Review: Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young

Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Diving into a Samantha Young novel is like coming home, each and every time. I read this book in one sitting and adored these characters so much. I was sad to see it end! 

Baird is wonderful. He fell first, love at first sight, years ago but he knew she was taken and decided to check his ego and be her best friend, even with his strong feelings. I loved that he came up with the game plan to lead into telling Maia his true feelings. And I love that he's always there for her when she needs him. His teddy bear composure really made me feel the love he had for Maia and how deep he truly cares for her and that was so wonderful to see!

Maia's situation with her ex-fiancee hit a little too close to home for me, but she did what I did. Grew into herself, realized the mistake she was about to make, and focused on herself and what made her happy. She was determined not to live someone else's life again and took charge of her own goals and I love that for her. Her bully at work was awful and I would never have kept the composure Maia did in any of those situations. 

And both characters had a lot of growing from past trauma that did cause their story to be a little bumpy. But because both were so madly in love (but let's face it, Baird was king of the love club), they were able to help one another through their trauma. 

I'm so glad I got the chance to read this next installment in the 2nd generation series and I can't wait for more by this incredible author! 

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Review: Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh. My. Lanta! I honestly can't believe how much I loved this book! I went in pretty blind but got immediately ensnared by this story and almost finished in one sitting!

Odessa is one amazing woman. Being forced into a marriage she wasn't expecting, leaving her family and hometown, learning to adapt to a whole new culture. Learning to fight and evade monsters. Seriously, this book kept me on the edge of my seat and Odessa really grew throughout this journey.

It's hard to talk about the love interest without spoiling anything. Let's just say, from the moment of the wedding, i knew exactly what had REALLY happened and having to wait so long for the reveal? Torturous. And the amount of lies and deceit and secrets the Wolfe family has? Insanity. I figured it about half. But the other reveals? Didn't see them coming.

I cannot wait for the next book to come out. Seriously, this has become a high anticipated release for me now!

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Review: Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibanez

Graceless Heart by Isabel Ibañez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love the setting and storyline of this book. This author does a great job with historical details and really making it her own that always impresses me. 

Ravenna is so determined to be the pillar for her family that I feel like she's lost her own identity. I think as crappy as it was being forced away from her home, it was good for her to not have to be fixing everything that her family wouldn't do. I also think she grew into herself when it came to both her sculpting and her magic which she would have never gotten to do if she was at home.

I always love the morally grey character, so Saturnino was a favorite for me. But seeing him become more human with more emotions was everything. Because we all know it was Ravenna bringing so that emotion out of him. And the way he protected her? Loved. I also loved how she stayed with him in the river. 

While I loved the characters, I did find the story a bit slow at times, making it take a bit longer than it needed to finish this book. I definitely enjoyed this novel and it has the same vibes as her other novels, I just thought the pacing could have been a bit more overall. 

So glad I got the chance to read this and looking forward to more by this author! 

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Review: Heart Check by Emily Charlotte

Heart Check by Emily Charlotte
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a pretty cute YA novel! I loved the wintery vibes, the excitement of sport competition, and the enemies to more between Harper and Dawson. I really liked that they were coworkers so they had a relationship more than just a girl who hated hockey falls in love with hockey. She knew Dawson at least more than sitting in the same class together. 

I also really liked that she was managing her own business and found a way (with help) to make it popular and in high demand by the end of the novel. I feel like Harper grew a lot during this book from a stressed teen to someone who actually did a little deeper before judging. I also love that she had a back bone and wasnt afraid to speak her mind.

Dawson also grew in this book. He was living his best, entitled life at first and then reality came knocking. Seeing him bond with his teammates, understanding the game and how it all clicks when you put in more than hard work but trust in teammates, was really inspiring. Reminded me of when I was in sports. 

I'm really glad I decided to read this! I'll be on the lookout for more by this author! 

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Review: Come Here, Kitten by Emilia Rose

Come Here, Kitten by Emilia Rose
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I've had a signed copy of this book for awhile and finally got around to reading it. And it was okay. I like Aurora's spunk and determination even though everyone in her life is putting her in a corner and treating her like glass. I like how powerful and possessive Mars/Ares is. 

But other than that the story just kept feeling like it was on a repeating loop and I got bored pretty quickly. Then to have a cliffhanger ending was enough to annoy me even more. So glad I read it but don't think I'll ever read it again. 

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Review: Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton

Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's wild that this book basically starts and finished in 1 week because there is so much that happens in that small amount of time! 

I loved Viola and Roze's story honestly. It's a YA romantasy with just enough uniqueness to make it stand out. Viola is so terrified of her secret, her magic, and she's finding it harder and harder to control it. I loved seeing her discover more about her magic and about herself throughout this book. She's extremely smart and has a quick mind that comes to conclusions. 

And Roze. Roze. Such a typical morally gray bad boy that I fell for because I love those characters. He has had it extremely rough being the son of the Queen who is so jaded and filled with hatred. I'm glad he met and become intrigued by Viola.

I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel and as far as I can tell it's a standalone which is a rare occurrence in Romantasy novels. Very glad I read it and I will be on the lookout for more by this author! 

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Review: Lethal Vows by T L Smith

Lethal Vows by T.L. Smith
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was in the mood for mafia and decided to try this one on my kindle. And it was good, but I got extremely annoyed with how often everything was repeated throughout the novel. Mind you most of that was because Crue wouldn't take the answer no from Rya, but it was still extremely repetitive.

I don't blame Rya for wanting out of the mafia life. I think she is strong and made of steel choosing her profession. But she is also very capable of being in the mafia so it's no surprise she's being dragged back into this lifestyle. 

Crue has never been told no and can't seem to compute Rya's reluctance. Which is actually a bit comical if you aren't Rya.

Glad i read this even if it was a bit meh for me. 

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