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Book Review: Fourth Wing (The Empyrean #1)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders…

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away…because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom’s protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.

I was immediately hooked on Violet’s story from the first page of Fourth Wing. As someone who enjoys reading fantasy, especially fantasy books that have a strong female protagonist, I found that I enjoyed reading this book quite a bit. I enjoyed learning more about the college Violet attends with her ruthless classmates and learning more about the world of Navarre.

From the first page, I was captivated by the world Violet lives in. While I know it’s a world I personally wouldn’t want to be a part of, I enjoyed seeing the story told from her eyes and what her day-to-day life was like surviving in a world where everyone saw her as weak. I enjoyed learning more about her college, the different cadets and the signets they each developed once they bonded to their dragons, and everything else this world in Fourth Wing had to offer. It’s a very captivating world that as a reader I was easily able to get myself lost in.

What I also enjoyed about this book was the story itself. I enjoyed that the story centered around a protagonist like Violet who’s had to overcome so much to get to where she is and isn’t done overcoming obstacles. Violet is put through a lot in this book because of the number of other dragon riders who want to get rid of her, and who see her as the weakest one among them. I feel like she does a wonderful job repeatedly proving that she belongs here with them when she very easily could’ve given up. I also enjoyed that the story had a lot of fantasy elements to it, such as the dragon riders each developing a signet ability once they were connected with the dragon that chose them, the dragons themselves, and the fantasy within the world Violet and the other characters live in.

I also enjoyed seeing the different relationships between characters in Fourth Wing. Especially the relationship between Violet and Xaden, her friendship with Rhiannon and other members of her squadron, and the dynamic between Violet, Xaden, and their dragons. I felt like all of these different relationships had a great dynamic. And I enjoyed seeing how each of them separately was developing as the book went on.

If there was anything with Fourth Wing I didn’t like it was certain characters in the story and the way this book ends. The characters I’m talking about here are Jack and Dain. Disliking Jack in this book shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to those who’ve also read it because he’s one of the main people in Basgiath War College who wants Violet dead. But he’s also a threat to most of the other dragon riders in this book and I feel like is one of the main antagonists here up until a certain point in the story. I feel like he’s a threat to the other characters in the story and not just Violet because from the beginning he shows he has no hesitation in killing anyone at the college that stands in the way of him getting what he wants. Violet just happens to be who he wants to kill the most out of the characters in the book as he’s wanted her dead since the beginning. Dain on the other hand, is a character in the story I originally was hoping to like in Fourth Wing. Violet describes him as her best friend since childhood whom she’s had feelings for. But since the beginning of the book when he finds out that Violet is going to be attending Basgiath War College at her mom’s insistence, he is nothing but overprotective of her throughout this book. I understand he’s worried about her safety and cares about her, but it’s to the point where even when she proves she’s more than capable of taking care of herself here he’s still in an overprotective mode when it comes to her. To the point where it’s more of a detriment to her and it feels like he’s not being a supportive friend to her even when she’s shown what all she’s capable of. I feel like he basically does a shitty job of being a good friend in this book and understood completely when Violet had moments where she wasn’t on speaking terms with him. I’m hoping that as this series goes on their friendship ends up better than it was here because as of what I’ve read, he’s done a terrible job at being a good friend for her.

As for the ending in this book, I wouldn’t say I necessarily hated it though I was sad regarding certain things that happened. What I didn’t like about the ending is that there’s a lot that happens with it about Xaden and other characters and Violet becoming aware of creatures she thought weren’t real existing that doesn’t get fully explained. I feel like there’s a lot that happens in the end that needs a lot more explanation than what we’re given. I don’t necessarily see this completely as a bad thing since this is a book series so I’m sure the things that weren’t fully explained I’ll find out more about as the series goes on. I just don’t like the way it was done because there’s room for people to be confused about what happened.

