🍷🍷🍷🍷 #Review of A Kingdom of Blood and Betrayal by Holly Renee

Title: A Kingdom of Blood and Betrayal

Series: Stars and Shadows #2

Author: Holly Renee

Format: 244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published: November 3, 2022

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

Reviewer: Crystal

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: 4 out of 5

🍷🍷🍷🍷

My fate is bonded to two princes– one born of blood, the other of power— but my trust lies in neither.

My skin is cursed by the stars, my fate damned by desire.

But when the dark prince offers me a bargain that will save his people and my life, the cruel and intoxicating male gives me no choice.

Our union is his revenge, and I am his sacrifice.

His lies are unforgivable. His wicked touch still bathes me in sin.

He is my mate, and he is tortured by a curse to protect his people from his own family.

I could now see him for exactly who he was. So why can’t I get his alluring touch out of my head?

I am the key to saving his kingdom, but he alone has the power to ruin me.

Crystal's Thoughts:

"Now, spread your legs like a good girl and let me have what's mine."

A Kingdom of Blood and Betrayal  picks up right where A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows ended. Adara may no longer be a captive of the Fae Kingdom, but she is now one of the Blood Kingdom. The boogeymen of her world, the storybook villain's used to scare children in order to keep them in line. Adara finds herself mated to her enemy, and though she can't trust Evren, she can't help but be drawn to him...  Will he be her death, or will he be her salvation? 

🍷🍷🍷🍷 #Review of A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows by Holly Renee

Title: A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows

Series: Stars and Shadows #1

Author: Holly Renee

Format: 259 pages, Kindle Edition

Published: July 14, 2022

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Reviewer: Crystal

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Rating: 4 out of 5 

🍷🍷🍷🍷

Destiny or desire?

Where does your allegiance lie?

I am told my union to the crowned prince will determine the fate of the kingdom, but it isn’t my betrothed who haunts my dreams. It’s the half-breed prince who stands at his side.

He is darkness and sin, and when he whispers promises of wickedness in my ear, I crave a man who I can’t have.

Every thought I have is treasonous. The way my hands ache to touch him deceitful.

Even my dreams make me a traitor to the kingdom I am sworn to protect.

But when the kingdom is attacked, I am forced to make choices I’m not prepared for. Our lies and deception are entangled in the shadows and stars, and as they unravel so shall my fate. Betray a kingdom or betray my heart.

Crystal's Thoughts:

"You may be blessed by the stars, Princess, but you were f*cking made for me. Fate be damned."

Adara is starblessed. Promised to the fae crowned prince at her birth for the sake of her kingdom. It's a fate she never wanted, a destiny she hates. And when she comes face to face with her betrothed and the queen, Adara knows that it is one that they will never allow her to run from. But it is not the two-face crowned prince or the machiavellian queen that she fears the most. It is the dark and enigmatic half-brother to the prince, and the treacherous feelings that he inspires in her. Will he be her savior, or will he be her doom?

🍷🍷🍷🍷.5 #Review of Frost by C.N. Crawford

Title: Frost

Series:  Frost and Nectar #1

Author: C.N. Crawford

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

Reviewer: Crystal

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

🍷🍷🍷🍷.5

On the worst birthday of my life, I come home to find my boyfriend in bed with another woman. Within hours, I’m drunk, homeless, and pledging to stay single forever. And that is when the dangerously sexy Seelie King rolls through town, looking for fae like me.

Every generation, the king holds a competition for Seelie queen. But for reasons he won’t explain, Torin is looking for a charade, not a real marriage. So when I drunkenly sling insults his way, I have his attention.

When Torin offers me fifty million to participate, I think, “What have I got to lose?” The answer turns out to be “my life,” because my competition will literally kill for the crown.

And the more time I spend with the seductive king, the harder it becomes to remember it’s all supposed to be fake. Now, my life—and my heart—are one the line.

Crystal's Thoughts:

"Our kiss was the first star in the night sky- a spark of light surrounded by darkness."

