A Touch of Chaos (Hades x Persephone Saga #4) by Scarlett St. Clair REVIEW

A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair

3.76 out of 5 Stars

*May contain spoilers*

I forgot how long and hard I could go for these reviews... holy crap. 

Short version -- check it out here or just know that I really liked it! 

Three years after A Touch of Malice, the final book in the Hades x Persephone saga came out last spring and wrapped up this epic retelling of the classical Greek relationship where the characters are still alive and well in a modern day version of the world where New Athens is the seat of the gods and all the legends and creatures are real. I have been WAITING for this book for all three of those years (tragic, I know), but I honestly didn't pick it up until just now because it was so long ago that I read the previous one that I just wasn't itching to read this one. I also have only read one of the Hades books (Hades Saga), which apparently enriches the reading experience, but I thought I was fine without it and still really enjoyed myself. If someone has been reading the Hades Saga though, they would have only waited a year for this to come out because A Game of Gods came out only last year. 

As I'm outlining this review, I'm realizing there weren't as many *sparkling* moments between Hades and Sephy that are causing me to fangirl... not a great thing, but also not the worst. They were still amazing, and I don't think it really takes away from the book at all, but it wasn't like I was pining for more scenes with them. If anything, I felt that way about Ari and Dionysus (more on that later). 

While the majority of the series is romantasy with emphasis on the romance between Hades and Persephone, I would say this installment is actually more fantasy than romance. So for all those complaining about "the spark" between characters is different or there were fewer "spicy scenes," please take a second to remember that romantasy is derived from combining romance with fantasy. And we've clearly been building up to an epic plotline like this one over the course of the other books, so it shouldn't be a surprise that we get to see the characters in action more than in lovey situations in this book. Personally, I really appreciated that. It made the romance more grounded and provided a more realistic feel to the story because not everything can always be about a relationship. Life exists. Life is more than heart eyes. 

Plot

I thought this had a really great plot. It wasn't the most seamless in transitions between scenes, but it wrapped things up and kept moving. It brought satisfaction to the main cliffhangers and resolution to the important points of the story in a way that was excellent. Also, there were some great battle scenes in this book! There wasn't just one epic ending. There was a series of tasks and skirmishes and obstacles and I am so happy that there was so much going on and it was to a level of detail that every character had a critical role. There were also some really funny moments too which broke things up nicely. *Cough Dionysus delivering a baby Cough* 

I think one of the things this book struggled with on the whole though was balancing the multitude of things that were happening (and necessarily so) with keeping all those threads properly tangled or untangled as needed and then weaving them all together and tied up by the end of the book. There were so many subplots that I'm actually a little annoyed that a handful were left dangling because they were good and I wanted more. But at the same time, if I'm thinking critically, I can understand why more time wasn't afforded to those subplots because the book was already almost 600 pages long in paperback format. You're just going to get messy if you give breathing room to too many things when the book is already that large. I don't know what the editing decision would be in that situation -- what could have made that better. I wouldn't have wanted another book. I wouldn't have not wanted the subplots to exist. And there were elements to the subplots that were necessary to put characters into position for them to serve their purpose. So, because I can't think of a solution to this conundrum, I feel like I can't really hold it against the author. 

Maybe we can just get a bunch of bonus scenes or novellas for Christmas based on those subplots. :):):) 

Okay so, one of the bones I had to pick about the plot specifically was that I really wish there was some sort of resolution for Hera's soul. I get that she was an awful bitch and what Theseus did to her was a result of her own actions, but to have her broken like that and wandering forever? I can't. My heart hurts even just remembering that scene where Hades sees her and realizes her fate. Even though she was horrid, and its all fictional, it bothers me so much that she will never find rest. 

Lastly, I want to briefly touch on Theseus's death and atrocities toward Ari. Firstly, I'm okay with Theseus's death being somewhat pathetic because he is pathetic and deserves no epic way to die. There was also something I think very Greek about his downfall being a bit anti-climatic and directly tied to his flaw of hubris. Plus, it was a workaround to an oracle. Secondly, one of the things that I saw repeatedly be mentioned in other people's reviews is how the scenes between him and Ari played out. For me... I have mixed feelings about them. I'm glad they weren't brushed aside and dismissed like they meant nothing, but at the same time, I think maybe they were a tad overdone? I don't think we needed more than one because then you can just refer back to that one somehow... I don't know. I don't really want to dwell on it much further. I suppose I just wanted to touch on it because I don't think it was as poorly handled as I've seen some people describe it. 

Characters

Persephone -- I love this retelling of Persephone. I think her modernity contrasted against all the other gods and goddesses jadedness from years of divinity really makes her stand out. She's strategic and hardworking and in the final stages of discovering who she is as a person as well as a goddess, but there's something really unique about this Persephone being both modern and like a normal woman that I just really love. Plus, I love that she can be equally worried about getting Hades back and pissed that he's kept so much information from her.

Persephone by unsidhe (DeviantArt/creativecommons)

Hades -- From what I remember in the other books, Hades is a suave badass in this retelling. Grumpy and closed off, but he, like, makes deals with mortals at a nightclub. By no means would I think he could ever be described as dusty, but those attributes that are so attractive were a little flat in this book and could kind of hint at dustiness. Which is really unfortunate because I love a great Hades! And this is a great Hades! But it was like he didn't fully show up to the party. 