As a whole though, Fourth Wing was such an enjoyable read for me. I enjoyed the world these characters are in even if it is not one I’d want to be in myself and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series Iron Flame to see what happens next to Violet, Xaden, and everyone else who’s played an important role in the story so far.            

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Book Review: The Resurrectionist

Rating: 4 stars

In the tradition of The Alienist and A Love Story, a decadently macabre, dark, and twisty gothic debut set in 19th century Scotland – when real-life serial killers Burke and Hare terrorized the streets of Edinburgh – as a young medical student is lured into the illicit underworld of body snatching. Historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia intertwine in a harrowing tale of murder, greed, and the grisly origins of modern medicine for readers of Lydia Kang, ML Rio, Sarah Perry, and C.E. McGill.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. Naïve but determined James Willoughby has abandoned his posh, sheltered life at Oxford to pursue a lifelong dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. A shining beacon of medical discovery in the age of New Enlightenment, the city’s university offers everything James desires—except the chance to work on a human cadaver.

For that, he needs to join one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square, at a cost he cannot afford. In desperation, he strikes a deal with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist with an artist’s eye for anatomy and a reckless passion for knowledge. Nye promises to help him gain the surgical experience he craves—but it doesn’t take long for James to realize he’s made a devil’s bargain . . .  Nye is a body snatcher. And James has unwittingly become his accomplice.

Intoxicated by Nye and his noble mission, James rapidly descends into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists—the body snatchers infamous for stealing fresh corpses from churchyards to be used as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, James is caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige.

James and Nye soon find themselves in the crosshairs of a shady pair of unscrupulous opportunists known as Burke and Hare, who are dead set on cornering the market, no matter the cost. These unsavory characters will do anything to beat the competition for bodies. Even if it’s cold-blooded murder . . .

Exquisitely macabre and delightfully entertaining, The Resurrectionist combines fact and fiction in a rollicking tale of the risks and rewards of scientific pursuit, the passions of its boldest pioneers, and the anatomy of human desire.

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

This book was an intriguingly interesting read to me. From beginning to end, I was captivated by the story told within this book’s pages, wanting to find out what was going to happen next to James and Nye. While I felt like I didn’t really know too much about either of them as I feel like this book’s focus is more on the events that transpire than character development, the story within The Resurrectionist was an enjoyable one for me.

What also helped draw me into the story here is the setting of this book. It takes place during a different time in Edinburgh when the world didn’t have the advancements in medicine and science that we have today. Back when there weren’t enough dead bodies to study in medical schools, they had to rely on body snatchers to bring fresh corpses to be used for scientific study. I felt like with The Resurrectionist, I was very easily swept into this time period with James as he talked about his experiences at his college and the private school he ended up attending. I felt like I was right along with James as he discovered the underbelly of life as a body snatcher and as the stakes in his life kept getting more and more dangerous. This book essentially drew me in through its descriptive storytelling when it comes to the world around James and his mates.

What I also enjoyed about The Resurrectionist along with the setting of the book is the story itself. The plot was fast-moving, with conflicts occurring every so often with James and his companion Nye. The story of James being in debt when he finally found somewhere he belonged and doing things most people would find morally questionable, to his life as a body snatcher, to the discovery of a group of people who are a threat to what James and Nye do, to their lives being in immediate danger when they become involved with Burke and Hare. It kept me on the edge, continuing to read to see what would happen next to James and Nye and how this story would conclude. Especially knowing what I do now that some of the characters in this historical fiction novel are based on real people and real killings that have taken place. Knowing that now intrigues me enough to want to learn more and see how events in this book connect with the true crimes committed by Burke and Hare.

Another piece of The Resurrectionist I enjoyed was seeing the relationship between James and Nye. Since there isn’t a lot of character development in this book, I was interested in their relationship because I wanted to see how it would develop. And while the direction it takes doesn’t surprise me, I wanted to see more of it unfold than what as a reader I get.

