Keep Me (Phoenix, #2) by Stacey Kennedy Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Watch Me on my blog, here.

We pick right up from where we left off in Watch Me, now following Archer and Elise as they continue to instigate one another like their lives depend on it -- I can hear the wedding bells already. Almost immediately, Elise and Archer are basically going at it without actually going it at it, as Elise works on a job for Archer investigating a new member at the club after some suspicious activity went done a few days prior.

The smut definitely hits different in this book compared to Watch Me, and I can't tell if it's because we did get that mild build up of tension between Elise and Archer in the first book, or if just my love for the teasing-each-other-because-they-like-each-other trope. The way they are both so similar to one another yet constantly butt heads makes me love the pair even more, and their banter is just so entertaining to read.

Kennedy did a good job balancing plot and smut, as well as spending a decent amount of time developing the backgrounds of Elise and Archer. We get details of both of their past traumas that heavily influence why they do the jobs that they do, and get to see how they open up to one another about how they are still affected by their pasts.

Zoey, Hazel, and Elise's friendship really stood out throughout the book, and readers are able to witness how interconnected their lives are, especially with their involvement with the boys and their lives as well. It was great to read about the friend group that had a solid foundation, but that also did not have them so dependent on one another that they could not function without each other.

Another whirlwind romance to follow Zoey and Rhys -- but on the bright side, they knew each other for longer than Zoey and Rhys knew each other before they got engaged. I definitely think Elise and Archer, while still having a fast romance, did have that foundation between them that allowed their story to still be as raw as Zoey and Rhys, but have that extra cushioning that let you go into the book with justified expectations.

We are able to see both characters grow into themselves before they give in to one another, and the plot was just as fun to read as were Elise and Archer's more intimate scenes together. I was certainly in the mood to read something a little more spicy, but wanted to have at least the backbone of a plot, and I was not disappointed. Kennedy sets up the next book at the very end of the epilogue, much like Watch Me, and I plan on seeing this series through until the end.

Another quick read in the Phoenix series that leaves the reader wanting me but satisfied at the same time. I love a good interconnected standalone series that keeps the other characters involved but not so much that you feel like you're reading part two of another couple's story.

You can add Watch Me, Keep Me, and the rest of the series on Goodreads now. You can also follow the author to stay up to date on publications and releases.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Review

The Yellow Wall-Paper is available to read for free on iBooks! This review contains spoilers for The Yellow Wall-Paper.

With the intent of bringing his wife to a rental home for fresh air and a calmer environment to heal her from illness, a doctor unintentionally -- or perhaps, intentionally -- causes his wife to dive deeper into a madness. We see a woman isolated, alone yet almost never out of sight from her husband, John, or his sister, Jennie. Left to her own devices when they want her to rest, she begins to analyze and critique the old and decaying yellow wallpaper that surrounds her.

The author does an incredible job of describing this wallpaper with such detail that it not only becomes the prominent plot point of the story, but a character itself. No longer is the wallpaper a mere inanimate decoration for this woman's room, but rather something that is alive and stirring. The more time she spends alone in solitude with only this wallpaper, the more we see the woman descend into a madness that reflects the conceptualized place of women in their marriage.

Any time that the woman expresses a need to leave this country house or renovate the bedroom wallpaper, her husband dismisses the ideas and speaks to her in an infantilizing manner that is sure to contribute to her worsening depression. Left only with the yellow wallpaper as a companion of sorts, she is swept into following the pattern on the walls and hyper-fixating on what she believes is a woman trapped behind the paper. While not a true horror in name, the author does an exceptional job of creating an atmosphere where you can physically feel the woman's pain overcome her, even though it is not physical.

As one of the first takes on feminism and reflection on a woman's inherent role in a marriage, we see a woman -- who is never named, but rather referred to as someone's possession or in relation to another. A child's mother. A doctor's wife. But never given a name of her own, perhaps to encompass any individual who may relate to her and allow themselves to place themself in her shoes. She is left virtually helpless in a room that feeds on her loneliness and desperation to be free of the confines of the yellow wallpaper, while anyone who could help her leave is actively keeping her in a house she so desperately wants to be free of.

The more she becomes infatuated with the wallpaper, the more she shows a fear or aversion to John, suggesting that as she continues to live this life as a wife or mother instead of simply her own person, she is trapped by the constraints of what society and her husband expect from her. She is left misunderstood despite being explicitly clear on her feelings about the very wallpaper that heads her spiral, very much reflecting how women have been and continue to be treated in society's view of a marriage. Ignoring the true root of the problem in favor of his own ideas of how to "cure" his wife, the husband is shown to think he is doing what he can to help her, but rather is the one to undo her even more.

