Sweet Venom (Vipers, #2) by Rina Kent Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Beautiful Venom on my blog, now! Content warnings include references to mental illness, depression, suicidal ideation, and emotional abuse, including parental neglect and child abuse. It includes graphic violence, murder, torture, stalking, attempted child sexual abuse, the death of a family member, and mentions of multiple abortions and drug use/overdose involving non-main characters. Specific kinks in this book include consensual non-consent (CNC) and somnophilia.

I was a little weary going into this second installment, as I did not love Beautiful Venom and was worried that a recounting of the same timeline from different perspectives would be a drag, however I was pleasantly surprised that the author somewhat flew through the events of the first book fairly quickly and then dived into a "new" events. This was definitely a better direction than what I was expecting and I found myself enjoying Violet and Jude's story more than Dahlia and Kane's journey - there was just something about them that I could not click with.

Comparing Jude to Kane, I would dare say that I liked him more - there was just something about the way that he was written and the way that he interacted with others in this book that made his character more alluring. The same goes for Violet - compared to Dahlia, she was a breath of fresh air and actually had some common sense. While she definitely had her moments of me wanting to put my hands through the pages and shake some sense into her, the majority of the time she was pretty level-headed. Jude felt more unhinged than Kane and I honestly embraced it more than I expected. He was much less focused on this whacky secret society compared to Kane, and while Jude did have his little kill list, at least he had an actual reason to be on this crusade.

Considering Kane and Jude share the same friends, I echo my sentiment from my Beautiful Venom review and have to say the comedic relief that they provide certainly keep the reader entertained. Preston grew on me exponentially throughout this book, and considering he is taking the lead in the third installment, I can only imagine what nonsense the boy will get into with his story at the forefront. The story itself in this book was more intriguing than the first installment - there was more nuance to what Violet and Jude had to go through and discover, and it made the story feel like there were actual risks and consequences, unlike in Beautiful Venom where it felt like Dahlia and Kane were just running in circles around each other.

I wish Kent would abandon the text chain conversations in her books - the dialogue does not seem to flow with the overall writing style and often times the conversations make the characters seem five years younger and extremely immature. To be honest, the majority of her male leads or side characters are immature, so I should not have been too surprised that it continues in the majority of her books. She could truly improve upon her work if she abandons the notion that the male characters are these "silly goofy" boys when at the same time, they are killing people or terrorizing towns and college campuses. It honestly just makes them look really ridiculous and takes the reader out of the bubble that they are supposed to be running everything around them.

This was juicier than I expected, but with Rina Kent, I truly can never tell if I am going to eat up her books or feel slightly unsatisfied. Her MM books are definitely her strong suit, and if she one day decides to create more depth for her other characters, I can see it really taking off. For now, I continue to manage my expectations before diving into her works, but fans of dark romance will certainly be reaching for her on the shelf.

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The ​Missing of Clairdelune (The Mirror Visitor Quartet, #2) by Christelle Dabos Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of A Winter's Promise on my blog, now!

I am currently on a TBR roll and this book has been staring at me from across my living room in my apartment for years, and with the fantasy kick that has taken over me, I knew I needed to knock this one out before I lost my steam. And with the common theme of me continuing on with series years after I read the prior book, I knew I would have to jog my memory with the events of A Winter's Promise. The quick reminder that our leading lady, Ophelia, is constantly being a pushover in my eyes - while she does work towards uncovering a number of mysteries, she seems to allow others to order her around up until the very end of the book. 

It became quite a hassle to power through her inner monologue and lack of ability to stand up for herself at opportune times. When she did finally gather the courage and stopped taking the all the pushback from everyone and their mother - especially from her mother - it was towards the end of the book, but I admired that she grew a backbone and put some things into motion after about five hundred pages. It was kind of a shock to me when I realized that Ophelia is twenty-one years old in this book - obviously she has to be of age in order to be engaged, but her character reads so immature and juvenile compared to other twenty-one year old main characters.

Thorn's characterization in this book felt sidelined until the last 150 pages or so - I was halfway through the book and it felt as though his character was being hidden away from the readers. Sure, build up the mystery about the enigma that is Ophelia's fiancé, but he was so absent that at points, I would forget who he was, which is a major issue considering he is quite literally the male lead. Once we did get to see him in a more shelled-out view, he quickly became a very interesting character and definitely grabbed my attention more than Ophelia ever had during these first two books.

Ophelia's family is just as annoying as I remembered them - sure, her siblings are not nearly as bad, just a lot to handle - but my word, her mother is on another stratosphere when it comes to being overbearing. Even through postcards and letters, you could feel her energy through the page and it was not an enjoyable experience. When it came to other side characters, there were few times where I felt like their presence did not push the story further. Overall, the side characters just simply were not doing enough in the story to make me care about their development, aside from two or three that had more prominent roles in Ophelia's journey. I wanted to be able to form connections with these characters, but rather felt like an observer more than anything else by the end of the book.

Plot-wise, this book still moved just as slow as the first installment, with maybe being at touch faster after going beyond the halfway point. I wanted to be drawn into the story, but rather felt like I was dragging myself through some chapters after numerous chapters of Ophelia complaining or not fighting back. There was one time where I literally could not keep my eyes open when trying to read this book before going to sleep because the book was literally sending me into REM sleep within ten pages of me picking it up. I would only hope that the author has picked up the pace in the next installments, and with the cliffhanger she left us on, there is certainly promise heading in that direction.

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The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles, #2) by Mary E. Pearson Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

Eleven years later and I have finally returned to continue on with this series, and I can honestly say I wish I picked up this second installment sooner! I have had the entire trilogy sitting on my bookshelf since high school and since I have been tackling my physical TBR pile like a madwoman, I knew this was just the book to keep the ball rolling. I have been in a fantasy kick as well, and I had a gut feeling that this book would somehow win me over from the mafia romance trance I have been in for the better part of 2025 and beginning of 2026. It definitely took me a second to reorient myself back into this world and remember what exactly transpired in The Kiss of Deception, but once I got a few chapters in, everything came back to me. While the beginning did feel a little slow to start, I want to blame it mostly on me waking up at four o'clock in the morning the day I first cracked this book open.

Lia - the princess of many names - has gone through horrors unimaginable after the events of the first installment, and now must navigate a new and dangerous game in order to try to save herself and her people, all while in the middle of romantic affections from Rafe and Kaden. The two men represent such different sides of her and her beliefs, and as she is constantly thrown between the two in order to survive and manipulate the Komizar, she must make a decision that will not only be the right one for herself, but for the future of her people as well. 

Kaden's attachment to Lia makes sense for everything that they have been through, but I found myself watching a one-sided attachment from Kaden's side. Sure, they had some chemistry, but it felt like Lia would only comply with some of Kaden's wishes because she just wanted to make everything they have gone through worth it and make it out alive. Rafe, on the other hand, has that natural energy and connection with Lia that I found myself rooting for. There was a very short period where the dark romance / forbidden romance lover in me came to the surface and thought that Lia and the Komizar may actually be an interesting pairing. However, that was quickly washed away some chapters later.

Side characters definitely helped propel this story forward - even with the perspectives of Rafe, Lia, and Kaden, the readers needed that additional aspect to get the full picture. These characters are truly put through it all, and unfortunately the brutality of the Komizar's reign looms over their shoulders, some more than others. I enjoyed seeing the other friendships that Lia formed as she got deeper into planning a way out that would have the best outcome not only for herself, but for those she cared about along the way. You can truly tell that she cares for others and her constant attempt to ensure safety for the most amount of people is prominent in her characterization throughout the book.

After a bit of a slow start, this book moved quickly and had me locked in when I was able to get a chance to sit down and really lock into the story. Especially with the ending Pearson left us with, I look forward to seeing the conclusion of the series along with the fates that lay ahead for Rafe, Lia, and Kaden. If you are looking for a more mature romantasy series that still hovers before reaching high fantasy, this series could be just the thing you are looking for.

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Black Wings Beating (Skybound, #1) by Alex London ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC - any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review. Black Wings Beating is available to purchase as of September 25, 2018.

