Wrath of the Dragons (Fear the Flames, #2) by Olivia Rose Darling Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of Fear the Flames on my blog, now!

Now that House of the Dragon is back up and running every Sunday, I knew I was in need of a dragon-fix sooner rather than later in between episodes, and luckily enough I had this bad boy sitting on my shelf waiting to be opened. I had such a blast reading the first installment, Fear the Flames, and knew that this follow-up would leave me feeling the same way. 

Elowen and Cayden's relationship has so much thought put into it and the development throughout this book built upon their already pretty solid dynamic. They can be snarky with one another while also taking into consideration the other's feelings, whereas many other couples in different series have a major communication problem. Now, that does not mean they are immune to the occasional argument or defiance against a decided plan, but more often than not, they are doing it to protect the other.

Finnian and Elowen's sibling bond is so precious and I honestly spent the majority of the book worried something horrendous was going to happen to Finnian at any given moment. While he seemed to be on the backburner during this book, readers are still able to see his relationship with Elowen and how strongly their relationship is - they are alwasy looking out for one another and willing to go all the way when it comes to taking risks in order to keep the other safe. Elowen's original group and Cayden's original group combination is still endearing to me - neither group holds back from speaking what is on their mind and proposing different solutions.

The side characters in this installment definitely held more ground compared to when they were first introduced. The stakes are higher and new relationships have been formed - we see these characters take on larger roles while Elowen and Cayden still remain at the forefront. I did enjoy how the author would give us glimpses into the lives of these characters, and while we did only seem to scratch the service when it came to a few of them, it was nice to have a little break from the more intense plot and escape for a bit.

While I understand Elowen was kept away from her dragons for so long, it did feel slightly overdone every time she would go on a little internal monologue about them. We as readers totally understand that she has a bond with them and has missed out on so much due to being apart, but it started to feel repetitive and somewhat diminished how invested I was in their survival. That being said, I did enjoy how the dragons have been given their own personalities and qualities - instead of being five of the same dragons, they are distinguishable amongst one another. However, the incorporation of more magical elements in this book definitely made up for what the dragons were lacking, and with an ending like this, I can only sit on the edge of my seat until the third installment is released.

I read this book in two big sittings and one final one hundred page sprint - you can certainly tackle it fairly quickly if you set aside the time for it. I do wish the dragons had larger roles - not as much as the ones in Fourth Wing seem to have - but they could have been incorporated into the story more beyond just the battle scenes. It would have been nice to see more of Elowen's bond with them as these big moments were led up to. This series definitely gives off a vibe of being a blend of A Game of Thrones and Throne of Glass - and maybe just a touch of Fourth Wing only in regards to the dragons. If you are looking into getting into high fantasy but weary of how intense it may be, this is a great series to push you towards the more complex fantasy worlds.

You can add Wrath of the Dragons on Goodreads now, and follow the author to stay up to date with releases and publications.

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

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.

You can add Fear the Flames 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 (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

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.

You can add Yellowface 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 (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

So Happy Together by Olivia Worley Review

This review contains minor spoilers - no major plot points are revealed!

The summary for this novel really caught my eye, and since my thriller to, well, everything else ratio has been seriously lacking, I figured now was the time to finally move this from TBR to read. The summary really drew me in, and you can honestly fly through this book no problem - more than likely a same-day start and finish can be in your future. The pacing is well-managed and keeps the reader engaged while adding in elements of surprise and twists that allows the plot to move forward without falling stagnant. The more you learn about Jane, the more you realize that she is not at all what she appears to be - the same goes for Zoe and Collin, and as readers watch their twisted dynamic escalate to unimaginable means, we are thrown into a whirlwind tale of disastrous means.

We see Jane's obsession with Collin right from the beginning, and sure, thinking you had something special with a guy only to have him end things with you and start something serious with someone else almost immediately after can be shocking, but Jane was taking her plan to get him back to another level. And by another level, I mean straight-up stalking. Girl, whatever gets the job done! But her plan to get him back goes array in the most unexpected way possible and she suddenly finds herself embroiled in Collin and his girlfriend, Zoe, lives as Zoe's latest friend. With this friendship comes the unraveling of everyone's perceptions of one another as dark truths are revealed and moralities are put to the test.