The Yellow Wall-Paper remains relevant as ever as a commentary on mental health, marital roles and expectations, feminism, and individual identity. In less than one hundred pages, the author is able to depict so many ever-lasting issues that continue to affect today's society.

You can add The Yellow Wall-Paper on Goodreads now, as well as other works by the author.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer, #2) by Laini Taylor Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Strange the Dreamer on my blog, here.

The copy I read is the 2018 ARC from BookExpo, so if there were any major changes or edits in the final published copy, I am not aware. Strange the Dreamer ended so strong and with lots of build up for the next book, and I have to say that I was satisfied with Muse of Nightmares.

Taylor's writing, once again, is so beautifully done and truly shows the emotions and depth of her characters to the fullest extent. Sarai and Lazlo have such a unique and intense relationship compared to a lot of fantasy couples, and the way that they grow individually and together reflects on what they personally needed to discover as well as what they needed each other to find.

The action really takes off in this sequel compared to Strange the Dreamer -- with mostly world-building and character introduction accompanied by relationship development, the first book gave us a solid groundwork for Taylor's story. Muse of Nightmares brings a heavy resolution to this world, as Sarai and Lazlo's worlds come to their greatest struggles as they are brought together. No character was safe in the battle between Godspawn and mortals, as we see just how tragic and fatal it was for a number of characters on both sides.

Weep's existence is hanging by a thread as Minya continues to become even more unhinged than she was in the first book, in addition to characters we least expected having their villain moment at the worst possible time. Much like the first book, it does have a slower pace to the story and Taylor devotes a lot of time on proper development, but at times it did feel like the story was moving slower than it should have been, and what felt like days passing in the book was actually only hours.

I really enjoyed how much more we saw of Sparrow, Feral, Ruby, and Ruza in this sequel. They were present in the first book, but they very much fell into their roles of side characters, placed there for the enhancement of other characters and their stories. However, Muse of Nightmares provided them a new environment to thrive in, and their personalities and characterization received a lot more expansion. 

Kora and Nova's involvement in the story was also skyrocketed to near-main character level, and their own stories were very interesting to see play out in the end. I do wish we got to see more of Thyon in this installment -- he was heavily involved in the first book and I felt as though his character and story took to the back-burner in Muse of Nightmares. I would have loved to see more of his dynamic with Lazlo in this book.

There were definitely some points of the story that left me a tad confused and some questions left unanswered, but overall Taylor was able to pull together the story's conclusion in a rewarding end for Weep and for its inhabitants. I was able to do short power-reads to finish this book in only a few sittings, but at times it did feel as though my eyes wanted me to skim the story but I had to force myself to stay on track.

Once again, I recommend this duology to readers looking to enter the fantasy genre with something that is easy to understand while also encompassing the genre's core values and influences. Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy is a must-read as well, and is a great introduction to her writing style and characterization.

You can add Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Trigger warnings include physical and emotional parental abuse, child neglect and abandonment, and intimate partner abuse. You can also read my review of From Lukov with Love on my blog, here.

Once again, I had been putting off reading this book for a little over a year, but I am back and in the mood for a sports romance to add to my 2022 reads before the year comes to an end. I honestly did not know much about this book before I started it, besides the few excerpts I had seen on TikTok videos that kept reminding me that I needed to read this book.

To my very happy surprise, the main trope of The Wall of Winnipeg and Me had me absolutely thrilled. I love a grumpy and sunshine relationship, and with Vanessa and Aiden, we get to see Aiden as this total grump that slowly shows his soft side while Vanessa is always nice until she decides to stand up for herself and switches over to being more confrontational. I am an absolute sucker for fake-relationship or marriage-of-convenience books, and Zapata really knocked it out of the park with this one.

The way that Vanessa and Aiden defend each other from other people, especially when the other is not around, was so great to see because you could literally feel the tension on the pages. In the beginning of the book, Aiden barely speaks to anyone or Vanessa unless it's a head nod or three-word sentences, but then we get to see him give these long backstories about his past and speeches of him defending her to anyone that looks at Vanessa the wrong way.

