Book Review: A Touch of Malice by Scarlett St. Clair

Title: A Touch of Malice

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Series/Standalone: Hades x Persephone Series (Book #3)

Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction, Mythology

Pages: 418

Publisher: Indie Published

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook (Library)

"Persephone and Hades are engaged. In retaliation, Demeter summons a snowstorm that cripples New Greece, and refuses to lift the blizzard unless her daughter calls of her engagement. When the Olympians intervene, Persephone finds her future in the hands of ancient gods, and they are divided. Do they allow Persephone to marry Hades and go to war with Demeter or prohibit their union and take up arms against the God of the Dead? Nothing is certain but the promise of war."

My Rating: 4/5

This was such a great first read-through of this book. I loved the plot lines, the characters and the changes throughout. My only complaint would be that there was almost too much spice. I felt that it seemed to come out of nowhere at points where I thought we would be in a more plot-based storyline for a bit. I look forward to finishing this portion of the series soon.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Carnage by Shantel Tessier

Title: Carnage

Author: Shantel Tessier

Series/Standalone: L.O.R.D.S. (Book #5)

Genre: Dark Romance, Adult

Pages: 628

Publisher: Indie Published

Year Published: 2023

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"A PUPPET

The men in the secret society known as the Lords think they rule the world. And in a way, they do. Each has sold their soul to the devil at a young age in exchange for power and wealth. Like anything else, they have different levels of success. The more they're willing to serve, the more power they have.

Among them are the Spade brothers, who run Carnage. It's where the Lords who have not held up their oath go to live out the rest of their lives in shackles. Tucked away from the world as if they never existed.

I VOW. YOU VOW.  WE VOW.

I once belonged to a Lord- Saint Beckham Carter. Although nothing was holy about him, I still kneeled as if he could grant me eternity in a world where only evil existed.

At the time, I willingly vowed to be his and allowed him to share me with his "brothers." But things changed. And what I thought couldn't get any better got exceptionally worse. So I did the only thing I could and ran from him, knowing I could never return.

Now he's found me and dragged me back to his hell, where he will make me his pet. The world already thinks I'm dead, so no one will miss me. And I'm just another name on a long list of those who will never know freedom.

What he doesn't know is why I ran from him in the first place. A Lord doesn't listen to reason, so it's not like he'd care anyway. Saint was born a Lord, and he will die as one.

If life has taught me anything, it's that we all pay for our sins. And Saint will never let me forget that my place is at Carnage, serving him on my knees until death is granted."

My Rating:5/5

This was so over-the-top, crazy, and intense, as most of the books in this series are. But if you wanted to see Shantal Tessier take the series to a whole new level, I would highly recommend. Seeing what caused Saint to be the character we see in the first half of the series was super interesting, and then getting more context for the subplot that has run through all the other books so far. I'm looking forward to continuing the series soon.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Crown of Horns by Jeff Smith

Title: Crown of Horns

Author: Jeff Smith

Series/Standalone: Bone Series (Volume 9)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Fantasy

Pages: 232

Publisher: Graphix

Year Published: 2004

Format: Hardcover

"Trapped in the dungeon while the fate of the Valley is decided by two raging armies, Thorn is haunted by the dangerous and mysterious object of power known as the Crown of Horns. Guarded by dragons, the Crown of Horns is the only thing that can stop the Locust and end the war... but how, and at what price? Fone Bone believes he knows the answer, and he must decide where his heart truly lies..."

My Rating: 3/5

This series wasn't all I hoped it would be. I felt that there were too many repetitions, and while I respect it was one of the first very popular graphic novels for young adults that I interacted with it's not the best one I've read. I may still read the prequel if the urge strikes, but I'm not in a huge rush.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Score by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Score

Author: Elle Kennedy

Series/Standalone: Off-Campus Series (Book #3)

Genre: Romance, Sports Romance,  Adult Fiction

Pages: 464

Publisher: Indie

Year Published: 2016

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"He knows how to score, on and off the ice...

