Tag: romance review

A hot fantasy that I enjoyed enough | The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

A hot fantasy that I enjoyed enough | The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

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The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

This one is really different from what I expected out of a fantasy romance, which is undoubtedly a good thing. It was way darker, for one thing, and didn’t rely on a commanding all-powerful vampire as the heroine’s lifeline. I think the worst thing a story of this genre can do is have bland characters with zero chemistry, and that is absolutely not this book. I very unexpectedly fell in love with Raihn, who, despite how he is described in the synopsis, really wasn’t an aggressive man at all. The scenes between him and Oraya were actually really hot. Again, chemistry and characters are the most important to me in any kind of romance.

Unfortunately, the remaining elements of the story fell a little flat for me. I wanted just a bit more world building and maybe more insight into both Oraya and Vincent’s character. The pacing was a little off for me, too. I think the story would have really benefitted from throwing us right into the Kejari, with some backtracking to fill in Oraya’s history with Vincent. I would have loved to understand the history of the different vampires and why they are against each other.

I should reiterate that this story really nailed what I needed it to–the romance and character building was impeccable. It just could have been that much better with some added detail and fixed pacing. I’m not sure if I’ll pick up the second book yet to finish the duology, but I’m leaning toward yes just to see how Oraya and Raihn’s relationship plays out.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Have you read this series? Should I continue on with it?

Goodreads | Bookshop | StoryGraph

Two Romance Reviews | Elizabeth O’Roark Reviews

Two Romance Reviews | Elizabeth O’Roark Reviews

by louisereads ♥ 1 Comment

A Deal with the Devil:

Hayes Flynn is an arrogant jerk known best for his scotch habit and the way he spreads his British “charm” all over Hollywood, never with the same woman twice.

He’s the last person I want to work for, except he has a face I can’t look away from, and the longer we’re together, the harder he is to hate. Because under that smug exterior is a heart he doesn’t want to show—one that was badly broken a decade earlier.

Waking Olivia:

A failing farm.
His father’s debt.
And a struggling college track team.
Will Langstrom has too many responsibilities, and the last thing he needs is Olivia Finnegan, a beautiful but troubled new transfer student.

A smart mouth.
A strong right hook.
And a secret that could destroy her.
Olivia is her own worst enemy, with a past she can’t seem to escape, and the last person she wants help from is a cocky track coach she can never seem to please.
Refusing to be pushed away, Will is determined to save her.
And determined to resist an attraction that could destroy them both.

Ok, I don’t want to jinx it, but I think I found a new favorite romance author. I’ve been struggling with romance recently, finding the writing often very immature and the character development clunky and unnatural. I started with Waking Olivia which I enjoyed a lot! The characters didn’t feel forced, and Olivia and Will actually had chemistry. I was also interested in the plot and what Olivia wasn’t remembering. The thing that will really trip me up while reading a romance is a dual POV. I’ve said this before. I KNOW every romance reader seems to absolutely adore a POV from both love interests, but it really takes away from the story for me. I don’t want to know how the other person feels! I want to be able to guess through their actions as if I were the main character myself. Maybe that’s a bit too self-insert of me, but I really love the suspense and slow burn of not knowing what the other love interest’s intentions are. I know the two will end up together in the end, but I don’t want to have all the answers right away. Regardless, I evidently enjoyed this one enough to pick up another by O’Roark, and this is where she really shines, in my opinion.

I was really wary going into A Deal with the Devil. I had no idea how O’Roark was going to make me fall in love with a plastic surgeon of all people, but my god, she did it. I had to overlook the wardrobe (men who love to wear suits all the time are a huge ick, and I DON’T think they look better in them than in casual wear). This was such a sweet romance. I love a man who knows he’s not good enough for the woman he’s in love with. The chemistry between Tali and Hayes was so hot, and it felt so natural for these two to get as close as they did. I loved this book, and I’m honestly sad to have finished it. It helps that this one was a singular POV, too.

Waking Olivia

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

A Deal with the Devil

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Links:

Goodreads | Amazon

How do you feel about dual POVs in romance books?

Recent, Current, and Future Reads | WWW Wednesday [11.23.22]

Recent, Current, and Future Reads | WWW Wednesday [11.23.22]

by louisereads ♥ 1 Comment

This is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words that asks us to answer the three Ws:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Happy Wednesday before Thanksgiving! I’m going to my cousin’s for lunch tomorrow and then my partner and I are seeing the holiday Festival of Lights. I don’t love what the holiday represents, but I do love to spend time with my family! What are your Thanksgiving plans (if you live in the US)?

I just started both Gilded (audiobook) and The Light Pirate (eARC). I’m a little iffy on the writing style of The Light Pirate, but it’s still very early on. I have hope. Gilded is a lot of fun already. I’m still slowly working through my physical copy of The Whispering Dark. I’m hoping to do some reading in the car tomorrow over to my cousin’s.

I finished two the other day: Winterland (eARC) and Everything Sad is Untrue (audiobook). Both were beautiful and I loved every second of them. Reviews to come, but I highly recommend.

I just picked up One Dark Window at Barnes & Noble the other day. The description sounded so good, and someone on my Instagram also recommended it. So, I think that one is calling to me.

What are you reading today?

Recent, Current, and Future Reads | WWW Wednesday [8.24.22]

Recent, Current, and Future Reads | WWW Wednesday [8.24.22]

by louisereads ♥ 1 Comment

This is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words that asks us to answer the three Ws:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

I am going to very honest today. I did not want to make this post. I’ve been dealing with a lot of anxiety and depression for the past few weeks, and I barely have the motivation to do the work I’m actually payed for.😂 HOWEVER, I know that if I leave my blog for too long I will never come back to it, so here I am! Powering through!

Currently reading: I ran out to Barnes & Noble yesterday to pick up Love on the Brain, and of course I’m already loving it. Ali Hazelwood is absolutely one of my favorite authors now. I want to take this one slow though because I’ll be devastated when I finish and have none of her novels left to read.

Recently finished: I JUST finished my audiobook of The Last Olympian today because it was the last day of my library loan. I love this series to death. It’s not listed here, but I plan to go onto the Heroes of Olympus series next.

Reading next: I have a review copy of A Dreadful Splendor to read. I think this has some romance in it which is what I’m really in the mood for, so hopefully that goes well. I’ll get started on this one this weekend when I’m on my flight to visit some friends.

What are you reading this week?

A Sweet Summer Romance | Bend Toward the Sun by Jen Devon

A Sweet Summer Romance | Bend Toward the Sun by Jen Devon

by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Rowan McKinnon doesn’t believe in love. With a botany PhD, two best friends who embrace her social quirkiness, and some occasional no-strings sex, she has everything she needs. But she hides deep wounds from the past—from a negligent mother, and a fiancé who treated her like a pawn in a game. When an academic setback leads Rowan to take on the restoration of an abandoned vineyard, she relishes the opportunity to restore the grapes to their former glory.

She does not expect to meet a man like Harrison Brady.

An obstetrician profoundly struggling after losing a patient, Harry no longer believes he is capable of keeping people safe. Reeling, Harry leaves Los Angeles to emotionally recover at his parents’ new vineyard in Pennsylvania.

He does not expect to meet a woman like Rowan McKinnon.

As their combative banter gives way to a simmering tension, sunlight begins to crack through the darkness smothering Harry’s soul. He’s compelled to explore the undeniable pull between them. And after a lifetime of protecting herself from feeling anything, for anyone, Rowan tries to keep things casual.

But even she can’t ignore their explosive connection. [From Goodreads]

First of all, let’s hear it for all the romances featuring ladies in STEM being released recently!! I am SO for this trend. I work in an engineering library, so I love seeing this representation in romances. The botany and science-y aspects were some of my favorite parts of this book. I always think the inclusion of these subjects leads to the most beautiful descriptive imagery, and Jen Devon does not disappoint here.

My actual favorite aspect of this romance, though, was the found family and every adorable moment Rowan was able to receive from the Bradys. These moments filled with dialogue that show off every individual family member’s personality are where Devon really shined in her writing. Family is the most essential thing in my life, found and not, so when a writer does a good job of writing this subject, it can make me very emotional. This book succeeded in doing just that.

Of course, the romance was also so tender and sweet and spicy all at the same time. The dialogue between Rowan and Harry felt so real. Their frustrations, wants, and needs all felt very true to a couple who are not really a couple.

I said already that the dialogue was the strongest part of this novel, so parts where Devon resorted to telling about the passing of time instead of showing it fell flat to me. Because of this, the pacing felt off, like there were points in the relationship that were skipped over where I would much rather had seen the development. I wanted one more moment in the beginning of the story to really solidify Rowan and Harry’s connection.