#Spotlight on The Countess by Sophie Jordan

Society is abuzz! New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan is back and better than ever with her series and historical romance trade paperback debut, THE SCANDALOUS LADIES OF LONDON: The Countess. Deemed “risqué and alluring” by Publishers Weekly in a starred review, SCANDALOUS LADIES tells the story of a wealthy society maven launching her daughter into the cutthroat Marriage Mart of regency-era London. Over time, she finds out that the very suitor courting her daughter is someone she’s met before… and had undeniable chemistry with. 

About the Book

The Countess

The Scandalous Ladies of London: #1
by Sophie Jordan
Format: 400 pages, Paperback
Publication: March 28, 2023 by Avon Books
ISBN: 9780063270701 

“My husband is a good man… just ask all the women he has bedded.”

Wealthy society maven Lady Gertrude knows how the world works. If her husband is less than faithful, it’s an acceptable price to pay for her coveted position at the apex of London’s most fashionable set. No exclusive soirée or lavish ball is complete without her and her group of decadent, well-connected friends. And this Season promises more excitement than usual: Tru is launching her daughter into Society, helping her navigate the cutthroat Marriage Mart, complete with fortune hunters, jealous debutantes, and malicious gossips.

As skilled as Tru is at playing the high-stakes games of the ton, she never expects to meet her match—until Jasper Thorne begins to court her daughter. Jasper needs a titled bride, but when he meets Tru, all his carefully laid plans go up in smoke. The attraction between Tru and Jasper is undeniable…and unacceptable. To indulge in an affair with her daughter’s suitor would be ruinous. If it becomes public, she’ll never survive the scandal. Especially as it becomes clear that he wants more than one night…he wants the impossible. He wants forever.

A sizzling story of scandalous ladies, irresistible temptation, and the dangers—and joys—of being true to yourself.

AMAZON | B&N 

🍷🍷🍷 #Review of The Last Dragon King by Leia Stone

Title: The Last Dragon King

Series: Kings of Avalier #1

Author:  Leia Stone

Format: 358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published: September 29, 2022

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Reviewer: Crystal

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Rating: 3 out of 5

🍷🍷🍷

The Dragon King is looking for a wife.

This news throws the women in my village into a tizzy. The king will be sending out the royal guard to bring women of childbearing age to his castle in Jade City.

There is only one requirement: the woman must carry enough magic to produce an heir for him.

I’m a watered-down human with a mere ten percent dragon magic lineage, I know I won’t be chosen, but for some reason the magic sniffers command me to present myself to the king as a possible wife.

I’m ready to go to Jade City until my mother tells me a terrifying secret. A secret that could get me killed… by the king himself.

Crystal's Thoughts:

"I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot for liking you!"

The Last Dragon King is looking for a wife, and he must find a woman with strong enough magic to bare a dragon child. In order to do so, he holds a competition. Any woman of child bearing age with magic must enter. Arwen doesn't have much fear of being chosen since she has no magic to speak of, so despite her mothers wishes to steer clear of the royal party, Arwen joins in the revelry. She never forsaw being singled out by the magic sniffers, or becoming one of the top contenders for the King's hand....

Happy #BookBirthday to A Kingdom of Venom and Vows by Holly Renee

From USA Today Bestselling author, Holly Renee, comes A Kingdom of Venom and Vows, the epic conclusion in Evren and Adara’s love story is out now! Dive into the Stars and Shadows Series today!

About the Book

A Kingdom of Venom and Vows

Stars and Shadows #3

by Holly Renee

Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 23, 2023

I entered into a bargain—choosing my mate over my freedom.

But I underestimated the crowned prince who took me. His touch like venom. His vengeance lethal.

He craves a power I no longer hold, and he’ll sacrifice every part of me until he gets it.

But I don’t belong to him. I belong to his brother.

His brother who will come for me, consequences be damned.

My fate is entangled between two princes—one who craves my power, the other who covets me—and I have more to lose than I ever imagined.

War rages in a game between queens, and I have become their pawn. But I will fight for my life, for my mate, and he will raze kingdoms to get me back.

