4.25

🔥ARC Review 👸

"You are the home I never believed I deserved."

In Sera's debut YA/NA Romantasy, we meet Seraaya, one of the king's daughters.  She is just now inheriting powers from her mother's line. Her mother passed away some years before.  Is it a gift? A curse?

As she struggles to control her new powers (so she doesn't freak out and kill her friends and family!), the king assigns Thalan, from his guard, to train her.

Their new partnership may not be everything they would like it to be. 🧐

Tension? Yes.  Slow burn? Yes. Court politics? Yes.  It had it all and I was there for it! 

Thalan is definitely my new favorite reluctant yet imperceptibly drawn-in mentor.  He's swoon-worthy for sure! 

The writing captured my attention and I found myself trying to sneak more reading time into the days just to read this. The relationships and the dynamics and banter were so enticing to read with major drama going on in the story that everyone was having to deal with.  

I loved Seraaya's bffs! Corin and Neyra were some of my favorite characters.  Being able to just break down with someone you've known your whole life and to still have a sounding board in your adult life is a blessing.  

Book 2 in The Flamebound Chronicles can't come soon enough! 

If you like less spicy Romantasy, real slow burns, or court life, you may like this book.

Triggers: Death, Violence

2.75

🧛‍♀️ Review Copy 🧛‍♀️

In this fantasy, Estella, a vampire, has been cheating on her long-term partner - with a werewolf.

Things go downhill from here. With werewolves and vampires on the hunt for Estella, can she escape?!?

The drama was real in this one. Estella had to twist, turn, and pivot to keep the pursuers off her scent trail (literally...they're vampires and werewolves! 😂).

It really felt like a journey with this book. I can't guess what's going to happen in the rest of the series.

This book has been out since 2024 and currently three books are out in the Saga.

For me, it felt a bit haphazard. There were just too many inconsistencies overall.

At one point it felt like an entire chapter had been skipped. There was this huge dramatic scene that was going to happen, but we skipped over it entirely and picked up with the aftermath. That seemed like a massive miss.

If you like True Blood, A Dowry of Blood, or suspenseful hunts, you may like this book.

Triggers: Death, Violence, Gore

 👑 ARC Review 💀

"Just because you couldn't see me doesn't mean I wasn't there."

In this dark romantasy, Magnolia, Nollie, has made a deal with the devil.  Well, with the dead king, who may as well be called the devil. He rules the Moon Kingdom. She can't exert free will and he's made her do some truly terrible things.

His next plan for her is to infiltrate the Sun Kingdom.  While Nollie will be able to avoid his mind control temporarily, the dead king can contact her at his leisure.

Can Magnolia escape the deal she made seven years ago, or will this hunt take what’s left of her humanity—and her life?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Honestly, the Immortals Hunters Collection has not failed me yet.  This could be a rival for my favorite book of the collection so far, but I've really liked all of them!  

Nollie is such a compelling character.  She's been sheltered under the arm of the King for so long, she has a kind of naivety that endeared her to me.  I was able to watch her discover the world, relationships, and figure out who she is alongside her journey.

I love animal companions! So, dragon trials to match a rider with a dragon was great.  Add in a deathly component and I'm on the edge of my seat.

The component of the dead king being able to contact, and control, her from so far away added a really nice plot piece.  I've read plenty of assassin-style fantasy with infiltration and typically the MC is figuring out they can escape, but with the solidity of the dead king's bond, this wasn't possible for Nollie. I felt that it added a layer of suspense.  When would he pop in and out?  When was she truly alone or when did she only suspect she was alone?!

If the idea of a Hercules retelling, slow burn, or enemies to lovers is enticing you may like this book! 

Triggers: Death, Violence, Abuse, Torture