retrogirlreads's reviews
163 reviews

A Kingdom of Destruction by Ivory K. Rose, Ivory K. Rose

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

“A Kingdom of Destruction” is a dark fantasy romance by author Ivory K. Rose, and it is the first book in The Brutal Magic series. It is told from the POV of our heroine, mortal Princess Aven Elridge.

 

What I loved most about Aven is that she wasn’t this simpering, delicate princess who was incapable of holding her own. Aven was the furthest thing from a damsel in distress - which was very refreshing.

 

Throughout the book, Aven found herself torn between the two Fae princes, Cillian and Roran. Cillian appeared to be the safe choice, but she couldn’t get Roran out of her head.

 

As for my opinion on the two brothers, let’s just say that I thought I knew who I was rooting for, and a plot twist at the end cemented my opinion! I will definitely be reading book two.

Found In Destruction by M. Bonnet

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The adventure continues for Diana, her men, and her allies in “Found in Destruction,” the fourth book in M. Bonnet’s Dangerous Lovers dark paranormal why choose? romance series.

 

At this point, I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but so much happened in this book that my head was spinning at times! I’m obsessed with this world and these characters, and I’m dying to find out how their story ends.

 

I really love Diana, the heroine. She’s someone that I can relate to, but there are also aspects of her personality that I aspire to have one day as well, such as her confidence and bravery.

 

Now there’s only one book left, and I’m both excited and nervous to see how this series is going to wrap up. But if you’re considering reading this series, just know I binge read all four books in three days - so it’s absolutely worth the hype!

Hidden in Deception by M. Bonnet

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

In this third installment in M. Bonnet’s dark paranormal why choose? romance series, our heroine Diana Rossi, her five men, and various other allies work together to try to figure out why people want Diana dead.

 

I love that this series is the perfect mix of lighthearted and angsty. It has a very good selection of laugh out loud moments as well as dark scenes. I love that I can be laughing one minute and then gasping at a plot twist in the next.

 

Diana is a very powerful immortal, and I love that with the help of her men, she gets to explore her power and test her limits. I admire her snarky personality and sassy nature, as well. I’ve loved binge reading this series so far, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

In The Devil's Shadow by M. Bonnet

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Okay, so this is the second book in M. Bonnet’s Dangerous Lovers dark paranormal why choose? romance series, and I thought it was a fantastic read!

 

Diana is a wonderful heroine because she’s bold and sassy, and she isn’t afraid to stand up for herself when necessary. I loved her snarky side as well!

 

As for each of Diana’s love interests - Desmond, Ares, Bash, Mal, and Azazel - they’re all completely psychotic and utterly obsessed with her, which is really fun to read about. 5 freaking stars!

In Death We Part by M. Bonnet

adventurous challenging dark funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

“In Death We Part” by M. Bonnet is a dark paranormal why choose? romance featuring Diana Rossi, a young woman who thought she was normal until she discovered she had supernatural powers, as the main heroine.

 

Four darkly handsome men barrel into her life and take it over, claiming to want to protect her. Diana is determined to be her own woman, but their overwhelming need to claim her is destroying her resolve.

 

I honestly thought everything about this novel was amazing, from the dark and humorous banter to the scorching hot steam. I also loved the fact that each of the four men had their own, distinct personalities (although Ares was my favorite). I’d definitely recommend!

The Aetherial Embrace Trilogy: A Fallen Angel x Dragon Rider Romance by Kristy Nicolle

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense slow-paced

5.0

Kristy Nicolle’s The Aetherial Embrace Trilogy was completely and utterly epic. It captured my attention from the very first page, and it was a wild ride from start to finish. If you’re a fan of Greek mythology inspired stories, I think you will love this trilogy!

 

There are a lot of POVs in this trilogy, and they’re all important and necessary to the plot. I loved that I got to see things happening from the POVs of both sides of the war, and I think it made for a very intriguing and enjoyable reading experience.

 

I just loved everything about Kristy Nicolle’s writing style. It was dark and gritty, and I had to literally force myself to put the book down when I needed to do other things. Considering she was a new-to-me author before I started reading this, I’m definitely glad I gave this trilogy a chance!

Chasing Starfire: The Silver Bracelet by A.J. Knight, A.J. Knight

adventurous challenging emotional funny lighthearted mysterious sad tense slow-paced

4.0

“Chasing Starfire: The Silver Bracelet” was my first time reading something by A.J. Knight, and I have to say that I’m really glad I gave his writing style a chance!

 

I thought the world building in this book was very well-done. Estelle, the heroine, was very likable, and I enjoyed reading the chapters written from her POV.

 

I was also intrigued by her love interests, the Royal Guards Bramble and Faeryn. Their interactions were highly entertaining, and I loved how complex their relationship became in such a short time.

 

The whole concept of the three magical relics from each ancient kingdom was also incredibly intriguing, and it made me curious about them. I will definitely be continuing with this series!

Savage by Cala Riley

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Cala Riley’s “Savage” is a spicy MC romance featuring Savage and Bailey, two childhood best friends who reconnect after spending years apart.

 

I thought this was an interesting read! The plot kept me entertained, and Savage and Bailey’s banter was highly amusing.

 

There was a suspense aspect to this book as well that I wasn’t expecting, but that actually made it even more intriguing! To sum this up, I think fans of MC romances will enjoy!

Cursed by Darkness: A Bluebeard Retelling by C.M. Haines

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

“Cursed by Darkness” is a spicy Bluebeard fairytale retelling by CM Haines that I absolutely adored!

 

Bodin and Juniper were both characters that I felt an instant connection to, and I enjoyed reading from both of their POVs.

 

I love a good arranged marriage trope, and this book definitely gave me that, as well as a good dose of found family.

 

I really love that CM Haines chose a lesser known fairytale to retell, and I think she did an excellent job doing so. I highly recommend!

Lavender Storm by Kristy Nicolle

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Okay, so I’ve been totally hooked on this trilogy ever since I first started reading it, and now that I’m done with it, I know that I’m going to have a serious book hangover!

 

This book was very action-packed and plot heavy, and there was also a huge focus on character development and political intrigue. All of this meant I was very invested in this story.

 

Another thing I loved about this trilogy is the multiple POVs. It was really interesting to be able to get into the different characters’ heads and see how their minds worked.

 

Kristy Nicolle was a new-to-me author, but I’m really glad I decided to give her books a chance! Her writing style is both vivid and memorable, and I definitely recommend.