#book wrapup

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

-Until Sunset Chapter 2 by Kay Claire

-Until Sunset Chapter 4 by Kay Claire

-Until Sunset Chapter 6 by Kay Claire

-Full Shift by Jennifer Dugan & Kit Seaton

-An Unbreakable World by Ren Hutchings

-Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker (reread)

-Heretic Behaviour: The Secrets of Demons by EC Glynn (reread)

-Heretic Behaviour: The Lies of Midas by EC Glynn*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

-Until Sunset Chapter 5 by Kay Claire

-The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School by Sonora Reyes (reread) 🎧

-Witchlore by Emma Hinds*

-Hazelthorn by CG Drews*

-The Hollow and the Haunted by Camilla Raines (reread) 🎧

-The Forsaken and the Fated by Camilla Raines*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

-Until Sunset Chapter 3 by Kay Claire

-A Fellowship of Games & Fables by J Penner*

-House of Frank by Kay Synclaire*

-She’s a Keeper by Ali K Mulford

-Savage Blooms by ST Gibson*

-Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir

-Make Room For Love by Darcy Liao* 🎧 (reread)

-The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs*

-Alice Rue Evades the Truth by Emily Zipps*

-Easy Tiger by Ali K Mulford

-This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Mad Gladstone (reread) 🎧

-So Long Sad Love by Mirion Malle

-The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

-All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles*

-Serving the Princess by Inanna Black

-A Tale of Two Florists by Brenna Bailey

⭐️⭐️⭐️

-Summer, In Between by Holly Cardamone*

-Ask Me For Fire by Halli Starling

⭐️⭐️.5

-Witches of Honeysuckle House by Liz Parker*

⭐️⭐️

-The Everlasting by Alix E Harrow*

Unrated

-Home by Whitney Hanson

DNF

-Local Heavens by KM Fajardo* (10%)

-Thirsty by Lucy Lehane* (28%)

-A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross (32%)

-The Unbroken by CL Clark (51%)

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

(YA Fantasy)

Summary:

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over. But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

I am usually not the type to stay up late reading because I have to know what's going to happen. I usually set the book down and tuck in bedtime.

This book was an exception.

I was on the edge of my seat, forgetting the time and hour, wanting to read just one more page because I had to know what would happen. The pacing was just right, the world was beautiful and dangerous, and I enjoyed the characters. Scarlett was a breath of fresh air in a genre notorious for internal misogyny in it's female protagonists. Timid and Proper and Responsible, but grows on her own and learns to take initiative.

The environment was very reminiscent of the Night Circus, imagine like, if the Night Circus was a town built on illusions, and you have Caraval. But the Night Circus, rereading it as an adult, had an insufferable MMC who has a girlfriend who sacrifices so much for him, then the MMC who cheats on his girlfriend for the FMC, and then when the girlfriend has the truth confirmed to her, she gets upset and briefly lashes out, the writing then frames her as An Evil Woman Scorned for doing so (which is...yikes) Justice for Isobel Martin. She should have done a full Carrie White style Everyone Dies rampage and I would have rooted her on the whole time.

There's none of that crap here! We have a lovely romance between Scarlett and Julian full of all sorts of wonderful, chemistry-building moments.

But what got me was the story- the various twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat, gasping and clinging. I was captivated. Entranced by it's spell. This is a roller coaster of a book, so just hold on and enjoy the ride. I am so glad I read this book, it gave me a feeling and experience I hadn't had with a book in ages, one where I had to stay up late, because I had to read what would happen next.

5/5

The Unlovely Bride by Alice Coldbreath

(Romance, Historic, Fantasy)

Summary: Lenora Montmayne leads a charmed life as the most beautiful woman at King Wymer’s court, surrounded by admirers. And then disaster strikes. The red pox sweeps the summer palace at Caer-Lyones and Lenora’s fair face falls victim to its ravages. Without her looks, what does Lenora have left to her?

If ever there was a knight the crowd loves to hate, it’s Garman Orde. Even his own family despises him. Then one night a heavily veiled lady offers him an extraordinary bargain. And he finds out that Lenora Montmayne was never just a pretty face.