Hermes -- WE LOVE HERMES AND DIONYSUS!!! Hermes especially though is a favorite of mine. He's so goofy and so loyal and I love when there's a sincere character like that where they, just by being themselves, break up the heaviness of a scene or a story. Apollo served that role a little too, but sadly, we had to say goodbye. Although, thinking about Apollo, if he had had more page time, I think I would have been more upset about his death. As it is, if Hermes had died I would have been crying. But with Apollo, I was just plain said. 

Hecate -- I love Hecate so freaking much. She such a great motherly figure to both Hades and Persephone and I love that she will soundly scold anybody. I'm really glad that she had a good story in this book. It was nothing huge or dramatic, but she remained vital and loved, which makes me really happy. 

Dionysus x Ari -- I don't remember them existing before this book!! Did they exist before this book??? I don't think so?!?!! I really really fell hard for this little ship that is really just a subplot. But I fell for it SO bad that I'm slightly upset. Even if I wasn't obsessed though, I still would have wanted more of the Ari x Dionysus arc especially at the end when Ari emerges with the baby wrapped around her because there is so much there. She had suffered through so much and that I think needs some sort of resolution to that and I think Dionysus is a part of that resolution.

Theseus -- Vomit. Just absolute vomit-inducing filth. Literally one of the worst characters I've ever read. Developmentally, he was alright. I think there were a few times when his character was almost overblown and exaggerated as if St. Clair was really trying to make sure we all understood that this is  a character with no redeemable soul, and it didn't need to be. 

Not specific to any character development, but ummmm... Thanatos and Lexa?? More please???? We get a whole conversation between Lexa and Sephy where Lexa is upset because she kissed Thanatos and then he said it was a mistake and CLEARLY it's just Thanatos being stupid about his job and what he thinks is right versus wrong when it comes to caring for the souls but she doesn't know that and thinks she instead that she did something wrong! Not okay! I need to see Persephone kick Thanatos's ass in line and get him to wake up and realize that he's hurt Lexa and he doesn't need to! Ulghhhh, I need this.... not as badly as I need an Ari x Dionysus spin-off... but I still need this.... 

Writing

I wouldn't say there's anything uniquely spectacular about the writing of this, other than it flows so damn easily. It would feel like I'd blink and 30 minutes had gone by while reading. One of the best things about this book, and really all of Scarlett St. Clair's books, is that it's just so fun and distracting in the best way possible. It is true entertainment where you can turn your brain off, fall into the story, and just live somewhere else for awhile. It's ability to do that is not the most common thing, so whenever a book is able to do that, it gets huge props from me. The simple task of having a story effortlessly draw you in is not so simple of a task at all, and I think it is incredibly underappreciated. Huge, huge props to St. Clair for being one of the authors who can do this. 

It's weird to think that this series is over... I tore through this book within a couple of days and it is so strange that a series that has been on my mind for years is now finished. I think especially for this series it's weird because there was such a large break between this book and the others, but it's such a good retelling of Hades and Persephone. There are so many out there now, and this is one of the ones that I think I'll always recommend to people because it doesn't feel tired or overused to me. I'm going to be sad that there are no more. Also, I will forever believe that this series has some of the best book covers I've ever seen. 

Random note though before the end of this review in case the author ever somehow stumbles across it... I would LOVE a Dionysus spin-off. Anyone else??? I think there is so much there, and the way he is handled as a character? Fabulous. Absolutely stunning. Can we manifest this for 2025? Send happy creative vibes to the author? Lol, let's be real, I love Scarlett St. Clair so I'm sending those vibes anyway. 

Thanks for reading!
Xo

A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair SPOILER FREE REVIEW

A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair

3.76 out of 5 Stars

*Spoiler Free Review*

If you would like the full review, with spoilers, details, and fangirling, follow this link to the full review!

Three years after A Touch of Malice, the final book in the Hades x Persephone saga came out last spring and wrapped up this epic retelling of the classical Greek relationship where the characters are still alive and well in a modern day version of the world where New Athens is the seat of the gods and all the legends and creatures are real. I have been WAITING for this book for all three of those years (tragic, I know), but I honestly didn't pick it up until just now because it was so long ago that I read the previous one that I just wasn't itching to read this one. I also have only read one of the Hades books (Hades Saga), which apparently enriches the reading experience, but I thought I was fine without it and still really enjoyed myself. If someone has been reading the Hades Saga though, they would have only waited a year for this to come out because A Game of Gods came out only last year. 

While the majority of the series is romantasy with emphasis on the romance between Hades and Persephone, I would say this installment is actually more fantasy than romance. So for all those complaining about "the spark" between characters is different or there were fewer "spicy scenes," please take a second to remember that romantasy is derived from combining romance with fantasy. And we've clearly been building up to an epic plotline like this one over the course of the other books, so it shouldn't be a surprise that we get to see the characters in action more than in lovey situations in this book. Personally, I really appreciated that. It made the romance more grounded and provided a more realistic feel to the story because not everything can always be about a relationship. Life exists. Life is more than heart eyes. 

I think one of the things this book struggled with on the whole was balancing the multitude of things that were happening (and necessarily so) with keeping all those threads properly tangled or untangled as needed and then weaving them all together and tied up by the end of the book. There were so many subplots that I'm actually a little annoyed that a handful were left dangling because they were good and I wanted more. But at the same time, if I'm thinking critically, I can understand why more time wasn't afforded to those subplots because the book was already almost 600 pages long in paperback format. You're just going to get messy if you give breathing room to too many things when the book is already that large. I don't know what the editing decision would be in that situation -- what could have made that better. I wouldn't have wanted another book. I wouldn't have not wanted the subplots to exist. And there were elements to the subplots that were necessary to put characters into position for them to serve their purpose. So, because I can't think of a solution to this conundrum, I feel like I can't really hold it against the author. 

Maybe we can just get a bunch of bonus scenes or novellas for Christmas based on those subplots. :):):)

One of the best things about this book though, and really all of Scarlett St. Clair's books, is that it's just so fun and distracting in the best way possible. It is true entertainment where you can turn your brain off, fall into the story, and just live somewhere else for awhile. It's ability to do that is not the most common thing, so whenever a book is able to do that, it gets huge props from me. The simple task of having a story effortlessly draw you in is not so simple of a task at all, and I think it is incredibly underappreciated. Huge, huge props to St. Clair for being one of the authors who can do this. 

It's weird to think that this series is over... I tore through this book within a couple of days and it is so strange that a series that has been on my mind for years is now finished. I think especially for this series it's weird because there was such a large break between this book and the others, but it's such a good retelling of Hades and Persephone. There are so many out there now, and this is one of the ones that I think I'll always recommend to people because it doesn't feel tired or overused to me. I'm going to be sad that there are no more. Also, I will forever believe that this series has some of the best book covers I've ever seen. 

Random note though before the end of this review in case the author ever somehow stumbles across it... I would LOVE a Dionysus spin-off. Anyone else??? I think there is so much there, and the way he is handled as a character? Fabulous. Absolutely stunning. Can we manifest this for 2025? Send happy creative vibes to the author? Lol, let's be real, I love Scarlett St. Clair so I'm sending those vibes anyway. 

Thanks for reading!

Xo

Highest Bidder Collection by Lauren Landish and Willow Winters REVIEW

Highest Bidder Collection by Lauren Landish and Willow Winders

3.59 out of 5 Stars

Okay, so it's been a minute since I wrote a review, so... give me a minute, lol. :) Plus, on top of that, this is a review of a collection. Chaos may ensue. The whole thing will be Spoiler Free however, so if you're curious about them, you're safe from anything being ruined. 

This four book collection contains stories that could be standalones, but they have common characters which, for me, means I tend to enjoy reading all of them in publication order as they reference prior things later on. 

They are ALL dark romances with BDSM and some other pretty heavy themes. They also all have typos (only one or two and nothing major), so if you're absolutely unable to get over those, don't engage and bring the vibes down because of that tiny detail. 

TW: SA

** Continue below if you are okay with that TW **

Bought (Dahlia x Lucian)

3.72 out of 5 Stars (Second favorite for me)

Dahlia is a young professional looking for some extra money to get her through a tight period and Lucian is struggling to get over his hang-ups with having a new sub after his relationship with his wife ended disastrously. She is introduced to Club X, where rich dudes and women members can safely indulge in their fantasies, and early in the book gets into a relationship with Lucian. I really liked them together! Dahlia's character development was shaky, which bothered me a bit, and overall I wish the story was longer, but on the whole it was very enjoyable. (Side note: All the books were short and could have used more plot development.) 

I need to strongly preference something at this point -- and this applies to all of the mini-reviews: I am not a psychologist or mental health professional or any other kind of medical professional, so I may be completely off the mark here. But, what I really appreciated in this book especially is how Dahlia's past of SA is not brushed off. Furthermore, it's something that becomes part of the relationship she has with Lucian and he wants to help her heal from her experience and achieve the goals that she has set for herself in the healing process. I just really appreciate that because it isn't treated like a drama-enhancer or is reductive. Their story explores some of the nuance of how a past experience affects a present experience and how the present can help heal the past, which not every story does. 

Sold (Katia x Isaac)

3.5 out of 5 Stars (Third favorite for me)

Katia is simply trying to build a normal life for herself after surviving a worst-nightmare history and she captures Isaac's attention when she goes to Club X. They really fit each other's needs and Isaac's goal also becomes to give Katia what she needs to process and heal. The best part about Isaac is that he's suuuuuper protective of Katia. But, I actually think I liked Isaac the least of all the MMCs though. I just didn't entirely like his attitude or his approach to the FMC. It's not like he's an asshole per say, but it just wasn't for me. Katia was a pretty good character, but also a bit plain? I'm not quite sure how else to describe it, other than it seemed like she was kind of just filling in the role of FMC.

Owned (Lilly x Joseph) 

3.26 out of 5 Stars (Least favorite for me) 

Lilly is completely new to the BDSM lifestyle, but from watching and taking her time to learn everything, she is ready to explore that side of herself and has a good idea of what she wants. Joseph on the other hand, knows exactly what he needs and, like a good one, gives Lilly room she needs to explore what she wants and is ready for her when she decides to make that leap. However, his past comes knocking and throws a deep wrench in their happiness that he needs to sort out. 

Lilly is the only FMC of these four books that doesn't have a history of some sort of SA. I'm not mentioning that because I think it adds or takes away from the story, but because in case someone is looking for one of these without the trigger warning, it's this one. 

The reason why this one is my least favorite is simply because I felt like it was the one with the most potential for development, and it actually had I think the least amount. When you're loving something so much, you want it to be done well! And then when it falls short, it is the most frustrating thing in the world. Compared to Katia and Isaac, I liked Lilly and Joseph's relationship way more, but I feel like they weren't done justice, so I can't rank this book above the others. Like, Lilly's subplot alone could have been woven in so much better and used to heighten their dynamic, but... *sigh*.

Given (Arianna x Zander) 

3.88 out of 5 Stars (Favorite for me)

Arianna has a shitty POS abusive partner at the beginning of the book. He's manipulative, and gaslights, and is a definition of bad BDSM etiquette. I can go on a full rant, but I won't because this review is small. Zander (not the POS) is one of those MMCs where he portrays himself to the world one way, but then really he's super intense and people who know him know not to mess with him. I LOVE characters like that. Zander actually from the get-go has issues with Arianna's POS partner due to business beef, and it becomes part of the reason why the two get together. From there, there is a sort of dance between these three characters as business gets dealt with, the relationship between Zander and Arianna grows, and tensions with the POS relationship explode. 

One of the things that I really loved about this book wasn't just the dynamic between Arianna and Zander, but was how there is a clear moment where Zander realizes what has been happening between Arianna and Danny and is like, "Hell no, this is not okay and will never happen again." Which, I would like to think that a man stepping up to protect someone is a low bar, but maybe it isn't anymore because I'm totally obsessed with this moment that Zander has. We love to see it. :) 

*** *** ***

I forgot how much I love doing these reviews! They're a bit of brain-work as well when I'm not absolutely fangirling over a title, but still worth it. 

Thanks for reading!

(And I guess welcome back??)

Reading the 2024 Goodreads Romantasy Choice Awards (and my own rankings of them)

Reading the 2024 Goodreads Romantasy Choice Awards 

(and my own rankings of them)

This may be absolutely bonkers of me considering how many reading goals I've set for myself going into the end of the year and into early next year (for reference, I started a second blog about traveling via books), but as of writing this, the Goodreads Choice Awards Nominees of 2024 have been released and it has been ages since I feel like I've done a deep-dive into what is out there in terms of romantasy. And I've been reading romantasy since before it was called that! (To the younger readers and newer readers of the genre -- yes, "romantasy" is a relatively newer term.) 

I also always just love a list of titles for awards because I find it can be easier to read than looking at blocks of book covers, so I wanted to make this list putting them all in one spot. 

Here's to me reading all the romantasy nominations "so you don't have to" (said with saccharine sarcasm). And then I'm going to do a subsequent post, which will likely be finished early next year, where I do my own rankings of these books. I'm going to update that list of rankings though as I go along so that it is as complete as possible. Cheers!

** In the below list of titles, I've noted when the nominee is not the first book in the series. If there is a note only about that, that means I'm up to speed on the series and will be reading the nominee. If I'm not up to speed, I'm only going to read the first book because if I don't like that one, I'm not going to continue with the rest of the series. **

The 2024 Goodreads Choice Award Nominees for the Category of Romantasy

1. Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
2. A Touch of Chaos by Scarlett St. Clair (Not book 1) 
   
3. A Promise of Peridot by Kate Golden (Not book 1 -- I'll be reading A Dawn of Onyx)
4. Zodiac Academy: Restless Stars by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti (Not book 1 -- I'll be reading The Awakening) 
   
5. Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli (Not book 1 -- I'll be reading Trial of the Sun Queen)
6. Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (Not book 1 -- I'll be reading Assistant to the Villain) 
7. Quicksilver by Callie Hart
8. Gold by Raven Kennedy (Not book 1 -- I'll be reading Gild)
9. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
10. The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen
11. Faebound by Saara El-Arifi
12. 
    Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas
13. Born of Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Not book 1) 
14. Honey Witch by Sydney J. Shields 
15. House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas (<-- This one's going to win. Calling it now. Not book 1)
16. A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
17. The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee
18. A Crown this Cold and Heavy by Stacia Stark
19. When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
20. A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen

My Hesitations & Concerns:

Lots of other reading goals

I already referred to this in the beginning paragraph, but I started a second blog where I plan on reading books that can mentally take me to places I want to travel to, but can't afford to. I'm really looking forward to that blog as much as I love this blog! Starting up a new blog though, while also returning to writing in this one, is honestly very intimidating. I've kept up reading, so I'm not ~very~ worried about that... but it's the writing these blog posts that can take quite a bit of time and I don't want to skimp on these posts because then that's shit quality and I don't want to be that person. 

     Some of these titles I already know I don't love

Oof... I don't know if people are going to come at me because of this but... I already tried to read the Zodiac Academy once and I just struggled with the first half of it so bad that I put it down and didn't return. But there's a HUGE fan base for it so there must be something there. Maybe at the time I was reading I was just really distracted or simply not in a good place? If a book couldn't hold me through a time like that though, especially a romantasy book, I still hold some reservations about it. 1000% still willing to give it another shot though!

Scared some are just riding the coattails of successful trends, which annoys me

Over the years, this has REALLY become one of my biggest pet peeves -- books where you can tell they're really just trying to benefit off the success of other titles or the tropes in them. And then they're half-baked or over-marketed and heralded as "the next Sarah J. Maas" or "the next Jennifer L. Armentrout." I really, really get annoyed by this and I'm incredibly worried that with the reductive readership of online popularity that there will be titles in this list that I simply will get frustrated with because of a lack of true originality.

On the whole, I'm looking forward to this! I can't wait to see how this turns out! 

Thanks for reading!!