My ARC pile is starting to fear me as I tear through the quite literal tower of books in my apartment in an attempt to de-clutter and finally crack them open. This young adult fantasy definitely feels more mature than most - we see a number of instances where the male lead, Brysen, basically goes through The Horrors with the way his father treated him, along with the serious consequences of the world and environment he lives in. The female lead, Brysen's sister, Kylee, seemingly has the better end of the stick compared to her brother, and with her more natural calling to falconry and forming bonds with the birds despite her will to be free of it altogether, we see her destiny become more bright than Brysen's current state. While Brysen seemingly has a knack for impulsivity and leading with his emotions, Kylee is more reserved and level-headed - as they are close to finally paying off the debts their father left their family behind, they must be strategic.

The flashback scenes with the abuse that Brysen suffered at the hands of his father was sickening - to see such atrocity being inflicted on a boy for making small mistakes, or even in some instances, some major mistakes, was nauseating. Kylee certainly tried her best to remove Brysen from the path of pain, but she could only do so much when he was not in her line of sight. It seemed the second he was not in her direct view, there was always something that was going amiss.

While war looms over their lives, Kylee and Brysen find themselves on a hunt for the Ghost Eagle, they are confronted with their own personal interests and conflicts. As Brysen's quest is motivated by the boy he adores from the village and the glory that would come with capturing the Ghost Eagle, Kylee is determined to preserve her brother's future and leave her past behind for once and for all. I found Brysen to be so incredibly annoying - so much so that I had to push myself to finish the second half of this book before I threw it off the skydeck at my apartment building. He never seems to take anyone else's fate into consideration and is clearly solely motivated by glory rather than seeing the bigger picture. The fact that Kylee basically has to manipulate events in order for him to be remotely successful should tell you everything about their characters.

Kylee, on the other hand, seems to be the only person in this village with working brain cells, which is very concerning considering a war is literally crawling up the mountain at this point. She is reasonable and while on occasion a touch erratic, sees the bigger picture and only wants the best outcome for her brother that does not leave them drowning in more debt than they started with and him, well, still breathing. She had much more to tackle in this book - with all of the obstacles she had to overcome in addition to basically having to watch and babysit Brysen as he "attempted" to catch the Ghost Eagle - it was surprising that Brysen still thought Kylee was not on his side.

The pacing of this book threw me off - at times it moved at what seemed like a glacial pace while other chapters felt like I was being whipped around and could get a glance of what was happening before perspectives shifted or we were somewhere else. I was hoping that the maturity of this series would allow the story to be more complex, but considering curse words were replaced with made-up curses, I should not have been surprised. The ending did not have the build up that I was expecting and while the "betrayal" was significant for a character in particular, I saw it from a mile away. Maybe one day I could return to this series, but for now I am content with leaving the story here.

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Part of Your World by Liz Braswell ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC - any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review. Part of Your World is available to purchase as of September 4, 2018.

I loved Braswell's The Nine Lives of Chloe King series and was obsessed with the television (RIP ABC Family and not getting a second season renewal), and with this ARC sitting on my shelf for years, it was finally the time to see what other genres she could tackle. If you are a regular follower of my reviews, you may notice the current theme of me trying to tackle all of the old ARCs that have been haunting me and begging me to read them. I have a lot of mixed feelings about this retelling / reimagining of The Little Mermaid, with the top being that I simply did not love the number of perspectives we were given in this book.

While I understand that there are a number of key players in the original story and in Braswell's reimagining, the pacing felt clunky at times when we were being thrown from one perspective to another, especially when it was for a character that did not seem to have a lot of actual impact on the plot of the book. Sure, the seagull was able to deliver important information to other characters, but was it necessary that she get numerous chapters in her perspective? There were times in other chapters where the perspectives were for multiple characters, which was not my cup of tea.

