kavuyi's reviews
203 reviews

The Haven, the Hallow, & the Highborn by Jessa Grey

fast-paced

3.5

Tropes:

Forbidden Romance 

Forced proximity 

Rivals to lovers 

Tragic backstory 

Grumpy x Sunshine

He falls first

Crown Prince x witch 

Slow burn 
Magic 

A prince with a smart mind and humor. ✔️

A witch looking to save her home. ✔️

A dying magic to unite them. ✔️

Eedy Blackthorn is looking for a way to fix the magic disruptions happening in her home. Her father’s work can explain it all if only the men can listen to her. Best of all if the useless rake of a prince can just listen to her. 

The useless Prince’s solution? Visit the fae and ask questions about the dwindling magic. 

Result? 

A fight for magic. 

A fight for love. 

The plot is fast paced. It’s all in a short space of time. I thought they were fated mates at some point. 

The Prince and the witch. 

It’s a novella so everything happened pretty quickly. Eedy is grumpy as hell but the prince was pure sunshine. I loved the prince’s humor, he was truly funny. I adored him. This was a fast paced love story. It swept right through. Seemed like an insta love but again was not because of the past. 

I had to keep reminding myself that it was a novella. I felt like I was missing a lot more information. I had/have questions. What next? If this had been a full length novel it would have been better. Maybe. 

The plot twists and the ending have me wondering if the blurb of the next book means what I think it does. The ending of the book has me wondering if we shall see these two again one day. Will we? 

A Trial of the Heart by J.E. Larson

adventurous emotional slow-paced

4.5

Tropes: 

Trials 

Political intrigue 

Found family

Trauma rep 

Fantasy romance

Slow burn 

Dying world 

Banter  

Warrior Prince MMC x Shifter FMC

Fae

Shifters 

Human 

Touch her and you ☠️

Evil Queen 

Mates 

When Dax smiled, I smiled. 

The trials begin

Sky is now in the inner Kingdom with the high fae almost ready to face her first trial. 

In all this Sky’s relationship with Dax has evolved. Their romance is beautiful to read. I love them together. I love Dax. Their relationship was gold. It’s a slow burn, but it burns right. I cried when a part of the book was confirmed like I thought it would go. I was so happy. Happy tears. 

In the midst of their evolving relationship, you have an evil queen who will take from Dax his power for herself. 

There is tension in this book among the princes and the Queen. There are plot twists in this book, there are challenges, new characters and some rich descriptions of the inner kingdom. In all this, something is brewing in the air and I can’t wait for book 3 to see how everything will unfold. 

The growth that Skyler showed was impressive. Book one was heartbreaking with what she went through and in book two we got to see her rebuild her strength and mind. 

I loved this book. I cried. Give me book 3. I’m in love. 

Castor was a masterpiece and one of the best parts of this book, he made the book rich. He was funny. His humor amazing. All their side characters added to the book. Found family was strong in this one. 

A Trial of Fate by J.E. Larson

adventurous slow-paced

4.5

Tropes: 

Found family

Trauma rep 

Fantasy romance

Slow burn 

Dying world 

Banter  

Warrior Prince MMC x Shifter FMC

Fae

Shifters 

Human 

Touch her and you ☠️

Fate always has a way.

Fate intervenes with Skylar, half shifter half human when she meets the high fae and her life is turned around. 

Fate always has a plan.

Fate turns around choices when Skyler‘s best friend and crush finally believes they are meant to be mated. 

Fate cannot be stopped.

The world is dying and only one unturned shifter can help the high fae stop the wilt. Who will it be this time? 

Fate can change paths.

Skyler will do anything to save those she loves. Daxton will do anything to protect her from danger. Never leaving her side.

Fate always wins.

I love this book. I didn’t know what to expect and I’m happy I read it. I loved how strong Sky was and how she could work through trauma. Daxton though, he was amazing. I loved how with her, he was someone else and with everyone else you could see the true silver shadow that he was. 

This book is about strength and resilience and it’s a slow burn like truly slow burn. 

Book 2 you’re next. 

