REVIEW

This was not what I expected and yet it didn't fail to surprise me at all. 

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer is another one of those fantasy books that took bookstagram by storm. After months and months of contemplation, I decided to give this Beauty & The Beast retelling a try. And while I was entertained throughout the night, only pausing when the clock showed 5 am, I was not entirely won over by this world.

The potential of this series was evident on every page but because this was a young adult fantasy, I think in a lot of areas it failed to truly blow my mind and introduce me to something fresh. Instead, I was sucked into another love story that felt familiar. Too familiar. 

The characters and their stories seemed rather basic. Although, I did admire the sheer creativity of the beast and how its cruelty saw no boundaries. The beast killed and harrassed Rhen's people, making this story so much more heartbreaking. I really rooted for a satisfying ending when it came to this plotline but somehow it wasn't enough.

The character of Harper was initially the driving force of this book. She was kind, fierce, and loyal to her family, something that has shown through whenever she interacted with Rhen's people. However, her character seemed to lose her fire as the book progressed. I needed her to stay strong and throw herself into more training if I wanted to believe that she was able to stay in this world.

If there is one point in the book to pinpoint that withdrew me from the story, it would be the character of Rhen and the relationship he has with Harper. I just couldn't connect with their romance and there were quite a few times I found myself fuming at Rhen. He was arrogant for no reason and a lot of his actions just seemed like something a YA character does because it's expected.

I know by now it sounds like I didn't enjoy this book but you couldn't be further from the truth. As mentioned above, I devoured this book until the early hours of the morning and I just know that 18-year-old Tina would have rated this a five-star read. Because for a YA with such a popular retelling, I think Brigid did a great job. She still managed to intrigue me with the characters of Harper and Grey, and her spin on this story was admirable. That's just where it ends for me.

Rating: 3 stars

Trigger Warnings: Abduction, kidnapping, physical abuse, bloodshed

FULL BOOK DESCRIPTION.

The Bridge Kingdom

Wow. This surprise read turned out to be an absolute gem that unexpectedly won over my heart the first day of 2021. I devoured every page with great awe as our heroine (anti-hero?) fights through snake infested jungles and her feelings for a charismatic king. If you read the synopsis of this book, it's glaringly obvious that this story is not unique. However, this doesn't mean The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen is not worth your time. In fact, I'm going to need everyone to stop what they're doing and read this book.

Danielle spared no punches with this first book. She threw some heavy blows in the first chapter and everything that's pure and good snowballed from there, giving the reader absolutely no time to catch up. It's fast-paced, lush, romantic, and rather heartwarming when you consider the sheer passion of the Ithicanian people. In almost every chapter this beloved country was relentlessly attacked by a vicious enemy who only wanted one thing - the bridge.

Despite being a small book, Danielle was able to introduce a bunch of characters who I instantly connected with. They all felt natural and like family, making Lara's job even harder. Lara is an extremely calculated character that knows how to take care of herself and I appreciate that in a female protagonist. She's quick to see where she fails and doesn't dwell on her feelings for Aren too long, opting to rather stay on task and see her mission through for her own people.

The love story in this had a few complaints by other reviewers but I loved it. It wasn't in your face or overwhelming. At the end of the day, these are two characters who are forced to spend the rest of their lives together. This does not mean they need to fall in love through romantic strolls or dinner. Instead, Aren and Lara's love story is perfectly intertwined with a war. This means that we often found our beloved husband and wife pairing falling in love on the battlefield.

My only selfish complaint would be for this book to be a 100 pages longer. The dual perspectives were super short, making the reading experience pass by in a blur. I would have loved to hear more about the history of Ithicana and read more interactions between Aren and Lara. While I love that their story is birthed during a war, I did want some quiet moments where the two of them could relax.

The ending was absolutely spectacular and heartbreaking. I could not imagine what readers went through when they had to wait for the second installment. Luckily, I had The Traitor Queen ready once I finished.

Rating: 5 stars

The Traitor Queen

Following the events of the first book, The Traitor Queen immediately takes off and we're once again thrusts into the beautiful world of Aren and Lara. Our two protagonists are hurting, deeply. I knew going into this that their stories would never be the same after The Bridge Kingdom's ending but I was intrigued by Danielle's direction.

The pacing slowed down in the second installment but not by much. We're still holding our breath through every chapter. The stakes are high, especially for those who want to save the country of Ithicana. This desperation leads Lara to find her sisters, something I was very happy about. However, I was disappointed at just how little we got from that storyline. I once again wished that Danielle would add another 100 or so pages, only to flesh out relationships and histories more.

This does not take anything away from The Traitor Queen though. This book was just as beautiful as the first book and we're finally give more time with just Aren and Lara, despite where their relationship stood. As Lara broke her back time and time again, I couldn't help but feel like it was not enough and this was something our character went through internally as well. Lara fucked up big time and I just knew that she'd have to go to the brink of death to win over our beloved Aren again.

Rating: 4 stars.

Final Thoughts

I am so grateful I picked this series up. I'm officially a Danielle L. Jensen fan and I can't wait to see what she has in store for this world and characters. If you're a fan of political intrigue, action, and a dash of romance, this is the perfect story. The Bridge Kingdom solidified its place as my favourite book of 2021 so I'm challenging authors to top that. 

Review

When I picked up Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert, I was in desperate need of a book that's good and wholesome. The world is a crazy place (HA!) and sometimes you just need to read a quirky, funny, and deeply passionate book that will help you see the "bright" side to things.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown was that book for me.

Once again I am overcome with the urge to give Talia Hibbert a huge round of applause for her dialogue skills. She effortlessly wove together a story of friendship and love, while remaining true to her talent of writing authentic conversations. In fact, the second installment in The Brown Sisters saga succeeded to surpass my expectations thanks to the believable and relatable relationships in this book. 

It was the little talks Dani shared with Zafir, the snide jokes she threw at Sorcha, and the relatable inside jokes she had with her sisters. These all culminated into one passionate book that I am officially counting as one of my favourite romance novels of 2020. Throughout this reading journey, which was pretty short because I simply flew through it, I was constantly in awe of the representation in this book.

As I previously stated in my book review of Get a Life, Chloe Brown, Talia expertly created a character that just happened to be curvy and black. These factors were never the driving force of the novel and the same can be said for Dani's story. The fact that she's black and curvy never played any role in this story. The same can be said about Zafir's character who was a Muslim man with anxiety. None of this actually affected our romance or overall plot. These characteristics only helped make these characters exactly the type of real human beings I want to read about.

True to Talia Hibbert fashion, this book starts off slow. While it was miles faster than the previous book, we do get the usual rushed ending. Within a few chapters the big "climax" of the story is resolved and we all get to rest assured that our beloved characters are meant to be. With this book, I came to appreciate this approach because for 80% of the story, we get to simply fall in love with these characters while they slowly fall for one another. This wonderful ride includes steamy moments, laugh out loud jokes, and riveting conversations about deep issues.

Take a Hint, Dani Brown was a heartwarming rollercoaster that I can't recommend enough. Plus, Zafir is a big teddy bear that will absolutely melt your heart. 

Rating: 5 stars.

Trigger Warnings: Anxiety attacks, cursing, sexual content.

Description

Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her from their office building goes viral...

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.

When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs.

Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?

REVIEW

Oh, well that was absolute perfection.

You ever read a book that just swept you away with its intense and immersive writing? A book that causes your heart to do that strange little flutter every time you read a sentence or entire paragraph that is just so beautiful? Strange the Dreamer was that book and so much more.

Before this book, I had had a tentative relationship with Laini Taylor. Truth be told, I was not a fan of Daughter of Smoke and Bone. In fact, I had planned to not pick up another Taylor book. But then this gorgeous book was sent to me by Jonathan Ball Publishers and I had no choice but to read another one of her books. 

And thank God for that because this book is magical.

I don't know where Laini found the imagination and talent to write something this beautiful but I applaud her for it. The writing, the characters, the world, and the story was so inventive and fresh. At the time, I had been struggling to connect with fantasy stories but Strange the Dreamer helped breathe new life into the fantasy genre, something I'm very thankful for. 