Eric's characterization definitely played off of his character in the animation, but it also took it a step further and gave us Ursula's perspective on how idiotic or "mad" he was, when he simply was a creative type rather than a rule follower. He is definitely the most care-free character of the bunch, which does give the book an element of innocence as the others work towards the common goal of saving King Triton. Ariel's characterization shows her maturity after all the time that has past since Ursula got her way - she is more reserved, no longer the free spirit we have seen in the cartoon. I did appreciate the way she was developed throughout the story, especially that she did not waiver on her feelings even after the major plot points were overcome.

A lot of the side characters felt unnecessary or just there to serve a purpose to provide nostalgia towards what we all know, but I felt as though they really did not add enough to the story to warrant their own perspectives at times. If the author rather chose to incorporate their efforts in aiding Ariel and Eric on their journeys as side commentary in Eric and Ariel's own chapters, then we might have been able to avoid the jumps making the pacing become choppy.

The plot and reimagining as a whole is a unique concept that could have benefited from some more structured plot development along with recentering how the side characters come into play in support for our leading characters. I probably will not read any of the other Twisted Tales reimaginings in the future solely because I am not typically drawn towards the genre. I wish I was able to get into this book like I was am to get into Braswell's The Nine Lives of Chloe King, but perhaps I am simply not the target audience.

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This Mortal Coil (This Mortal Coil, #1) by Emily Suvada ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC - any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review. This Mortal Coil is available to purchase as of November 7, 2017.

I have been holding onto this ARC for what feels like a lifetime, and have finally made good on my promise to myself to crack it open and see it through. The concept of biohacking DNA is certainly something that has come up. in scientific fields over the course of time and this concept of engineering vaccines through people's DNA in real time was intriguing. The author sets up this story in an intriguing way - we are exposed to this post-apocalyptic / dystopian world where a virus has run rampant through people and those not infected are fighting for their lives to stay alive. Flashing forward we are transported to a more controlled society in the sense that the main character is not actively in danger - or so we thought. Catarina Agatta is suddenly meets Cole, a soldier who has the regretful news that her father, Lachlan, is dead, and he needs her help in order to unlock the vaccine hidden away.

The introduction of Cole into story has the readers curious - who is this guy, where did he come from, and can Cat - and the readers - trust him at his word? He definitely comes across as the "dangerous" option for Cat to go along with as opposed to other romantic interests, as his little soldier qualities appear to be set to keep her safe as she works towards unlocking the vaccine. I am a sucker for when the male lead is basically tasked or in this case, programmed, to protect the female lead and would do anything to keep her safe. Considering they just met, I can understand why Cat was hesitant to trust Cole, but he also seemed to be just as cautious towards her when she would propose doing some less than anticipated work on him when it comes to his panel and genes.

Cat's initial characterization was not keeping me entertained - she was irritating to me and her internal monologue was not something I was immediately drawn towards. I can give her some slack considering she found out some pretty impactful news and is now on this epic run to save millions of people, but there was just something about her that was driving me up a wall. While this is a young adult novel, I feel as though it could have worked better as new adult with some aged up characters to be in their early twenties rather than late teens. Cat's development felt stagnant until the last one third of the book and I was growing tired of her having the same thoughts every chapter.

The plot as a whole was lacking - we see the eventual addition of a love triangle but it seemed to overtake the actual plot of the book once it was introduced until the last few chapters where actual plot devices came back. I wanted to really dive into a dystopian novel and this story was just not cutting it for me even though the summary really had my interest locked in. When the action finally started up, I had hope that the story was turning around and would draw me back in, and it did for awhile, until the love triangle seemed to take center stage once again. The shocking twist towards the end of the book definitely has me intrigued enough into considering continuing on with this series, but it will later rather than sooner. Once again, I did read an ARC version of this book, so if there were any changes from that version to the final version, I may not be aware.

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Draw Down the Moon (Moonstruck, #1) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! The version I am reading is an ARC - any changes made for the final publication are not reflected in this review. Draw Down the Moon is now available to purchase as of April 2, 2024.