Review: Any marriage of convenience story I will read, and I will devour it. I've been looking forward to this book for a while, and I do love the premise. And most of all, I love the setting! This lovely world that is part medieval England part not because fuck it, it's not history, just the vibes. And I LOVE our female protagonist. Leonora relied on her looks and nothing else for years to get by, and now that they are gone, she relies on her own person. She loves kitty cats, she believes in prophecies and fortune-telling but is smart, pragmatic, and determined. She and Garman have a nice romance with some great lines and moments (and some nice spice). My complaint is that while the first half is amazing, the second half kind of drags, and not much happens, it could have used more tension, more stakes, and more plot. I may read another Coldbreath book sometime, just because I love the world of Karadok, but I'm not sure.

3.75/5

Medea by Eilish Quin

(Historic, Fantasy)

Summary: The daughter of a sea nymph and the granddaughter of a Titan, Medea is a paradox. She is at once rendered compelling by virtue of the divinity that flows through her bloodline and made powerless by the fact of her being a woman. As a child, she intuitively submerges herself in witchcraft and sorcery, but soon finds it may not be a match for the prophecies that hang over her entire family like a shroud.

As Medea comes into her own as a woman and a witch, she also faces the arrival of the hero Jason, preordained by the gods to be not only her husband, but also her lifeline to escape her isolated existence. Medea travels the treacherous seas with the Argonauts, battles demons she had never conceived of, and falls in love with the man who may ultimately be her downfall.

Review: Ok, ok, I have so many feelings about this. I was...sadly disappointed by this book. Medea is probably my personal favorite of the Ancient Greek Women, if not, my favorite of the spicier, more controversial, morally grey ones (Hera, Circe, Medusa, Clytemnestra, etc)

But, my biggest issue with this book, and it's big, is that I don't believe there is a love story between Medea and Jason. The writer makes him unlikable from the get-go, to where he has numerous Kick The Dog (tm) moments like physically abusing Medea and killing one of Pelleas's daughters when she won't stop crying. Medea herself doesn't justify them, and she keeps thinking of "eh, he's sometimes kind of good-looking, but he's okay."

Like, Medea in this book, after meeting Jason, she flat out tells her brother that he is the man she loves the most in her life (which...YIKES for the implications. But in order for any Medea story to work, I HAVE to believe she is madly, desperately in love with Jason. There's no oath where Jason swears before the gods to stay with her, so then there's no hurt. She kind of has to marry Jason to preserve her honor according to Aunt Circe, but not out of love. Since there's no romantic chemistry, the sacrifices Medea takes make more sense and the betrayal hurts even more so then when she does what she does in Corinth, she is extremely sympathetic at least in the beginning.

Like, she has a moment after Jason revealed he cheated on her and is leaving her for Glauce and she goes "oh, poor Glauce is a victim like me." Which begs the question for this version- why doesn't she just kill Jason himself? She calls Glauce a poor baby victim, she kills Glauce, not Jason. If she loved Jason that much, then she would hate him more, and killing Glauce would make more sense. She wants to watch Jason suffer.

Also, I feel like Eilsha Quinn is a bit afraid of the moral nuances of Medea. She has her "I didn't really MEAN to!" moments and there is one character she kills who she then re-animates (like she re-animates her brother, so oopsie Daisy, she's actually not a kinslayer! And he just...vibes with them as the third wheel lives with them, and helps look after the kids. This makes it less tragic because A) She's not a murderer who risked and left everything for him, she's more "perfect" and not as flawed, and B) when Jason betrays her, she's less alone and has an immediate support system there in her brother). And the kid- killing she does to trick Jason and then she re-animates them later, or tries, to but no, that failed and they're dead dead, whoops. Even if Medea purposely killing the kids was the invention of Euripides, I want to believe Medea is capable of purposely, intentionally doing some violent, controversial things and this seems to be afraid of her spice, her teeth.

The writing is pretty, and I liked the beginning with learning about her childhood, but this was a letdown.

I did order Hewlitt's book of Medea, which is higher ranked on Goodreads so my hope is higher for that one.

3/5

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

(YA, Fantasy, Romance)

Summary:

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

Review: This book was utterly beautiful, breathtaking, and heartbreaking all at once and yet uplifting and then it breaks your heart again. The world is simple and lovely. It's a mix of World War One/two aesthetics with a fantasy setting. It's basically You Got Mail but fantasy and more focus on the drama then the comedy.

The romance is lovely, there is such a beautiful love story between Roman and Iris as they sort out their feelings, reveal their secrets, doubts, failures, grief, and insecurities, and learn more about where they fall for each other. Plus, the twists and turns were a lot of fun and the pacing was just right.