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn't have the first clue about what she's going to do after college. To make matters worse, she's nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won't include the king of one-night stands.

It'll take more than flashy moves to win her over...

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grade, girls, recognition, girls.... he's a ladies man, all right, and he's yet to meet a woman who's immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world- and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It's not over until he says it's over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it's time to stop focusing on scoring... and shoot for love."

My Rating: 3.75/5

I enjoyed this volume, but there were a few things that were a miss for me. I find that Elle Kennedy's writing is really fun and great, but the third act conflict/breakup/whatever-the-fuck, is always cleared up too quickly. I feel that if that had happened earlier on by a little bit, then we could have more time to clear up the conflict before getting to the happily-ever-after part. Also, for a story to start out with "kinky" stuff, it seemed to settle down pretty fast (or maybe I've been reading too much dark romance again).

 I am super intrigued by the concept of the next book, and look forward to starting it soon.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny 

Book Review: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith

Title: Treasure Hunters

Author: Jeff Smith

Series/Standalone: Bone Series (Volume 8)

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 144

Publisher: Graphix

Year Published: 2002

Format: Hardcover (Library Copy)

"The Bone cousins, Gran'ma Ben, and Thorn reach the city of Atheia, where they prepare to battle The Lord of Locusts. Meanwhile, Thorn's visions are becoming more threatening, and Phoney Bone is convinced Atheia is rich in gold, and he is determined to find it!"

My Rating: 3/5

While I'm glad I'm finishing this series, some of the content feels repetitive. Phoney Bone is obviously intended to be an unlikeable character, but his repetition of not learning from his own mistakes if frustrating and annoying to read. I like the Thorn plot line, and I look forward to seeing how the series ends.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Coven by Soman Chainani

Title: Coven

Author: Soman Chainani

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Graphic Novel

Pages: 272

Publisher: HarperAlley

Year Published: 2025

Format: Paperback Copy (Library Copy)

"Need your magical crime solved?

Call the Witch Coven.

Hester, Anadil, and Dot are legendary across the Endless Woods are vigilante detectives and protectors of the peace. The famed trio are not only talented witches but also ride-or-die friends who've never left a case unsolved.

That is until the Coven answers a call for help from a mysterious new world- Red Isle, where the Light and Dark Lands are on the brink of all-out-war, each blaming the other for a grim spree of deaths. Now the Coven must work together and unmask the killer before Red Isle tears itself apart. Little do they know: The real enemy might be hiding in plain sight..."

My Rating: 4/5

This was such an interesting read. I didn't realize that it was connected to the middle grade school for good and evil books. This was a great book to flip through.  The art was fun, the idea was heavy-handed but great, and overall, such a quick, great read. Loved it.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Title: The Gilded Ones

Author: Namina Forna

Series/Standalone: Deathless Series (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 432

Publisher: Delacorte 

Year Published: 2020

Format: Audiobook

"Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity- and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki-near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be- not even Deka herself."

My Rating: 3.5/5

This was a fun read. I enjoyed the frame of the story. The setting, the idea of the society were unsettling and made the reader uncomfortable in a way that supports the idea that we want the main character to find power and change. I think that there were certainly some heavy-handed hints towards the plot twists and the plot itself. That being said, this is a young adult read, so maybe that comes with the fact that I am not in that demographic. I don't plan on continuing the series, and the good thing about this book is if you wanted to, you can end this series here, or keep reading to see where else it would go. That being said, overall, fun, exciting, interesting.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Mistake

Author: Elle Kennedy

Series/Standalone: Off-Campus Series (Book #2)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Sports Romance

Pages: 283

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2015

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"Get ready for another binge-worthy romance from international bestselling author and TikTok sensation Elle Kennedy. He's a player in more ways than one... College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he'll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he's worth a second chance. Now he's going to need to up his game... After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She's not a charity case, and she's not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He'll have to work for it. This time around, she'll be the one in the driver's seat.... and she plans on driving him wild. "

