The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles) - Review

By: Mary E Pearson

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance

Publication Date: July 8th, 2014 by Henry Holt

Rate: ♥♥♥♥♥

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Book Summary:

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

My Thoughts:

I fell in love with this story right away. I loved that Princess Lia refused to comply with her arranged marriage to a prince and ran away to start a new life. But not a life of luxury, she works in a tavern and does anything that is required of her. She is not afraid to work and get her hands dirty. I love that she wants her life to be a happy one and she's not afraid to do what needs to be done. She doesn't let things get her down and values her friends. 

I loved all the characters and everything about this story and bought book two The Heart of Betrayal before I finished listening to this one. I did listen to this on Audible and the narraters Emily Rankin, Ryan Gessel, Kim Mai Guest, Kirby Heyborne, and Ann Marie Lee did a fabulous job narrating.

I gave this one 5 hearts because I loved the whole story, couldn't wait to read the second book and I did stay up late to finish reading it. I highly recommend it.

Take a Hint Dani Brown - Review

 

By: Talia Hibbert

Genre: Romance, Contemporary

Publication Date: June 23rd, 2020, by Avon

Rate: ♥♥♥♥♥

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Book Summary:

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.

When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: Ph.D. student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs.

Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?

My Thoughts:

Let me just say I thought book one Get a Life Chloe Brown was really cute, but I really liked this one. Dani was a kick in the pants. She prayed  "Oshun, I need a regular source of orgasms." Along comes Zafir, tall, dark, and handsome. He's everything Dani wants in a friend with benefits, but he reads romance novels and wants that. Can he convince Dani that she might want that too? Read the book and find out.

The Midnight Lie (Forgotten Gods #1)- Review

 By: Marie Rutkoski

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Publication Date: March 3rd, 2020, by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Rate: ♥♥♥

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Book Summary:

Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

Nirrim keeps her head down and a dangerous secret close to her chest.

But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away who whispers rumors that the High Caste possesses magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.

My Thoughts:

I thought it was ok. I didn't really fall in love with any of the characters. I liked the storyline and the romance, but I just wasn't thrilled with the ending... You took a girl who thought only goodness about everyone and then did that... I am intrigued enough to maybe read book two when it comes out. We'll see.

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns & Roses #1) - Review

 

By: Sara J Maas

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Publication Date: May 5th, 2015, by Bloomsbury USA Children's

Rate: ♥♥♥♥♥

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Book Summary:

Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator, and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jeweled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever. 

My Thoughts:

OMG! Loved it! 

It had a wonderful romantic vibe throughout the whole story. I loved the main character Feyre. She could kick ass and take names. She didn't let anyone or anything tell her what to do. Then there was Tamlin the romantic interest. He sounded mysterious and dangerous. He could shapeshift and definitely didn't put up with any nonsense.  

I loved the world as described.  I could definitely picture the entire thing. It sounded beautiful and dangerous all at the same time. I loved all the trials Feyre had to go through. It kept me interested the entire read.

I gave it 5 hearts because I finished this one in record time and definitely would have stayed up all night to finish it. Lucky for me this is a series. I already put a hold on book 2 at the library! Check it out if you are into fantasy romance books.

One Last Stop - Review

 

By: Casey McQuiston

Genre: Romance

Publication Date: June 1st, 2021, by St. Martin's Griffin

Rate: ♥♥♥♥

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Book Summary:

For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures.

But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train.

Jane. Dazzling, charming, mysterious, impossible Jane. Jane with her rough edges and swoopy hair and soft smile, showing up in a leather jacket to save August’s day when she needed it most. August’s subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem: Jane doesn’t just look like an old-school punk rocker. She’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her. Maybe it’s time to start believing in some things, after all.

Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop is a magical, sexy, big-hearted romance where the impossible becomes possible as August does everything in her power to save the girl lost in time.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed the story even though it was a little far-fetched. The whole thing was a little long for me but there was always something going on. I loved all the different characters and everyone was interesting. They all had lots of things going on and led different lifestyles. 

I loved that Jane was stuck on the train and they all had to figure out how to get her off. I also loved how August complained about her life and the things her mother drug her into but ended up loving those things in the end.

I gave it four hearts because I thought it was a little long but would recommend it. It's a fun read.