I have no faults or complaints, this was just a lovely, lovely book and I look forward to the sequel because THAT was quite a note to end on!

5/5

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Summary: After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill seems like the perfect escape—until Bree witnesses a magical attack her very first night on campus.

A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn” students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin” and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.

Reveiw: This is such a hyped, beloved, popular book that is so many people's baby and favorite series and it...it was okay.

It wasn't bad.

But I didn't find it phenomenal, amazing, spectacular, life chagning.

It was good. It was okay.

I honestly got extremely tired of trying to learn how the over-complicated Arthurian society worked. It's explained in a super info-dumpy way that the characters get, but I don't. And the pacing was way too slow, I feel like it needed to shave off a good hundred pages, or fifty, perhaps.

I do enjoy the main girl, Bree, alright. She doesn't take bullshit, but has moments of vulnerability. As well as exploring race, grief, family history and the scenes with root magic were amazing. The beginning was fantastically done, it was the middle part where it peterred off for me.

But the rest of it, not gonna lie, was kind of...eh.

And, ngl, I am more Team Nick. Sel is a giant jerk who treats her like garbage, yet people root for them and want them to be together, and I'm like....??????? why? At least Nick, white saviory as he can be, is trying and cares for her and affirms and appreciates her strength.

I respect that this is so many people's favorite book and that it speaks to them and moves them. But for me, if none of these people made any content around this book and said nothing, based off of my opinion independent of others, if you plopped this book on my lap and said nothing about the hype about it...I'd still say it was just okay. That might be my controversial hot take, but it's just what my personal experience was from this book.

3/5

Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas. Lily Lawson is known as a scandalous virago--though nobody knows what drives her to distract herself with parties and flirting. When she discovers that her sister has been lovelessly betrothed to the cold Earl of Wolverton, Alex Raiford, Lily takes an instant dislike to the man and sets out to ruin the engagement. What she doesn't expect is that, for all that Alex hates her, he also wants her--and he'll do anything to have her.

I love Dreaming of You--and it's still my favorite Kleypas--but I'd never heard much about the preceding book. I've kept Then Came You on ice, waiting for a rainy day to read it. And Jesus, is it underrated. This is kind of a perfect enemies to lovers book of its era. She's wild; he's uptight; both of them are a lot more complicated than they initially seem; she has a good reason to want him out of her sister's life, least of all his clear lust for Lily herself. It's a bit wild, it's a bit outrageous, it did things that actually surprised me--and Alex and Lily's chemistry is priceless. I just love a book where a cold man is set on fire by a woman he absolutely despises. You can see the beginning foundations for Westcliff and Lillian over a decade later--and of course, you get Derek Craven: The Early Years. The ground was laid so well for Derek to fall in love in his own book. In many ways, these novels are kind of perfect companions? I love it, I love it, I love it. 90s-to early 2000s-era Kleypas just hits different.

The Wolf and The Wildflower by Stacy Reid. ARC; read the full review here.

Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin. Since her father unexpectedly ascended to the rank of Emperor, Ai Li's life has changed. But though she wishes to be obedient to her father, she can't marry the warlord Li Tao, who she suspects of treason--and of murdering her brother. Running from her wedding, she runs into trouble--and the mysterious foreigner, Ryam. Neither Ryam nor Ai Li are being completely honest with each other. Neither, however, has any choice but to continue...

This one was so well-written. I've always had a surface level interest in Tang Dynasty China, but I'm not, by any means, an expert--yet Lin transports you to the era. It's extremely rich, and frames a kind of old school, classic story about a rebellious princess and a traveling stranger. Ryam and Ai Li's romance is, in many ways, a lot purer than what I usually like (I mean, not sexually--to be clear, they are FUCKIN'). But they charmed me. And I mean. What a fantastic setup for the next book.

The Dragon and The Pearl by Jeannie Lin. After being rejected by the emperor's daughter, treacherous and powerful warlord Li Tao sets out to capture the previous emperor's most prized possession--famed courtesan Ling Suyin. Believing that Suyin has information he needs, Li Tao keeps her captive... but finds himself falling prey to her quiet, mysterious allure--and manipulations.

