reader – Love Fantasy Novels

Book Review – Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton – 4.5 stars

Warning: May contain minor spoilers, but opening comments are spoiler-free. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more.

This is very dark, with a dash of mystery, psychological thriller, and some spooky goings on. I enjoyed this book far more that I expected to since it’s not my usual genre, but I read a lot of dark fantasy so it wasn’t too much of a leap.

Trigger Warning: This book has a lot of triggering content in relation to non-consensual acts, graphic sex and graphic violence and child abuse. It was probably darker than I was prepared for.

What I liked…

Adeline isn’t some weak-minded MC who needs a man, but she’s also realistic that she wants one.

Zade is… a psychopath. Like, hardcore psycho. But that’s what makes him interesting from a literary perspective. His reasoning for what he does to Addie, effed up as it is, makes a twisted sort of sense.

Both MCs have particularly interesting inner conflict over their actions compared to what is appropriate or “normal” behaviour. I’m conflicted myself over how much I liked this book.

I listened to this on audible, and when we were in Addie’s POV, any male voices were done by the male narrator and vice versa.

I love the snippets from Gigi’s diary and how history is repeating itself with Addie, but in a much darker and twisted way.

Random thoughts…

It did baffle me how Addie’s friend reacted to what was going on with Addie and Zade. If I found out some guy had done things like that to my friend, I’d be dragging her to as far away as possible.

The police sucked too. I get that they can’t do everything, especially when someone’s tampering with their system, but they were just so… unbothered on Addie’s behalf.

What I didn’t like…

I can’t really complain about this since it’s a huge warning, but… some moments in this were too much and I found myself skipping. The number of times I had to remind myself it was just fiction…

Final thoughts…

I definitely wouldn’t recommend this to just anyone. If you’re into dark and twisted minds playing fucked up games with each other, with a dash of spooky and history repeating itself, then I might recommend it to you if you can handle this.

Book Review – The Awakening, as Told By the Boys by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti – 5 stars, obviously

Warning: May contain minor spoilers, but opening comments are spoiler-free. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more.

We all know the Heirs are jerks to the twins in book 1 of Zodiac Academy, but why? Why did they go so far? We get our answers from Darius and Orion, with sprinklings of Seth, Caleb, and Max.

What I liked…

I already loved this book and series, but going back and seeing the Heirs’ reasoning makes me love them even more.

What I didn’t like…

There wasn’t much of Max. I moaned about his random POVs in the later books, but I expected more in this one.

Final thoughts…

I don’t recommend reading this unless you’re on at least book 4 or 5 of ZA. It doesn’t exactly spoil things, but there are some fun moments that make more sense.

Reading Ranting – Don’t Have Time to Read?

Disclaimer: The product recommendations mentioned below are based on my personal experience. Also, I have no affiliation with them.

Do you have time to read? Me neither. I also find it super hard to focus on written words after a long or busy day, especially on Kindle because I only have my phone for digital books. My mind races at a million miles per hour, and I struggle to pay attention to just one thing. Ironically, I’m a slow reader, too, so it’s extra difficult for me to sit down with a book no matter how good the story is.

However, audiobooks have changed my reading habits, and I now read/listen to a book in about a week as opposed to a month. I listen during my drive to work, when I’m washing up, when I go for a walk, or sometimes in the shower. And I definitely find it helpful to wind down at the end of the day and listen in bed.

But audiobooks are expensive, right?

Yes. They can be, but an Amazon Audible subscription is about the same price as a book, and you get 1 credit for any book, plus a selection of books included like Kindle Unlimited. I’ve read some really good books on their subscription. If you want to buy and keep more books, they’re a lot cheaper as a member, so it really doesn’t cost that much.

Alexa will read Kindle books aloud and is quite natural. I sometimes switch from UK to US or Australian English, so each book sounds different. I needed a better speaker to connect to my phone because my Wi-Fi doesn’t reach my kitchen where I like to listen to music or my ebooks. When I saw how cheap the basic Alexa Echo was, I bought that instead, and it connects to my Wi-Fi just outside my kitchen. I just tell it to read my book, and it does. It’s also fun for music, information, and connecting to my smart plugs, so it has infinite uses beyond a speaker.

I also get a few ebooks as ARCs or beta copies and I use Google Books for those. Google uses its own voice to read those aloud or I can use FB reader’s premium version with Google voices. Personally, I prefer FB reader because it shows the play and pause options in my phone’s notification section, so it’s easier to control.