The relationship and the ending made up for this, however, and I ended up being very pleasantly surprised overall with this novel. If you’re a romance reader, this new release should definitely be on your list to pick up.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Recent, Current, and Future Reads | WWW Wednesday [8.3.22]

Recent, Current, and Future Reads | WWW Wednesday [8.3.22]

by louisereads ♥ 1 Comment

This is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words that asks us to answer the three Ws:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

Happy Wednesday! I’m going to the bookstore in a bit with my dad to pick up a copy of the book I just finished (I’ll get to it!), and I plan on going to read on the porch for a while. So its shaping up to be a good bookish day for me!

Recently finished: I just finished my audiobook of John Green’s The Anthropocene Reviewed today. I teared up a few times listening to this. I know the Green brothers are very polarizing people, but I have always been more on the side of loving them. I’ve always enjoyed John Green’s voice, so this one was just a lot of really enjoyable essays.

Currently reading: I’m working on my ARC of Bend Toward the Sun right now. I love when STEM is incorporated into novels, especially biology or horticulture. I’m still undecided on how I feel about the actual romance, but I hope to finish this one in the next couple days.

Reading next: Bend Toward the Sun and Bronze Drum are both releasing next week, so I need to get Bronze Drum in as well once I finish the former. I don’t know too much about it, but I love a good tale of sisters. I’ve never read anything set in Ancient Vietnam before either, so that should be exciting.

What are you reading today?

Books I Read in July | Wrap-Up

Books I Read in July | Wrap-Up

by louisereads ♥ 2 Comments

COVID hit me hard this month! I’m still having breathing issues 4 weeks later! On top of that, my best friend from college came to visit this week. Both of these made for a not-so great reading month. But! I am looking forward to a relaxing August (aside from having to go back to school and work) filled with lots of reading!

I read five books this month, so not too bad. Not great, but not bad at all.

Emotional, adventurous, and lighthearted were my top moods. I don’t usually go for lighthearted, but I think those mostly correspond to Percy Jackson books which I’m really enjoying reading through! Emotional and adventurous are much more my speed, so those make sense.

Historical isn’t something I pick up too often–I didn’t realize I had two historical books this month. I really enjoyed them both, so maybe it’s a sign I need to start reading more historical fiction.

Here are the books I read! Click the covers to see my reviews 🙂

What’s the best book you read in July?

Recent, Current, and Future Reads | WWW Wednesday [7.20.22]

Recent, Current, and Future Reads | WWW Wednesday [7.20.22]

by louisereads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words that asks us to answer the three Ws:

  • What are you currently reading?
  • What did you recently finish reading?
  • What do you think you’ll read next?

After not getting it throughout the whole pandemic, I finally got COVID this week 😦 Because of this, it’s been really hard to read. I’m having major brain fog today, but I did finish a book that I had been close to for a while!

Currently reading: I’m listening to an audiobook of The Anthropocene Reviewed while I wait for my audiobook of The Last Olympian to come in. I think a lot of people are divided on the Green brothers, but I really love them, and I have since I read Looking for Alaska in 2008. This book is just really wholesome and informative. Really enjoying it so far.

Recently finished: I finished The Doctor of Doctor Moreau today! It came out yesterday (I was slowed down due to COVID), but I really enjoyed this one! Review is coming tomorrow.

Reading next: It would have been The Last Olympian, but I don’t expect to get that one in from the library for a while. I just picked up The Personal Librarian at the bookstore last week, and it just seems like a very interesting story. Regardless, I don’t think I will get much reading done in the next week while I recover.

What are you reading today?

Harry’s House Book Tag

Harry’s House Book Tag

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I was looking for a tag to do, and I love Harry (and One Direction, don’t get it twisted), and this seemed like the perfect one to do on a Friday afternoon! I found it on Riddhi’s blog, and it was created by Jawahir the Bookworm!

Rules

  •  List the rules
  •  Mention the creator (That’s Jawahir the Bookworm!) and link it back to the original post.
  •  Nominate as many people you want and notify them. (either by mentioning them or commenting in their posts).
  •  Name a song from the album you’d like for it to be a Single.
  •  Have fun!

The songs I like are not typically single material, so I’ll just say my favs which are Little Freak, Keep Driving, and Satellite. This album is so good I couldn’t just pick one–forgive me!

MUSIC FOR A SUSHI RESTAURANT — A book with a “ride or die” type of friendship

I just finished my reread of this one today, so that’s probably why I was instantly reminded of it with this prompt. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson will literally die for each other, risking their lives to go off and find the other in a labyrinth. What’s more ride or die than that?

LATE NIGHT TALKING — A book you gave a second chance and ended up liking.

I listened to the audiobook of this one, and I remember being a little bored with the beginning and unsure of the direction the story would take. When I got into it though, I really ended up enjoying it. Super solid novel.

GRAPEJUICE — A book with “something old and red”

The Scarlet Gang–they’re old and red, right? This works.

AS IT WAS — A book you liked more as a child.

Did anyone else read this series as a young person??? I was absolutely obsessed with this series in middle school. I actually reread this series recently, and I still kinda loved it, I’m just sure I loved it way more when I was younger and the tropes were all new to me. The spooky vibes of this book were immaculate… why are there not more books with vibes like this?

DAYLIGHT — A book with a toxic relationship

I love this book, and the two main characters end up being really sweet, but MAN are they mean to each other in the beginning. I remember thinking, are these two actually going to end up together or what’s the deal? I don’t read dark romances or anything, so this is as close to toxic as my reading is going to get.

LITTLE FREAK — A book you wished you DNF’d

I read this when I was 14 because Kristen Stewart said it was her favorite. I’d like that week of my life back.

MATILDA — A book with a character/s that has a lot of trauma

Must protect Matty and Keelie at all costs.

CINEMA — A book who’s story is just as good as the cover.

Beautiful cover for a beautiful story. I’ve said all I need here.

DAYDREAMING — A series you desperately clung to so it “won’t end”.

I would give ANYTHING to read this series again for the first time.

KEEP DRIVING — A book with a road trip

I cannot think of one road trip book I’ve read, so please leave recommendations below if you have any! (Preferably romance)

SATELLITE — A book with a side character who deserved better

LEAH. FUCKING. CLEARWATER. If you know, you know. 😤

BOYFRIENDS — A book you have a hate/love relationship with

This one was incredibly disturbing and horrifying, I both loved and hated every minute of it.

LOVE OF MY LIFE — A book with a soulmate pairing

I mean, how could it be anyone but Jess and River??

If you love Harry too, feel free to say I tagged you in this one!

Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola | Book Review

Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola | Book Review

by louisereads ♥ 1 Comment

Sharp-tongued (and secretly soft-hearted) Kiki Banjo has just made a huge mistake. As an expert in relationship-evasion and the host of the popular student radio show Brown Sugar, she’s made it her mission to make sure the women of the African-Caribbean Society at Whitewell University do not fall into the mess of “situationships”, players, and heartbreak. But when the Queen of the Unbothered kisses Malakai Korede, the guy she just publicly denounced as “The Wastemen of Whitewell,” in front of every Blackwellian on campus, she finds her show on the brink.

They’re soon embroiled in a fake relationship to try and salvage their reputations and save their futures. Kiki has never surrendered her heart before, and a player like Malakai won’t be the one to change that, no matter how charming he is or how electric their connection feels. But surprisingly entertaining study sessions and intimate, late-night talks at old-fashioned diners force Kiki to look beyond her own presumptions. Is she ready to open herself up to something deeper?

This book was a lot of fun right from the start. The writing style took a bit to get used to–it’s very dense and there’s a lot going on at all times. Despite the adjustment, I think the style really suited Kiki well and helped to show her personality better.

The most important elements to me when reading a romance are how well the characters and their chemistry are brought to life through the writing. Babalola definitely succeeded in carrying that chemistry across. Kiki was so easy to relate to with the fact that she was not trying to get attached to any of the men on campus. I also just love the premise of a college radio show. It’s such a common practice, but I don’t really see it used as a plot device. The use of the show as a crutch to Kiki worked so well. And Malakai. What a sweetheart. The way the two characters come together just felt very realistic to a college romance.

It took me a while to finish this book, however, which is something that really isn’t great for a romance. Along with the dense writing, I felt that there were a lot of different storylines going on at once. It made it a little hard to focus on the romance. Some of the side plots could have been edited down for a more easily consumed story, but I really did think this was a fun romance. And I’ll always support college romance (we do NOT have enough of those!)

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.