Trevor and Christian are so incredibly annoying that every time that their names showed up on the page, I had to force myself to stop rolling my eyes into the back of my head. The only thing they brought to the story was a number of problems or arguments and insults that left me more agitated than before the popped up again. And do not even get me started on Vanessa's sister, Susie, and Vanessa's mother -- probably some of the most despicable characters I have ever come across, and I have read a lot of mafia romance books with some truly nasty characters.

This woman LOVES her food-themed nicknames, I simply cannot escape them in both of the books I have read by her so far. Meatball. Muffin. Dinner Roll. The list is never-ending. There are a ton of fun little moments between Vanessa and Aiden, and the friendship that Vanessa and Zac has really adds to the story, because you see the effortlessness of joking they have with each other compared to the build up that Vanessa and Aiden have to work toward to get to that level.

The modern day references were kept to a minimum in this book, and I was so grateful for it. Zapata used a decent amount of references in From Lukov with Love, and I was glad to see that this was much more toned down. I really did enjoy the dynamics between everyone in the book, and how Zapata was able to depict various types of relationships without dragging out certain aspects or turning them into major cliches.

If you are looking for a slow-burn, sports romance, this is definitely the book for you. Fans of The Deal by Elle Kennedy will graduate to Zapata's books and a more cohesive storyline following adults instead of college students. It is always so refreshing to see sports romance books following people in their twenties and thirties instead of being a nineteen-year-old hockey player in their first year of college.

You can add The Wall of Winnipeg and Me on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Gambler (The Gentleman's Club, #1) by Lexy Timms Review

This review contains spoilers for Gambler.

In an exclusive and illegal card game, Jack wins a penthouse -- and Leo Monahan's daughter for a year. Initially taken as a joke, Jack soon finds out that this man is not joking, and Jack finds himself with a beach-front penthouse and a blonde woman in his bed. Jack is on some time of secret mission involving Leo and his business, and if he has to accept his daughter, Cassandra, for a year to get the job done, he will certainly do it.

Over half-way through the book, and Jack and Cassandra have had approximately four actual conversations with each other, and we have spent a huge chunk of time only learning Jack's backstory and involvement in the security business. 

At this point in the book, the only thing that we know about Cassandra is who her father is and that she is the one that is supposed to run his business one day, so she needs to shadow Jack at his business in order to learn something. There is in fact absolutely no mentoring done by Jack in this book, if you do not count him helping Cassandra try to launch her art consultant career behind her father's back.

However, that takes a quick turn as Cassandra and Jack find themselves in a fake-relationship situation in order to keep up appearances so Jack's old acquaintance, Walker, does not get suspicious of why they know each other. We really only get to see their tension in the second half of the book, with actual development finally at the very end. With this book being from both of their perspectives, you see the conflict that both of them have once they enter their little relationship agreement.

The plot moves very slow in the first 100 pages of the book, and it felt as though the author was dragging out background that could have been glossed over, or realized that she wrote so much background that she decided to try to wrap up the book very quickly. With the book being so short that it basically qualifies as a novella, I should not have been surprised with how little we had of Jack and Cassandra actually interacting with each other. 

We are left on a cliffhanger as Jack comes back to the penthouse after being beaten by a bunch of Leo's goons and he reveals to Cassandra that he is working undercover for the FBI -- total shocker. He spent the entire book running around making secret calls on burner phones and meeting with people that it was obvious he was up to something, but as a reader we did not know if he was worse than Leo or better.

I honestly was not sure if I wanted to continue on with this series, but based off of the ending and how short this book was, I might just have to keep on reading solely so that I can have closure on Jack and Cassandra. If you are looking for a quick, slow-burn, and fake-dating book with a dash of mafia-type undertones, this may be the series for you.

You can add Gambler on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

The Cherished by Patricia Ward Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

I would first like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of The Cherished in exchange for an honest review -- this is an uncorrected proof, and there may be changes to the book in the final version.The Cherished releases on April 18, 2023.

I first have to say that I absolutely love the cover art for this book, and it is one of the main things that drew me to reading it. Combined with the description, my expectations were high, especially because I was in the mood for a good horror book. However, the writing was not what I expected, and it felt as though the story was dragging on while at the same time throwing in random information or characters that did not have anything to do with the plot.

Jo, Abigail, and Robert all have a nagging voice about them that makes almost everything that they said sound grating to the ear. Jo is sixteen years old and thinks in the most outrageous ways that cause her character to be hard to follow, especially as the main character. Abigail's character felt two-dimensional at first, but then started to get a little bit more in depth as the story went on, but never really expanded in a way that made the reader want to read about her.