Wren has lived her entire life believing she was Mundane-born to two Moonstruck parents, but everything changes after she turns eighteen and suddenly begins to glow. From living a normal life to being thrown into a new experience by attending the Academia de la Luna with her best friend Lee, Wren must now reorient herself while watching her back. While this book is young adult - the characters are out of high school and all eighteen or older - the writing personally felt more middle grade, which did not really feel like it meshed well with the environment the authors wanted to convey. It definitely felt more juvenile than what was expected, and I unfortunately found myself becoming agitated with the characters because they were acting like twelve-year-olds instead of college students.

Lee's character was certainly the most level-headed for the majority of the book, and his perspective chapters allowed readers to see his feelings about being at the Academia de la Luna with the unexpected twist of having Wren be by his side. Considering the tragedy that his family experienced prior to the book's start, it was admirable for him to continue on, but his dedication seemed to cloud his judgement towards the end of the book. Could it have been that he was afraid he would lose another person that he loved? Possibly. But he seemed to have this blind dedication to a system that he really did not know that much about, and it is a system that was covering up student deaths and even more secrets.

If you are like me and loathe constant modern day references and pop culture references, I fear this book may send you into a spiral. Mere pages into this first installment, we are presented with main characters Lee and Wren, and Wren's internal monologue reads like she is getting paid by Netflix to advertise Bridgerton like her life depends on it. Sure, it is probably only mentioned three or four times over the course of the entire book, but frankly, that was three or four times too many for my liking. The references to TikTok amongst other things died down a little bit but ramped right back up just when I thought that they were through with - while I can appreciate the authors wanting to show the Mundane side of things in the story, it was a touch overkill.

While the plot was intriguing based off the summary, I have to say it just seems to be a story that has been done before and will probably be done again. The quintessential young adult book of the main character suddenly coming into powers or magic just to be the very being that threatens the current rulers / order's way of doing things. The pacing moves so quickly that you are introduced to a number of characters at the Academia de la Luna that will support Lee and Wren's journeys, both together and on their own. I do wish I cared about them more, because when things did go south, I did not feel like I knew them enough to be upset about it.

If you are looking for a quick fantasy read with only a touch of romance, Draw Down the Moon could be next up on your list. I will probably see this duology through in the far future if I need to up my fantasy kick again, but for now I would say I can complete this at a later date.

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The Three Theban Plays (The Theban Plays, #1-3) by Sophocles Review

This review contains spoilers for The Three Theban Plays.

The Three Theban Plays consists of Antigone, Oedipus the King, and Oedipus at Colonus, in addition to supplemental information and introductions provided by the translators in order for the reader to truly understand the significance of the plays, the influence that Sophocles had on dramas and tragedies, and key components of each play. I had a great appreciation for the introductions provided for each play, as it allowed myself as the reader to become more immersed into the true story-telling we were seeing come to life. Of the three, I have to say that Oedipus the King was my favorite - more so because of the revelations made, prophecies set by the gods, internal turmoil, and the attempt to intervene one's fate.

The gradual realization that Oedipus has in fact fulfilled the fate of sleeping with his mother and murdering his own father was captivating. As readers, we knew this was coming and were prepared for the fallout - however, seeing the actual culmination of Oedipus discovering this information was an entirely riveting experience. Prior to truly diving deep into his story, we touch upon the tale of one of his daughters in Antigone, with the titular character taking the lead as we witness her take charge of her own choices and the consequences of said choices. The eventful discovery by Oedipus of his own actions catapults him into this internal hellscape of trying to rectify the remaining days of his life and coming to terms that he did fulfill the fate handed to him. Gouging out his eyes and going into exile in attempt to atone for killing his father and having children with his mother is the only choice to him.

Reading all three plays together allows the reader to have the upmost regard for each play on their own, but more so the final tale and outcome - with the additional information at hand, the reader is able to understand the overall themes and conclusions that Sophocles wanted to instill to the audience. The realizations made by a variety of characters hone in on the overall subject matter as well as seeing how characters are doomed to their own fates, especially when they were the ones who set the fates in motion. As there is no right or wrong solution presented by Sophocles, we are simply an audience to bear witness to characters, in particular, Creon, that have this sense of righteousness where he believe what he is doing is the right choice.

These works definitely opened my eyes and greatened my appreciation for the development and additions to tragedies and dramas, along with the translators explaining the importance of prose and the callback to Poetics. As I make my way through the Penguin Classics collection, I have to say these works have sparked my enjoyment for plays once again. I wish I had a greater background in Greek plays to be able to speak on these plays in a more extensive sense, however with the knowledge I do have, I can say my appreciation is still there.

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The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating [and Other War Crimes] (Guides to Villainy and Love, #1) by Tiffany Hunt Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

I thought this would be a fun dark romance with a solid comedic element to ease myself out of the more wilder dark romance books I've been dabbling in, so when my Libby hold finally came through, I was excited to see where this book would take me. The premise of the Dark Lord kidnapping a girl to become his wife certainly grabbed my attention, and considering my track record of devouring kidnapped mafia romances, I knew this would be up my alley.

While this book is definitely on the more mature side of romance, the writing still reads as though we are in a young adult novel - maybe it's the fact that there are chapter titles and the length of the chapters are short, but the stylistic choices somewhat took me out of my element. That being said, this was not necessarily a bad thing - it makes the pacing go quickly and adds some humor to the story - but rather something I just simply was not anticipating for this book.

I found myself wishing that the Dark Lord - Kazimir - was a touch more dark. While he certainly knew how to handle spies, bandits, and others who crossed his path, it felt as though the author could have made him a little more ruthless. Considering he has this notorious presence about him where he is truly to be feared, I expected him to be more cutthroat. Perhaps I was just looking for the descriptions to be more adult rather than glossing over some of his actions. I did love how devoted he became to Arabella as they spent more time together, especially when it came to magic lessons and some other more lucrative activities.

Arabella really held her ground throughout this entire book, which is more than I can say for some other fantasy female leads. Sure, she was kidnapped and basically forced to wed Kazimir - honestly, it was a better option than the life that she was currently living and the life that waited ahead for her. She is stubborn and hot-headed, but is extremely well-adjusted, all things considered. I found myself enjoying her perspective chapters just as much as I enjoyed her through the eyes of Kazimir in his chapters. Kazimir was no different, and he very much exuded the same amount of energy that Arabella gave, not only towards him, but towards others in the book.

The pacing moved so quickly - the chapters and short and with perspective changes, the reader remains engaged in the story. I appreciated that the perspectives were not constantly going back and forth; having multiple chapters in a row with the same perspective before switching over allowed us to actually stay in either Kazimir or Arabella's minds for long enough to actually see internal thoughts and development without getting whiplash. The plot could have had a touch of improvement, as I felt as though the first half of the book lacked a bit of momentum when it came to pushing the story further - it definitely picked up and once the ball started rolling, we really went through the ringer with these two. I am interested to see where the author takes us next, especially with the way we were left with an underlying feeling that something was amiss.

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Game On (Into Darkness, #3) by Navessa Allen Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my reviews of Lights Out and Caught Up on my blog, now!

I honestly did not set my expectations high for this final installment - I was not overly obsessed with Lights Out like the Booktok community and felt let down by Caught Up. I think I was hoping that this series would follow through with the dark romance with comedic relief, much like what I saw in Butcher & Blackbird, but instead I was let down once again. At least in the first book we saw a glimpse of the dark part of what a dark romance should be, but in the remaining books, it felt as though the original essence was abandoned. This is also the first time I have read an age gap romance where the female lead was older than the male lead, and safe to say this was not my cup of tea. However, I did appreciate that the author did not constantly bring up their age difference, it was only mentioned a couple of times.

Tyler seemed to be clouded by revenge, understandably so, but I still found myself aggravated with his reasoning on why he was targeting Stella in the first place. I kept wanting a big reveal to happen and have him go totally off the rails to actually fall in line with the dark and mysterious vibe he was going far, but it just never came. He definitely is dedicated, motivated, and passionate when it comes to collecting a debt and seeking revenge, but I wanted him to have that extra something-something to really draw me to him. He is certainly enthusiastic when it comes to getting spicy and exploring new things about himself, so I can give him that.

Stella's characterization was something that felt surface-level to me, which feels wild considering she does have a few moments where she is seen to be more fleshed out, but it does not seem to last long. I wanted to her grow into a more intense character, and when it came to getting freaking with Tyler she definitely excelled in that, but when it came to the overall plot of the book, she was lacking. Yes, she is willing to do anything for her younger brother, but I wanted the author to have her grow even more than the minimum growth and self-reflection she did experience. She is presented as this alternative tattoo artist with a troubled past but her character was just not drawing me in at all.

The little callouts to the prior books is always fun and I do love a Josh appearance, but the overall premise of this book was not alluring after I began reading. Tyler's "ruthlessness" in the beginning made me start to have hope that this would be an improvement from the second installment, but unfortunately it did not seem to stem too far and left me unsatisfied. The spicier scenes were tame in comparison to other books I have read, however the scenes that included AJ definitely were the highlight of those moments in the book. Tyler and Stella's relationship development throughout their story was pretty predictable and the fact that the most exciting parts were when they added someone else into the mix showed me that their relationship needed something more to make them exciting.

I really wanted to enjoy this book and while I did finish it in one day, it was more so in an effort to see it through and have a justified opinion on the series as a whole. I found myself not invested in Tyler's revenge scheme and bored with his constant rants - whether internal or not - about how angry he was about his life and how he wanted every wealthy person to pay. If you are looking for the "lighter" types of dark romance, this series could be a hit with you, but if you are looking for something with a little power, this would be a skip.

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Fear the Flames (Fear the Flames, #1) by Olivia Rose Darling Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

I have not dived into a high fantasy series in some time and it felt so good finally picking this book up after having it sit on my shelf for a long time. This was so reminiscent of when I first started reading the Throne of Glass series in high school - the female lead, Elowen, reminded me of Celaena - both share a lot of similar personality traits. The author introduces us to Elowen right off the bat and defines her background as a "discarded" princess for being linked to five dragons and the history of how she ended up founding her own kingdom in an effort to eventually take back was what taken from her.

The premise of having an heir that was exiled because she was linked to dragons is certainly new - you would think that a king would be thrilled that his kingdom would someday be ruled by his very powerful daughter - think again! Elowen is straight up locked away the second the link is revealed and she had the worst upbringing imaginable. Her father's lust for power knows no bounds, and this ultimately manifests into her reason to continue fighting. Years later, she is a grown woman seeking to protect the people of her newly created kingdom, and finds herself becoming aligned with Cayden, a dangerous commander. Right off the bat, their banter establishes an excellent and tension-filled relationship - I really enjoyed how witty each of them would be towards one another, and it definitely provided some comedic relief.

Cayden's ruthlessness is unparalleled in this first installment - like any commander we see in a high fantasy novel, he takes what he wants and he is happy to do it by any means necessary. His ability to use this words in threats only adds to his dangerous demeanor and it solidifies him as somehow you would not want to mess with. The combination of Cayden and Elowen's capabilities makes them a pair you do not want to cross. Other the other side of the coin, readers are able to see the sarcastic and secret loverboy side of Cayden as the story progresses. His and Elowen's relationship begins as something that seems forced - they are only working together to complete a common goal - but of course nature takes route and we get to witness the evolution of how they see one another.

Elowen is no meek-minded princess - she is a woman who is willing to lay down her life to get back what is rightfully hers and will do whatever is asked of her to make things happen. She is stubborn and full of life, which makes her a pleasure to read. I love the energy between her and Cayden as they embark on this journey together, especially when the occasion calls for them to be more brutal. Elowen has such great devotion to the people of Aestilian, the kingdom she established, and she embarks on so many dangerous quests in order to ensure they are provided for and remain safe. She truly has her people's best interest at heart, and her devotion is clearly one of her main motivators throughout the story.

Cayden and Elowen's chemistry was juicy, juicy... I absolutely loved everything about them. It was literally addicting reading all of their scenes together and I found myself truly locked into their development. With Cayden being to utterly determined to protect her, it only made me root for them even more. Their more spicier scenes did not take away from the overall tone of the book, and in fact allowed the brutality of some of the fighting to be evened out. I loved the friends and companions in this book - with Cayden and Elowen each having their own established support systems, it made their journey all the more interesting. They both for fighting to ensure the safety of each other and their friends.

