Book Review: Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Title: Falling Kingdoms

Author: Morgan Rhodes

Series/Standalone: Falling Kingdoms Series (Book #1)

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy,

Pages: 412

Publisher: Razorbill

Year Published: 2012

Format: Paperback Copy (Own It)

"In the three kingdoms of Mytica, magic has long been forgotten. And while hard-won peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest now simmers below the surface.

As the rulers of each kingdom grapple for power, the lives of their subjects are brutally transformed... and four key players, royals and rebels alike, find their fates forever intertwined. Cleo, Jonas, Lucia, and Magnus are caught in a dizzying world of treacherous betrayals, shocking murders, secret alliances, and even unforeseen love.
The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

It's the eve of war.... Choose your side.

Princess: Raised in pampered luxury, Cleo must now embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of magic long thought extinct.

Rebel: Jonas, enraged at injustice, lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished. To his shock, he finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Sorceress: Lucia, adopted at birth into the royal family, discovers the truth about her past—and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Heir: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, firstborn son Magnus begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...."

My Rating: 3.75/5

This was our physical book club book for December, and I've been loving it. I will say that at the ripe age of 28, it read for its intended audience, but there was a surprising amount of violence for that age range. I did enjoy the plot, the different characters and the timeline. The plot twists were pretty obvious throughout so I was hoping for more from that. But I will be reading the sequel. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Big Nick Energy by Morgan Elizabeth

Title: Big Nick Energy

Author: Morgan Elizabeth

Series/Standalone: Seasons of Revenge Series (Book #4)

Genre: Romance, Christmas, Contemporary, Adult

Pages: 294

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2023

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

First Line: "'I'm going on a date tonight,' Connor says into the phone."

"When Connor Finch insists his one-time Tinder Match, Shae, comes to his dad's house for Thanksgiving with her two daughters, it's because he refuses to let them be alone on her first holiday post-divorce.

But when she arrives at the Christmas tree farm and ranch he grew up on, she meets his father- the crazy tall, built, golden retriever cowboy who tells her girls about the magic of the stupid elf on a shelf.

Of course, when she later corners him and tells him thanks a lot for nothing and that she's way too overwhelmed to have to deal with yet another responsibility, he feels terrible.

So terrible, he finds himself driving two hours every night just to deliver an elf, move him about, and create some Christmas magic for her girls. 

But what happens when he decides meeting her the way he did was some kind of Christmas miracle, and he needs to convince Shae to give him a shot?"

My Rating: 4.5/5

This was such a fun and sweet book, in comparison with Tis the Season (which I also really enjoyed). This had so many tropes that I enjoyed, and while I haven't read a slow burn that was this good in a while I loved it. I think the characters were super well written, the dual p.o.v was excellent and it was the perfect mix of hallmark and smutty. I would strongly recommend it for the holiday season. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Title: The Lost Apothecary

Author: Sarah Penner

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Adult

Pages: 301

Publisher: Park Row 

Year Published: 2021

Format: Audiobook (Own Paperback)

"A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them - setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.

Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose - selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.

In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate - and not everyone will survive."

My Rating: 5/5

I absolutely loved this debut. While listening to the audiobook I was fully enamoured, and I found myself doing more things around the house so I had a reason to listen to this audiobook rather than read something physically (I know I'm not the only one...). The plot, the perspectives, the setting and the overall ability to tell the story were so magical in their own way. I loved the author's character choices, and I loved the audiobook narrator's use of inflexion throughout the story. I would strongly recommend and I will be reading anything else the author puts out. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Host by Stephanie Meyer

Title: The Host

Author: Stephanie Meyer

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction

Pages: 624

Publisher: Little Brown and Company

Year Published: 2008

Format: Audiobook (Own Physical Copy)

"Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love."