I love how complex our big three in this book were - Collin, Jane, and Zoe all have such interesting character developments throughout the book. There are times where you think you know exactly where each of them will end up, only to be thrown off your trail in the very next chapter when something truly unruly is discovered. Whether it is the death of a side character, a secret past revealed, or further entanglement into each other's lives, the author is able to create a sense of unease for the reader as they grow more concerned for how everything will play out. Especially when things go array and plans are set in motion to take down Collin, we see these characters go to new levels of unhinged.

Every character had a dark side that was just waiting to be revealed - whether it was already on the surface or waiting to be revealed, the author maintains reader attention and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I am not a frequent thriller reader, so when I do dive into the genre, I like to make it count - and So Happy Together has certainly made the cut. I look forward to reading more of Worley's work and explore her realm of mystery.

You can add So Happy Together 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 (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Blackthorn by J.T. Geissinger ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Please read trigger warnings - reader discretion is advised. Blackthorn was published by Bramble on November 4, 2025 and is now available at select retailers.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Bramble for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Maven returns to her hometown with the impression she and her daughter, Bea, will only be there to lay part of the past to rest - literally. Life has an unexpected turn when her grandmother's body disappears into thin air and a past love is determined to reenter her life without taking no for an answer. With immediate guilt being placed on the Croft family - the Blackthorn's rival for generations - we see Maven dive deeper to find out the truth as Ronan, her past mistake, continues to insert himself into her life. I really enjoyed the gothic feel to this dark romance, as it was eerie and haunted the plot as we follow Maven and Ronan deeper into their lives. You could sense the uneasiness coming off the page, and considering the contents of this book, it certainly was not the only thing to cause readers to be put out of place.

I have not read a book for a very long time in which the main character had a child - it is honestly kind of jarring to see, as I am used to them having children in the epilogue or towards the very end of the book. That being said, the age of this child is clearly integral to the plot of the book, and Bea's presence was necessary for a number of plot devices. While she did not take on much of a "leading" role, she was still supplying a decent amount of drive when it came to Maven's story. Even though her presence was more so in compliment of Maven's plot, Bea was still important to moving the plot along in order to showcase Maven's determination, along with her ability to keep things hidden.

When I first looked at the trigger warnings, my first thought was how in the world are these going to come up in this story - I quickly discovered that the author was willing to go down taboo roads in this gothic dark romance. At first, readers would think that the "freak factor" would need to be upped tenfold after only reading the first third of the book, but let me tell you - it gets sent into the stratosphere towards the halfway mark and just continues to have the reader's jaw drop. As someone who feels as though they have read everything that falls under taboo, this book certainly had some firsts for me. It definitely takes a minute to dive into the freakiness, but Geissinger does not hold back once that portion is uncovered.

This was honestly a pretty decent combination of genres - you have the dark romance, enemies-to-lovers aspect at the forefront, accompanied by this supernatural and gothic aura that enhances the romance while creating this haunting nature over the story. Maven and Ronan's relationship is much more complicated than anyone could have imagined and as readers see their story unfold, they are presented with conflicting realizations and are left on the edge of their seat.

You can add Blackthorn 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 (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You by Leigh Stein ARC Review

This is a spoiler-free review! If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You was published on August 26, 2025 and is now available at select book retailers.

I would first like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. A combination of literary fiction intertwined with mystery and thriller, Stein's novel pulls the reader in as a viewer in this influencer-centric search for a missing Tarot card reader who vanished without a trace. This book is weird, gothic, and obsessive - every character has a compulsive attribute about them as they work towards fame and attention. You can see that when the attention or focus is not on one of them for too long, they begin to unravel at the seems. The internet is a compelling place that can have sinister consequences when one strives to do whatever it takes to stay on top.

I wish this book was a little weirder - the author really could have pulled through on that end and made the characters and subplots more erratic and disorienting. The mysterious and eeriness that surrounded Becca's disappearance was definitely hovering over the book throughout, but it felt underwhelming in what my expectations were going into Stein's work. Her disappearing certainly haunted the narrative, but with a "haunted" mansion being the center of the story and the main location of the book, it would have been great to see the author really turn the story more twisted for the characters and for the house.

The house feels like it is its own character - it carries an energy that overtakes the page, and the characters seem to treat it as a great entity rather than a 10,000 square foot house. There is a mysteriousness to it that consumes its residents and draws outsiders to want to look in and see what stories and secrets it holds. The energy given off by the house definitely adds to the uneasiness felt throughout the story as the search for Becca continues and answers are sought out. Considering one of the main focus points is to preserve the house for its next heir, it is always lingering in the background, whether the characters are using it for their videos or the owner is attempting to acquire more money to restore the mansion.