On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn

adventurous slow-paced

4.5

Tropes: 

Magic School (Hogwarts meets House of the Dragon meets Zodiac Academy meets Fourth Wing)

Vampires 

Blood rituals 

Magic

Forced Engagement/betrothal

Slow burn 

Vampire MMC with Draco Malfoy Vibes

Steamy Enemies to Lovers

Dark academia 

Dragons

Found Family

Dual POV

Bully Romance

Trials 

Dark fantasy romance 

Waking up in a strange land, getting engaged to a vampire  (who is already engaged) and being enrolled in an academy was in a days work for Medra Pendragon. 

What could be worse than dying a horrible death, finding out you might have rider dragon blood, having your betrothed’s first partner hate you, having a half ghost in your head, being treated like nothing on the food chain and your betrothed despising your very existence? 

Well… trying to get killed again? This time, by vampires. Or going through trials to be an official consort? Or having your blood sucking betrothed want you? 

Loved this. 

I loved Medra’s stubbornness. In her own way, she is ruthless. I don’t like bullies, but Blake was a bully who was protecting her. These two were so good at being enemies. I didn’t even think one would fall for the other. There is the tension, of course; and the yearning in it but when you think this is it two pages later, the moment is ruined. And this is a slow burn. The burn burnt.

There was so much going on in the book from learning how to fight, finding friends, fighting enemies and getting to know Blake better. 

The last chapters were a lot. The cliffhanger!!!!! What next???

I am looking forward to book 2 just to see what happens next. 

Fangs by K.L. Speer

adventurous dark emotional inspiring slow-paced

5.0

Tropes:
Post-Apocalyptic
Romantasy
Found Family
Magic Healing Powers
Grief 
Religious trauma 
PTSD and Trauma 

Fangs starts off right where Bones ended. 

Fangs gets you hooked into it straight up. 

Bones is back at the vault, still in grief of the events from book one and she gets kidnapped by her big brother Wolf and his crew  (who come in as additional characters from Carth). We get to understand Bone’s past and her real name, Ember. 

Mac will stop at nothing to protect and get her back. I loved Mac and book one but now it’s more than that. We get to see a different side of Mac and how he cares for Bones. There is so much going on with Mac and I will not be mentioning spoilers, but you have to read it to see everything. It’s epic.

We get to Bone’s power get stronger from what it was in book one. So many changes in so some people with no understanding as to what is the trigger. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the book. Had theories formulating in my mind as to what was happening. I got one part right though. 

The book is amazing. Mac’s POV was the best part of this book. I was swooning in this chapter. Mac!!! That’s a king right there. What made me almost hate the book was Lee. I would lie but I don’t like him. I don’t trust him. I don’t have the energy for Lee. 

Butttttttttt!!!!! 
I have only one question. On the string part. The author has the has the answer I need. 

Can’t wait for book 3. Give me Ashes. Got a theory about this one. It’s only the beginning!!! I’m excited!!! So much more is coming. I can feel it. 
♾️⭐️

Bones by K.L. Speer

adventurous challenging dark sad slow-paced

5.0

Tropes:

Post-Apocalyptic

Romantasy

Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine

Found Family

One Bed

Magic Healing Powers

Slow Burn

Touch Her And Die

Trauma & PTSD

Forced Proximity Who Did This To You?"

Banter

Suspense

I would like to say TikTok was right about this book. 

Bones hooks you in from the get go. The book is beautifully written. Descriptions rich. 

We have Bones with healing magic powers that others have used for their selfish reasons. She leaves one captor and finds herself in another captors hands in a place called the vault. 

When she’s in the vault, she falls under the protection of Mac and his crew. Mac is all leader, tough, angry and follow orders type of man but bones finds herself leaning towards Trey, who has golden retriever energy, pure sunshine. It is by no way a love triangle book but from the get-go, personally, I felt pulled between Trey and Mac in that they were basically opposites and she related differently with both men. 

I understood that Bones went through hell and was in her own way and would basically self sabotage herself. Some parts were painful to read. The book is amazing. Thank you for the tears. 

Merit by Devney Perry

emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Tropes:

Collage Romance

Virgin FMC

Sports romance

Fake dating

Childhood friends

Enemies to lovers

Small town

Maverick’s mom dying wishes: 

1. Go on a date with Stevie.
2. Go on a second date with Stevie.

Solution: 

1. Fake Dating 
2. Go on cutesy dates

Result: 

1. Fall in love 

These two were absolutely amazingly adorable. 