Thanks to these fun apps and devices, my reading has become so much easier and more enjoyable.

Also, not long after I bought my Alexa, my internet service provider gave me a media assistant and a shiny new Samsung A6 tablet. Thank you, Movistar. Now I have a bigger device to read ebooks and the assistant acts like another speaker that I put in my bathroom, which is the opposite end of my flat to my Echo and I can connect the two. So many connections to make life easier 😍😍😍

My new media assistant and my new tablet.

Book Review – The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe – 4 stars

Warning: May contain spoilers, but opening comments are spoiler-free. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more.

Firstly, TikTok made me buy it and I’m glad.

Secondly, this has adult content, including graphic sex scenes and violence.

Thirdly, this is a fun but way-too-short story.

Winnie has spent her whole life being dragged around by her mentally unstable mother to escape a family curse. Every time a Darling girl turns 18, Pan takes them away, and they return traumatized and unable to remember much, hence her mother’s instability.

When Pan comes for Winnie, she’s lonely, unsatisfied with life, and wants to find out what broke her mother’s mind. The answers lie in Neverland where Winnie meets the lost boys and finds herself the key to saving Pan’s dying lands.

What I liked…

I really love how Winnie’s character, background, and personal needs are established very early on, so we understand why she reacts the way she does ongoing.

I don’t know how I end up reading polyamorous books, but I really like them as long as the characters have fun too. This one is particularly fun since Winnie has been unsatisfied previously.

I loved the plot and why Pan keeps taking the Darling women.

I loved the POVs. We don’t just get Winnie and Pan. We get some lost boys too. And a sneak peak into another character.

What I didn’t like…

This is where it loses a star – Character relationships were too rushed for my liking. I prefer to see a gradual progression to make the relationships feel more natural and more meaningful.

Final thoughts…

If you like shorter novels with extreme spice, polyamory, exciting reveals, and magical lands, then this is for you. It’s also a great story of found family and belonging.

Book Review – Dark Fae – Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac book 1 – By Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti – 4.5 stars

Warning: May contain spoilers, but opening comments are spoiler-free. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more.

I loved this book and the characters. It’s set in a mirror world to our own, but Fae live there in place of humans. They have the power of the elements plus a magical creature form. Dragons, vampires, basilisks, and harpies are just a few of the amazingly fun creatures along with lion shifters and werewolves. The list goes on…

Elise starts off with a mission to find her brother’s killer and fakes her way into Aurora Academy. Her grief and need for vengeance drive her on her solo mission until she realises she might just need a friend or two to get her through it all. Or she’ll end up on the wrong side of a gang fight.

What I liked…

Elise – I love female characters who don’t take shit from people around them. At the same time, she needs friends after losing her brother, and is open to it with the right people.

Dante – Love the name. Love dragon shifters. Live storm dragons. So he was an instant 😍 for me. Also, a fun balance of friendly and “not to be messed with”

Leon the lion 🤣 – He’s very much the tame one compared to the other guys, but he’s also what Elise needs to lighten her mood. We get to see hints of his beast so he’s not always the oversized purring kitty cat.

Ryder – Interesting character with a seriously underappreciated creature for his shifter form. His past trauma that explains his current behaviour though he lets others believe differently. He has feelings that he can’t bear others seeing. And he has awesome hypnosis powers.

What I didn’t like…

Gabriel – Honestly, I don’t feel much of anything for him. Sure, he’s one of the good ones… mostly, but he’s not particularly interesting as a character considering his role in this story. He’s also kinda annoying with Elise even though we kinda get his reasoning. Not cool to play hot and cold then blame her for it.

Final thoughts…

Definitely a good read if you like questionable characters, badass magical powers, countless mythological creatures, and murder mysteries. Also, if you’ve read Zodiac Academy then you’ll love this. It’s less chaotic in all the crazy things that happen, but still exciting to read. And if you haven’t read ZA, then I suggest you do after this. Some characters overlap, which is always fun with series set in the same world.

Monthly TBR Update – June 2022

Oops. Sorry it’s late. I meant to post this last weekend but… tired.

I read some looooong books this month, so didn’t get through that many. But I did finish book 7 of Zodiac Academy. I don’t think I’ll survive until the next one in December, so I’ll probably read the novellas some point over the summer.

