wendeedeedee36's reviews
253 reviews

A Court This Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark

4.0

I literally listened to the entire audiobook in one sitting, and while I know how many hours that entails, it really didn’t feel like it. I think this is a great introduction to the series. The world building you enough about the history and the character backgrounds/interactions get you invested in them and wanting more. Overall, this put down a really solid foundation and I think book 2 is bound to get very exciting and possibly intense because of it. The enemies to lovers trope is really hitting and I love it. After the ending of this book I am exciting to see how that develops. But I think I’m most looking forward to learning more about Lorian’s cohort as we continue. 

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

4.5

Well that sure was intense! Saw the final spoiler coming right before it happened but the rest of it all caught me completely off guard. Violet annoyed me for a good portion of this book but not to the point where I couldn’t tolerate her BS. The “side characters” are so awesome in this book though. I love them all and I need them all to survive the series but I’m going to admit I’m scared that won’t happen. 
Probably going to jump right into Onyx Storm now because apparently I like to torture myself.

Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer

5.0

I’m pretty sure anything written by Helen Sheuerer is basically a guaranteed 5 Stars at this point. I always get caught up and end up binging the book. This was of course the case for Iron & Embers. I had a special situation where I ended up with both the ebook and audiobook ARCs, so I was able to do a “tandem read” of sorts. It made this a really immersive read for me because I was able to get lost on Matt Haynes & Emilia Bauer’s narrations while also following along and annotating/highlighting. The audiobook was great! Matt & Emilia both did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life, and I really like both of their voices. 
The story itself is amazing. I loved how Wren and Torj’s relationship deteriorated right away, and then redeveloped (slowly!) as the story progressed. They definitely had the enemies to lovers/love to hate you vibes in my opinion. This book actually reminds me a bit of A Court of Silver Flame, which was perfect for me since that’s my favorite ACOTAF book. I feel like Wren and Nesta have similarly magnificent character arcs and the same reluctance to accept their feelings for the MMF. I could write paragraphs about the similarities and why this is really a great thing in terms of character development, but suffice it to say I loved every page of this book…even when I wanted to shake Wren a bit. The ending absolutely killed me but also has me really excited for the next book!

Crocodile Tears by Ali K. Mulford

5.0

I’ve said it at least 100 times now and I’m sure I’ll say it at least another thousand times yet: I LOVE THE PRICKLY ISLAND ZOO. I’ve been so eager for Dove’s story because she’s been my favorite sibling throughout the first 3 books (which is impressive since I really like all of the siblings). I was not disappointed. 

This story had a little less of the tension on whether Dove and Deacon would get together because you could totally tell they were mutually pining for each other from the start and Dove was just in denial. So for me, it was really a matter of when and what was going to cause a 3rd act breakup. That said, it wasn’t a bad thing at all. I actually loved their dynamic and the fact that Deacon was smitten from before they even reunited in this book. You also got fun interactions with the rest of the Lachlans again, and I loved their dynamic with Deacon. I also think we were given a hint at which sibling is next and I’m pretty excited for it. 

The only downside I can even come up with for Crocodile Tears is that it was more centered on the Hollywood/spotlight aspect of their lives so the zoo was more of almost an incidental setting….and that’s just me being a nit-picky animal nerd😆

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

5.0

Alexandra Vasti has done it again! The Belvoir series is only 2 books in so far, and yet it is already one of my favorite historical romance series. You get the nice cozy feels of a good regency romance, but also a modern touch and some action. 

In Earl Crush, we get to watch two adorable and intelligent humans with very poor self esteem come together and raise each other up. I ADORE Arthur and the fact that he does his best to protect Lydia without actually sheltering her. He appreciates her mind and ability to know what she can and cannot handle. I also love the he falls first trope and Arthur fell HARD 🫠 Lydia herself is fun to watch develop from an anxious wallflower into someone who finds a way to do what needs to be done, even if it isn’t spectacular. That in itself makes this book feel so realistic. 

We also get some espionage and conspiracy action in this book, which was super exciting. Lastly, Huw and his menagerie of abused animals stole my heart. I love it. I cannot wait to see where we go next and I hope we get a story for Georgiana at some point. I also wouldn’t mind more Hope-Wallace brother appearances. 

