🍷🍷🍷🍷 #Review of What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

Title: What the River Knows
Series: Secrets of the Nile #1

Author: Isabel Ibañez

Format: Audible
Published: First published October 31, 2023
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 
Source: Audible/Libby 
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating:  🍷🍷🍷🍷 / 0 🌶️ 

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

Crystal's Thoughts:

"Do you kiss all of your friends like this?"

#Spotlight on SLAY by Abbi Glines

🖤NOW AVAILABLE🖤
𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐲 by New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Abbi Glines is LIVE!!! This is a steamy, southern Mafia Romance set in the Georgia Smoke Series.  

About the Book

Slay
Georgia Smoke #1
by Abbi Glines
Format Kindle Edition
Published March 25, 2024 by Abbi Glines Publishing

Rumor

There are moments in life when you make a decision. Accept who you are. What you have become. This was one of those times…The fairytale I thought I’d found had become a nightmare so quickly after I said, “I do.” Which was the reason I ran when I had the chance. Not thinking about the consequences. Just knowing I had to get free before it was my life that was taken.
I never expected to end up finding a haven. A place where people were willing to help me hide. It was as if I had walked into my own perfect daydream.

King
“Don’t believe every pretty face you meet, sweets. You should know by now that’s a terrible f----g idea.”
She was my job. I was to make her feel safe and do whatever I had to in order to make sure she didn’t run. Underneath the abused and broken exterior, there was a fighter. It was in her eyes. I lived for the moments when she let me see that spark.
I had been headed straight to Hell years before I met Rumor, but letting her fall in love with me was going to reserve me a room in the darkest pit available. One day soon, she was going to find out I was the monster she was running from and the family she had come to trust was the mafia that had killed her husband.

*Please be advised that this is book one in a duet and is a standalone in the Georgia Smoke Series.

AMAZON | B&N 

🍷🍷🍷🍷 #Review of Resonance Surge by Nalini Singh

Title: Resonance Surge

Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity #7

Author: Nalini Singh

Format: 384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published: July 18, 2023 by Berkley

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

Source: NetGalley

Reviewer: Crystal

Rating:  🍷🍷🍷🍷 / 🌶️  

Where are the broken? A propulsive question that unleashes a world of secrets in New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s Resonance Surge . . .

StoneWater bears Pavel and Yakov Stepyrev have been a unit since birth, but now Pavel’s life is veering in a new direction, his heart held in the hands of Arwen Mercant, a Psy empath—and the only man who has ever brought Pavel to his knees.

This is it. A point of irrevocable change. For Pavel . . . for Arwen . . . for Yakov . . . and for another pair of twins whose bond has a far darker history.

A low-gradient Psy, Theodora Marshall is considered worthless by everyone but her violently powerful twin, Pax. She is the sole person he trusts in their venomous family to investigate a hidden and terrible part of their family history—an unregistered rehabilitation center established by their grandfather.

Places of unimaginable pain designed to psychically wipe minds, leaving the victims shells of their former selves, the Centers are an ugly vestige of the Psy race’s Silent past. But this Center was worse. Far, far worse. And now Theo must uncover the awful truth—in the company of a scowling bear named Yakov who isn’t about to take a Marshall at face value . . . especially a Marshall who has turned his dreams into chilling nightmares.

Because Yakov is the great-grandson of a foreseer . . . and he has seen Theo die in an unstoppable surge of blood. Night after night after night . . .

Crystal's Thoughts:

Resonance Surge was a beary good read!

🍷🍷🍷.5 #Review of The Ever Queen by L.J. Andrews

Title: The Ever Queen
Series: The Ever Seas #2

Author: L.J. Andrews

Format: 452 pages, Kindle Edition

Published: January 26, 2024 by Victorious
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 
Source: eARC from Author 
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating:  🍷🍷🍷.5 / 🌶️🌶️ 

The Songbird:

Captive. Challenger. Queen.

Enemies took her from the man who holds her heart. They might see her as weak, as a pawn in wicked games, but they’re no match for the first Ever Queen.

Let them think they’ve won. Her heart belongs to a beautiful monster, and she will never stop fighting until she’s back in his arms.

The Serpent:

Captor. Villain. King.

His enemies stole the woman who claimed his soul. They betrayed him out of greed and desire for the crown, but they won't die for that betrayal. No.

They’ll die for touching her.

His heart belongs to a stunning little bird. He will never stop searching for her light across the skies. Not until the blood of his enemies spills at her feet, and his queen wears their bones around her neck.

Welcome back to the world of the Ever Kingdom where pirates collide with Vikings in passionate romance, brutal battles, and an unforgettable dark fantasy world. This book concludes the love story between Erik and Livia, but new, standalone romances with other favorite characters will continue to build the world. Readers are encouraged to check the TW inside the book for their reading comfort.

Crystal's Thoughts:

"...She is more than my queen. She is my every thought, my every breath..."

Happy #BookBirthday to Man Spread by Vanessa Vale

In Hunter Valley, it's always open season on men.
Man Spread by Vanessa Vale is now live! 

About the Book

Man Spread
On a Manhunt #7
by Vanessa Vale
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 21, 2024

I'm a famous TV star—how hard can it be to pretend that real love is fake?

To women around the world, I’m Dr. Dark and Dangerous, sexiest bachelor alive.
I meet the only one who has no idea who I am. To single mom Aspen, I’m just the guy who rocked her world one night. Nothing more.
With the tabloids out to destroy my career and a movie deal on the line, I need help. I need a girlfriend to improve my image. Since the only one I want won’t do a real relationship, she agrees to be my fake girlfriend. Except the more time we’re together, the more we blur the lines between what's real and what’s fake.
Because how I feel for her isn’t pretend at all.

AMAZON | B&N 

🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 #Review of Gleam by Raven Kennedy

Title: Gleam
Series: The Plated Prisoner #3

Author: Raven Kennedy
Format: 613 pages, Kindle Edition

Published: May 31, 2021 by Raven Kennedy

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 
Source: Kindle Unlimited 
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating:  🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 / 🌶️🌶️ 

King Midas made me the woman I am today. Notorious. Unattainable. His.

The thing about being confined is that you believe it’s to keep the bad out... Until you realize it’s about keeping you in.

I’m now in a strange kingdom surrounded by liars, with no allies of my own, but I won’t sit idly by and let myself wither. No, there’s something that’s bloomed from the pit of my repression. Something dark. Something angry.

But the last thing I expected was for my anger to call out to him. King Ravinger.

He’s sinister and powerful and entirely too seductive. I’ve learned my lesson with trusting manipulative kings, so why does my chest constrict every time he’s near? I need to tread carefully, or I’m at risk of losing much more than just my freedom.

Regret and revenge war inside of me, and I need to figure out a plan fast before I get tangled up in the schemes of kings and queens.

Because I won’t be caught in a cage again. No, this time, It’ll be me setting the trap... I just hope my heart comes out of this unscathed.

Crystal's Thoughts: