Review-Heart of Flames (Crown of Feathers #2) by Nicki Pau Preto

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Published: February 11, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Source: Print ARC

Rating: 3 stars

GOODREADS

Blurb:
Veronyka, Tristan, and Sev must stop the advancing empire from destroying the Phoenix Riders in this fiery sequel to Crown of Feathers, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Kendare Blake calls “absolutely unforgettable!”

You are a daughter of queens.

The world is balanced on the edge of a knife, and war is almost certain between the empire and the Phoenix Riders.

Like Nefyra before you, your life will be a trial by fire.

Veronyka finally got her wish to join the Riders, but while she’s supposed to be in training, all she really wants to do is fly out to defend the villages of Pyra from the advancing empire. Tristan has been promoted to Master Rider, but he has very different ideas about the best way to protect their people than his father, the commander. Sev has been sent to spy on the empire, but maintaining his cover may force him to fight on the wrong side of the war. And Veronyka’s sister, Val, is determined to regain the empire she lost—even if it means inciting the war herself.

Such is your inheritance. A name. A legacy. An empire in ruin.

As tensions reach a boiling point, the characters all find themselves drawn together into a fight that will shape the course of the empire—and determine the future of the Phoenix Riders. Each must decide how far they’re willing to go—and what they’re willing to lose in the process.

I pray you are able to pass through the flames.

Review:
I’ll admit that the size of this book intimidated me a lot. The paperback arc is over 600 pages! I feel like I haven’t read a book like this since the Harry Potter days. Sure, I read big books, but sometimes I’m just left feeling overwhelmed with it all.

The first book, Crown of Feathers, started off very slow for me. But it ended with a bang—good thing I had the second book nearby to help with the anticipation I didn’t have to feel waiting for it to come out. Being back with  Veronyka, Tristan, and Sev is a delight. They have really grown emotionally and physically from the first book.

I always like it when a book can surprise me in all kinds of ways. Overall, this is a solid book that I enjoyed a lot. I think readers will be happy to see that this could be their next favorite read!

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own.

Buy the book:
Amazon US
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About the author:
Nicki is a YA fantasy author living just outside Toronto, Canada. After getting a degree in visual arts, a masters in art history, and a diploma in graphic design, Nicki discovered two things: she loves to escape the real world, and she isn’t interested in a regular 9-5 life. Luckily, her chosen career covers both.

Her YA fantasy debut CROWN OF FEATHERS is out now from Simon Pulse, and the sequel HEART OF FLAMES is coming February 11, 2020.

Have you read The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanan

I listened to The Wife Between US last year on audio. It was trippy, thrilling, and absolutely bonkers! It had everything you could want in a thriller and more. That ending… If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading it, I recommend doing so now. Then come back and comment what you thought about the whole thing in the comments below.

Published: January 9, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Check out what reviewers are saying here!

Blurb:

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.
You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.
You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement – a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.
You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.
Assume nothing.

Twisted and deliciously chilling, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's The Wife Between Us exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage - and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

Read between the lies. 

Buy the book:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the authors:

Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen are the co-authors of the blockbuster New York Times bestseller, THE WIFE BETWEEN US, as well as the forthcoming, AN ANONYMOUS GIRL. AN ANONYMOUS GIRL has been optioned for a television series by eOne, with Sarah and Greer executive producing. THE WIFE BETWEEN US has been optioned for film by Amblin Entertainment, with Sarah and Greer screenwriting the adaptation.

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Books next on my TBR...

There are so many books that I have on my TBR list. For those that have no idea what a TBR is, it means To Be Read. I legit have THOUSANDS of books on my list, yet I still feel like there are times that I have nothing to read. Nothing calling out to me. This year for one of my reading goals, I want to bring up the list some books that have been on my list for a very long time.

Up first.

Published: September 3, 2019

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Check out what reviewers are saying HERE!

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Blurb:

What if America had a royal family?

When America won the Revolutionary War, its people offered General George Washington a crown. Two and a half centuries later, the House of Washington still sits on the throne.

As Princess Beatrice gets closer to becoming America's first queen regnant, the duty she has embraced her entire life suddenly feels stifling.

Nobody cares about the spare except when she's breaking the rules, so Princess Samantha doesn't care much about anything, either . . . except the one boy who is distinctly off-limits to her.

And then there's Samantha's twin, Prince Jefferson. If he'd been born a generation earlier, he would have stood first in line for the throne, but the new laws of succession make him third. Most of America adores their devastatingly handsome prince . . . but two very different girls are vying to capture his heart.

Published: June 11, 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction/Women's Fiction

Check out what reviewers are saying here!

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Blurb:

Do we change or does the world change us?

Jo and Bethie Kaufman were born into a world full of promise.

Growing up in 1950s Detroit, they live in a perfect “Dick and Jane” house, where their roles in the family are clearly defined. Jo is the tomboy, the bookish rebel with a passion to make the world more fair; Bethie is the pretty, feminine good girl, a would-be star who enjoys the power her beauty confers and dreams of a traditional life.

But the truth ends up looking different from what the girls imagined. Jo and Bethie survive traumas and tragedies. As their lives unfold against the background of free love and Vietnam, Woodstock and women’s lib, Bethie becomes an adventure-loving wild child who dives headlong into the counterculture and is up for anything (except settling down). Meanwhile, Jo becomes a proper young mother in Connecticut, a witness to the changing world instead of a participant. Neither woman inhabits the world she dreams of, nor has a life that feels authentic or brings her joy. Is it too late for the women to finally stake a claim on happily ever after?

Yes, yes, I know that this next one will make me a bad bookworm, but better late than never!

Published: July 21, 2015

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Check out what reviewers are saying here!

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Blurb:

From the NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, & USA TODAY bestselling series

Beards, brothers, and bikers! Oh my!

Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why Jessica James, recent college graduate and perpetual level-headed good girl, has been in naïve and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life.

His friendly smiles make her tongue-tied and weak-kneed, and she’s never been able to move beyond her childhood crush. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can’t stand him, and she’s pretty sure he can’t stand the sight of her…

But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. Jessica James has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane’s disdain; therefore she’s unprepared for the reality that is Duane’s insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica’s muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order.

Certainly, Beau’s magic spell is broken. Yet when Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, now more dangerous than ever, how much of her level-head heart is she willing to risk?

Published: August 9, 2016

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Check out what reviewers are saying here!

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Blurb:

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do.

You’d like to get to know Grace better.

But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.

Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows.

Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie.

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I think this is a good start to knocking out the thousands of books :) 

Please let me know in the comments below, what books you have on your tbr?

Bad Reputation Duet by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Both books are available now. This is a good girl/bad boy classic romance. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest book store to pick up a copy!

 Published: January 21, 2020

Genre: New Adult Romance

Check out what reviewers are saying here!

Amazon US

Amazon UK

​I HAVE A BAD REPUTATION.

Call me what you want: Bad Boy Next Door. Trouble. That Kid Who Can’t Do Anything Right.

When Willow moves into my neighborhood, nothing should have happened. She’s geeky. Shy. A true wallflower.

Willow is a good girl.
Too good for me.

And how the hell was I supposed to know that she’s related to Loren Hale—yeah, that douchebag celebrity that lives on my street. The same guy I've been pranking by spray painting vulgar words on his mailbox and worse. Much worse.

Don't ask me why I do the things I do.
Don't ask me why it had to be her.

I'm cursed. Simple as that. But here's the thing about people who are cursed—they break everything they touch.

And yet. . .I still want to touch her. ​


Whatever It Takes is the first book in the Bad Reputation Duet and can be read and enjoyed without reading any of Krista & Becca's other novels.

Published: January 28, 2020

Genre: New Adult Romance

Check out what reviewers are saying here!

Amazon US

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I WILL RUIN HER.

You know that old saying “opposites attract” — well, no one ever tells you what 

happens after the attraction part.

Do opposites stick together forever?

Or do they just self-combust?

And then there’s the third option: someone or something forces them apart.

Look, the third option isn’t happening to us. I will end the bastard who thinks he can 

keep me from her. I only need to worry about one thing. . .

Epic, soul-crushing self-destruction.

Because I screw up everything I touch.

Even her.

About the authors:

NYT & USA Today Bestselling Authors Krista & Becca Ritchie are identical twins—one a

science nerd, the other a comic book geek—but with their shared passion for writing, they combined their mental powers as kids and have never stopped telling stories. Now in their twenties, they write about other twenty-somethings navigating through life, college, and romance. They love superheroes, flawed characters, and soul mate love.

To stay up to date on new releases, bonus content, and more, sign up for Krista & 

Becca's 

Newsletter: www.kbritchie.com/newsletter.html

Quick note: We're not on Goodreads often, so we don't respond to messages 

here. But if you 

want to connect with Becca or me, you can reach out to us on our social medias or at 

our 

website: www.kbritchie.com

Fans of Krista & Becca's Books:

♥ Join Krista & Becca's Fizzle Force Facebook group.

♥ Inspiration for the Addicted series can be found on their Pinterest boards.

♥ Find playlists for all of their books on Spotify

♥ Check out all of their extras! Including: bonus scenes, character interviews, fun posts 

and more on their Extras page. 

Review-The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

Publisher: Avon

Published: February 4,2020

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Source: Finished copy

Rating: 4.5 stars

GOODREADS

Blurb:
Critically acclaimed author Mia Sosa delivers a sassy, steamy enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about a woman whose new job requires her to work side-by-side with the best man who ruined her wedding: her ex-fiancé's infuriating, irritating, annoyingly handsome brother. Perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory, Helen Hoang, and Sally Thorne!