Xo

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater QUICK REVIEW

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

4.36 out of 5 Stars

 

This is like a lite Bridgerton mixed in with some faeries -- in other words, absolutely cute as can be. It was perfectly sweet and charming, without being ridiculous and I LOVED the characters. They were a bit simple, but it's not like I was expecting Rhysand of the Night Court from a >300 page book. No, these characters were distinct and, while simple, developed just enough to make the story indulgent in the whimsical romance that it is.  

 

Quick little blurb for a quick little read. Definitely worth it! 

 

Thanks for reading!

The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell REVIEW

 

The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell

3.78 out of 5 Stars

 

The Dark King is described on the cover as being, "Neon Gods meets Fifty Shades . . . Deliciously dark and sexy!" -- #1 NYT Bestselling Author Helen Hardt. Bryn Meara is sent a promotional offer to stay at the most high-end hotel and casino in Vegas which is owned by Caiden Verran, who is also the king of the Dark Fae. None of the early events that led Bryn to Vegas, or to her and Caiden's marriage, have been purely organic, and as Bryn and Caiden grow closer, they also realized that they have been thrown together by someone with ill intent toward the Dark Fae and Court. 

 

I really liked this book! It was a bit on the simple side, but sometimes, that's not too bad when the character development is really good, which is the case for this book. It's a little edgy, a little sexy, and a little sweet. For anyone looking for a romance book like this, which, I can definitely see the similarities to the romance books compared to in the blurb, definitely check out the full description on the back of the book or online to see if it sounds like something you'd be interested in. If so, I'd say go for it! The Dark King is the perfect romance novel escapism for a handful of hours.

Plot:

Beyond the scope of the romantic development between Bryn and Caiden, there is a legitimate plot about the politics of the fae world with actual stakes that are in addition to the longevity and health of the romantic relationship. We love to see it, but we really only started to see it until the middle of the book. The first half of the book, suspicious things took place, but the were more just oddities and didn't raise any suspense like the developments in the second half of the book. For the overall development of this story-line, I think I would have liked those earlier moments to be more ominous or sinister in tone instead of just curious so that this story-line had more room to grow and breathe properly. 

The romantic plot was spot on perfect. The development was gradual, with each character reaching their own mental internal progress about the relationship by reasonable increments, and together, they meshed really well without one overpowering the other at all times. 

Characters: 

I really liked all the characters, but, the dialogue was waaaaayyyyyy too cheesy at times, mostly in the beginning of the book, and damn near entirely with Bryn's dialogue. Everything else about the characters was fabulous, but why why why could the dialogue have not been solid at all times? It feels like cherry picking for flaws, because it really is, but the cheesiness was off the charts to where it took away from the book for me.

Writing:

This is definitely a book about the characters, and the author does an excellent job writing them. On the whole, I think the writing was nice and smooth, which is great, but nothing really about it stood out (excepting the dialogue moments mentioned above). The character development is great though, including for a handful of key minor characters. So if you love reading for the characters, this is definitely one of those books you'd enjoy. 

A nice little new romance! I think I came across this title from the online marketing, which looking back on it, may be a little exaggerated in tone compared to the actual book, but hey, I still found a copy of this book to read, so marketing did their job right. Definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a romance with this description!

Thanks for reading!

Original Sin by Lydia Michaels REVIEW

 Original Sin by Lydia Michaels

1.48 out of 5 Stars 

 

***Thank you to Bailey Brown Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review***

In full transparency, I DNF'd this book at 45%. Please keep that in mind when reading this review in case you have a different opinion or are looking to use this review as advice as to whether or not to read this book. For me, it was not my vibe, by really any means. And normally I don't DNF books, even if I don't like them, but there were some persistent themes in this book that I was straight up not comfortable with and I could not see them turning any corners to better (read, "healthier") portrayals by the time I put the book down. I'll get into those problematic themes a little further down, but ultimately, I just don't think this book was the right fit for me.

PLOT

The premise of the story is a vampiric soulmate connection that, when realized within the vampire character, needs to be sought out in order for them to not lose their minds. One of our leads, Adam is vampire, who gets such a call for the other main character, Anna, and a steamy romance ensues. I was very intrigued by this premise because the connection needing to be affirmed in order for the character to survive was so interesting and enticing when wrapped up in a romance novel. However....

The themes I had trouble with overrode any excitement I had about the premise of the plot. Adam is a "gentleman" and won't force himself on Anna, but at the same time, he legitimately kidnaps her, constantly takes away her free will, forces her to completely change her way of life and self-expression, and views his relationship with her as "his right." Many things wrong here. Many, many things, which significantly lowered the rating for me because I just could never in a million years be comfortable recommending such content to someone. To do so would be essentially an endorsement that behaviour such as Adam's and the relationship Adam and Anna fall into is okay and healthy, when it really is not. 

I was waiting for these toxic possessive edges and forceful removals of identity to be recognized and to have those attitudes (as expressed by Adam and his family) corrected. But by 45%, they hadn't started to change at all, and if anything, the attitude of "his right" and "it's necessary for survival" were becoming more ingrained, and I couldn't stand it anymore, so I stopped reading. Really sad, because I think the premise of a soulmate connection having such a strong impact on a person is a great one, but this was so bogged down by these horrible themes that I couldn't see a way out or a way to redeem it.

WRITING

What makes all of this so much sadder is that I actually liked the author's writing! I believe this may have been one of her earlier books, so there is no way I am writing off this author. Her style, while not high-brow literary, had that captivating edge to it that I love. It's the kind of writing that will draw you in and before you realize it you're up past midnight. Excellent writing, I just wish the execution of the story had been vastly different. 

 

So in the end, I can't recommend this book because of its thematic issues. However, I am open to reading more from this author and seeing what else she has created!

Thanks for reading!

Review of Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
3.48 out of 5 Stars

***Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!***

A cute fluffy contemporary romance, Boyfriend Material is such a sweet joy read. The characters were a little simple, the plot a little basic, but overall it was fun to read and there were moments that were truly funny! It is the perfect quick read for a lighthearted weekend.

Luc and Oliver both need a fake boyfriend, Luc to restore his reputation and have a date for a Beetle Drive, and Oliver to bring to his parents' wedding anniversary. They had previously known each other only through their mutual friend, but said mutual friend gets them together so they can both have a "fake boyfriend." This plot concept alone is a little too Hallmark Channel for me, but nevertheless, it is still a super cute concept. Luc and Oliver begin to "date" each other, but over the course of their dates, their individual desires and insecurities gradually emerge and they tease out the possibility and then the reality of their "fake" relationship becoming a real one. Of course, there were truly groan-worthy moments along the way when I wanted to smack the characters' heads together. But then there were other moments that were so tender and sweet my heart melted a bit.

As a whole, it wasn't the most sophisticated writing. By that, I don't just mean it was easy to read, but there wasn't much depth to anything either. For example the characters were fairly flat. Different depths would be hinted at sometimes, like how Luc was destroyed by his previous relationship with Miles, but then we wouldn't really go anywhere with it. Random nuggets of background and characterization would be thrown in and promptly forgotten. Honestly, I wasn't super frustrated by this, I'm just noting it because that for me was why I didn't connect as much to the story as I think I could have. It's something that I think unfortunately happens a lot across contemporary romances because the focus is so zeroed in on the relationship, everyone forgets that the two people are the grounding tethers that need to be developed first in order for the relationship between them to hit home with the reader.

Another way that I thought the story was a bit simple was through the plot itself. It's a cute concept, but not one that is very standout-ish. It makes for truly adorable light and fun reading material, but I couldn't really pull much else out of it. I loved that the story was set in London. I'm not sure what the city setting did for the story, but I loved it anyway because it's London. I loved that Luc and Oliver had such different careers. They needed that, especially as their whole thing is how they balance each other out and work wonderfully because they are so different from each other. And I also loved how they called each other out on their crap. It needed to be in there of course, but I liked how the author handled each character's response differently from the other's. Luc just sort of freaked out and then listened to Oliver's rant. Oliver on the other hand, really freaked out and it took him a long while to accept what Luc was telling him. I liked that, how they each responded in a way fitting to their own character. 

The best thing about this book was, hands down, the humor. So funny. So so funny. This was one of those books where I was reading it in public, looking like a loon because I was trying so hard to restraint my giggles. There were great zingers, but my favorite funny moments were when there was just awkwardness between the characters. Like, the comfortable kind of awkwardness if that makes sense? I loved when Luc's group chat would be going off and riffing off each other, I loved when Luc would casually tease Oliver and Oliver didn't know how to respond, I loved whenever Luc had to explain that we worked at a dung beetle organization. It was all great. 10/10 for humor on this one. 

Again, it was a cute fluffy read. While there wasn't too much to really sink your teeth into, it was enjoyable and is the sort of book that would be perfect for a holiday, bringing to a beach, curling up with for an afternoon... something casual to pick up.

 Thanks for reading!

Review of The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel

The Trouble with Hating You by Sajni Patel

4.03 out of 5 Stars

 

~ Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ~

This book came across my reading list at the most perfect time. I was stressed and I needed something as adorable and reassuring as this. The Trouble with Hating You was definitely intense. There were a lot of very low lows and definitely back out if you think there are themes you can't read. But, it is a triumphant story and the romance was one of the most adorable things I have read. It's a hate-to-love trope, so take that into consideration when you pick it up. I like those :) and that trope definitely lent itself to my enjoyment this book.

Liya and Jay are literally one of my favorite couples. Seriously. When Liya was stepping up and taking the initiative at work, Jay didn't complain or give her crap about it. No-- he cleaned up her lab equipment, bought them food, and just kept her company while she worked. That may be one of the most heartwarming things I've ever read. It was pure support! I loved it. And they just kept supporting each other over and over. And the banter. THE BANTER. I love a good banter between the ship in a book. Not fighting, but the little comments and pokes that are borderline snippy and playful and remind you of an old married couple. They had that banter down perfectly. A+

I think there's a lot of great conversation that can come from this book as well. About family, friends, intersection of personal life and work life, religion, community... it wasn't just a light and fluffy romance. There's really good substance to it as well. And I don't want to say that romance books don't typically have substance, but in here specifically, there was a potency to the substance and the themes. It elevated the story for me.

A highlight for this book that I think is tangential to the romance is the amazing friendships. They seriously were fantastic to see portrayed to be so real. The friend group that Liya has is so strong, yet they are all so different. And they all have different life goals, opinions, and sometimes step on each other's toes. But like the relationship with Jay, there was just so much wonderful support and it would bring a smile to my face to read about this group of lifelong friends.

The Trouble with Hating You is a perfect summer romance read. It is sweet, and funny, and I could definitely see a group of friends reading this together!

Thanks for reading!

Review of From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This cover is beautiful and I love it :)

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

4.82 out of 5 Stars

 

Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God Oh my God

PEOPLE

Oh my God

Okay no more of that.

So I love this author, I love her books, I love her characters, I lover her humor. I freaking ******* loved this book. Dare I say it, I think it surpasses all her other books that I love.

What is?
From Blood and Ash is a new adult fantasy in a world where there was a huge war that overthrew the vampires (I'm blanking on the term right now and I loaned my copy to a friend... #fail). There are now the Ascenders that rule over these walled-in cities in the kingdom and they protect the people from the craven, which are like these vampiric zombies. Poppy is our main girl in the story and she is known as the "Maiden." As the Maiden, she's some secluded, sequestered, all-white robes wearing version of a Handmaiden on steroids. Essentially, she's a candidate for Ascension and is meant to marry a prince (I believe) after she has Ascended.

But oh-ho-ho, things get tricky because Poppy starts to question things around her. Plus there are some murders. And then there's Hawke (oh will we talk about Hawke). And historical secrets. And it all just leads up to so much wonderfulness as a reader that I absolutely adored this book.

SPOILERS BELOW (SERIOUSLY- I am going to spoil things. Please do not read further if you have not yet read the book.)

PLOT:
I'm intrigued. I went into this book pretty blind because that is literally how much I trust JLA to write a good book, so as things progressed, I was just strapped in and let the story take me where it went. Looking back on it, the plot is an oddly even amount of fantasy and romance. There were times when I was hooked into the larger political structure and dangers lurking about, but then there were also times when I was fully invested in PoppyxHawke (which, do we have a ship name????).

There's a lot that happens. If I were to break down the plot into "acts", I think there's five? ---Editing me interrupting real quick. Lol I didn't realize this book was 634 pages, which is double the page length of her other books like Obsidian or Half-Blood. I read this as an ebook in one sitting hahaha, whoops.--- It just seemed like the story was never ending. And for the most part I mean that in a good way because I loved the characters and the dialogue and the suspense of not understanding this weird position Poppy was in.

I don't think I can pull out a single "best moment" either because there were so many amazing moments. There's the first time we see Poppy take away someone's pain, the whole dignity in death stuff was really touching, there's the time Hawke was like, "dude, how'd you sneak out of the room," the poetic yet dramatic justice the Duke gets (which, let's be real, we all knew was Hawke's doing), Poppy's freak out, and the last scene. Scratch that, the last LINE: "We go home to marry, my Princess." Dead. I'm dead. I'll talk more about that moment later when it comes to Cas, but holy alien babies (JLA fans- I had to use this phrase, ya know?) what a way to end the book.

What's going to happen next??!?!!!?!? I want to see Cas's parents. I want to know what the new game plan is about saving his brother, because it would kill me to see Cas have to give up Poppy as was the original plan. I don't think he will. I have a gut feeling on this one that they're "mates" or whatever the "mate" equivalent will be in this series. Although, I'm also intrigued by Kieran's comment about everything ending in "another tragedy." Was Cas involved with the other Maiden? WAIT. What if it was his brother that was involved with the other Maiden and somehow that all led to his brother's capture? I think I need to reread this and write up a crackpot theory post about where the series will go.

The big question: do I want to see a wedding? Ummmm... not like how it is set up now. I'm not thrilled with the dynamic between Cas and Poppy at the very end of the book. Cas is too controlling for my comfort level. And maybe he's freaked out about something that we as readers don't know about yet, and when Poppy finds out she'll confront him and get him to back off a bit. Or maybe she'll just confront him in general and straight up say, "dude, you can't decree our wedding." I do like the ship, but we're not seeing enough right now for me to be comfortable with a wedding. I'm 96% sure Poppy still thinks she'll get traded away in some political game with the Ascenders for Cas to save his brother. A marriage doesn't make sense with the information and development we have right now. Maybe it could once things are cleared up and their voices in the relationship is even, but I don't think we are there yet as of the end of the book. This was this biggest issue I had with the book, sadly.

Also, Dear JLA, I love you. Truly, I do. I adore your books and your writing, but.... I couldn't help but notice that there's no book two spot on Goodreads yet for this series. And it hurts my heart just a little bit. There's just a teeny tiny gaping hole of fear in my chest that for some reason we won't get another book. Which, logically, doesn't really make sense because there is a "series" list for the first book, which would mean there are going to be others.


CHARACTERS:
Poppy: I feel like Poppy is the victim of a cult upbringing. Actually, she really is because she is centered around some artificial religion meant to perpetuate a literal feeding farm for the Ascenders. The more we learned about Poppy, the more my heart broke for her because it was just so much for anyone to be raised in. Her role was insane and I was so happy for her the moment she decided she wasn't going to put up with being some weird trophy religious figure anymore. I loved that she knew how to defend herself. I loved that she questioned her upbringing. And I really loved that she didn't automatically swallow what Hawke was telling her at the end. It wouldn't  have made sense for her to suddenly switch out of the stories she had been raised to believe as truths. She still has a lot of mental scarring and new fears and doubts, all of which make sense, but I am so hopeful for her development to see where she goes for the rest of the series.