Dayna and her rabbit, Owen Wilson, take center stage in this gothic tale as she returns back to the hype house after a not-so-mutual break up with her boyfriend through a Reddit post. Her career in journalism has been not quite a flourishing as she had hoped, and moving into the hype house in order to help its owner save it from decay could be her ticket back into the game. You could tell that Dayna's influence in the house creates some tension between the influencers there, as they fight for her attention - or more so, for Owen Wilson and using him in their videos. Attempting to profit off of Becca's sudden disappearance through a social media campaign, Dayna's presence seems to be the thing that ties everything together once Olivia, Becca's biggest fan, comes to live in the house.

Stein's work poses an interesting combination of modern internet influencers with the gothic nature of the unknown and uncertainty. The pacing moves quickly and draws the reader in as they are sucked into the search for Becca, but also become an inside viewer to the realities that these influencers live in order to make content, at whatever the cost.

You can add If You're Seeing This, It's Meant for You 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 (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

I was in desperate need of a lit fic to push me out of my romance-induced binge, and what better way to do a 180 and throw myself into a modern day Persephone and Demeter retelling. As a sucker for anything involving Greek mythology and a girl in her twenties who is drawn to literary fiction like a moth to a flame, this book has been on my TBR for a hot minute. When camp counselor Cory catches the eye of pharmaceutical mogul Rolo, a single father of one of her campers, she is whisked away to a private island to be his private nanny. As she continues to butt heads with her mother, the book switches perspectives between the mother daughter duo as they embark on separate journeys and explores varying degrees of consumerism, desire, and control.

It is so intriguing - and often disorienting - to see Cory slowly succumb to the draw of Rolo's charm and enticing nature as she becomes more integrated into the luxurious island. As her time there progresses and her use of Rolo's pharmaceuticals steadily increases, Cory begins to question the intentions of her charming host while convincing herself that she remains in control of her decisions and actions. Surrounded by Rolo's workers and influenced by their clique-like behavior, Cory seemingly begins to want to repair her relationship with her mother with the simple step of reaching out to her.

Cory's mother, Emer, is an ambitious head of an agricultural NGO and desperate to locate her teenage daughter that has seemingly disappeared from her camp counselor job into thin air. As she attempts to contact her, she is bombarded with questions regarding the status of rice growth and inquiries on how much longer investors will have to wait. Torn between her business and her child, Emer's life is disrupted as she abandons all and embarks on a search for Cory, no matter the cost to her reputation.

It was incredibly intriguing to see Rolo's characterization develop as Cory spent more time on the island and taking Fruit of the Dead - he becomes more alluring while also showing increasing signs of agitation and sporadic decision making. When he first appears to Cory, he is showcased as a god-like man with incredible draw, and yet we see this persona slip and form into a controlling man with tunnel vision. Cory's presence on the island continues to influence her own decision making and she becomes part of Rolo and his children's lives. Those around Rolo, including a mildly disgruntled ex-wife, seem to send warning signals to Cory every chance they get, but with infatuation blinding her and Fruit of the Dead muddling her mind, she stuck in island set on keeping her unaware of her surrounding.

Lyon does an impeccable job at incorporating myth and modern together. Her writing style abandons quotation marks in conversation - not one of my favorite stylistic choices, but I do say it worked well as it causes confusion for both the reader and the characters. Your brain begins to feel muddled and you are going back to past paragraphs to confirm you did not miss anything. Readers are left spiraling down the rabbit hole along with Cory as she is entangled in some serious fixation with a life of luxury with Rolo. I had a great time reading this disorienting exploration of capitalistic greed, carnal desire, and familial bonds - as a lover of Greek mythology, Lyon hits the nail on the head with this vivid retelling.

You can add Fruit of the Dead 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 (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

A Day of Fallen Night (The Roots of Chaos, #0) by Samantha Shannon Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can read my review of The Priory of the Orange Tree on my blog, here.

Samantha Shannon has done it again - thrown back into the world of The Priory of the Orange Tree, she takes us back to the events leading up to the very rise of the wyrms nearly five centuries before the events of Shannon's first work. A Day of Fallen Night can be read as a prequel standalone, but I highly recommend reading The Priory of the Orange Tree before diving into this installment. I absolutely adored the first work in this interconnected series and have been sitting on this prequel for some time - I decided it was finally the moment to see it through.