My Rating: 3.5/5

I can't decide how I feel about this book. It was such an unusual story and it felt like a slice-of-life science fiction if that makes sense. It was the most relaxed alien abduction I think I've ever read. It felt very day-to-day while still having an overarching plot. It was fun, it was entertaining but it wasn't captivating. Some choices were made in the love interests that felt a bit dicey. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but it is entertaining if any of this review or the description sounds fun to you.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Pucking Around by Emily Rath

Title: Pucking Around

Author: Emily Rath

Series/Standalone: Jacksonville Rays Series (Book #1)

Genre: Adult, Romance, Sports Romance, Smut

Pages: 756

Publisher: Self-Published

Year Published: 2023

Format: Ebook (K.U)

First Line: "Rachel!"

"My name is Rachel Price, and two months ago, I walked away from the perfect man. Sweet and funny, and so hot it should be illegal—we shared one magical night. No names. No strings. I never thought I’d see him again.

I was wrong. It turns out Mr. Perfect is the playboy grinder for the Jacksonville Rays, the NHL’s hottest new hockey team…and I’m his new physical therapist. Oh, and the jerk doesn’t even recognize me!

This fellowship is going to be the longest ten months of my life. Mr. Perfect Mistake will do anything to get back on my good side. Meanwhile, his best friend is the surly new equipment manager always riding my case. Worst of all, I’ve got an uncooperative goalie who thinks I can’t tell he’s hiding an injury!

This is my chance to prove myself, and I’m not risking it for anything. But with one unexpected night, one secret revealed, these men are ready to test all my limits. I can’t fall for a player…let alone three. But if love is a game, these guys are playing to win."

My Rating: 3.75/5

I really enjoyed reading this. I thought when picking it up that there was no way it would fly by, but Emily Rath writes romance in such a fun tone it's hard not to fly through it. The smut in this book is not for the faint of heart and the fact that it is why choose is not something to overlook. I enjoyed the hockey atmosphere and the banter between characters throughout the story. The plot was the perfect amount of drama. I look forward to continuing the story in the next book ASAP. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Twisted Love by Ana Huang

Title: Twisted Love

Author: Ana Huang

Series/Standalone: Twisted Series (Book #1)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, New Adult,    

Pages: 360

Publisher: Originally Self-Published

Year Published: 2021

Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

First Line: "There are worse things than being stranded in the middle of nowhere during a rainstorm."

"He has a heart of ice... but for her, he'd burn the world.

Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape.

Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.

But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:

A crack.

A melt.

A fire that could end his world as he knew it.

Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can't remember.

But despite her broken past, she's never stopped seeing the beauty in the world...

including the heart beneath the icy exterior of a man she shouldn't want.

Her brother's best friend.

Her neighbor.

Her savior and her downfall.

Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen- but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both and everything they hold dear."

My Rating: 2.5/5

This was one that I was hoping I would love but it was just ok for me. I think that the author did a lot within the story but the mysterious aspects were very obvious to me. I had no questions about who was doing what in the background of the plot. I knew exactly who was doing the behind the scenes evil. I guessed within moments of meeting the villains that they were the villains. The sex scenes we did get were great, but I would have liked more. I also am unsure if the series needed to be a companion series or if they would have done just fine as individual stories that were not interconnected. A princess, a photographer, a law student and a regular student all being friends and being introduced like Bratz dolls just wasn't for me. I liked it, I just didn't love it. I look forward to reading the next one, but mainly for the tropes. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Title: This Song Will Save Your Life

Author: Leila Sales

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 291

Publisher: Square Fish

Year Published: 2013

Format: Audiobook 

"A powerful coming-of-age story about an outsider who finds herself when she enters the underground music scene. 

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski's strong suit. All throughout her life, she's been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. 

Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly a love for DJing."

My Rating: 4/5

I'm always hesitant when reading a young adult contemporary story because I have aged out of the targeted market for this book. But reading one like this reminds you of the feelings you had during those formative years. The bullying that Elise experiences is something I have witnessed in high school and being a childcare worker something I've done my best to monitor and dissuade. The idea that music is the way our main character can relate to the world is relatable and the family elements of this story are heartwarming. I would strongly recommend reading this if the synopsis interests you even remotely, whether or not you are in the targeted demographic. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny