Review | The De Vincent Brothers Need to Be A Thing

The De Vincent Series

By: Jennifer L. Armentrout

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Devlin, Gabriel, and Lucian De Vincent are the wealthiest of the wealthy in New Orleans. The amount of money they have is probably only one-uped by the family problems and drama they deal with. Their father has just passed away, their sister randomly shows up at home after she’s been missing for 10 years, reporters and law enforcement are trying to “bring them down” for who knows what. Each book follows a different brother and a different leading lady as we slowly start to unravel the haunting mysteries surrounding the family.

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TL;DR:

Am I total trash for romance novels with hot brothers now? Yup! Thanks Loretta and Fiction No Chaser – I blame you for my new found obsession. These books are intense, dramatic, funny,  full of smut and I could not put them down. If you’re into romance with mafia family undertones, some ghost vibes, murderous/slightly crazy fiancés, and a creepy dead dad then these books are for you.

The Good

The Ladies

When I think of romance I think of damsels in distress waiting to be saved, but Julia, Nicolette, and Rosie do not disappoint in the independent lady vibes.

• Julia: The divorcee nurse with high-levels of wit and sass. She loves Old Navy and beignets…but who doesn’t love beignets.
• Nic: The 22-year old, llama loving, Southern Belle. She wear Vans and ripped jeans to work, is kind of awkward, and she is a vibe. 
• Rosie: The widower. Super into paranormal investigations. Even more into having an arsenal of spitfire comebacks for anyone who tries to mansplain to her.

The Brothers

Let’s just say there’s enough strong personality to last a lifetime between these three.

• Lucian: The artist. If you love high levels of sarcasm and the ability to turn any serious situation into a joke, you’re going to love him.
• Gabe: The woodworker. He’s My least favorite of the three, but still fun in his own way. He’s the “thoughtful, caring” brother that’s good with his hands. *wink, wink*
• Devlin: The eldest. He’s a snob who speaks his mind, but I would not mind if Dev talked bossy to me.

Drama for Days

Someone needs to make this series into a show or a movie trilogy or something. The amount of drama this family has gives the Kardashians a run for their money. Grab your popcorn and get ready to snuggle up with some messed up, horny,  man-child De Vincents. They do not disappoint in the drama department. And just when you think you’ve figured it all out…nope, you actually haven’t.

The Bad

The Cheese Factor

Okay, okay – I know romance novels are full of scenarios that wouldn’t happen in real life, but I still found myself laughing and eye-rolling at some of the crazier moments. CAN people hook up in a random parking structure, out in the open, where there are probably cameras galore (and also probably people looking for their cars)? Yes, they can. Is it likely? DEFINITELY NOT. There are plenty more examples where that came from, but I’ll leave it at that and let your imaginations run free.

The Ugly Truth

I’m not a big reader of contemporary romance, but I might have to start reading more of Jennifer L. Armentrout. These books are fun and full of drama. Pick these up if you love romance, New Orleans, rich family drama, and/or cheeky love stories!

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Review | I Need More Kingmaker Chronicles ASAP

The Kingmaker Chronicles

By: Amanda Bouchet

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Cat and Griffin meet at a traveling circus when he kidnaps her for her “special” powers. She’s the Kingmaker, he’s an ambitious warlord and together along with is Beta Team they travel the world looking for a way to unseat all the corrupt rulers (including Cat’s mom). The gods get involved, people fall in love, others die, battles ensure, and you will be taken on a rollercoaster ride of prophecies, epic quests, and to-die-for love stories.

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TL;DR:

I don’t normally do romance books, but The Kingmaker Chronicles are full of wit, sass, and overall fun. If you enjoy Greek mythology, feisty main ladies, and magic – you’ll love this series!

The Good

The Characters

Cat is a SASS QUEEN, who also happens to be a baddass fighter full of awesome magic. Griffin is a main man you will love. He’s strong, witty, loyal and also pretty good looking. Beta Team – Kato, Flynn, and Carver – are the warrior buddies you didn’t know you needed in your life. And if the main crew isn’t enough, Griffin’s entire family will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. They’re loving, intelligent and always try to do the right thing. The entire cast of this series will make you swoon.

The Magic and Mythology

GUYS I LOVE MYTHOLOGY SO MUCH. This entire series is centered around the gods and Ares, Persephone, Hades, Zeus (and probably some I’m forgetting) make an appearance. We even get to see a version of the underworld and purgatory and I was LIVING FOR IT. The personalities Bouchet gave to the mythical characters and creates in her series are to die for. Not to mention we get special Demi-god powers and oracular prophecies and visions. I was getting adult Percy Jackson vibes and I’m not complaining.

The Bad

The Macho Man Vibes

Guys, I love Griffin, but he can sometimes take his overbearing, jealous macho man vibes to an extreme. I’m all for strong leading ladies BUT they should be backed by level-headed partners who aren’t going to “growl” or think about hurting their friends just for joking with their love interest. I could have done with more feminist vibes and less “you belong to me”.

The Ending of Book 3

Heart of Fire’s ending was disappointing, it was just very underwhelming. I was hoping for more battles, more epic character arcs/reveals, and just a lot more of something in general. There was so much epicness, and I hoped the ending would have been just as amazing. HOWEVER, I’ve got confirmation that there will be more stories set in the same world, so I’m hoping the story arcs that weren’t wrapped up and the end of book 3 come into play in Book 4. Knowing there will be more of Beta team is keeping me going. I need more Carver, Flynn and Kato in my life!!

The Ugly Truth

While the ending of book 3 was a bit disappointing, I still really enjoyed the series as a whole. I’ve had confirmation from Amanda herself that there are going to be more books, and I CANNOT wait to get my hands on more stories with Beta Team!

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Have you read this series? If so, what did you think of it? Will you be adding this to your TBR?

Review | Legendary Lives Up To Its Name

Legendary

By: Stephanie Garber

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Tella just survived her first Caraval but she made some dumb deals and now has to play the game AGAIN if she wants to survive. Panic, paranoia, and plenty of magic happen. Meanwhile, Scarlett is off keeping secrets from literally everyone. Julian is being dumb somewhere, and we see a whole lotta Dante, which I am NOT complaining about. Legend is still a mystery, but throw in some magical tarot cards, a sassy Queen that I love and some new characters and you’ll forget that Legend even exists.

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TL;DR:

Legendary was an epic sequel to Caraval and I was again taken on a rollercoaster of WTFs and OMGs – but it did come with a few underwhelming elements. I’m hoping Finale can solve some of my saltiness, but until the day comes – I’ll settle for an okay book 2.

The Good

The Setting

I thought the vibes from book one were great, but a magical castle town filled with flying carriages, starry magical night shows and vengeful gods definitely outdid Carval. I was so obsessed.

The Male Characters

The male characters are LIFE. Jacks is amazing, Dante is amazing. You’ll love them. Jacks takes pure and simple to a new level. It’s probably why I love him so much. In a world where you are constantly wondering what people are up to, it was refreshing to have one person as the constant (at least when you find out who he really is -mwahaha). For some reason the guys in this series just seems so much more sensible and relatable than the main ladies.

The Magic and Mythology

If you know me, you know that I’m a sucker for magic, mythical creatures, mythology that involves gods and goddess or all of the above. SO, when Legendary introduced some vicious, bitter gods I was hyped. It adds an unexpected element to the story beyond just winning Caraval and I’m excited to see where this goes in the final book.

The Bad

The Female Characters

…Well they’re kind of annoying AF. Tella and Scarlett need to get their priorities straight and also learn to be as smart as they think they are. Tella all of book 2 is like: “I’m more clever than people think. I’m always underestimated” BUT SHE SPENDS THE ENTIRE THING BEING DUPED. And Scarlett is all about protecting everyone and wanting love – but then keeps tons of secrets and almost gets people killed. I just can’t with them.

The “Big” Reveal

OOOOKAY. Without going into too much of a rage BUT ARE YOU SERIOUS WITH THAT LEGEND REVEAL?!?!? I spent two books waiting for the plot twist, and it definitely wasn’t what I expected…and not in a good way. I’m HOPING that this is the “almost-ending” and I’m being duped just like I was during book 2, but if this said person is, in fact, Legend, I am seriously going to die from all my exasperated gasps.

The Ugly Truth

I was definitely underwhelmed with a very particular plot twist and if Finale doesn’t fix this I will be dead, but other than that, Legendary is a good sequel! I really just can’t wait for Finale.

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Review | The Daughter of the Pirate King Duology Sets My Sails

The Daughter of The Pirate King / The Daughter of The Siren Queen

By: Tricia Levenseller

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Alosa, a seventeen-year-old pirate captain gets sent on a mission by her father to find a hidden map. Along the way she meet Riden (pirate hottie) and has to navigate the waters (pun intended) of espionage, loyalty, and love.

She also hasn’t fully decided who her true enemies really are, but at least she has her feisty girl crew, pirate-hottie Riden, and her powers to help her along the way to find hidden treasure & power.

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TL;DR:

If you love pirates, treasure hunts and snappy lady Captains you will love this book. There’s sword-fighting, battle of the wits, and swoon-fests to die for.

The Good

PIRATES!

There needs to be more pirate stories in general. I live for Pirates of the Caribbean everything. Alosa and her crew are the female equivalent of Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and the crew of the Black Pearl. If you’re into sailing the seven seas, hidden treasure, and magical mermaid abilities then you will love this story.

Girl Power

Literally every single female character in this series is a badass. Alosa and her crew are all capable fighters and have wits to match. Even the male crew members are feminist, never underestimating their captain or their female peers (not to mention one of them is a single dad and has the most adorable pirate daughter of all time!)

Now let’s move on to the sirens, with their beauty and voices that kill, yet their caring and love for each other is just as fierce as their fight.

If you’re into strong female characters, this series has it.

Riden

HOTTIE PIRATE. THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY. He’s cunning, loyal, caring and I will swoon for days over him if you let me. You will be adding him to your book boyfriend list the second you meet him.

The Bad

Details

I’m one of those readers that wants to know every single detail about every single character for every single second of their life. If I’m invested, the more pages the better. I wish some of the larger plot lines had a bit more explanation – but take this with a grain of salt because not every read appreciates the little things!

The Ugly Truth

This was a fun, quick pirate story and I wish there was more. If you’re looking to satisfy the need for anything that has to do with sailing, sword fights, or sirens, I’d recommend this series.

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Have you read this book? If so, what did you think of it? If not, will you be adding it to your TBR?

Review | Caraval Took Me On A Magical Mystery Journey

Caraval

By: Stephanie Garber

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance…but is it? In order to save her sister she becomes tangled in the game – realizing magic, love, lies, and danger are around every corner (and not everything is as it seems).

Where is Tella? Who is Legend? And how is she going to get out of this mess safely. Panic ensures, madness creeps in and you won’t know what to believe.

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TL;DR:

Caraval was a rollercoaster of WTFs and OMGs. Imagine every amazing magician movie mixed with some fairy tale fantasy vibes. Nothing is what it seems and I couldn’t guess any of the twists, which always makes for a great story for me. I still don’t know who to trust or what is real. Now I need Legendary and Finale in my life STAT.

The Good

The Atmosphere

Caraval is a mood. I felt like I was in the Golden Age of Piracy on an island in the Caribbean, where everyone is called lovelies, dukes and counts exist (and they sell rum), and characters wear top hats and petticoats. Then, I was on a magical island version of Diagon Alley, where watches are magical and people trade in secrets. Caraval has it’s own living, breathing environment and you’ll want to get lost in it.

The Plot Twists & Reveals

Okay, bare with me here. But I am OBSESSED with movies about magic, and all I could think about while reading this was that it was a mix of The Prestige, Now You See Me, and The Illusionist. There’s a quote from The Prestige that speaks to this book so well and I had to share it because it captures my feelings so perfectly.

“Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts….Now you’re looking for the secret… but you won’t find it, because of course you’re not really looking. You don’t really want to know…making something disappear isn’t enough; you have to bring it back. That’s why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call “The Prestige”.”

THIS BOOK HAS THE BEST PRESTIGE. I was in shock at the end and none of my guesses (save for maybe one) were correct. I LOVE a book that keeps me guessing until the very end. Garber was meant to be a magician IRL. She put on a SHOW.

That Epilogue

Okay, seriously. I felt so tortured by that last note, but it was the ONLY thing I guessed right the entire time (or did I? I still don’t even know!). It set up book two perfectly while opening the door for an entirely new Caraval adventure.

The Bad

The Character Growth

The characters could have used some revamping. Scarlett and Tella are crazy in their own ways and I found myself bouncing back and forth when deciding if I liked them or not. As of now, I love Julian (but he has some things to make up for), Scarlett redeemed her timid ways, and Tella is still just crazy AF.

Scarlett’s Struggle

The entire time Scarlett is looking for her sister I found myself not caring…at all. We don’t see enough of Tella in the beginning of the book to actually worry for her safety – at least in my mind – so I found it a void point in the plot. I cared more about Scarlett and hoping she didn’t die before finding out the truth (whatever “truth” actually is at this point. LOL.)

The Ugly Truth

This book was so good. If you’re into dark Harry Potter-vibe magic, pirate-esque characters, and a good mystery – read this!

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Review | Roar Has Got the Eye of Tiger, Is A Figher, & So Much More

Roar

By: Cora Cormack

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Summary

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.

Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.

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TL;DR:

This book is such a good series opener and I can’t wait for Rage. This is everything I would hope for in a book: a princess who ISN’T a damsel in distress, a heroine who’s smart, haughty and can (kinda) take care of herself, a love interest who is genuine and caring & an unseen, creeper villain who gives you chills. It’s Into The Storm/Twister with some Airbender Vibes and it’s so good.

The Good

Rora Can’t Be Tamed

She starts off as Aurora – weak, powerless, timid. She ends as Roar – powerful, confident and everything you want to read about. Of course there are cliches. She’s the princess without powers who needs to save her people but I still found her story intense and exciting. Haughty boss girls who just want to learn are my vibe.

Antagonists & Morally Gray Characters FTW

I love stories where the threats are looming and that foreboding feeling is stuck in the pit of your stomach because you can’t quite put your finger on who or what is the actual problem. Roar has a lot of issues to deal with including  a creepy storm lord who hangs around and talks to dead guys he’s just killed and Prince Cassius, who I LOVE even though I probably shouldn’t. The political drama is Game of Thrones level, without the blood and gore.

Locke, Where Have You Been All My Life?

I usually find myself stuck with the romantic, primpy guys or the rugged, seemingly feelingless men. Locke manages to be the perfect combo of them all – caring, rugged, stubborn, and to mention he chases magical storms for a living. WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR.

The Bad

I Want More

Honestly, the only thing I could think to put here is that I wish there was more to learn and dive into – about the Pavan family, about Storm magic, about everything. Here’s to hoping Rage will bring a lot of answers to my current questions.

The Ugly Truth

Read Roar! The magical world of Pavan is fresh, intriguing and Aurora will draw you in with her attitude and wit.

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Review | The Rook Is The Fantastical Story You’ve Been Missing

The Rook

By:Daniel O’Malley

Overall Rating: ★★★★

A lady wakes up in a park surrounded by dead guys wearing latex gloves. She doesn’t know who she is, how she got there, or what she should do next. Follow Myfanwy (rhymes with Tiffany) as she finds out ghosts and ghouls are real, she works for the British equivalent of the Men in Black, and that one of her coworkers is trying to kill her.

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TL;DR:

The Rook is a little Men in Black, a little Downtown Abbey, a little X-Men and some Jason Bourne mixed in for good measure. The inspiration was obvious, but I still felt like I was reading something completely fresh, riveting and mind-bending. If you’re looking for a new fantasy series where dragons are real, people have super powers, and the British government is hiding it all from the normal guys like us – dig into the Checquy Files ASAP!

The Good

The Heroine

Myfanwy wakes up as a “new” person and has to learn how to be  her while navigating the ins and outs of acceptable behavior for a superhuman government agent, and she doesn’t always get it right. She’s believable and strong and it’s refreshing to have a snarky character to read about that isn’t high and mighty about the greater good. No cliche “I don’t trust other girls” or “I’m only friends with boys” or whatever else you can think of.

There’s A Little Something For Everyone

Like, I said – The Rook had scenes that reminded me of so many different pop culture icons, but it still felt new and fresh. This makes it great for a lot of different tastes. You like Supernatural? You British Men of Letters peeps get ready. Prefer some X-Men Xavier’s School for the Gifted? Read On. Looking for some Bourne Identity vibes. This has it! Is Downtown Abby more your style? You’ll love it. There’s even some very sly Greek Mythology references, but don’t blink because you might miss them.

There’s No Smut!

I’ve been so knee-deep in fantasies with forbidden love, love triangles, unrequited love, etc. etc. that I forgot stories without love aspects exist! It was refreshing to have the focus be on literally everything else (like hello, someone is trying to kill you, WHY would you even bother with dating at that point?). O’Malley got it right.

The Bad

It Has It’s Slow Moments

For some reason it took me longer than usual to get through almost 500 pages. I chalk it up to the lulls in the story. Some of them are necessary, but some points could have been moved along a bit more quickly.

The Ugly Truth

This is an amazing fantasy/sci-fi read! There’s a rich world, strong characters, and enough mystery to go around. I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book, Stiletto!

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Review | This Mortal Coil Is Sci-Fi Gold

This Mortal Coil

By: Emily Suvada

Overall Rating: ★★★★

Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.

Her father, Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own. When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.

Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?

TL;DR:

If you like science fiction involving genetics, human viruses, and post-apocalyptic worlds then this book is for you! I loved it and will be adding it to my favorite sci-fi reads of 2018. Can this just be a movie already?

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The Good

Real Resident Evil Vibes

If you love Alice’s story, anything having to do with Raccoon City, or the Umbrella Corporation (all you Red Queen lovers rejoice), you’ll love this book. Cat is basically a teenage version of Alice and it’s uh-mazing.

Cole Franklin, Deadly Super Soldier & Man of My Dreams

Cole is programmed and trained to protect Cat with his life. He’s also dark-haired, blue-eyed, and totally swoon worthy. Please join me in loving this deadly, adorable, smol, cinnamon roll.

A Fresh Take On a “Zombie” Virus

There are so many apocalyptic stories that involve virus outbreaks, but Suvada managed to turn something classic into something completely new. The virus infects humans, but instead of turning the infected into monsters, it turns survivors into animalistic rage monsters who need to eat infected flesh in order to survive. WHAT. THE. EFF. (In a Good Way)

Did Not See That Villain Coming

I honestly could not figure out any of the plot twists that took place in the second half of the book…and I pride myself on my detective reading skills. Not only was I NOT expecting that villain, I was completely thrown when the “real” bad guy(s) show up. Like, completely hit with a train, sideswiped, did not see it coming. OH WHHAAATT???

The Bad

More Virus Please

There are only a few moments in the entire book where we see the virus in action, but if I’m being honest I wanted more. More rage monsters, more virus infections, more creepy ways to stay immune. I want it all!

The Other Plot Twist That Could Have Gone Very Wrong

There’s a point about 100 pages from the end where we learn something very important about Cat and Cole and it threw me WAY off. I had to give myself some space from the story for a day because I was worried Suvada was going in a weird direction with their relationship and I just wasn’t having it. LUCKILY, she took it in the right direction, but still deducting a tenth of a point for giving me funky vibes for a quick minute.

The Ugly Truth

This is such a good sci-fi read. I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book. If you like post-apocalyptic worlds with human viruses and science talk, you should give this one a go!

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