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aebennettwrites's reviews
282 reviews
Captive of the Pirate King by Rebecca F. Kenney
4.0
Kenney does it again! Another page-turner in the Dark Rulers series! Our main character Veronica finds herself needing to pose as a young man when pirates overtake the ship she's on. Once she's onboard the pirate ship, she finds herself interacting with one of the pirates - the mysteriously sexy Locke. Kenney does an excellent job building tension between these two and when they do hook up (and they hook up A LOT) it's very rewarding. There was a bit more violence in this book than I expected (heed those TWs!) but overall this is was another fantastic read from Kenney, who is quickly becoming a favorite of mine!
Selenium Night by Kharma Kelley
5.0
If you like shapeshifters, you need to add this to your TBR. Kelley's lore is unique and she does a fantastic job world building around the two types of shapeshifters in her world, Aristans and Thesians. We meet the main Aristan - Aidan Bloodlocke - right after a fierce battle in which he loses his mother. As he pursues justice, he winds up in a small Maine town where he runs into Maddie Ardelle, a veterinarian running from her own sordid past. The chemistry between these two is steamy and realistic and I would definitely read a sequel about these two.
Immortal Whispers by Kon Blacke
4.0
What a fun, sexy fantasy adventure! As the book opens, we meet Hereward, a lord and knight who has sworn vengeance on the evil Ealdræd. Ealdræd is a dastardly villain who strikes out again at Hereward very early in the book - and I was hooked. As the tale progresses, we also meet Wymond, Beornræd, and Kieron - other main characters who have their own battles to fight. Blacke does a great job of weaving the stories of all four characters together. The battle scenes are epic and the sex scenes are super steamy; the prose did get hyperbolic in places, however. Overall, this is a fantastic tale and I'm looking forward to reading more from the author!
Fall by Maxime Jaz
4.0
This is a satisfying, but sometimes heart-wrenching, romance. Jake is a well-to-do medical student who seemingly has everything one could want: he comes from a rich family, has a gorgeous girlfriend, and has his life plotted out for him. A chance encounter in a park during a run changes all that. When Jake falls and twists his ankle, he's helped by a kind stranger - Doug. As Jake continues to plod through his life, he can't stop thinking about Doug... and we also learn Doug can't stop thinking about him. Jaz does a great job building up the want and need between these two and the sex scenes are fun and steamy. Some of the side characters are a bit two dimensional and it takes Jake and Doug a bit long to finally fall into each other's arms, but this is a book any romance lover should have on their TBR.
Dust & Lightning by Rebecca Crunden
5.0
This is a fast-paced, exciting space adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed. Crunden immediately orients readers in a futuristic world where outer planets have been colonized and are being exploited, and Earth still reigns supreme. We meet our main character Ames as he receives a mysterious communication about his brother's death and vows to get to the bottom of it. Departing Earth for an outer planet, Ames quickly realizes there's much more to his brother's death than meets the eye. A great sci-fi story for those who like adventure and mystery weaved in.
Shake Things Up by Skye Kilaen
5.0
I was so happy for this second book in the Love at Knockdown series. This is another low-angst, entertaining romance from Kilaen that was so soothing. Main characters Allie and Matt are happy in their open relationship, but when Allie gets tricked by a date, she meets recently-laid-off Noelle. Noelle, wavering about where she next wants to take her career, agrees to accompany Allie and Matt on a road trip to a music festival. What happens next is sweet and sexy. A great read for those who need to focus on the good and happy in this world. (Disclosure: I am friends with the author and received an ARC.)
The Old Love and the New by Alistair Caradec
5.0
A wonderfully tragic tale that will resonate for years to come. This dystopian story is set twenty five years after the British government takes reactionary and brutal measures when a pandemic strikes. We meet main character Sid, fighting his own battle with schizoaffective disorder, who just wants to keep his head down and tune out the world. When his flatmate Jamie brings home an unexpected guest, Sid's world gets turned upside down. Caradec is an amazing writer who is able to build suspense and maintain a sense of dread all while keeping you invested in each character. A fantastic book I couldn't put down.
Hidden Magic: The Eldritch of Hallows by Elana McDougall
4.0
A sweet and magical read! We meet MC Sasha as she's driving on a lonely road through North Carolina. When her car breaks down, she finds herself in Hallows, a mysterious town untouched by modern technology, like smartphones and WiFi. As Sasha settles in, she meets many of the townspeople, including Sheriff Jake Wulfrick, to whom she has an instant attraction. As the story progresses, we discover not is all what it seems in Hallows- and perhaps Sasha has a bit of magic in herself, as well. Overall, I enjoyed this story. McDougall's magical world building is fun and many of her characters are quirky and likable. I would have liked more buildup/slow burn with the attraction between Sasha and Jake; their instant attraction is very instant! Overall, though, this was a great story to curl up with on a chilly Sunday afternoon. Recommend!
Donum - The Gift by Maxime Jaz
5.0
Not going to lie... I've been waiting for this book ever since I saw the cover reveal on Twitter. I'm interested in Ancient history and enjoy historical fiction set during that era. This book does not disappoint. The story begins when Commander Marius is gifted a slave during a party at a countryside estate. The slave, Kyle, is clearly terrified as he accompanies Marius to Rome. Throughout the book, both characters grow -- and grow fond of each other, eventually falling in love. Jaz does a great job at keeping readers invested in the characters, even if you sometimes loathe them. Marius is a flawed main character, though he does learn lessons by the end of the book. I really enjoyed reading about how the two fall in love and I'm looking forward to see how the trilogy progresses. Warning: This story gets dark, so please pay attention to Jaz's content warnings. (Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of this book from the author.)