Books I read this month…

Zodiac Academy book 4, Shadow Princess by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
Zodiac Academy book 5, Cursed Fates
Zodiac Academy book 6, Fated Throne
Zodiac Academy book 7, Heartless Sky

Mini non-spoiler reviews…

Wild. Just freaking wild. So many things go wrong and only half go right. All the books are hilarious, heart-wrenching, steamy, and outrageously addictive. It is very immature at times, so I wouldn’t recommend it for people who like “serious” characters. But they have serious moments that just draw on so many emotions that I’m left flailing after. See my reading ranting page for full reviews.

Books I’m going to read next month…

It’s going to be a demanding month at work with the summer camp, so I’m sticking purely to audiobooks.

Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac book 1 – Dark Fae by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti
RBotZ book 2
Book 4
Book 5

Books I’m putting on hold until August…

The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe
Ruin & Roses by Deanna Ortega
Halven Rising book 3, Fates Fulfilled

Book Review – Heartless Sky – Zodiac Academy Book 6 – By Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti – 5 stars

Warning: May contain spoilers, but opening comments are spoiler-free. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more.

The Twisted Sisters never fail to make me laugh and cry throughout every one of these books. Just… 😭😭😭

So things seemed a bit too random for a while until it all clicked, so bear that in mind when going into this book. But if you liked the spice in previous books, prepared to have your mind blown in this one. War can make people realise how precious things are, so everyone is humping like rabbits as if the world is ending. I freaking love it when it’s meaningful.

What I liked…

Darius – Oh, Darius. You break my heart every time you break Tory’s. But in this one, he’s mostly behaving himself when it comes to not being an alphahole. I’d love him anyway because it’s only fiction, but seeing him be nice and truly escape his father’s hold over him is really satisfying.

Tory – I like how she lets Darius get away with some of his shit because he lets her get away with hers, but she makes the point that he’s pushing it. She’s always fun and badass and stubborn.

Darcy and Orion dial back the personal drama, even though Seth adds a little awkwardness.

Xavier – He’s finally able to explore what he wants. Also, his timing is hilarious when he… no spoilers… He’s just really funny in this.

Seth and Caleb – No spoilers, but seriously, these two are adorable and steamy with the flirting and build up to the “when will they finally admit their feelings?” that started a couple of books ago. I’m like… grrrr, just do it already.

Curses and fates – Again, no spoilers, but there’s just so much for the Vegas and Heirs to overcome when it comes to this. I love the idea of invisible or distant enemies that aren’t so easy to fight.

What I didn’t like…

Lionel POV – As Tory would say “no thanks.” But I kinda get why the twisted sisters put in in there.

Random POVS – Again, just… not feeling Geraldine, Max, or Gabriel in this one. Plus we get a random Catalina POV that didn’t feel right to me.

Final thoughts…

I don’t know what to do with my life until the next book is out. I saw somewhere it was in December. Thank f**k for the novellas and retelling of book 1 from the Heirs’ POVs to help me get through the next 6 months until the final book comes out. I hope it gets published sooner.

Book Review – A House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas – 3.5 Stars.

Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading.

I really liked this story but didn’t make it to a high rating for me. It got my attention enough to keep reading each chapter.

The world was very different from SJM’s other series which felt fresh with the modern twist. There’s still fae and hot winged men, and lots of fun magic since I love that sort of thing.

The book has so many ups and downs and laughs and steamy flirting and mysteries and secrets.

Let’s start off with what I did like…

The characters’ relationships were fun to read. Their assumptions of what the other was doing were funny when they worked it out, and their gradually growing feelings felt realistic.
I like multiple POVs in this book. In books like this with massive world-building I think you need multiple POVs even if it’s just two.
The male MC, Hunt, was my favourite character since he was the only realistic POV character in my opinion.
I enjoyed the romance. The enemies to lover trope can sometimes feel unnatural and forced. But this felt like each character had valid reasons to put up with one another.
The plot was constantly present and had my curious in every chapter. I did get a little lost a few times because it was quite complex. But when the time came for it to come together, it made sense with the right thoughts from the MC.

What I didn’t like…

I think some of the world’s history was overdone and unnecessary and irreivant in places. I found too much unnecessary backstory, fluff, and description bogged it down.
Bryce’s only real flaw was her negative opinion on men, which I suppose was mostly founded considering every male was portrayed as a jerk. Which leads me to…
I found it hard to believe that just about every male she came into contact with was labelled an alpha hole or possessive and aggressive, especially since her adoptive dad was a decent guy along with a friend she saw as a possible match at the beginning of the story.
Her sense of feminism was incredibly confusing. She didn’t like men ogling her just because she wore heels and a skimpy dress. Fine. That makes perfect sense. But she wears the outfits on purpose to impress clients, so again, I found myself unsympathetic to her.
I found it annoying that the two dominant POV characters kept secrets from the reader. Another ToG book 2 revelation kind of deal. Tsk, tsk, Sarah.
All it lacked was the kitchen sink of magical creatures from vamps, shifters, witches, sprites, faes, angels, demons and even merpeople. I thought my brain was going to explode. I’m all for multiple beings and magical abilities, but the sheer number of magical folk was mind-boggling.

