hours after humans are born, the gods take what little power we have. In return, they protect our borders from the vicious, merciless fae. 

The humans who manage to keep their power are known as the corrupt.
And they are burned. 

When my forbidden power is discovered, I’m forced to flee my tiny village and the life I adore. 

To survive, I make a desperate bargain with the mercenary who abandoned me at my weakest. 

Our deal is simple: I’ll help him and his mysterious friends sneak into the city. And he’ll help me learn to wield the strange, dark power I’ve always kept hidden. The power that may just be the key to my survival. 

But the ruthless mercenary is hiding secrets of his own. Secrets that threaten the safety of everyone I love. Secrets that could tear this kingdom—and perhaps even this world—apart. 

Please note: A Court This Cruel and Lovely is an NA/adult romantasy book with steam. While this series is slow burn, the chili pepper rating will increase for each book.

#BookReview: Hunted by Wolves and Shadow by Jo Holloway

*He's a monster in need of redemption.
*She's the granddaughter of a witch, out for revenge.
*Their paths might lead to each other... but a wolf and a witch were never meant to be.

Emi has visited Grandma’s cottage often before, but this time the Mist is thicker, the beasts are too close . . . And the handsome stranger who answers her frantic knock is definitely NOT her Grandma Ruby.

Wolf had one job. Kill the witch and end the curse plaguing his found family. Instead, the forest feels more menacing than ever when a fiery redhead comes screaming out of the Mist.

Trapped together by the dangers outside the door, Emi and Wolf find unexpected chemistry sparking between them. But when explosive secrets come out, their bond shatters.

While Emi struggles to face her family's sordid truth, Wolf fights to keep his protective instincts under control. He needs to figure out what went wrong, not deal with this fiesty new problem who gets under his skin. Neither trusts the other, but if they hope to break free from the Mist, they'll have to learn to trust their hearts. Because the fate of every lost soul in these cursed woods depends on it...

______________________________________
HUNTED BY WOLVES AND SHADOW is one of ten books in the Enemies Ever After series, a collection of standalone short novels featuring enemies-to-lovers fairy tale retellings with a touch of steam.

#BookReview: When We Lied (Fairview Hockey #2) by Claire Contreras

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

A brand new hockey romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Claire Contreras set in the same world as Until I Get You...

Finneas Alexander Barlow is a walking thirst trap. Tall, hot, and broody. Tousled brown hair, chiseled jaw, alluring green eyes, perfect teeth, well-groomed beard, broad shoulders, and lips good enough to bite. He’d look like a Disney prince if the prince was a broody ahole.

Four years ago, a fated meeting led to an inevitable hook-up. Just one. It’s his rule. One-time hook-ups, no information exchanges, and no repeats. I knew that even before he established his boundaries, and he kept his promise. I hadn’t seen or heard from him since.

A year ago, when tragedy struck, he came back to town and sought me out. Gone was the disarming grin and the innuendos he’d once used to make my knees go weak. Unfortunately, his ire was equally debilitating. Now he’s back as the face of Fairview’s brand new professional hockey team and he’s looking for answers I don’t have. Finn won’t accept that, though. He’s as determined to uncover my secrets as I am to keep them. He pushes as hard as I pull. It’s only a matter of time before the rope snaps. Now I can only hope I'm the one left standing.

BookReview: Passenger Princess (Evergreen Park #1) by Morgan Elizabeth

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

A sexy, Bodyguard, Grumpy/Sunshine, Celebrity romance from best-selling author, Morgan Elizabeth.

Who knew applying to be the next Miss Americana while you’re drunk on tequila would actually 
get anywhere? But that’s exactly what happened to Ava when she wanted an excuse to promote her best friends’ new businesses. She never even expected to get past the first round of auditions, much less win the beauty pageant, and now here she is, wearing a silk sash and a crown on her head, trying to picture what the next three months is going to look like. As the newly crowned Miss Americana, she’s off on a three-month press tour, visiting all 50 states as part of her contract. 

For a girl who loves adventure, it’s a dream come true, except for two hiccups. The first one being the morality clause and long list of rules the organization is forcing her to live by while wearing the crown. And second, and probably the worst one, is the delicious sexy, yet grumpy driver-slash-bodyguard assigned to keep her in line. 

Jaime normally spends his days as head of security for the world-famous rock band Atlas Oaks, but when they take a break from touring, he’s excited for a change of pace. Until he learns his new assignment is the gorgeous and ever-frustrating pageant princess who gets under his skin in more ways than one.

When he learns Ava has made it her mission to drive him crazy—by constantly looking for a new hit of endorphins by toeing the line as well as by flirting with him endlessly—he realizes what he thought would be a simple assignment is anything but. Now if only he can survive the next ninety days keeping his hands to himself and off the woman he can’t get out of his head.

#BookReview: Nights of Obedience by Rachel Mays

AMAZON

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Emilie 
I never asked to marry King Cyrus, the ruler of the neighboring realm. But after his wife passed away, my parents saw an opportunity to gain his favor. They didn’t hesitate to offer my hand in marriage. Despite the circumstances, I’m determined to make the best of the situation. After all, becoming royalty comes with plenty of advantages. But first I’ll have to get past an unexpected obstacle—the king’s brother, Ladon. 

Ladon 
I’ll do anything to protect my family, even if it means sabotaging my brother’s upcoming marriage. I know the truth—that Emilie is a money-hungry opportunist who is unfit to be the queen. I'll do whatever it takes to see their engagement come to an end. She thought she was entering paradise, but I’m going to give her hell. 

Until disaster strikes... 
Now, we only have each other. Working together might be the only way to survive the twisted games we’ll be forced to play. 

Author’s Note: Nights of Obedience is the first book in the Vines & Venom duet, a spicy, enemies-to-lovers romantasy. This book features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised. For a complete list of content warnings, check the author’s website.

#BookReview: Into a Wicked World (A Wholesome Romance in Oz #1) by @JordanRileySwan

Lions, and tigers, and an emotionally unavailable woodsman, oh my. 

When Dorothy Gale said she wanted to get as far away from her narcissistic mother as she possibly could, she didn’t mean an entirely new world altogether. Mystically transported to the Land of Oz, the Kansas college student must navigate the dangers of angry trees, poisonous poppies, and wicked witches, all on her quest to find the Wizard who might be able to get her home.

It doesn’t take Dorothy long to assemble a group of unlikely allies—including a talkative-yet-naïve scarecrow, a princely lionman, and a woodsman whose looks are as sharp as the magical axe on his hip. But when the seemingly cold-hearted woodsman escorting Dorothy through Oz begins to warm her own heart, she starts wanting more than just a return trip to Kansas. 

Enchanted by a curse that has earned him the nickname Tinman, Nick Chopper just wants to live his lonely life safe in the Blue Forest with the nonjudgmental Fighting Trees and the occasional trip into town for some Munchkin desserts. But his routine is about to be blown away when Glinda the Good orders him to escort a whirlwind of a woman, who has just flown in from a faraway land, to the bustling Emerald City. 

Every moment with Dorothy makes his curse harder and harder to bear. But being around her starts to feel worth the pain, and Nick slowly begins to hope that Dorothy will find that home is where the tin heart is…