My Rating: 4/5

This was a really fun instalment in the series. I'm glad that we got to Logan's book right away after the ending of the first book so it didn't draw out the jealousy factor we read about in book one. I was also grateful that it was about him winning her back and working for her to see him instead of the other way around (sometimes I find in hockey romance it's the women doing all the work). The backstory for Logan was detailed and interesting; my only problem was the way it all cleared up. I wish it had happened a little further from the end of the book, so we could have seen some more good family moments between Logan and his brother. Overall, a great read, and I've already started the next one. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: A False Start by Elsie Silver

Title: A False Start

Author: Elsie Silver

Series/Standalone: Gold Rush Ranch Series (Book #4)

Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction, Contemporary

Pages: 432

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2022

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"I kissed my best friend's little sister, and the world stood still.

That night we were two perfect strangers, the town's grumpy recluse and a gorgeous girl in the back of a bar. Until we weren't.

Because Nadia Dalca isn't just some girl. She's the girl I can't have. Fourteen years younger than me and completely off-limits.

My plan is to stay away, but the universe keeps pushing us together. It's like some sort of cosmic joke, to give me a taste of something so electric - so real- something that breathed life back into me.

Because I can look, but I can't touch.

Her sinful curves, her light-hearted laughter, her wild side... I'm addicted to every last bit of her.

And when she turns those sultry eyes on me-- the ones so full of longing and so free of judgement? I've always considered myself a strong man. But when she looks at me I'm weak.

To give in to our connection would be a betrayal. My life is beyond complicated, and she has the world at her fingertips. Her brother is the only family she has left, and sad as it sounds, he's also my only friend.

But I kissed her again anyway.

And now I can't stop."

My Rating: 5/5

This was once again Elsie Silver, just writing perfection. The tension between our main characters is excellent. The spicy scenes were wonderful, and the plot was fantastic. I was so grateful for the way the author chose to end this book. She has this way of making each character so unique that I feel like they are real people. This series isn't quite as good as Chestnut Springs in my opinion, but I can't wait to read the Rose Hill Series.

Thank you for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke

Title: The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom

Author: Shari Franke

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Nonfiction, Adult, Memoir

Pages: 320

Publisher: Gallery Books

Year Published: 2025

Format: Audiobook

"From eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog and the hidden abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, and how, in the face of unimaginable pain, she found freedom and healing.

Shari Franke's childhood was a constant battle for survival. Her mother, Ruby Franke, enforced a severe moral code while maintaining a facade of a picture-perfect family for their wildly popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which documented the day-to-day life of raising six children for a staggering 2.5 million subscribers. But a darker truth lurked beneath the surface- Ruby's wholesome online persona masked a more tyrannical parenting style than anyone could have imagined.

As the family's YouTube notoriety grew, so too did Ruby's delusions of righteousness. Fueled by the sadistic influence of relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt, together they implemented an inhumane and merciless disciplinary regime.

Ruby and Jodi were arrested in Utah in 2023 on multiple charges of aggravated child abuse. On that fateful day, Shari shared a photo online of a police car outside their home. Her caption had one word: "Finally."

For the first time, Shari will reveal the disturbing truth behind 8 Passengers and her family's devastating involvement with Jodi Hildebrant's cultish life coaching program, "ConneXions." No stone is left unturned as Shari exposes the perils of influencer culture and shares for the first time her battle for truth and survival in the face of her mother's cruelty."

My Rating: Not Applicable

With memoirs such as these, we have to be thoughtful if we are rating anything. I find that sometimes I rate these based on the writing, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to others. This novel is well written, answers questions and tells Shari Franke's story without taking the antanomy from her younger siblings' stories. It's an interesting story, heartbreaking, but a cautionary tale to us as viewers. Look deeper at family vlogging, what do we see?

Thank you for reading.
Sidny