The plot felt sporadic and was moving at an inconsistent pace -- I felt as though I was reading a book that had passages removed, making it harder to follow what exactly was going on. Instead of a horror book, it felt more like a short story you would read in English class that barely touched the surface of what horror embodies. Instead of being a little spooked while reading, I actually felt annoyed at almost every single character, especially Jo, because no one would communicate with each other, or they would talk in vague warnings that were not going to help anyone.

Hattie's character, while interesting and helpful to the plot, actually provides yet another annoyance to the reading experience. She just feels very out of place and not well developed enough for her implied importance to actually take root in the reader's view of her. The relationship she has with Tom is very much father/daughter, but they also try to warn Jo about certain things while not telling her anything all at all, which is frustrating to read.

I found that the plot's pacing was making it hard to read the book -- it was slow in the first half, but then it started to jump around quickly and begin to incorporate ideas that seemed to be only half-developed rather than something more solid. 

Overall, I think that the concept was definitely there, but the execution was not living up to how it needed to be played out. I felt a little bored during a lot of the chapters, and other chapters were kind of just jumping around and did not feel as though they were completed. Expecting a horror book, I was disappointed to say the least -- there was certainly nothing scary about this book, and while the concept would be considered eerie, it just did not pull through.

If you are looking for a quick read that has somewhat of evil fairytale elements, then The Cherished will definitely check those boxes for you. 

You can add The Cherished on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata Review

 

This is a spoiler-free review! A list of trigger warnings can be found here.

I finally caved in and read this book -- I have been putting it off for over two years, but it's approaching winter and after a recent re-watch of Spinning Out on Netflix, I figured now is the best time to dive into a figure skating romance. It is also so refreshing to find a romance book with adults in their twenties that is able to be developed and follow that slow-burn build up. People were absolutely not lying when they said this was a slow-burn, and don't be surprised if it takes literally hundreds of pages for anything to happen between the main characters.

Jasmine's family dynamic is very relaxed and they all get along with each other relatively well, and are involved in each other's lives. It was nice to see a supportive family behind her, especially with such a demanding sport taking up her time. I cannot stand her father and nothing that he says or does will ever make up for the way that he talks to her. Her best friend happens to be Ivan's sister, and I really enjoyed the way that she -- even briefly -- would be a voice of wisdom for the both of them.

Ivan sulks so much, I'm surprised he hasn't frozen in place. Meatball is hands down the worst nickname that I have ever heard and I genuinely wished that he cut that out at any time during the book. However, he does have some redeeming qualities that don't completely make him a nuisance, and his banter -- or straight-up arguing -- with Jasmine is entertaining to say the least. He definitely grew on me by the end of the book, and he showed a ton of character development that I was hoping he would gain.

Watching Jasmine and Ivan's skating relationship develop was very cute and satisfying. You see their obvious tension and clear frustration with each other in the beginning, but you also see how other people are rooting for them to be a great pair. Ivan inserts himself a lot into Jasmine's personal life, and I think it added a lot to their relationship and made Jasmine trust him a lot more than she originally did.

If you're a sucker for the she's-sick-and-he-takes-care-of-her trope, you are in for a treat. I was kicking my legs and giggling the entire time and loved every minute of it, especially because it lasts multiple chapters and is not just brushed over. Jasmine and Ivan have a ton of fun banter, but there are some points where I was not loving what Ivan would say to Jasmine. I understand that they had their little feud, but some of the things he said or made comments on felt like they were crossing a line.

Sometimes the writing was giving hardcore Wattpad vibes, dangerously on the side of me wanting to put the book down, especially when I realized that Jasmine was not a 19-year-old, but instead 26-years-old. It took me back on the way the narration was reading, but the writing improved after the first few chapters and you will fall in sync with the way that Jasmine thinks.

I wish that Zapata had included more chapters or at least discussion on certain aspects -- Jasmine's falling out and hatred towards Paul, and her issues with people on social media. A lot of the times that either of these were brought up, it felt brushed over and only talked about for a few pages before the discussion changed or we were in a new chapter.

I would recommend this book to people looking for a true slow burn where the romance does not come into play until you are deep into the book. It's a great combination of plot-driven work with a romance subplot.

You can add From Lukov with Love on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date on releases and publications.

You can catch up with me and my current reads by friending me on Goodreads and following this blog, my Twitter, and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!