THIS SHIT WAS SO LIT. Villainous hero? Check--Li Tao has a clear menace and coldness about him. He's not over the top, but he's brutally efficient and ruthless. Heroine ready to wrap him around her little finger? Check. Suyin is innocent in some ways, but very much aware of the ways of the world in many others--and she's survived by becoming a master manipulator. The delicious thing about this dynamic is that he knows she's trying to play him--but he's too drawn to her to use his better judgment. This is one of those romances where both people clearly come to feel immense passion for each other, but are unable to say it aloud. They come together (and COME together) in bed, but they won't let themselves fully trust one another. Plus, there's the added bonus of them both being self-made legends in severely hierarchal systems. As renowned as he is, so is she. Because he's so rarely soft--the moments when he is fucking destroyed me. And she's just a wonderfully, quietly strong heroine. The plot is intricate and high stakes. It's just so good, y'all!

Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian. Alistair, the Marquess of Pembroke, is upright, proper, and very aware of his reputation in light of his scandalous father's death. So he's disarmed by how easily he's drawn to Robert Selby, a young man who needs Alistair's help in finding his sister a husband. Alistair and Robert become fast friends--with perhaps more simmering under the surface. What Alistair doesn't know? Robert is Charity Church, a housemaid who feels much more at home in a man's clothes than she ever has a woman's--and is attempting to make up for what she perceives as a wrong done to a friend long ago. Charity can't quite resist Alistair; but even if he knew the truth of her identity, how could he possibly accept who she really is?

Another "much recommended classic book is very good" moment. To clarify, Robert/Charity is nonbinary and Cat Sebastian says that they're comfortable with the uses of she/her pronouns (which are used throughout the book, except for when Alistair thinks they're a man). Cat also discusses them using they/them, which is what I will use, as well as their chosen name of Robin, which is how they and Alistair primarily refer to them.

With that said, this is one of the rare friends to lovers romances that works, and oH DOES IT. Alistair and Robin get each other on every level--platonically, romantically, sexually--and it doesn't take long for Alistair to discover (or rather, just be told because honestly he's a bit dense) Robin's true identity. This allows Sebastian to get into the meat of their conflict, which, aside from various secrets Robin's kept for quite some time, is in Robin's identity and their need to express themselves... While also wanting to be with Alistair. The fact is that Robin can, if they make certain moves, theoretically live as a woman and as a marchioness--but for all that they care about Alistair, is that right? Does Alistair fully get how important Robin's identity and expression is to them? These are issues the book tackles without it feeling like a Very Special Episode ever--it's just a part of the conflict in their romance. There's not really any body dysmorphia in this book, which I appreciate; if that's handled well, then great, but it's not a part of every nonbinary person's story, and it's not really something Robin struggles with. The book's queerness is just front and center (Alistair is bisexual, knows this before the book begins, and though he fears outing, doesn't dwell on it much). On a very basic level, it's also just a funny, sexy book; the sex scenes are REAL GOOD, and are exactly the kind of scenes I want from friends to lovers; hardcore fucking with a side of laughter and affection and like... tender fondness. Anyway, I loved it, would recommend.

The Hunter by Monica McCarty. Ewen Lamont is the tracker of the Highland Guard, burdened with familial responsibility. He's caught off guard by a beautiful nun, however--and guilty about a near-miss moment they share. Until he finds out that the nun is actually not a nun at all, but Scottish courier (and former sister-in-law of Robert the Bruce) Janet of Mar. Bruce has a task for Ewen: to bring Janet safely home so that she can make a strategic marriage for the cause. The only problem? Janet very much wants Ewen--and she doesn't believe that he's not attracted to her.

Another really solid Highland Guard book even if it doesn't quite live up to the heights of The Recruit. There isn't quite as much keeping Ewen and Janet apart aside from what is in his head, but honestly... it works. In part because Janet is just so determined to have him. She's a dogged pursuer of a heroine (a type I have a soft spot for) and she does everything she can to break Ewen--asking him to help her undress, parading around in breeches, flirting with his friends, stripping naked when he suggests it just to freak her out... In many ways, this is a medieval roadtrip romance, and their back and forth is super fun and certainly sexy, with just the right amount of angst.

Highland Conquest by Heather McCollum. The four Sinclair brothers were raised by their insane father to act as the four horsemen of the apocalypse--united to conquer weaker Scottish clans and unite them under their rule. Following his father's death, Cain Sinclair becomes Chief, and his first order of business is to marry Ella Sutherland, the Sutherland chief and the woman responsible for the loss of his father. Ella doesn't come willingly, but as she and Cain enter into a battle of wills, she finds herself drawn to the one man whose sense of pride and determination to win matches her own...

If you're someone who needs enemies to lovers to mean bloodshed? This is for you. Cain and Ella literally kill each other's fathers--he gets hers before the beginning of the book, and she gets his in the first few pages. While both of them have admittedly insane fathers who deserved it (Cain's very literally believed his four sons are the four horsemen, and boy do these men have complexes about it) they still take it personally.. at first. This is a fast-paced, over the top read that isn't perfect (I think it could've gone a bit harder in terms of drama at points) but IS fun. I had a great time. It didn't make me think over-much, but it did give me the feelings, and I am about these loony brothers.

The Knight by Monica McCarty. James Douglas--known as "the Black Douglas"--is feared across Scotland and England for his brutal warfare in service of Robert the Bruce and his own ambitions. But to Joanna, who's known him since childhood, he's just her love, and the man who took her virginity. When James returns from war, she intends to tell him she's carrying his child, assuming that he'll happily marry her. But before she can, James makes it clear that he has no intention of marrying Joanna--just in keeping her as his mistress, a fate she can't tolerate. When they separate with James still in their dark about her secret, he's forced to make tough decisions about who he wants to be--and how much he values Joanna.

This novella covered a lot of shit in a short amount of time... and it's pretty different! James Douglas, Lord of Douglas, was a real person. I did in fact picture Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played him in Outlaw King, the entire time (it was a good choice). I assume that since his wife is not listed on his wikipedia page there is some murkiness there... And I'm good with the way Monica McCarty played with history here. This is basically a classic "man does a good woman wrong, must grovel big time" book. A lot of this novella is groveling--and it should be, because James fucked this girl over. But just as he has to get his shit together, she has to get a backbone and become less innocent... and I'm a bit of a sucker for all that. Some probably read this and think what he did was unforgivable, and like. Sure. If you please. I found their story kind of touching and real, for all its dramatic medieval Scotland shit. Again, a lot happens in a little time--but I was here for the angst.

Something Spectacular by Alexis Hall. ARC; review to come at a later date.

Highland Warrior by Heather McCollum. This book sees self-proclaimed Horsemen of War Joshua Sinclair in Orkney, where he's ready to leave violence behind after a traumatic experience. However, after a wild night with the widowed Kara, he's drawn into conflict again--she wants Joshua to help her defend her village, suffering under tyranny. He's much less eager; but for Kara, he might not be able to resist.

This series is very old school, very pulpy, and just... fun. There's a lot of camp in this one--faked deaths, faked third testicles (yes), our hero getting dragged into being a total stranger's birthing partner... But I was actually super invested in Joshua and Kara as a couple through it all. They hook up early (like, a couple chapters in early) and catch feelings later, and I enjoy that. I also liked the dynamic of a quietly strong woman basically running roughshod over this douchebag of a hero. He's a simp, Your Honor. There's a real Western vibe to this one--a stranger rides into town and gets roped into protecting the people while falling in love with a headstrong single mother (whose child, thankfully, is largely offscreen and mostly serves to show Kara that Joshua is made of 100% Father Material). It's just... fun.

The Arrow by Monica McCarty. Gregor MacGregor is known for two things: being the best archer in Scotland, and being the most handsome man in Scotland. The former has made him an invaluable part of the Highland Guard, while the latter has earned him many obsessed women... Among them his ward, the orphaned Cate. But Cate claims that her feelings for Gregor go beyond infatuation, and despite their age difference and his sense of responsibility for her, she'll do anything to prove it. And he might not be able to resist.

This is definitely one of the riskier outings in the Highland Guard--McCarty tries for a lot of things that romance readers often hate. The obsessed heroine (a trope I love, and I frankly found Cate quite endearing), the resistant hero, That One Thing. Most of it worked for me. The resolution was a little too quick, but I loved Gregor trying and failing to hold out against Cate's onslaught of flirtation, how dirty that made him feel, her determination, how horny they both were... The conflict towards the end did feel a bit--I don't want to say contrived, but I think that if McCarty had moved up a lot of the action in this one about fifty pages earlier, it would've felt smoother. Nonetheless, my quibbles really didn't overpower what I enjoyed.

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan. Josiah and Yasmen had what many considered the perfect marriage--until they didn't. Now, two years after their divorced, they're co-parenting their two children and running a business together. But as big milestones--like moving on and coming to terms with their grief--bring them back into each other's orbit, both Josiah and Yasmen have to wonder if their feelings for each other are totally gone... and if they're brave enough to try again.

Look, this one is a lot. Kennedy Ryan is a beautiful writer, and she does angst wonderfully--and there's a lot of angst in this one. It's a rather realistic romance. None of Josiah and Yasmin's issues are easily fixed. Both of them have fucked up. They dealt with problems that are not their fault and happen to everyone (heads up: they lost a parental figure to both of them and experienced a stillbirth in rapid succession). This is not a light romance. But it is a hopeful one, and if you like second chances--you'll love this. You just want the best for these two, and the best is in fact each other.

Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall. Valentine, the Duke of Malvern, is in a bind when the woman he's planned to marry since their fathers arranged it when they were children, Arabella Tarleton, goes on the run. Arabella has no desire to marry Valentine, but he's determined to do his duty, and is enlisted by her twin, the sunny and carefree Bonaventure "Bonny", to find her. As Valentine and Bonny go on a madcap race through the English countryside together, stiff Valentine finds himself confronted by Arabella's erstwhile admirers, a pair of protective sapphic women, and his own growing fascination with bee-loving, pleasure-seeking, totally-wrong-for-him... Bonny.

Alexis Hall has such a strong voice--whimsical, romantic, hilarious, witty as fuck. And I love it. While Something Spectacular is also funny, it has an air of past tragedy and a bit more angst, whereas this is more firmly a romcom. A romcom with its own dash of drama, but I did quite literally laugh out loud during the reading experience. Valentine and Bonny are the perfect grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and watching them fall in love was pure joy. Even if Arabella is... a lot. She's a plot-instigating lot, so I'm good with it.

The Raider by Monica McCarty. Robbie "Raider" Boyd was imprisoned by the English, and the only way he was able to escape was with the help of the teenage noblewoman who helped him. Six years later, he's taken her hostage--the beautiful Rosalin Clifford. And he wants revenge on the English for everything they've done to his family--the weight of which is devastating--but he also simply... wants Rosalin. A relationship between one of Robert the Bruce's most prized warriors and an English lady is impossible. But neither Robbie nor Rosalin seem capable of remembering it.

A good old-fashioned enemies to lovers warrior/lady romance. It felt hotter than some of the other Highland Guard books--there's a scene against a pole that is... a lot. I'll admit that there's a back and forth that McCarty falls into in some of these books; "we can't be together"/"but sir I want to"/"no little girl" (fucks). It's pleasing, but it is noticeable, especially in the past few I've read. I think I prefer some of the earlier entries, or those without a virgin heroine, which the past few I've read have... always had. But that's kind of the thing with a long-running series, and the beats here are still very enjoyable, and if you're looking for escapism... This is it. The next one I'm reading is marriage in trouble, though, and after four virgin heroines in a row in this series, I'm ready for a changeup.

End of Story by Kylie Scott. Stinging from a bad breakup, Susie seeks respite in the house left to her by her aunt. Until, that is, the contractor sent to help her renovate is Lars, her ex's best friend. And stranger still? They find a divorce certificate in the wall of the house... one dated ten years in the future, with Lars and Susie's names on it. Though initially combative, Lars and Susie become close friends, with a simmer tension between them. But what's the point of taking a chance on a relationship that may be doomed to end?

Kylie Scott is one of my favorite contemporary romance novelists, and she gives all of her trademarks here--hot sex scenes, a sparkling sense of humor, and amazing sexual tension. Lars and Susie sell friends to lovers amazingly, which is hard for me. Additionally, there's a charming sense of magic and witchiness to this. Don't expect answers about where that comes from--that's not the point. However, enjoy the vibes, the heat, and the sweetness. I had some questions about choices made, but they weren't dealbreakers. This would make a great romcom onscreen.

The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by K.J. Charles. ARC; get my full take here.

A Rogue's Rules for Seduction by Eva Leigh. ARC; review to come closer to publication.

It Seemed Like A Good Idea At the Time by Kylie Scott. Seven years ago, Adele was "exiled" by her father after her attempted seduction of his best friend and business partner, Pete. Now, with bridges mended with her father--and still very much broken with Pete, fifteen years her senior--she's back in town for a wedding, and tension with the man she idolized as a teenager has never been thicker. Making nice for a few days should be enough--but Adele and Pete might be tempted to go a bit further than that...

The Calculating Stars: I read this because of booktube and enjoyed it— sometimes the internet can be trusted! This is an alternate history 1950’s space program book about a pilot/calculator becoming one of the first female astronauts. Overall it’s short, sweet, and smart. It does feature female and minority characters navigating typical 1950’s identity politics, but it’s not so frustrating as to be unreadable (of course it should be frustrating, but sometimes you’re just not in a patient enough mood that you’re willing to watch white men complain about the existence of women and black people when there is an actual global crisis looming over their shoulders!) If you can overlook some very cheesy flirting of the “rocket in your pocket” variety (yes, we get that you’re in the space program, you don’t have to use that fact in all your pickup lines) and you liked Hidden Figures, read this.

The Jasmine Throne: I’d never heard of this before but I got it for Christmas via a bookseller’s recommendation. I could see some people finding the writing style to be a little... affected(?), but I didn’t mind it. This is an Indian-inspired fantasy world with political rivalries, an old magic returning, and characters confronting fate. The cast isn’t huge, but there are enough characters that you get to explore things through comparisons. Trying to avoid spoilers here, but you get two characters in the exact same boat re: what happened when one of their family members got caught up in some royal family succession drama, and how each of them reacts completely differently with respect to how they view the royal character involved. And you also have 3 people who came from the same place who are dealing with colonization in 3 different ways. I really love the magic system(s) in this and I can’t wait to see what happens in the rest of the series. There is a plant/human magic system that is related to a kind of curse (that I suspect is really a power a la Elantris), a prophecy-based magic system/religion, and probably more aspects of magic that will come into play. The magic seems very localized, with religions that are tied to their locations. Halfway through the book I finally googled the series and only the first 2 books are out... I’m hoping it’s a trilogy but whatever it is, I’m in for the ride now. I would recommend this to fans of Baru Cormorant, The Poppy War, and maybe ASOIAF (but I haven’t finished any of those series so take that with a grain of salt). 

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vices and Virtues:  -  ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ - Finished July 14th - I had such a weird time with this book because I wanted to like it more than I did and I couldn’t figure out why I didn’t like it. - Loved the plot but had a very hard time connecting with the characters for some reason.  - Fell more in love with the book as I let it sit with me than I did reading it. - DNF’d the sequel. I still feel bad about it because I really wanted to love this series but I really just can’t connect with it.

In Other Lands: -  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - Finished July 15th - This one is self-explanatory we all know I’m absolutely in love with this book series. I’m one of the top blogs on the tag because I’m the only one who cries about it. - I have a full review written for this I might post later that is mostly just me crying. - The most beautiful character development I’ve ever seen and a really interesting take on the effects of fantasy and magical realms on the people who get pulled in or involved with them - Mostly a character study, a coming of age story about learning about yourself, so there isn’t a lot of actual drama going on plot-wise other than the general struggle of growing up and learning about yourself and the world around you. - I always have to tell people to get through the first chapter before judging this book because the book is truly written in Elliot’s perspective so the first chapter feels like it’s written by a thirteen-year-old because Elliot is thirteen and dumb but I promise it gets so much better.

Red, White, and Royal Blue:  -  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - Finished July 16 - I’m not really a big romance person but this book killed me!!! - This book is one of those books where the characters and situations feel like they’re actually existing in real life its crazy - I thought the inside look at politics in this book was crazy clever and the end made me cry - Overall, even outside the romance, this book makes me feel so powerful and hopeful and I hope someday we can live in a world like the one this book has.

The Raven Cycle Books 1-3:  -  ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ - Finished August 6 - Raven Cycle Book 1 - The Raven Boys Full Review // The Dream Thieves Full Review // Blue Lily, Lily Blue Review coming soon!!! - This series has been my big summer read! I really fell in love with the stories and the characters !! - Reminds me a lot of Twin Peaks but Young Adult and slightly less crazy but the same magic/paranormal fantasy vibe its very good - The 2nd book has been my favorite so far and I plan on reading the last book as soon as I can get my hands on it!

I only DNF’ed one book this month and it was the Gentleman’s Guide sequel I mentioned above! Like I said before with the first book, I was having a hard time connecting with the characters before the plot even started and was just having a hard time bringing myself to be interested in the book. I hate DNFing books, but I was seriously struggling to bring myself to read the book so I finally just gave in. Maybe I’ll pick it back up eventually, though!