Hawke: Or should I say Cas? Muahaha I love that Hawke ended up being the prince. Overplayed trope? *shrugs* Maybe. I don't really care though. Honestly, I though JLA did a really great job balancing us at the edge of wondering if he is the prince, if he's close to the prince, or if he's just a rebel. I'm curious though if that was just me. Because while I was reading, I could tell that something was up with his character, but it took me a good amount of time to pick up that Hawke was Casteel. Sort of like I said earlier though, his character is the one that gives me pause. It's why I can't give this book a full five stars: I'm worried about how he develops, especially in regard to his relationship with Poppy. He's too controlling at the moment, and not even in a hey-Poppy-play-along-there's-a-reason-here-it-is kind of way, but like an everyone-is-in-the-dark-and-he's-deciding-they're-getting-married kind of way. Personally, I'm not comfortable with that. BUT, I don't think we have the full facts or development because there was nothing else in the book to suggest Cas by nature would just override Poppy's voice like that. If anything, I feel like it was the opposite because he would be the one to encourage her to find her own voice and make her own independent decisions -- to be her own person. So while I don't like the direction we see him take at the end of the book, I don't think that's the full story and I'm really sincerely hoping he changes so that he's not domineering over Poppy.

Vikter: It is a truth universally acknowledged that there are rarely any good living parents in YA books. So of course our good father-figure had to be killed. Her parents were already dead, which is bad enough, but we couldn't even have a father-figure for a whole book. I liked Vikter. I liked having that parent role model in Poppy's life and it will be interesting to see how the grief affects her. But I miss him. It was such a tragic moment and I just wanted to acknowledge him for a moment. He will go down as one of the good YA dads. **And I know this is a NA book, not YA, but still.**

Tawny: Maybe I'm the only person wondering this, but what's going to happen to Tawny???? Thank goodness Cas insisted she stay behind at the castle because otherwise she'd be dead! That would have been horrible! And lowkey a part of me hopes that Poppy at some point has that revelation because Cas really did her a solid there. Yes, there's a lot of death. And yes, there is some proportional amount of blame that he carries (that's a whole different equation I don't want to get into). But to me, this was a big moment when he chose to protect her best friend, knowing that Tawny was planning on Ascending and knowing everything that Ascension entailed. Where will Tawny go in the future though? Will she meet back up with Poppy? Will she accept the truth the way Poppy did? Will she not Ascend? There's a lot of questions spinning in my head, that's all.

The creep: I don't remember his name. I don't particularly care. But you know the guy? The one that made your skin crawl? Yeah, I'm glad he and the Duke are dead.

WRITING/WORLD:
I'm not going to lie, I just dove into this book headfirst and didn't realize that it was a full-on fantasy. That being said, JLA writes a lot of great urban fantasy, so for a solid chapter or two I was so confused as to where the story took place. And then I realized what was going on and it all made so much more sense. While we didn't get to see the full new fantastical world that she has created, I am optimistic about how it will be revealed to us. Even just with the historical background of the war between the Atlantians and the Ascenders, I think she was able to really cleverly convey the disparity between what the people believe and what is true. And from there, build a foundation of understanding the politics of the world from the eyes of the people in it. I think she'll hit this one out of the park once we get a full view of Atlantia and the capital for the Ascenders. Oh! And I would love a map. :)

A big plus. Because it was a complete fantasy novel, there were no contemporary pop culture references. I don't necessarily mind those in JLA books, but they can throw off things like humor if I can't follow what the joke is. It was so nice to see JLA's wit come out in a way that was completely even and original to the story. I really enjoyed how there was still banter, and she was able to do it without the aid of a pop culture reference. A small minus. I kept thinking of Atlantis every time I saw the word Atlantia. And the book is about vampires, not mermaids.

I don't think I could give this a full 5 star review because of some questions and concerns I have about the characters' traits and relationship dynamics. And they're concerns that are more than just fleeting, so we'll have to wait and see what happens. But, I'm hopeful it will all balance itself out and in terms of everything else... amazing. I am really really looking forward to the next book.

Thanks for reading!!!!!
(Also, I 100% had way to much caffeine while I was writing this, but I'm just going to leave it :) as is.)

Review of That Night in Paris by Sandy Barker

That Night in Paris by Sandy Barker

3.46 out of 5 Stars

~ Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ~

No Spoilers :)

That Night in Paris was such a cute little break. It's essentially a road trip, but it's a road trip across Europe and there was an adorable romance that I had fun reading. 

We follow Catherine on this last-minute trek on an organized bus tour to places including Paris (lol duh), Venice, Rome, Amstersdam, etc., etc. She and the small group of friends that she forms each have their own romance troubles but in a low-key adorable re-meet cute, Catherine runs into an old childhood friend who has had a serious glow-up since they've last talked. All of the characters are a little cliche, but Jean Luc was a literal dream and the romance between him and Catherine was very charming.

My favorite part of this was the romance element to it. If I were to break down the book into two plots, there would be the romantic plot, and the traveling plot. The romance part was the part of the book that I really enjoyed. It was sweet and relatively simple and made the book something that I could totally see me reading on vacation somewhere. There was just enough of a bump in the road to happiness to make me want to pick the book back up, but it wasn't so gripping that I was on the edge of my seat. It had a nice relaxed tone around it. 

Maybe surprisingly, I didn't really love the traveling plot of the book. There is something that is almost compellingly interesting about a random group of strangers bonding and spending so much time together, but it wasn't carrying the day for me. Also, while the descriptions of the different locations were beautiful (I definitely added some to Pinterest), I just got to the point where I wanted less of that and more of the romance between Catherine and Jean Luc. 

This would for real be a great vacation book for anyone. It's more than because the characters are all on vacation; there's a lightness to the atmosphere and sweetness to it that is refreshing. The series is perfectly titled as "Holiday Romance Books."


Thanks for reading!