Week 16 Reviews: Poison Flower, Poison Kiss

From Goodreads:

Beware the wrath of a broken blind girl.

Victor. Torsten. Cassius – the jock, the artist, the stepbrother.

They made me theirs – body, heart, and soul.

They got inside my head.

They broke down my defenses and made me trust them

… maybe even love them.

They betrayed me.

They think they're untouchable,

but they forget that I'm one of them.

I'm the poison flower in their garden,

beautiful and deadly,

hiding in plain sight.

I know all their secrets,

Their weaknesses,

Their darkest desires,

And I'm going to make them pay.

Poison Kiss is a new adult, dark contemporary romance with three hot, dangerous guys and the blind girl who rules them. It is intended for 18+ readers.

From Goodreads:

I may be blind, but they won't see me coming. Cassius. Victor. Torsten.

My monster. My strength. My heart.

Three cruel, broken kings who kissed me with poison

And woke me from my slumber. I used to think that my future lay beyond ivy-covered walls;

College, a career, a white-picket fence…

But now I'm bathed in blood and fire.

Now I wear their thorny crown,

and sit upon a throne of skulls. I fight for a different future – a brutal, beautiful new world.

I'll burn the world for them, for us, for our family,

even if it means paying the ultimate price. Illis quos amo deserviam.

For those I love, I sacrifice. Poison Kiss is a new adult, dark contemporary romance with three hot guys and one girl. It is intended for 18+ readers.

My Review:


Author: Steffanie Holmes 
Series: Stonehurst Prep Elite #2, 3 
Read: April 16th, 16th, 2025
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this world and series, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Books, and Poison Kiss is a End of Series 2024 Book! 
Publisher: Bacchanalia House
Published: September 15th 2022, December 24th 2022

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 14 Reviews: My Stolen Life, My Secret Heart, My Broken Crown, My Savage Empire

From Goodreads:

Psst. I have a secret.

Are you ready?

I'm Mackenzie Malloy, and everyone thinks they know who I am.

Five years ago, I disappeared.

No one has seen me or my family outside the walls of Malloy Manor since.

But now I'm coming to reclaim my throne:

The Ice Queen of Stonehurst Prep is back.

Standing between me and my everything?

Three things can bring me down:

The sweet guy who wants answers from his former friend.

The rock god who wants to f*ck me.

The king who'll crush me before giving up his crown.

They think they can ruin me, wreck it all, but I won't let them.

I'm not the Mackenzie Eli used to know.

Hot boys and rock gods like Gabriel won't win me over.

And just like Noah, I'll kill to keep my crown.

I'm just a poor little rich girl with the stolen life.

I'm here to f*ck up three princes,

before they destroy me.

From Goodreads:

Now you know my secret.

Bit of a doozy, isn't it?

Sorry 'bout that.

The problem is, someone else knows too.

Someone dangerous.

Someone who's already buried me once.

This time, they're determined to finish the job.

Three broken princes stand between me and my doom:

The fallen king with his thirst for vengeance.

The rock god who sings of blood and stars.

The sweet one who;s drowning in hate.

Three spoiled princes who own my heart of ice.

Keeping them secret is the only way to save them.

By my betrayal will drive them into my enemy;s hands.

Alea iacta est.

Let the die be cast.

Welcome to Stonehurst f**king Prep.

From Goodreads:

I was baptized in bloodshed.

To the bloodshed, I return.

I've ascended my throne. I wear my crown of thorns.

Fancy that? I'm Queen of the August crime family.

I'll rebuild my father's kingdom in blood and fire.

With three broken princes at my side.

Eli, Noah, Gabriel.

My golden boy, my dark horse, my rock god.

My family.

They are mine, and I am theirs.

There aren't enough bullets on earth for the retribution I;ll rain down on those who try to hurt them.

Et in morte fidelitas.

Even in death, loyalty remains.

I'll bleed for them. I'll kill for them.

Stonehurst Prep will never be the same.

The third installment of the Stonehurst Prep series is a 100,000 mature high school/new adult romance with mafia and enemies-to-lovers themes.

From Goodreads:

Let them hate me,

as long as they fear me.

I've ascended my throne.

I wear my crown of thorns.

Fancy that? I'm Queen of the August crime family.

I'll rebuild my father's kingdom in blood and fire.

With three broken princes at my side.

I've been betrayed, shot, hunted, and forced into a loathsome marriage.

But I'm still here, still fighting for them.

For Noah, Gabriel, and Eli.

I love them too much to chain them to my savage empire.

No one will take them away from me.

No matter the cost, my broken princes will be free.