I read Rally (book 3) last year and didn’t connect with Rush and Faye as much as I connected with Maverick and Stevie and I thought I hated Maverick in book 3. 

Merit made Maverick human, trying to make his mother happy in her last moments even if it meant dating and staying in the relationship with an enemy. And he made the most out of it. 

I loved these two. Even as they transitioned from enemies to sort of friends and then lovers. The banter was amazing. Their connection was solid. Devney Perry broke my heart and then rebuilt it. I was bawling with this book. 

Amazing!!!! 

Merit is a 5⭐️ read for me. Read this in one sitting (didn’t sleep) 

Never Your Girl by Jennifer Sucevic

funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

ARC Review: 

Tropes: 
Hockey romance 
Black Cat Heroine 
Close Proximity
College Hockey Player
Enemies-to-Lovers
Found Family & Girl Squad
Grumpy x Grumpy
Will They or Won't They
Fake Relationship
Hidden Identity
Slow Burn

Some malicious compass gossip, enemies in a fake relationship and a damning secret, and you get never your girl. 

Bridger and Holland enemies with a past. And when and an anonymous campus gossip girl starts malicious posts about Bridger, he has himself convinced its Holland behind it all. To prove the truth, she has to fake date him and help him find the culprit. Underneath all this is tension and attraction that never faded from what happened in the past. 

No third act break up. 

Holland and Bridger were so adorable. Their connection even when they didn’t like each other was adorable. I love the plot and the characters, but I was expecting more from the book. Maybe more depth. The banter was great, the found family was amazing, and I loved that everything clicked into place in the end. 

Read this in one sitting.

Thank you Jennifer and Lunaliterary for the opportunity. 

Fan Service by Rosie Danan

funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

Tropes:

⭐️Grumpy meets sunshine-with teeth

⭐️Slow burn

⭐️Actor MMC 

⭐️Internet archivist FMC/ former fangirl

⭐️He played a werewolf on a cult classic show and now he's turning into one and no one believes him...except her

⭐️She ties him to a chair for 'safety' uhmmm 

⭐️He can scent her emotions 

⭐️One Cabin 

⭐️Cuddling naked for warmth

⭐️Comfort 

Never meet your heroes 

No words spoken have been truer than that to Alex. First meet with her favorite celebrity, Devin turns into the worst meet and lesson. 

And now years later, Devin needs her help when he realizes he is turning into that which he was a celebrity for, a werewolf and she is the only one who believes him. 

The banter between the two is beautiful. I loved how Devin got to know Alex at a different point in her life years later and she was then his type. And yet for Alex, the crush never died, and this sort of solidified everything in a nutshell. 

This is a spoiler but the part when she meets him and she tells him what happened in the past, I won’t lie, I cried. The last few chapters!!! Yo!!! Emotional!!! It was such a beautiful book with hard touching moments that these two broken people would still connect. Amazing. 

Teacher's Pet by Katerina St Clair

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

4.75

ARC Review 

Thank you Katerina for the opportunity to read the ARC. 

Tropes: 
Age gap 
Professor x student 
Knife play
Toy play 
Sadist x machist
Multi POV(ish)
Fierce FMC
Possessive MMC

If you love secrets, then you will love this book. 

Anastasia Burns has a secret that could destroy her life and her ex is holding it over her. No matter how she tries to hide, her sharp mouth gets her noticed by her professor, Noah Ackerman, who has secrets of his own. 

From the get-go these two have friction and it reaches a head when they get consumed by their attraction. He wants control, and he will get it, with whatever means necessary, so long as it means having Anastasia on her knees. 

There’s a whole lot going on in the book. Everyone has their own agenda, someone wants something and in the middle of it all is Anastasia and Noah, trying to balance everything while hiding everything. These two have it heavy and instant. 

There is jealousy, hatred, secrets, passion, craziness, blood  and sadism. 

I won’t lie I wanted to slap some characters out of the book, at some point it felt rushed like I was expecting it to move slower which would have meant more pages added in. All in all I liked the book. 

My jaw dropped in some moments of the book, I would like to think that was the author’s plan. 

The cliffhanger!!!! Guys… I need the next book ASAP!!! The Author got me there.