Politically complex and emotionally drawing, Shannon is able to bring readers right back into the fold of The Roots of Chaos with four new leading ladies as their tales are told and we are taken on a journey to see just how generations of fearless women would be impacted. Much like its companion, this installment is broken up into parts, marking significant turns in their stories and the eventful merge of their journeys. With chapters designated once again to the North, South, East, and West, readers follow characters as their lives are turned around or they embark on their destinies. Having the background knowledge of what happens nearly five hundred years in the future definitely was an advantage, and I found myself easily sliding back into this world - when I first read The Priory of the Orange Tree, I will admit it was a bit of a struggle to wrap my head around the extensive world-building.

I was never bored with any of the leading characters or their journeys - each was unique and intricate, with supporting characters that truly added to the story without being overbearing or useless. You could see the internal struggles of every character, and when faced with a number of difficult and often life-defining decisions, readers could see it was no easy choice for any character to make. With a number of queens, opposing opinions of wyrms, and mistrust around every corner, Shannon ensures readers will be entertained and on the edge of their seat. Much like Priory, this prequel eases the reader into the story while still maintaining a fast pace right from the first chapter.

Relationships are both establish and slow-building, as characters learn more about themselves and where they come from as the story goes on. I really enjoyed this aspect - while we knew information about certain characters right from the beginning, there were a number of characters that were more of a mystery to readers, and as information slowly became available, we were able to piece together characters' backstories. Watching as the characters moved towards the same destination by the end of the book was fascinating, and with differing opinions on wyrms, we see the characters appreciate them in one chapter and then others determined to end them in the next.

I cannot wait to see what Shannon has in store for readers next, and with a short prequel set two years before the events of The Priory of the Orange Tree being published at the end of 2025, I am sure she will have readers in the palm of her hand. An epic high fantasy filled with political moves, friendships, self-discovery, action, and realizations, The Roots of Chaos series truly is an experience any fantasy reader should embark on.

You can add A Day of Fallen Night 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 (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Funny Story by Emily Henry Review

This is a spoiler-free review! You can also read my review of Book Lovers on my blog, now!

I picked this up unexpectedly as I wanted to use up store credit at my local bookstore - I did not have the faintest idea of the book's plot, but since I enjoyed Book Lovers so much, I figured I would add it to my cart. Emily Henry seems to have such a way with writing unexpected pairings, and I found myself totally sucked into the absolutely insane predicament that Daphne and Miles were thrown into - I cannot even imagine being in their shoes. With relationships in shambles and exes off galavanting with each other, Miles and Daphne find themselves as roommates when their respective partners abandon them for one another.

Seeing how Miles and Daphne seem to have opposite personalities, their sudden living arrangements causing them to live one room over from one another proves to be more entertaining than either of them imagined. With an unconventional plan to make their exes believe there is something more going on between them than meets the eye, they form an unlikely alliance in order to make everyone believe that they are doing just fine. This was such a fun concept to me, and as a lover of the fake dating trope, I knew I was going to eat this book up as soon as I realized what was going on.

Daphne's relationship with Patrick was always playing it safe and following his lead, whether it came to working out together, spending time with his family, or eating certain foods. It felt as though Daphne could not be her own person in their relationship, and from an outsider's perspective, it was a relationship that was destined to fizzle out one way or another. Miles and Petra's relationship mirrored Daphne and Patrick's, in the sense that Miles was longing for something more while Petra was determined to have Patrick fall into the same ways as her family. While we do not get a super in depth look at both of the relationships, it is clear that they were on roads headed south, and it was only a matter of time before they fell apart.

I loved how much Miles was able to make Daphne come out of her shell and finally start living her life - from what we saw from her relationship with Patrick, the man was holding her back from experiencing everything life had to offer. And for a woman in her thirties, she certainly should have been taking advantage of her youth and exploring the area. On the other hand, Daphne's influence on Patrick when it came to sticking up for himself -- and often times, sticking up for Daphne -- showed how much he was able to mature and really take a look at his life.

If you are looking for a fun, fast-paced romance, Funny Story is in the cards for you. I do wish there were a few less pop culture references, only because I felt like they date a book and it gives off millennial vibes to me. Some plot points felt as though they were repeated from another one of Henry's works, but I still had an absolute blast reading this book, and can't wait to dive into another one of her works.

You can add Funny Story 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 (X), and my Instagram in order to stay up-to-date with any reviews, blog tours, and more!