I remain in favour of this as a good story, but I would have liked to see more openness through the POV characters earlier in the story.

Book Review. A Strange Hymm, The Bargainer #2 by Laura Thalassa, 4 stars.

Warning: Some reviews contain minor spoilers, but I keep the best parts vague. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more reviews and thoughts on reading.

I was so excited to read book 2 of the The Bargainer series after I loved the 1st book so much. This didn’t disappoint.

Callie has to deal with her changes in magic, the permanent wings and scales that make it near impossible to go back to the human world. But she has Des, The Bargainer, Night King, and mate. I thought I’d get sick of the mate trope, but this is done a little differently since they have a history.

I almost miss the flashbacks to when she first knew Des before he left her for seven years. Even though we got the explanation for that, I think forcing that separation made it more acceptable, at least from a fantasy fiction perspective. What’s a few hundred years in age when you’re practically immortal?

I also love how we see more of the Otherworld in this book. I love fantastical worlds, and since Callie’s from Earth, albeit an alternative one, she’s seeing the Otherworld for the 1st time along with me, which adds to the wonder.

And I love the mystery. Sometimes, I thought surely Callie would have figured it out sooner with her being a PI, but… makes for better suspense as a reader.

Des and Callie are one steamy couple. Despite the massive age gap, she’s an experienced adult that knows what she’s getting into with him. Also, the balance of their magic fits, his darkness, her shiny siren. I love sirens.

What I liked…

I like how Callie is realistically traumatised from her experience with the King of Fauna, but she stays pretty strong considering.
I love how her wings are feathered while Des’ are webbed. I just love wings.
I liked how Callie dealt with her wings and scales. She could have outright hated them all the time, or slowly accepted them. The latter was done nicely since Des’ love of them helped her accept them.
I liked how they knew things weren’t over with the Theif of Souls since none of the sleeping women were waking up.
Callie’s dreams were also a good way to keep the bigger story in the forefront of the reader’s mind while having some good character developmental scenes.

What I didn’t like… again not much here.

Temper’s dramatic appearance felt a smidge overdone and not foreshadowed as well as it could have been
Again, writing could have been better. Lots of repetitive wording and structures that could have easily been avoided with the right editor.

I loved this book all the way through. If you like faeries with wings, an Earth and high fantasy world combo, sexy men with wings, sirens, lots of smut, and fun times mixed into a bigger plot, then you’ll love this book.

Stay tuned for the final book, Dark Harmony. And I’ll get to Emperor of Evening Stars at some point.

Book Review. The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen. 4.5 Stars

Warning: Some reviews contain spoilers. Check out my Reading Ranting page for more.

I got serious Pirates of the Caribbean vibes in most of this book, but a completely different story. It’s low fantasy in that it’s a completely imaginary world, but there’s no magic.

I loved how Lara started off in this book. She has a plan to take down a kingdom in order to save her own. She goes from the dry desert to a stormy group of islands to marry a King she’s never met.

I also live how we get Aren’s POV too and see how he needs the alliance with Lara to bring trade to his people. Mostly, I love how we instantly see that he’s not what she was expecting and we just have to watch while she works that out.

The details of how Lara adjusts to the weather really brings the world to life. And her slow realization is nicely done. She’s been lied to all her life, and her only purpose is ruining Aren’s kingdom.

It’s also fun that he learns that she’s a spy and Falls for her anyway, makes the betrayal that much sweeter.

Things I liked…

Lara and Aren were fun to read as they slowly fall for each other.
The love scenes were nicely written. A perfect balance of emotion and explicitly.
The world was fantastic with the bridge and islands and swashbuckling theme.
Lara was likable despite being pretty cold from the start. She has her reasons.

What I didn’t like…

I’m being super picky with this, but some small technical things in the writing bugged me. But not really enough to bring down my rating.
Despite really enjoying the book, it didn’t 100% captivate me, but that’s a personal thing that I can’t really explain, hence the 4.5 stars and not a full 5.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes low fantasy and romance with kingdom politics and trained assassins.