I've sharpened my sword.

I made my sacrifices.

I'm unleashing war.

Drink and be merry, for tomorrow we bathe in blood.

From USA Today bestselling author Steffanie Holmes comes the chilling conclusion to this dark and gritty contemporary high school romantic suspense.

My Review:


Author: Steffanie Holmes 
Series: Stonehurst Prep #1, 2, 3, 4
Read: April 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, 2025
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and the world, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books, and My Savage Empire is a End of Series 2025 Book! 
Publisher: Bacchanalia House
Published: July 1st 2020, November 9th 2020, February 28th 2021, July 31st 2021

My Stolen Life:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

My Secret Heart:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

My Broken Crown:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

My Savage Empire:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 1 Review: Cursebound

From Goodreads:

They're no longer prisoners to the fae court, but now two elven sisters are each bound by shackles of the heart—the sequel to the national bestseller Faebound, hailed as "a devastatingly romantic and breathtaking fantasy" (Tasha Suri).

United by war.

Betrayed by destiny.

Cursed by love.

Yeeran was born for war but is unprepared for love. She has left her new lover, the Queen of the fae, to return to her homeland, only to find that her former lover now threatens war against the fae.   

Left behind, her sister Lettle is determined to break the curse that binds the fae to their realm. When a stranger appears in the city, Lettle is convinced he's the key. But the Fates that once spoke to her have fallen silent.

Can Lettle and Yeeran discover the secret behind the curse—and unite these two worlds before they destroy each other?

My Review:
Oh, man, this was so fantastic to read! I loved the first book, and I was looking forward to see what this story would bring. It was such an extraordinary read, and so thoroughly entertaining! I fell in love with these characters and this world in the first book, and it was so great to continue on with their story! 

Both Yeeran and Lettle have things that they have to deal with, and both are pretty important, Lettle with finding a way to free the fae so they can leave their realm at will, and Yeeran, trying to prevent a way between the elves and the fae. I was rooting for them, to find a better future for themselves and the world! 

They both had romances going on, as well, and it was really interesting to see how they developed, what with the events of the first book, and the pressures in this one. But this is the 2nd book in what I've seen some places say is a trilogy, so it wasn't all sunshine and roses.

That ending has me desperate for book 3! What with future events are looming, and Lettle's discovery, I need to know what's going to happen next! I think there might be a little bit of breathing room, but I think it's going to be pretty chaotic, pretty quickly and I can't wait to see how it's going to play out! 

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to read more by Saara El-Arifi, in this series and her other one! 

Author: Saara El-Arifi
Series: Faebound #2 
Read: December 31st, 2024
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Del Rey
Expected Publication: February 18th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 1 Review: A Drop of Corruption

From Goodreads:

The brilliant detective Ana Dolabra may have finally met her match in the gripping sequel to The Tainted Cup--from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire's reach, an impossible crime has occurred. A Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—abducted from his quarters while the door and windows remained locked from the inside, in a building whose entrances and exits are all under constant guard.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial investigator, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Before long, Ana's discovered that they're not investigating a disappearance, but a murder—and that the killing was just the first chess move by an adversary who seems to be able to pass through warded doors like a ghost, and who can predict every one of Ana's moves as though they can see the future.

Worse still, the killer seems to be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud. Here, the Empire's greatest minds dissect fallen Titans to harness the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the destruction would be terrible indeed--and the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn. 

Din has seen Ana solve impossible cases before. But this time, with the stakes higher than ever and Ana seemingly a step behind their adversary at every turn, he fears that his superior has finally met an enemy she can't defeat.

My Review:
I'm obsessed with this book! I really enjoyed the first book, and this was an excellent follow up, honestly, it gave me a bit of a book hangover, it was so good. I loved being back in this world, with these characters, and this latest case was so intricate and amazing! This, and this series, is one of my best books of the year, and it's one of my last reads of the year! 

Din has gotten used to Ana, they've had a year of cases together under his belt, so he's not quite as subservient, and pokes at her from time to time, which was so lovely to read, in the midst of all the choose going on with this case. Not to mention, the stressors in his personal life, of if he should continue in this branch of government. 

This mystery was absolutely incredible! The first book gave us a look into how brilliant Ana is, and how excentric. So to have a case that was causing her difficulty, to really push her to the limits, who seemed to be a step ahead of her...I couldn't get enough!

The first book was in an area shrouded by the fact that the Leviathans come and attack every wet season. This one takes place where they bring the leviathans after they're dead, to extract the blood needed to keep the empire going, which is a complex political situation, and a heavy part of the plot, with the kingdom supposed to be absorbed by the empire shortly, but the details aren't fully worked out. It was epic, and convoluted, and an amazing story.

One idea that this book brought up was the idea of kings, and just how bad they are. The authors note at the end, talking about the concept of kings and how they're viewed in this modern day society, and modern day versions of them, felt very pointed and so very accurate. Here's hoping the idea of them being a positive thing dies out, and dies out soon. 

Loved reading this book and I can't wait for more from this series, and I really need to read more by Robert Jackson Bennett! 

Author: Robert Jackson Bennett 
Series: Shadow of the Leviathan #2
Read: December 30th, 2024 
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Love his writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Del Rey
Expected Publication: April 1st 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 1 Review: Stranger Skies

From Goodreads:

Ninth House meets The Hazel Wood in this riveting sequel to the New York Times bestselling dark academia fantasy Curious Tides, following Emory, Baz, Romie, and Kai on their desperate quests through space and time!

Opening locked doors has a price—even for those who hold a key. After going through the door that called to them both in dreams, Emory and Romie find themselves in the the same verdant world written of in Song of the Drowned Gods, albeit a twisted, rotting version of it. A sinister force has awoken with their arrival, intent on destruction as it spills across realms, and now Emory and Romie must stop it before it reaches their own shores. 

Meanwhile, Baz and Kai are desperate to follow their friends through the door to other worlds, but a mishap pulls them back in time instead—where they come face to face with Cornus Clover himself, famed author of Song of the Drowned Gods. Stuck together in the past, they must navigate a very different Aldryn as they unravel the school's darkest secrets. Across time and worlds, Emory, Romie, Baz, and Kai find their fates eerily interwoven with the heroes from Clover's book. But when stories can't be trusted, friendships are put to the test, and deadly enemies are not always as they seem, they must decide who gets to be a hero—and who is desperate enough to see themselves become a villain.

My Review:


Author: Pascale Lacelle 
Series: Drowned Gods #2
Read: December 28th, 2024
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book, Sophomore Challenge Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: November 5th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: This Ends in Fire

From Goodreads:

Perfect for fans of Raybearer and Fourth Wing, this astonishing sequel to the bestselling novel So Let Them Burn doesn't hold back. After all, there are no easy endings in war—especially when sisters are forced to fight on opposite sides.

Faron Vincent was once the saint of San Irie. Now, she's done the unthinkable: betrayed her country. Alone, disgraced, and kidnapped, Faron is forced to help Iya grow his bloody empire. With her soul bonded to a ruthless killer, Faron has become an enemy to her people… and she fears they might be right.

Elara Vincent—the new Empyrean—must undo the damage her sister has caused. San Irie has been brought back to the brink of war as Iya proclaims no nation will be safe from his brutal invasion. But how can Elara save her sister, her best friend, her country, and her world when she's already cracking under the pressure?

This heart-pounding conclusion to the Divine Traitors duology pushes these unforgettable heroines to their breaking point and beyond. Because when the lines between hero and villain are blurred, deadly sacrifices must be made.

My Review:


Author: Kamilah Cole 
Series: Divine Traitors #2
Read: December 26th, 2024 
Source: NetGalley
Reason Why: Love her writing and the first book, and it's a End of Series 2024 Book, Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book, Sophomore Challenge Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Expected Publication: February 4th 2025

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: First Encounter: The Shinigami Detective and the Royal Mage

From Goodreads:

How Jamie met Sherard aka The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship that Started With Ouchies and Dead Bodies.

Set between Prologue and Report 1 of Case Files 1.

My Review:


Author: Honor Raconteur 
Series: Case Files of Henri Davenforth #1.1
Read: December 25th, 2024
Source: Bought  
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book! 
Publisher: Raconteur House LLC
Published: December 20th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Review: Heavenly Tyrant

From Goodreads:

After suffering devastating loss and making drastic decisions, Zetian finds herself at the seat of power in Huaxia. But she has also learned that her world is not as it seems, and revelations about an enemy more daunting than Zetian imagined forces her to share power with a dangerous man she cannot simply depose. Despite having vastly different ideas about how they must deconstruct the corrupt and misogynist system that plagues their country, Zetian must join this man in a dance of truth and lies and perform their roles to perfection in order to take down their common enemy, who seeks to control them as puppets while dangling one of Zetian's loved ones as a hostage.

With political unrest and perilous forces aiming to undermine Zetian at every turn, can she enact positive changes as a fair and just ruler? Or will she be forced to rely on fear and violence and succumb to her darker instincts in her quest for vengeance?

My Review:
This was an amazing read! I loved Iron Widow, it was a top read of 2022 when I first read it, so I knew I would really enjoy reading this one. I knew that it was going to be different, because the first book has her tearing down a bad system, but in this book, she had to rebuild, which was its own bunch of complications.

I've watched Xiran Jay Zhao's social media videos, so I had an idea of what this book was going to look like. What I wasn't expecting was for Qin Zheng to take the place of power, and that she would be subservient to him. Like, he's just woken up in this century, but because he was emperor in his time, and he's a guy, that's how things worked out. Which shackled them together, for good and bad.

Zetian's life is drastically changed, that she's taken the position of Empress, but that means she has to have this bond with Qin Zheng, not great. Like, he has surgeries done on her body while she's unconscious and couldn't consent. Given that part was molding her feet to ones that she can use with much less pain, I think she would've chosen to have them done, but she didn't have the chance to consent. Which was a running theme in the way that she was treated.

There were 2 main things going on in this book-rebuilding the government, and dealing with the "gods." The complex politics of government, the plotting of all these characters, it was a lot going on. It was hard to know who to trust, especially with the program of having people inform on others, or share in the punishment. It was pretty tricky, and if Quin Zheng wasn't an asshole to Zetian, I would've admired him, because most of his non-gender politics, I agreed with, even if I didn't with all his methods. 

One thing that was pretty topical, was the face off of the people, vs. corporations and the leaders of this corporation. Given what's happened in the US recently, this was a pretty great discussion of what people can do to rebel, to fight for better treatment. 

That ending though? That was another epic ending! Where we left these characters, and all the threats after them, I'm so excited for book 3! I need to know what's going to happen next, how they're going to deal with these threats! 

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait for book 3! 

Author: Xiran Jay Zhao
Series: Iron Widow #2
Read: December 25th, 2024
Source: Bought 
Reason Why: Love their writing and this series, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Tundra Books 
Published: December 24th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Week 52 Reviews: Paladin's Grace, Paladin's Strength, Paladin's Hope, Paladin's Faith

From Goodreads:

Stephen's god died on the longest day of the year…

Three years later, Stephen is a broken paladin, living only for the chance to be useful before he dies. But all that changes when he encounters a fugitive named Grace in an alley and witnesses an assassination attempt gone wrong. Now the pair must navigate a web of treachery, beset on all sides by spies and poisoners, while a cryptic killer stalks one step behind…

From the Hugo and Nebula Award winning author of Swordheart and The Twisted Ones comes a saga of murder, magic, and love on the far side of despair.

From Goodreads:

He's a paladin of a dead god, tracking a supernatural killer across a continent. She's a nun from a secretive order, on the trail of the raiders who burned her convent and kidnapped her sisters.

When their paths cross at the point of a sword, Istvhan and Clara will be pitched headlong into each other's quests, facing off against enemies both living and dead. But Clara has a secret that could jeopardize the growing trust between them, a secret that will lead them to the gladiatorial pits of a corrupt city, and beyond...

From Goodreads:

Piper is a lich-doctor, a physician who works among the dead, determining causes of death for the city guard's investigations. It's a peaceful, if solitary profession…until the day when he's called to the river to examine the latest in a series of mysterious bodies, mangled by some unknown force.

Galen is a paladin of a dead god, lost to holiness and no longer entirely sane. He has long since given up on any hope of love. But when the two men and a brave gnole constable are drawn into the web of the mysterious killer, it's Galen's job to protect Piper from the traps that await them.

He's just not sure if he can protect Piper from the most dangerous threat of all…

From Goodreads:

Marguerite Florian is a spy with two problems. A former employer wants her dead, and one of her new bodyguards is a far too good-looking paladin with a martyr complex.

Shane is a paladin with three problems. His god is dead, his client is much too attractive for his peace of mind, and a powerful organization is trying to have them both killed.

Add in a brilliant artificer with a device that may change the world, a glittering and dangerous court, and a demon-led cult, and Shane and Marguerite will be lucky to escape with their souls intact, never mind their hearts. . .

My Review:


Author: T. Kingfisher 
Series: The Saint of Steel #1, 2, 3, 4, The World of the White Rat
Read: December 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 24th, 2024
Source: Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this world, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Books, and Paladin's Faith is a End of Series 2024 Book! 
Publisher: Red Wombat Studio
Published: February 11th 2020, February 28th 2021, October 9th 2021, December 5th 2023

Paladin's Grace:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Paladin's Strength:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Paladin's Hope: 

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Paladin's Faith:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars