Review: Emperor of Havoc by Jagger Cole

Emperor of Havoc by Jagger Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC novel from the author. This is my honest review. 

Takeshi and Katarina are so different from each other, yet are the perfect match together. I've been so curious about Kat since we met her on that awful see-saw moment and I'm so glad she's as strong and powerful as I predicted from that moment. She's ready to be a Mafia boss essentially and as a mute female she knows she will have issues leading the men who followed her father. But that really did not stop her determination to do what she was trained to do. 

And Takeshi. He wasn't as unhinged as I predicted or was told by previous characters in prior books. But I loved his tunnel vision mission and then how that swayed when he was around Kat longer and longer. He doesn't usually get distracted, but that so charged when Kat charged into his life. 

I actually was unable to figure out the mystery this go around! Which was a great surprise! I love how after all these books Jagger still keeps me on my toes with the mystery and suspense.

I devoured this book and loved every second of it! I can't wait to see the next series by this author!

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Review: Wandering Wild by Lynette Noni

Wandering Wild by Lynette Noni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this free eARC novel from Edelweiss and NetGalley. This is my honest review. 

The amount of joy and happiness and excitement I went through when I got this arc is too hard to explain but I was extremely giddy when I got this book on my kindle. Lynette Noni has become one of my top authors of all time and I absolutely love her writing, her stories, and her as a human being on her social media. Safe to say I'm going to be an extreme fan for life and hope to one day meet her in person. 

Okay on to this marvelous novel.

Charlie and Zander are amazing. They both are so different from each other, yet both have gone through some very traumatic moments that are similar to one another. And both are still dealing with those moments and trying to figure out life. Just like us readers I'm sure. 

I love Charlie. She is so loyal and fierce and determined. I love those qualities in a person and Charlie has them 10 times over. For her to do this show with an actor she dislikes just to make her closest friend happy shows how much she will sacrifice for the people she loves. 

Zander is very much the same as Charlie in his qualities. But I also love that he hasn't let the fame of being a famous actor get to his head. He is very much protective of his friends who are like family. 

The hardships, both mentally and physically, Charlie and Zander had to go through in this novel is intense. For two people not trained to be going through these obstacles, they did a fantastic job. I'm severely frustrated with the grownups in this book, but when presented with the issues and challenges they went through, Charlie and Zander were determined to finish their mission. 

I love all of the side characters in this book: Samantha, Maddox, Sandi, Ember. They truly love their close friend and are always there for each other. I truly hope another novel in this world will be created because I would love to see how things progress with all of these characters! 

I honestly can't explain how much I love this book. There is adventure, love, danger, determination, and being able to find yourself and your dreams. It's a beautiful story and I'm going to make everyone I know read in May!

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Review: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this more, but I found myself a bit bored through most of the story.  And it took soooo long to get through it and it's a smaller book that what I usually read.  I just feel like not a lot happened?  Sophie does learn more about herself and what she is capable of, which I appreciate, but I dunno, she's stuck in the moving castle most of the time while Howl and Michael get to go in and out.  Plus she's cursed because she's more advanced at making hats than the Witch appreciated?

It was an okay book for me, but not anything I'll need to collect which works for me in the end.  I'm glad I finally got a chance to read it but I won't be continuing with the series. 

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Review: Tempting by Crystal Kaswell

Tempting by Crystal Kaswell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The new illustrated cover on Amazon 100% swayed me to read this book, not gonna lie. Even though I was leery because it's a best-friends-sibling romance which I tend to have issues with. And that is the reason I gave it 3 stars. The whole hiding from friends and family just really doesn't do it for me for some reason. 

Brendon and Kaylee are honestly wonderful together. They balance each other out and are good for each other. 

But they both focus on too many little things. Age difference. Interests differences. Emma can't know. Kaylee's parents can't know. Both are better than the other and deserve more. It just gets repetitive and old after awhile. 

I'm glad I finally read it to see if the cover was as great as the story and it was a decent novel. 

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Review: The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owens

The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm so glad the sprayed edges looked gorgeous in this book which is why I decided to read it because I LOVED this story! It's The Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson and I inhaled it in less than 24 hours. I couldn't stop reading and even though I predicted the ending, I was so for it. I'm just bummed I didn't wait until closer to September when book 2 releases cause now the wait will feel like forever! 

Lyra is fantastic. She's so guarded but the most kind hearted person. All she's ever wanted was for someone to choose her, to care about her, but Zeus's curse wont allow that to happen. So she just goes through the motions day by day. 

Hey getting picked as Hades champion? Seeing those two interact over and over again? Seeing Hades slowly lose the battle to not fall for her, and vise versa? I loved every bit of it. And seeing Lyra help her competitors over and over and over again? She's who everyone should aspire to be honestly. 

I'm so curious what will happen next, especially since Boone is with her. And also with Zai. So many things to come and I'm ready for it all to be revealed in book 2 later this year! What a great book to start the new year! 

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Review: The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first Lynn Painter book but I have a feeling I'll be visiting her other books soon. 

Emilie is a girl full of emotions. She tries so hard to please everyone in her life and makes sure she's a perfect as she can be. But the repeating Valentine's Day finally gets to her and makes her realize she's not truly her own self. 

I cant imagine reliving the same day over and over again. Honestly I'd be reading as many books as I could or binge watching a TV show rather than the torture of going to school knowing I'm not any closer to the weekend when I wake up. But, Emilie is a better person than me, apparently. 

Seeing her finally become her true self, dressing how she wants to and not how she thinks she should, was pretty great. It's what we all would love to do but don't want to deal with the consequences of our actions. So Emilie got to live our fantasies really. 

Josh definitely wasn't the boy for her. And I'm glad she got those days to get past the hurt of being embarrassed and realized how their relationship really was. 

Nick, I like. Is he perfect? Nope. But what high schooler is? For that matter, what guy is? He had his own issues and I'm glad on the last day Emilie was able to get him to open up and help him during that momentous day.

Emilie's grandma is hilarious. So is Chris and Rox. Her parents need a reality check, which Emilie eventually gives them. But the fact that EMILIE acts like the parent is definitely wrong.

I really enjoyed this book. Makes a person think about so many questions send scenarios. I'm glad I read it! 

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Review: Variation by Rebecca Yarros

Variation by Rebecca Yarros
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is such a beautiful book full of secrets, mysterious, epic love, and figuring out what really makes a person happy. 

Hudson and Allie are destined to be together. Everyone can see that. But their journey has taken too many wrong turns that they don't know how to get on the right path again. Thank goodness for Juniper and her demanding ways. Honestly, Hudson and Allie owe that girl so much for restarting their journey.  

Allie's life is stressful. Having to wear masks ke and always bending herself into pieces to make everyone in her life happy. But she not happy. Not one bit. She's going through the motions and focuses on everyone else around her. I adore her for that but also? That's ridiculous. A martyr from morning to night. 

Hudson is amazing. Yes he messed up 10 years ago, but the devotion and love and intensity he feels towards Allie? I swooned so many times. He realizes he's getting a second chance and he goes all out to ensure he finally gets his happily every after. And I'm here for all of it. 

Per usual, this is a pure Rebecca Yarros book where you feel so many emotions and have so many surprises. Don't worry, this isn't gutwrenching for once. But to be in bit Allie and Hudson's shoes and going through the old memories and discovering everything they thought they knew was wrong? Going through the mental trauma of getting over your past horrors? So much to unpack. 

I'm so glad I finally got to read this and that I loved it so! Can't wait for more! 

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