The Takedown by Carlie WalkerContemporary Romance10/3/2023 by Berkley Review by Angela Well, this was fun. Part contemporary romance, part romantic suspense, and maybe a little comedy thrown in there for good measure, The Takedown is a unique debut that kept me turning pages. Sydney Swift is a CIA agent who hasn't been home in quite a while. She loves her sister and grandmother but enjoys the distance and anonymity her job provides. Then she finds out that her sister is newly Continue Reading
Review: Spider and Frost by Jennifer Estep
Spider and Frost: An Elemental Assassin and Mythos Academy novella by Jennifer EstepFantasySeptember 26, 2023- Self-PublishedARC Review by Angela Spider and Frost is a crossover novella featuring Gin Blanco of the Elemental Assassins series and Gwen Frost from Mythos Academy. This fast-paced adventure is full of familiar faces, magic, and mythology. Gin Blanco, aka the Spider, is on vacation with Owen, Finn, and Bria when she's cut off from her friends and forced to take a planned Continue Reading
Review: The Witches of Bone Hill by Ava Morgyn
The Witches of Bone Hill by Ava MorgynFantasy September 26, 2023- St. Martin's GriffinARC Review by Angela This is the third book I've read this year with the word witches in the title. The first was a lighter paranormal romance, the second a little darker- more magical realism than fantasy, and lastly, The Witches of Bone Hill, a much darker fantasy, almost straddling the horror line. Cordelia Bone's life is spinning out of control. Her cheating husband left her nothing but debt, Continue Reading
Review: Come As You Are by Jess K. Hardy
Come As You Are by Jess K. HardyContemporary RomanceOctober 18, 2022- Self-PublishedPurchased Review by Angela Even though I'd been eyeing this author's backlist- after reading and loving her science fiction romances earlier in the year- I hesitated to take the plunge, mainly because my ARC spreadsheet was out of control. But while compiling a deals post I noticed this book was on sale and decided it was a sign. So I hit that buy now button and finally sat down to read. I wish I Continue Reading
Review: A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books #2) by K.J. Charles
A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel by K.J. CharlesThe Doomsday Books #2LGBTQ Historical RomanceSeptember 19, 2023- Sourcebooks Review by Angela The follow-up to the delectable The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen features a familiar face from the first book and an Earl that is unsure of his inheritance. Luke Doomsday is all grown up and has come to Stone Manor at the behest of the uncle of Rufus, the Earl of Oxney, who is looking for a way to prove that his nephew isn't Continue Reading
Angela’s Minis- Reviews for books by Shelley Parker-Chan and Pippa Grant
He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-ChanThe Radiant Emperor #2LGBTQ Historical FantasyAugust 22, 2023- TorARC After absolutely loving the first book in this duology, She Who Becomes the Sun, I was desperate to get my hands on the finale. This book is brutal. The main protagonists are dark and unrelenting in their separate quests- for power, for redemption, and for revenge. These are terrible people who repeatedly do terrible things. The story is told from multiple POVs and Continue Reading
Review: Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez GillilandMagical RealismSeptember 12, 2023- BerkleyARC Review by Angela Legend goes that long ago a Flores woman offended the old gods, and their family was cursed as a result. Now, every woman born to the family has a touch of magic. After eight years away, Sage Flores is finally returning to Cranberry and her Aunt Nadia’s house. After the death of her sister Sky and the aftermath of anger and resentment from her sister Teal, she ran and Continue Reading
Review: Codename Charming by Lucy Parker
Codename Charming by Lucy ParkerPalace Insiders #2Contemporary RomancePublished on August 15, 2023 by Avon Reviewed by Kate Codename Charming is the second in Lucy Parker’s Palace Insiders. I was intrigued by the royal-adjacent romance that didn’t star any royals, even though I skipped the first in the series, Battle Royal. I was excited by the grumpy/sunshine premise and the fake dating and this book did not disappoint. I am going to mention first off, however, that while Continue Reading
Angela’s Minis- Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher and Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward
Thornhedge by T. KingfisherFairytale Retelling/FantasyAugust 15, 2023- Tor BooksARC T. Kingfisher is an author I've grown to love, whether it's romantic fantasy, horror, or in this case a twisted fairytale retelling. This is a reimagined sleeping beauty, where the sleeping princess is an evil changeling and the fairy godmother is actually the heroine of the story. Yes, there is even a kind-hearted knight bent on rescue, but he's not what you've come to expect either. Thornhedge is Continue Reading
Review: Cruel Seduction (Dark Olympus #5) by Katee Robert
Cruel Seduction by Katee RobertDark Olympus #5LGBTQ Contemporary Mythology RetellingsAugust 8, 2023- SourcebooksARC Review by Angela Well, this book is hot. Like hot, hot. I mean, when I discovered this was an MMFF open poly knot romance, I knew it would be. The series plot arc picks up right where the last book left off, with Theseus, now Hephaestus, about to join Aphrodite in an arranged marriage/ marriage of convenience of sorts. For the good of Olympus. But, this union is in Continue Reading