AMAZON

#Spotlight on Jane & Edward: A Modern Reimagining of Jane Eyre by Melodie Edwards

Eligible meets Meg and Jo in JANE & EDWARD by Melodie Edwards, a subtly hilarious and heartfelt retelling of the beloved Jane Eyre. Set at a modern-day law firm in Toronto’s financial district, this stunning debut is both clever, romantic, and satisfying.

About the Book

Jane & Edward: A Modern Reimagining of Jane Eyre
by Melodie Edwards
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2023

This powerful reimagining of Jane Eyre, set in a modern-day law firm, is full of romance and hope as it follows the echoing heartbeats of the classic story.

A former foster kid, Jane has led a solitary life as a waitress in the suburbs, working hard to get by. Tired of years of barely scraping together a living, Jane takes classes to become a legal assistant and shortly after graduating accepts a job offer at a distinguished law firm in downtown Toronto. Everyone at the firm thinks she is destined for failure because her boss is the notoriously difficult Edward Rosen, the majority stakeholder of Rosen, Haythe & Thornfield LLP. But Jane has known far worse trials and refuses to back down when economic freedom is so close at hand.

Edward has never been able to keep an assistant--he's too loud, too messy, too ill-tempered. There's something about the quietly competent, delightfully sharp-witted Jane that intrigues him though. As their orbits overlap, their feelings begin to develop--first comes fondness and then something more. But when Edward's secrets put Jane's independence in jeopardy, she must face long-ignored ghosts from her past and decide if opening her heart is a risk worth taking.

AMAZON | B&N 

🍷🍷🍷🍷 #Review of The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

Title: The Bridge Kingdom

Series: The Bridge Kingdom #1

Author: by Danielle L. Jensen

Format: 356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published: June 9, 2020 by CLA

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Reviewer: Crystal

Rating: 4 out of 5 

🍷🍷🍷🍷

A warrior princess trained in isolation, Lara is driven by two certainties. The first is that King Aren of the Bridge Kingdom is her enemy. And the second is that she’ll be the one to bring him to his knees.

The only route through a storm-ravaged world, the Bridge Kingdom enriches itself and deprives its rivals, including Lara's homeland. So when she’s sent as a bride under the guise of peace, Lara is prepared to do whatever it takes to fracture its impenetrable defenses. And the defenses of its king.

Yet as she infiltrates her new home and gains a deeper understanding of the war to possess the bridge, Lara begins to question whether she’s the hero or the villain. And as her feelings for Aren transform from frosty hostility to fierce passion, Lara must choose which kingdom she’ll save… and which kingdom she’ll destroy.

Crystal's Thoughts:

“I will be the next Queen of Ithicana. And I will bring the Bridge Kingdom to its knees.”

🍷🍷 #Review of Queen of Myth and Monsters by Scarlett St. Clair

Title: Queen of Myth and Monsters

Series: Adrian X Isolde #2

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Format: 432 pages, ebook

Published: December 20, 2022 by Sourcebooks

ISBN: 9781728259666

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Reviewer: Crystal

Rating: 2 out of 3 Wine Glasses

🍷🍷

The next book in the epic fantasy series by USA Today bestselling author Scarlett St. Clair.

Isolde, newly coronated queen, has finally found a king worthy of her in the vampire Adrian. But their love for each other has cost Isolde her father and her homeland. With two opposing goddesses playing mortals and vampires like chess pieces against one another, Isolde is uncertain who her allies are in the vampire stronghold of Revekka.

Now, as politics in the Red Palace grow more underhanded and a deadly blood mist threatens all of Cordova, Isolde must trust in the bond she's formed with Adrian, even as she learns troubling information about his complicated past.

Crystal's Thoughts:

Adrian and Isolde's star-crossed story continues with Queen of Myth and Monsters, and it is a bumpy ride (pun intended) to say the least. 

🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 #Review of A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: A Light in the Flame

Series: Flesh and Fire #2

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Format: 650 pages, Hardcover

Published: November 15, 2022 by Blue Box Press

ISBN: 9781957568201

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

Source: Purchased by Reviewer

Reviewer: Crystal 

Rating: 5 out of 5 Wine Glasses

🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book two in her Flesh and Fire series…

The only one who can save Sera now is the one she spent her life planning to kill.

The truth about Sera’s plan is out, shattering the fragile trust forged between her and Nyktos. Surrounded by those distrustful of her, all Sera has is her duty. She will do anything to end Kolis, the false King of Gods, and his tyrannical rule of Iliseeum, thus stopping the threat he poses to the mortal realm.

Nyktos has a plan, though, and as they work together, the last thing they need is the undeniable, scorching passion that continues to ignite between them. Sera cannot afford to fall for the tortured Primal, not when a life no longer bound to a destiny she never wanted is more attainable than ever. But memories of their shared pleasure and unrivaled desire are a siren’s call impossible to resist.

And as Sera begins to realize that she wants to be more than a Consort in name only, the danger surrounding them intensifies. The attacks on the Shadowlands are increasing, and when Kolis summons them to Court, a whole new risk becomes apparent. The Primal power of Life is growing inside her, pushing her closer to the end of her Culling. And without Nyktos’s love—an emotion he’s incapable of feeling—she won’t survive her Ascension. That is if she even makes it to her Ascension and Kolis doesn’t get to her first. Because time is running out. For both her and the realms.

Crystal's Thoughts:

Brimming with heart wrenching angst, nail biting action, and steamy romance, Jennifer L. Armentrout's A Light in the Flame kept me glued to the pages from start to finish! 

Read an #Excerpt from The Last Russian Doll Kristen Loesch

In her sweeping debut, American novelist and Putin resistance scholar Kristen Loesch delivers a timely and topical novel—one that spans three generations of Russian history, from the 1917 revolution to the last days of the Soviet Union. THE LAST RUSSIAN DOLL is a saga about family and love, inspired by Russian literature and folklore, and told through the lens of three generations of women living at pivotal moments in Russian history.

About the Book

The Last Russian Doll
by Kristen Loesch
Format: 384 pages, Hardcover
Published: March 14, 2023 by Berkley
ISBN: 9780593547984

A haunting, epic novel about betrayal, revenge, and redemption that follows three generations of Russian women, from the 1917 revolution to the last days of the Soviet Union, and the enduring love story at the center.

In a faraway kingdom, in a long-ago land...

...a young girl lived happily in Moscow with her family: a sister, a father, and an eccentric mother who liked to tell fairy tales and collect porcelain dolls.

One summer night, everything changed, and all that remained of that family were the girl and her mother.

Now, a decade later and studying at Oxford University, Rosie has an English name, a loving fiancé, and a promising future, but all she wants is to understand--and bury--the past. After her mother dies, Rosie returns to Russia, armed with little more than her mother’s strange folklore--and a single key.
What she uncovers is a devastating family history that spans the 1917 Revolution, the siege of Leningrad, Stalin’s purges, and beyond.

At the heart of this saga stands a young noblewoman, Tonya, as pretty as a porcelain doll, whose actions—and love for an idealistic man—will set off a sweeping story that reverberates across the century....

AMAZON | B&N 

#Spotlight on The Love Wager by Lynn Painter

This March, from the author of Mr. Wrong Number, comes a clever romantic comedy about the struggles of dating as a millennial. THE LOVE WAGER is romance at its best—vivacious, hilarious, sexy, and genuine. 

About the Book 

The Love Wager 

Mr. Wrong Number #2 

by Lynn Painter 

Format: Kindle Edition

Published: March 14, 2023 by Berkley

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult. 

She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs into the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she’d snuck out of. 

Through the app, and after the joint agreement that they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie become partners in their respective searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward. 

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together. 

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. 

As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they each struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with. 

AMAZON | B&N 

Read an #Excerpt from Barbarian's Prize by Ruby Dixon

International publishing phenomenon and TikTok sensation Ruby Dixon returns this spring with the next special Trade Paperback edition of her wildly popular Ice Planet Barbarians series, BARBARIAN’S PRIZE.