As a whole, I did enjoy reading this book. However, if there was anything with it I didn’t particularly like it would be lack of character development and information. I feel like this book does a marvelous job of describing the events that happened from James’ point of view. As a reader, I get a good sense of what the world he lives in is like and what his life is like as a body snatcher. But that’s it. I feel like there’s a lot that happens in the story with these characters but there’s a minimal amount of character development with them. I also feel like this book does a wonderful job of giving us the events that happen but feel like at times I wanted more information when something happened as a lot of the conflicts that occurred were resolved pretty quickly. I felt like there could’ve been more here in this story than what was given, but enjoyed what I read, nonetheless.The Resurrectionist is an enjoyable read that I highly recommend. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, true crime, medical crime, and anyone who likes a story that takes place near an academic institution. The Resurrectionist was published on December 24, 2024 for those interested in reading this book.

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Book Review: Visitations

Rating: 4 stars

Inspired by true events, this haunting yet hopeful young adult graphic novel weaves together family dynamics, mental illness, and religion―perfect for fans of Hey, Kiddo.

Corey’s mom has always made him feel safe. Especially after his parents’ divorce, and the dreaded visitations with his dad begin. But as Corey grows older, he can’t ignore his mother’s increasingly wild accusations. Her insistence that God has appointed Corey as his sister’s protector. Her declaration that Corey’s father is the devil.

Soon, she whisks Corey and his sister away from their home and into the boiling Nevada desert. There, they struggle to survive with little food and the police on the trail. Meanwhile, under the night sky, Corey is visited by a flickering ghost, a girl who urges him to fight for a different world―one outside of his mother’s spoon-fed tales, one Corey must find before it’s too late.

Drawing inspiration from his own upbringing in the Mormon church, Corey Egbert welcomes readers on an emotionally stirring, nuanced journey into the liminal spaces between imagination and memory, faith and truth.

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

Visitations is a young adult graphic novel. It tells the real-life story of the author’s Mormon upbringing and what it was like living with his mother and having visitation with his father. What I enjoyed about reading this graphic novel is that it touches on some serious themes, such as mental health and illness, grief, and family dynamics. And that it does it in a way that I feel would make this an appropriate read for young audiences.

Seeing these themes in a story like Visitations is important and is something I enjoy reading. I enjoy stories that have themes like the ones in this graphic novel as I feel like these types of stories need to be told. I also enjoy seeing them because it could be the perfect read for someone going through the same experiences. I also enjoyed this book because the story shared in it is based off of Corey Egbert’s life. I enjoyed getting to read a graphic novel that’s inspired by true events in the author’s life as I haven’t read too many graphic novels like this one before, so it was nice to see.

If there was anything with Visitations I didn’t particularly enjoy it would probably have to be the presence of the ghost in this novel. Its not that I didn’t particularly like her character or anything. My dislike comes from that the way the blurb reads of this book I thought she would play more of a role in this story than she actually does. I did find the way Corey introduces her into the story interesting, just thought she was more of a character in it than she ends up being. I also wanted to read more in Visitations too as I felt like I wanted to find out what their lives were like after the events that had transpired in the story as this novel felt too short for me even though I did enjoy it.

As a whole, Visitations is a wonderfully crafted graphic novel inspired by true events in Corey’s life that I highly recommend to anyone who can relate to growing up in a religious household, has delt with the struggles that come with your parents getting divorced, and has experienced grief of a loved one in their lives. Especially to anyone who enjoys reading graphic novels and reading stories that are inspired by true events in the author’s life.

Visitations is set to release on December 17, 2024 for anyone interested in reading this young adult graphic novel.       

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Book Review: Perfect Girl

Rating: 3 stars

Jessa has been raised to be the “perfect girl.” She is unfailingly polite, never rocks the boat, and always follows the rules―no matter what. Her friends love to give her a hard time for being such a goody two-shoes, but Jessa likes it this way. She knows what’s expected of her, and she’s happy to be the person her parents (and society) want.