The story of Weep is an epic tale of heartbreak, war, bloodshed, and vengeance; all spinning together in a whirlwind of a novel that connects so many characters. Strange the Dreamer started off slow, like most epic fantasies do, but not once was I bored. Every page dripped with intrigue and mystery, drawing me in until I just had to know about Weep and all its history. 

While we are taken on a dual perspective journey, Lazlo was definitely the character I related to the most. His entire essence was pure and he was bursting with curiosity, something I admired in him as the novel progressed. I know that many reviewers complained about the instalove plotline, but I couldn't help but fall for it. How could this not be an epic love story when this world was so magical? As I dwelled deeper into this book and world, I got the sense that I was reading a fairytale and that means we needed a romance that was as grand as all fairytales tend to be.

Laini expertly turned the second part of this book into a gentle love story and then threw us all over the edge with that ending. The connections of our characters all started to rear its head and soon we're caught in this web of lovers, family, and betrayal. I love the way our characters all interlaced as it helped make the final few chapters even more intense and emotional.

I don't think this story will ever seize to amaze me and draw me in, which is why I recommend it to anyone that is looking for something rich. Whether you're looking for betrayal, romance, magic, ghosts, or war; this book has all of that and something stronger. It holds a story of an underdog that wishes to prove himself. And there's so much strength in that.

RATING: 5 stars.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: War, bloodshed, rape, kidnapping, gore.

DESCRIPTION

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around—and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he’s been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. 

Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?

The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries—including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo’s dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

Review

Let me start off by saying that this book was not that original. Whether it's the characters, plot, or love interest; everything just seemed like the same story with a new twist to it. 

And I still loved it.

From Blood and Ash was probably one of my most anticipated books of 2020. After countless full star reviews and beautiful bookstagram marketing, I was compelled to get this book for my Christmas Wishlist. And it delivered exactly the story I needed. I didn't go into this book wanting something otherworldly. No, I simply wanted to lose myself in a beloved plot that happened to include a dangerous but secretly sensitive love interest and a badass heroine that could cut your throat in an instant.

This book was a big one, topping the 600 page count. This already says a lot about the journey that From Blood and Ash delivers. We're often bombarded with world-building and information dumps but the foundation Jennifer creates helped me fully connect with the characters and story, keeping me transfixed until the real meat of the story started to rear its head.

The second and third quarter of this book was masterful. It was filled to the brim with mystery, banter, battles, and angst. You're slowly but surely taken on Poppy's journey as she starts to see her true purpose and takes a stand in her own way. While I saw the twist(s) coming, I did enjoy the way Jennifer chose to turn the story on its head. 

The characters felt familiar, easily engaging me and evoking a sense of protectiveness. I was especially fond of Vikter and Poppy. The latter took some time but I connected with her much better when she started showing some bite, fighting back in small ways that made me start seeing her differently. I'm excited to see how her character grows. I often find that writers tend to start diminishing a female character's bravado as she takes on more pain and loss. I really hope this isn't the case with Poppy because she has so much potential.

Overall, this book was just pure fun and adrenaline. I was a sucker for every steamy scene and fevered look shared between Poppy and Hawke and I'm not even ashamed of it. They're your quintessential fantasy romance couple and I still want to see them win and grow and conquer in the most epic of ways. The villain wasn't really explored in this book but enough seeds were planted to help peak my interest. I can already sense that something big is coming... and I can't wait.

Rating: 4 stars.

Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, war, blood, gore, abuse, violence.

Description

Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy’s life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty…

The entire kingdom’s future rests on Poppy’s shoulders, something she’s not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom…

Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.

Review:

It's official. I love this series.

What an insane, brutal, and absolutely beautiful world Sabaa has created. While I still struggled with the lack of world-building and constant love triangle, the sequel to An Ember in the Ashes was everything I wanted in a follow-up novel. Sabaa continues to develop on the brutality of this world, throwing our characters into situations that constantly test their power and loyalty, especially when it comes to family.

I think the question of how far one would go for family was a key trope in this book. Sabaa constantly tested Laia's loyalty, Elias' love, and Helene's determination to save all those dear to her. All of the webs that connect our main characters seem to be linked to family, something that was clear in the previous book as well. 

In this book, we're taken on a journey; both figuratively and literally. Elias and Laia are on the run, along with some helpful side characters, ultimately increasing the stakes of this mission. The more people our two main characters grow close to, the more they have to lose. But even in that fear, they still manage to build on relationships and solidify their trust in certain partnerships.

However, like all good fantasy books, there had to be a betrayal. I have to admit, I saw the big twist coming. This kind of dulled the ending for me. I found myself waiting for this to happen instead of going into every chapter blind or ignorant. It was just so clear. I blame this on the lack of character development and the amount of time we actually spend with the main villain, which wasn't much.

This all made the second half of this book hard to get through. In fact, it took me months to drag my way through the middle section. I just couldn't enjoy the second half of the book the way it should have been enjoyed. To its credit, this minor flaw didn't remove the sheer adrenaline of finishing a Sabaa Tahir book. The last few chapters kept my heart racing and I stayed up well into the night to get it done.

I initially wasn't a big fan of Helene, something I've noticed a lot of book reviewers mention. But, to my surprise, Helene really stood out in this book. I found myself looking forward to her chapters, wondering how she would navigate the immense pressure put on her. Though I found her restraint and choices naive, I do believe she was trying her best to succeed in this heavily dominated world.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I felt like it was a strong addition to the series, which continues to solidify its place as a Young Adult Fantasy masterpiece. 

Rating: 4 stars.

Trigger Warnings: violence, war, gore, sex, rape, starvation.

Description:

Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf—the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison—to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene—Elias’s former friend and the Empire’s newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus’s will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own—one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape…and kill them both.

REVIEW

Well. This one turned out to be quite a rollercoaster.

This is the first time I've been introduced to Chokshi's writing and for the first half of this book, I genuinely contemplated if it was worth finishing. This was such a disappointment at the time because I had been looking forward to this story ever since I watched Sam gush about it on Thoughts on Tomes. Looking back, I admit that I wasn't in the reading space mentally and I was thrown off by the duel perspectives.

However, I can't ignore the fact that this book was slow. Yes, I know world-building needed some room in this novel but by the time I reached the halfway mark, I still didn't feel invested in the story or connected to any of the characters. But after a few months away, I returned to The Gilded Wolves, determined to finish it because of the way my favourite review bloggers raved about it.

And the second time around did not disappoint. Maybe it was my improved mental space or just the overall pace of the second half that gripped me but I'm so glad I stayed along for the ride. By the second half, I started to really connect with the characters, who grew more complicated and beautiful with each page. Their bond wasn't believable at first but I blame this on the fact that we don't see them come together. We meet these characters once they've already met and established relationships. I find that I struggle to believe found family tropes if I don't read about them connecting.

While this book is advertised as a Young Adult fantasy, it did feel rather dense and packed with information at times. This is mainly due to characters like Zofia and Enrique, who spent most of the book confusing me with their fantastical algorithms and symbols. But once you look pass this and give into the world Chokshi is trying to build, you simply lose yourself in this story.

I loved the little snippets we got of Séverin and Triston's dads. I thought this was a brilliant addition to the book and it helped me dive deeper into the inner workings of Séverin, who was arguably one of the most important characters in the novel. Oh, my beautiful and broken Séverin. Don't we all just love a damaged protagonist that can't help but push away those that love them?

Séverin and Laila's romance was executed so beautifully. It felt pure and passionate, but in its own way. They weren't stealing steamy kisses or getting sexually riled up by any little inconvenience. Instead, their love story was told through secret glances, knowing smiles, the gentle touching of hands, and adorable nicknames. I wasn't thrilled by the way Chokshi ended this storyline but I do like what she's setting up for us.

In a lot of ways this was a unique read. It's fun and imaginative, and filled to the brim with history lessons and unimaginable magic. The ending only solidified my choice to continue this series and give my little misfits and thieves and historical buffs the chance to win my heart over completely.

Description

No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them.

It's 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance.

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood.

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history--but only if they can stay alive.