A wedding planner left at the altar. Yeah, the irony isn’t lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blip from her past, Lina’s managed to make other people’s dreams come true as a top-tier wedding coordinator in DC. After impressing an influential guest, she’s offered an opportunity that could change her life. There’s just one hitch… she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials.

Tired of living in his older brother’s shadow, marketing expert Max Hartley is determined to make his mark with a coveted hotel client looking to expand its brand. Then he learns he’ll be working with his brother’s whip-smart, stunning—absolutely off-limits—ex-fiancée. And she loathes him.

If they can survive the next few weeks and nail their presentation without killing each other, they’ll both come out ahead. Except Max has been public enemy number one ever since he encouraged his brother to jilt the bride, and Lina’s ready to dish out a little payback of her own.

But even the best laid plans can go awry, and soon Lina and Max discover animosity may not be the only emotion creating sparks between them. Still, this star-crossed couple can never be more than temporary playmates because Lina isn’t interested in falling in love and Max refuses to play runner-up to his brother ever again...

Review:

I’m a sucker when it comes to wedding books. An even bigger sucker when the bride is jilted at the alter. Why do I love to be punished so? Probably because after the fallout, it’s always worth all the pain in the end. Yep...I’m totally a glutton for punishment. But I do love my HEAs fiercely.

“I’ll never again be that woman who made a blubbering fool of herself over a guy.”

Immediately, The Worst Best Man hooked me within the first  five minutes of reading it. I was instantly starry-eyed with anticipation on the yumminess I knew would be happening between Lina and Max. The two had this petty prank war thing going on between them. It was fun watching them flirt and deny feelings. Heh heh.

Our hardworking and amazing female lead is a wedding planner. Yes, the same wedding planner who was left at the alter and wasn’t even properly broken up with. Not only was it through text, but the groom’s best man/brother was the one to bear the bad news. Shhh, it was totally his fault!

A spectacular opportunity presents itself to Lina and it would behoove her to turn that opportunity down. No matter the consequences. Even if those consequences involve the very man who she deems the best (worst) man.

The opportunity will have her working very closely with Max. A lot is riding on this work proposal and Lina isn’t going to have her ex-fiancés brother ruin those chances for her. Come to think of it, she won’t have the ex fiancé, Andrew, ruin it either.

Overall, I thought this was a lighthearted, fun, and romantic read. I can’t wait for the next book from Mia Sosa!

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own.

Buy the book:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

About the Author:
Mia Sosa is a critically acclaimed contemporary romance author and 2015 Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® Finalist. Her books have received praise and recognition from Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Library Journal, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and more.

Book Riot included her debut, Unbuttoning the CEO, in its list of 100 Must-Read Romantic Comedies, and Booklist recently called her “the new go-to author for fans of sassy and sexy contemporary romances.”

A former First Amendment and media lawyer, Mia practiced for more than a decade before trading her suits for loungewear (read: sweatpants). Now she writes fun, flirty, and moderately dirty stories about imperfect characters finding their perfect match.

Mia lives in Maryland with her husband, their two bookaholic daughters, and one dog that rules them all.

For more information about Mia and her books, visit www.miasosa.com. 

New Release-Ignite on Contact (Brotherhood by Fire #2) by Jaci Burton

Publisher: Berkley 

Published: February 4, 2020

Genre: Contemporary Romance

GOODREADS

Blurb:
New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton is back with a friends-to-lovers romance sure to melt hearts as one smokin'-hot fireman turns up the heat on love.

Relationships. Firefighter Rafe Donovan avoids them whenever possible. He loves dating women, but he makes sure they know up front that he's in it for fun, great sex and nothing more.

Fun. As an ER nurse and official caretaker of her disabled grandfather, Carmen Lewis doesn't have time for fun. But Rafe has been there for Carmen--and her grandfather--time and again, and he's clearly interested in her. She knows he's a player, but she's tempted by his charm and incredible body. And maybe a little fun isn't a bad thing, as long as she keeps her heart away from this fiery game she's enjoying with a very hot man.

Love. It doesn't take Rafe long to realize that until now he's only been playing at romance. With Carmen he feels searing passion and heart-tugging emotion for the first time. Now he has to convince Carmen that what they have together is the real deal.

Buy the book:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

About the author:
Jaci Burton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over 85 books. She lives in Oklahoma and when she isn’t on deadline (which is often), she can usually be found wrestling with her uncooperative garden, wrangling her dogs, watching an unhealthy amount of television, or completely losing track of time reading a great book. She’s a total romantic and longs for the happily ever after in every story, which you’ll find in all her books.. Visit her website at www.jaciburton.com for excerpts, book information and contests.