Shadow & Storms by Helen Scheuerer

5.0

My goodness! I freaking LOVE this series. It’s so insanely good and Shadow & Storms was the perfect ending to a perfect series. There was action, drama, devastation, joy, hope, and toe curling romance. I love Thea and Wilder. They are amazing both together and as individuals. They both deal with self doubt even though they’re insanely strong, and I love that. Kipp and Cal yet again make me happy anytime they’re in a scene. Tori has continue to be a great guy as well and I love his openness regarding his desires for love and interested in Wren. I already know Iron & Embers is going to be fantastic. Wren grew so quickly in this series and I can only imagine how much better she will be in the story to come. 

By the Sharp and Shadowed Wings by Rachel N. Harker

4.5

This story is REALLY good, especially when you consider the fact this is a debut novel for Rachel Harker. That fact alone is a little mind blowing to me. I really enjoyed the writing style and the characters. I love the fact that this is inspired by Norse mythology because it somehow jusy gives off the feeling of action…or something like that. I also love mythology retellings, so there is that. I knew pretty early on that I would like Revna. She’s tough and resilient, but she’s also vulnerable and flawed and scared which just makes her very real to me. She’s not a super human, just someone trying to survive and help others. The romantic tension is fantastic, and when that slow burn finally peaks it is well work the wait. The ending has me absolutely stressed and I am not sure how I am supposed to survive not having book 2 immediately. 
Overall, this is a VERY impressive debut and an amazing start to what should be a fantastic series! I think this would be a great read for fans of the Flesh and Fire series by JLA and The Shadow Bound Queen series by Eliza Raine. 

Blood and Promise by Miranda Lyn

3.5

I think the premise of this book is very good, and I can’t even say anything is wrong with the writing. However, I didn’t get pulled in the way I usually am and had to rewind back a lot because my attention would drift. I was worried about half way through that I wouldn’t want to continue the series at all but I will say the last 25% or so got me intrigued enough to want to know what happens next. I think the two storylines are interesting and I want to see if/how they converge. I also have questions about the fire prince of course…and maybe a hint of a theory. 
The narration by Annalee Scott is really well done. I think she expresses emotions well and makes distinct voices for all the characters. All in all, it’s a good book and interesting start to the series. 

Tomb of the Sun King by Jacquelyn Benson

5.0

As always, reading The Raiders of the Arcana has given me a strong desire to watch The Mummy, read some Dan Brown books, and maybe plan a trip to Egypt (or anywhere with historical ruins really). Tomb of the Sun King once again follows Ellie and Adam as they attempt to thwart Mr. Jacobs and Professor Dawson from getting their hands on a powerful relic: in this case, the staff of Moses. However. This time we also get new POVs from Ellie’s brother, Neil, and her best friend, Constance. 
I always enjoy stories that play on lost artifacts or historical lore/theories (think Davinci Code) and this series is rapidly becoming a favorite for me. I love how much information we get in this series and the respect for culture Benson shows through her characters. The action is always intense, the surprises are fun, and the romantic tensions are delicious. I also like that we get the tiniest hint of background for Mr. Jacobs and am particularly interested in seeing how that plays out later. Of course, the final chapters have me eager for the next book and I cannot wait to see what happens in India!
Alex Picard once again knocks it out of the park with her narration. She finds a way to make each character have their own style and voice, she switches accents like it is nothing, and she knows how to make things sound dramatic. Simply fantastic. 

Queen of Roses by Briar Boleyn

4.0

I blew through this book and cannot wait to get to the rest of the series. I really like the world building and I LOVE the Arthurian vibes…Especially once you toss in some fae action too. Morgan is a little frustrating for me because I would lose patience with her being timid and she is very naive, but I think that also leaves a lot of room for her character growth in the later books. There were certain twists I was able to predict, but specific one the end had more to it than I was expecting, and it definitely took me by surprise. I’m really looking forward to see how certain relationships develop moving forward as well as the stories of some of the supporting characters.