The world building could definitely have used some more fine tuning - we are thrown right into the thick of things when the book begins, and I would have loved some more details regarding the magic and the creatures. There were times where it felt as though we would suddenly be introduced to a new, dangerous creature and we as readers were supposed to understand the gravity of the situation without really having the context for it. I did really enjoy how ruthless Cayden and Elowen could be during this book, and the author certainly did not leave things to the imagination when it came to them getting answers from people, by any means necessary. I will definitely be continuing on with this series and look forward to what in in store for them.

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Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

I bought this book probably about a year ago and kept telling myself I was going to sit down and see what all of the craze was about.. well, I can finally check this one off my TBR! I read this book in one sitting in under three hours - once I started, I simply could not stop. While this is the first work of Kuang's I have read, I can definitely understand the appeal and the rave reviews she has received. The entire premise of this book is utterly intriguing and explores a narrative I have yet to come across while diving deep into the narrator's conscious as she attempts to justify her actions.

Juniper Hayward's first novel is a flop, while her Yale schoolmate and fellow novelist, Athena Liu, has acquired yet another pin in her hat - a Netflix deal for one of her books. When an unfortunate and tragic accident takes Athena's life in a blink of an eye, Juniper does the unthinkable - she steals the sole copy of Athena's latest manuscript and decides to pass it off as her own. Without the original author there to call her bluff, Juniper's life goes from luck-luster writer to overnight sensation - she receives praise, signs with a new editor and publishing house, and begins to receive all the nominations she was so envious of Athena accumulating. 

Not everything can be as easy as stealing a manuscript and passing it off as your own, it seems. The momentum is strong when the book finally is published, yet Juniper is haunted by the choice she has made. Readers see her try to reason with herself and justify her thievery while slowly slipping into the mentality that she truly wrote the book. Sure, she made some edits - and had some not so complimentary things to say about Athena's writing - but she enters this state of delusion as she digs herself deeper and deeper into this mess. And it is all not without consequence - as people begin to peace some things together, we see Juniper's initial weariness transpire into full-fledge paranoia.

Juniper truly believes she is entitled to the success that she has stolen from Athena, and it was baffling to see the lengths she was willing to go to keep everything under wraps. Not only does she have critics and the general public becoming suspicious of her "work," but she herself seemingly is becoming undone internally and begins on a path of unknowing self destruction. I cannot say that I feel bad for Juniper - she is at the center of this massive secret, and yet she does not even recognize what she has done once she gets in too deep. I truly think this book looks deep into the feelings of loneliness that Juniper was surrounded by, and to be frank, that Athena felt as well. Juniper mentions that novelists often do not have that many friends, and it is evident that is the case when it comes to these two. They cannot even call themselves friends to one another - they "spent" all this time "together" and only on maybe two nights of their lives were they able to make a worthy connection.

Intriguingly enough, I did find some of the "complaints" that Juniper had of Athena's writing riddled throughout this book itself - the prose that seemingly consumed Athena and thus turned some of her writing into rambles was slightly littered throughout Kuang's novel. The pacing certainly kept me locked in, otherwise I would not have been able to complete it so quickly - that being said, the sentence structure and flow permitted readers to remain engaged due to the short chapters. This book would be heaven for the booktwitter and booktok warriors - the on-the-nose commentary, Twitter quotes, one star Goodreads rating, and various think pieces of Juniper's capabilities - it was like I was experiencing a modern-day cancellation on page.

My overall feeling is that this book feels like it simply was not complete - there is more that could have been said, and if the author had decided to lean into Juniper's more crazed state earlier on, I think we would have been able to reach a more concrete conclusion. While I understand why she decided to end the book in such a way, it feels as though it was done out of necessity rather than satisfaction in the wrap of the story. As I have already noted, this is the first work of Kuang's I have dived into, but it still felt as though she is likely capable of more than what she provided here.

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