About the Book

Barbarian's Prize

Ice Planet Barbarians #5

by Ruby Dixon

Tiffany doesn’t care about all the attention she’s getting from the alien men, but there is one particular hunter she can see herself with—if only she can find a way to move forward from the past. . . .

It’s hard being the most popular girl on the ice planet. The alien men are falling all over themselves to impress me in the hopes that I’ll take them to my furs. But they don’t know my secrets. And they don’t realize that behind my smile, I just wish they’d take their courting presents and their competitions for my affection and go away. I want to be left alone. But on a planet where women are a scarcity, that won’t be happening.

If I had to choose a mate . . . it’d be someone with a gorgeous blue body, big horns, and the most intense gaze ever. Someone who knows the truth of what happened to me and why I don’t like attention. Patient, handsome Salukh knows my secrets. He knows why I have nightmares and why I don’t trust anyone. He’s willing to let me “experiment” with him. I can use him. Take what I need from him to work through my trauma. He’s been a good friend and the best shoulder to cry on.

There’s one small problem.

When it comes to us, he doesn’t just want to be my friend. He wants to be my forever. And day by day, he’s getting harder to resist. . . .

AMAZON | B&N 

Read an #Excerpt from A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley

A WITCH'S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING A DEMON is a quirky and witchy rom-com sure to please fans of Hazel Beck, Erin Sterling, and Ali Hazelwood.

About the Book

A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

by Sarah Hawley

Format 336 pages, Paperback

Published March 7, 2023 by Berkley

ISBN 9780593547922

Mariel Spark knows not to trust a demon, especially one that wants her soul, but what’s a witch to do when he won’t leave her side—and she kind of doesn’t want him to?

Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen in centuries of the famed Spark family, but to the displeasure of her mother, she prefers baking to brewing potions and gardening to casting hexes. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself staring down a demon—one she inadvertently summoned for a soul bargain.
 
Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. Powerful and merciless, he drives hard bargains to collect mortal souls. But his reputation has suffered ever since a bargain went awry—if he can strike a bargain with Mariel, he will earn back his deadly reputation. Ozroth can't leave Mariel's side until they complete a bargain, which she refuses to do (turns out some humans are attached to their souls).
 
But the witch is funny. And curvy. And disgustingly yet endearingly cheerful. Becoming awkward roommates quickly escalates when Mariel, terrified to confess the inadvertent summoning to her mother, blurts out that she's dating Ozroth. As Ozroth and Mariel struggle with their opposing goals and maintaining a fake relationship, real attraction blooms between them. But Ozroth has a limited amount of time to strike the deal, and if Mariel gives up her soul, she'll lose all her emotions—including love—which will only spell disaster for them both. 

AMAZON | B&N 

Read an #Excerpt from Harmony of Lies by Brian Feehan

Brian Feehan, son of legendary #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan, returns with the next explosive installment of the Alice and Owen series, a gripping paranormal romance set against the eternal conflict between angelic and demonic beings. 

About the Book

Harmony of Lies

Alice & Owen #2

by Brian Feehan

Format 332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 21, 2023 by Berkley Publishing Group

Danger threatens to shatter the hope for a new beginning in a world of angels and demons in this explosive paranormal romance by author Brian Feehan, son of legendary #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

After being forced away for seventeen years, Alice is finally home. But home isn’t what she thought it would be, and every day the secrets she holds from her parents grow with weight. But how do you tell your mother and father that you’re not normal? That the world is a far more dangerous place than they have ever known and you are anything but the small, innocent child who was torn from their arms all those years ago?
 
Owen can’t say goodbye, and Alice can’t hold on to him tightly enough as the pressures of danger and obligation grow stronger and stronger. With a broken heart, Owen is headed to San Francisco with his crew of musicians. But the Golden City is filled with history and secrets, and brutal deaths are just lying in wait for Owen and his people. To survive these trials and this city, Owen will need everything he has—even the broken parts he gave to Alice—to have any hope of doing the impossible one more time.

AMAZON | B&N