Book Lovers by Emily Henry Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

Emily Henry... I am sorry I doubted you without knowing anything about you. I am sorry I bought Happy Place a year and a half ago and still have not cracked it open. Please, forgive me. I honestly did not know what to expect when going into this book, but I was in the mood for a little romcom, and with the added bonus of what sounded like a very loose enemies-to-lovers, this caught my eye. They definitely are not conventional "enemies" but rather the multiple not-meet-cutes and first impression in the city sets them up for a grumpy beginning.

I truly believe Emily Henry has been following me around for my entire life simply because Nora feels like a carbon copy of myself, with the only difference being that our careers are different. In the very beginning of this book, every single time Nora began to describe her thought processes or how she approached life, I felt like she was staring into my soul and my brain. I will say, Nora's obsession with goat cheese salads was something I could not relate to, but the dirty martinis were certainly something that called to me.

Charlie is definitely up there as a solid book boyfriend - even after his and Nora's first encounter, I could tell this man was going to turn out for the best. After a fateful turn of events, they end up in each other's lives and somehow manage to become integral parts as they navigate their own obstacles while slowly becoming weaved into each other's days. It was low-key hot that he would come back to his town and help his mother run the store - he has already made a name for himself, and yet he is willing to drop things for his family.

If I was Nora... I would have strangled Dusty... for reasons I will not mention due to spoilers, that girl has some NERVE. Nora is a much better person than I am, and truly has the gift of patience when it comes to dealing with people doing the absolute most. She does nothing but sacrifice things for her sister or for others, and yet people constantly speak to her as if she is the selfish one for knowing what she wants and putting her career or routine first when the time comes.

No WiFi in these small town cafés... I would have gone absolutely insane. Especially in Nora's situation, where she constantly needs to be in contact with certain people, even when publishing somewhat dies down during the month of August. Dusty's presence as the needy writer was actually getting on my nerves so much, I felt as though I was her editor. I cannot fathom someone throwing fits if their editor does not immediately answer their calls, and considering what she was turning into Nora, she had no room for the dramatics.

"What are colleagues for?" What if I died. Nora and Charlie's unique relationship and dynamic was such an interesting thing to see in a romance novel, and given that Nora has been haunted my the small town trope, I rooting for her to find someone that matched her lifestyle and energy. Charlie matched Nora's energy so well, you could tell that he would be the one to appreciate the way she did things and be understanding when she would put work first at times.

By the end of this book, I was firmly standing on the belief that Nora should be allowed to kill someone. My word, the things that this girl has gone through, and on top of it all, being the eldest daughter? My girl needs a vacation immediately. The side characters were high-key putting Nora through the ringer, and as sweet as her sister, Libby, is, she seemed to be oblivious to some of the things she asked of Nora or situations she put her in.

If you are looking for a quick, fun read to get you out of a slump or something to cleanse a genre-binge, Book Lovers will do just that. I am glad that I finally gave this writer a chance, and was pleased to see how much I did enjoy this book. Since I tend to be a mood reader, a romcom was finally calling to me and I had to pick up the phone before the feeling passed.

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

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

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer Review

This is a spoiler-free review!

I have been on the hunt for a literary fiction novel that explored the autonomy of women and the repercussions that narcissistic, manipulative men have on women since the second season of Tell Me Lies has been airing on Hulu. Doug has commissioned Annie, a one-of-a-kind robotic girlfriend, for himself to fill the void that his ex-wife left -- conveniently, he has had her made to resemble his ex-wife as close as possible. As Annie is routinely put through modifications per Doug's request and attempts to mold her responses to his actions and feelings, she begins to have an identity crisis as she becomes more human every day.

This is essentially a deep dive character study as Annie begins to become less robotic and continues to defy the programming that makes her who she is - or should I say, that makes her who Doug wants her to be. Whether it be to up her cup size, shed a few pounds, or even change the way that she pleases him, Doug has control over Annie's every change and action, until she begins to override him in every way that matters. She becomes disorganized, sloppy, and agitating in Doug's eyes, but the reader sees this in an opposite light - she is becoming independent, expanding her knowledge, and questioning things around her.

The more that Doug makes adjustments to Annie's body and operations, it becomes apparent that he wants to control her without technically controlling her - he desires her to want to please him without using the words himself. His displeasure is clear and communicated to Annie through a numeric scale, and the constant evaluation emulates an emotionally abusive relationship, with Annie on edge and always trying to please him and apologize when she has done nothing wrong.

Humanity calls to Annie, and her curiosity to understand emotions and human relationships causes a tear in her and Doug's relationship. Annie's efforts to become more human cause the opposite effect she desired, and instead of making Doug happy, he becomes more frustrated that she acts more human with every day that passes. The addition of a Delta derails their relationship even more, and Annie becomes mistreated by Doug in ways she never expected, leading her down an unknown road that could have disastrous consequences.

Doug's treatment of Annie resembles psychological torture, and their relationship soon reads like a horror story. Doug is angry, agitated, and criticizing Annie to every extent, and Annie's apologies and attempts to improve his mood seem to push his mood in a downward spiral. Her autonomy is taken from her at his whim, and she fears for what might happen to her if Doug continues to treat her worse as time goes on. Greer does an excellent job at exploring Annie's sense of self as she imagines what her life would be like without Doug, and the difficulties that she faces as her humanity results in constant criticism.

My skin was crawling reading Annie Bot - Doug's narcissism takes control over him when he uncovers a secret, and with the discovery comes a more focused light on just exactly how he treats Annie and views her body and mind as separate entities. His ability to make any change to her body that he desires while also controlling the upgrades made to her AI. At one point the realization that he can make her programming revert to one of her earlier versions would make her more innocent and easier to "restart" gives the reader the confirmation they needed to conclude that manipulative men seek out women that they can mold to their exact needs, and will resort to anything to get what they want.

An exploration of emotional, physically, and psychological abuse on women, Greer candidly reaches into Annie's character and how she attempts to navigate existing in a space with a sexist man who at his whim, can change anything about her. In a world where men see women only as caretakers, homemakers, or warm bodies, this novel navigates the intricate and convoluted society that places male pleasure above all else. 

You can add Annie Bot 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!

Prey Drive (Parallel Prey, #1) by Jen Stevens Review

This is a spoiler-free review! Prey Drive is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.

Dark romance was calling my name and I could not ignore it any longer. Haunted past? Stalker? And we get his POV? Count me in. I know this genre is not for everyone, but it is so entertaining, and I can truly say this was another fun read that keeps the reader intrigued.

Jovie has been through something unimaginable, and the way to start over is to move away from her family in an attempt to rebuild her life after a horrible night. What she does not expect is a mysterious man to become ever so present in her dreams, only to show up as real as you and me. Trying to make sense of this lurking figure, Jovie is just a lamb to his wolf, and only time will show her how much danger she is in when she least expects it.

Sebastian's loss has led him down a dark path that he can never return from, and in his conquest to seek revenge, he crosses roads with Jovie somewhere he least expects it. With Jovie posing a new obstacle in his path of destruction, he must find a way to balance his two lives without merging them. He fails this goal basically three seconds after laying eyes on Jovie, and his interest in her causes a chain reaction no one would see coming. Their relationship lowkey had me giggling and kicking my feet, and since I love a bit of drama, their complicated views of one another really drew me in. Sebastian is basically a little Zade Meadows junior, and that sold me on his character from his very first chapter.

With Jovie and Sebastian forming a complicated relationship, it leads to putting Jovie in a danger that she could not imagine, with Sebastian needing to find a way to keep her in his life while carrying our revenge. Yes, he may be a stalker, but he is polite! Kind of. At least he does not hide who he is from Jovie, so it is a point in my book. He certainly has some serious things to work through, but he has allowed revenge to take over his life, and he is becoming sloppy. He is passionate about two drastically different parts of his life, and takes both of them to the extreme.

Once the story gets into Jovie and Sebastian's relationship, we see them do so many things... literally I do not think that they were ever NOT doing something. And let me tell you, I was not complaining at all -- the author was able to pace the story and the spicier scenes together that still kept the story's pacing while giving a tasteful amount of spice. This being a dark romance, I will say that these scenes may not be everyone's cup of tea, and I would recommend looking into content warnings if you do not fair well on that front.

The ending of this book let me somewhat confused... not sure if we are headed toward the paranormal route or if there is something major to be revealed in the second book, but I will definitely be finishing this duet to get to the bottom of it. Sebastian and Jovie have such an interesting dynamic with each other, and with both having some significant things to work through, I need to see how it ends for them.

If you are looking for something Haunting Adeline-adjacent, but more tame, this is definitely a great choice to slowly work your way into the genre, without diving in head-first. I did not know what to expect from this story, but the summary was so intriguing, I just had to abandon my fantasy TBR to begin this duet. Stuff Your Kindle Day is officially two for two this month for me, and I honestly did not want to put this book down -- if I was not busy, I would have finished it in one sitting.

You can add Prey Drive 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!