When a freak storm takes out the power during a sleepover at Jessa’s creepy, old house, things go south before the pizza gets cold. Her friends are at each other’s throats, unexpected guests keep showing up (some more welcome than others), and it’s not just her brother serving up jump scares. A killer looking for the perfect girl has targeted Jessa, and she’ll have to reject everything she’s been taught if she wants to keep herself―and her friends―alive until sunrise. Who knew perfection could be so dangerous?

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

Perfect Girl was a simple read that I enjoyed. It’s a young adult thriller about teenagers spending the night together when the power goes out and chaos reigns. I enjoyed it because it wasn’t too difficult to read.

I also enjoyed the before-and-after chapters. These chapters were interesting because they gave me, as a reader, insight into aspects of the story that I didn’t expect to read. I also enjoyed the setting of the story in Perfect Girl because it felt like just the right atmosphere for the story to take place in. This story’s thriller and spooky aspects were great, too, because I felt like I was reading the perfect book for a night in.

However, there are several things about this book I didn’t quite enjoy too. For one, I felt like the main character in Perfect Girl Jessa was too boring. When I first started reading this book, I wanted to get to know her and her friends but as the story went on, I found myself more interested in learning more about her friends than I did her. It was like she was too much of a goody-two-shoes to the point where her choices in the story were a detriment to her and her friends. A lot of the story, I found myself more frustrated with her character than anything because of how stressed she was about the simplest of things.

Speaking of characters, I felt like the characters in this book were one-dimensional. There was also very little character development in Perfect Girl because the only time Jessa does something outside of her normal behavior is close to the end of the book when she and her friends are in immediate danger. For most of the book though, I felt like I knew what was going on before Jessa even though I wasn’t the one anything was happening to. I don’t know if it was because there were moments in the story where events started becoming too predictable that I already knew what was going to happen. Either way though, finding out who was behind everything Jessa and her friends experienced in this book wasn’t too much of a surprise to me because I had a feeling pretty early on. Luckily, it didn’t take away from me enjoying this book as it allowed me to see how the characters responsible caused the events that happened in this book.

As a whole, Perfect Girl is an enjoyable read. I recommend this book to anyone looking to read a young adult thriller story that you can get through really quickly as this book was very easy to finish reading. Perfect Girl was published on November 19, 2024 for those interested in checking out this book.   

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Book Review: Tangleroot

Rating: 3.5 stars

Noni Reid has grown up in the shadow of her mother, Dr. Radiance Castine, renowned scholar of Black literature, who is alarmingly perfect at just about everything.

When Dr. Castine takes a job as the president of the prestigious Stonepost College in rural Virginia, Noni is forced to leave her New England home and, most importantly, a prime internship and her friends. She and her mother move into the “big house” on Tangleroot Plantation.

Tangleroot was built by one of Noni’s ancestors, an enslaved man named Cuffee Fortune―who Dr. Castine believes was also the original founder of Stonepost College, and that the school was originally formed for Black students. Dr. Castine spends much of her time trying to piece together enough undeniable truth in order to change the name of the school in Cuffee’s honor―and to force the university to reckon with its own racist past.

Meanwhile, Noni hates everything about her new home, but finds herself morbidly fascinated by the white, slaveholding family who once lived in it. Slowly, she begins to unpeel the layers of sinister history that envelop her Virginia town, her mother’s workplace, her ancestry―and her life story as she knew it. Through it all, she must navigate the ancient prejudices of the citizens in her small town, and ultimately, she finds herself both affirming her mother’s position and her own―but also discovering a secret that changes everything.

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

Tangleroot is a coming-of-age young adult literature story centered around a young black woman who is trying to do things on her own while feeling pressure from her mother to follow in her footsteps. When Noni first moves into this town in Virginia to live on the Tangleroot plantation with her mother, she’s not at all happy to be there and it’s very plain to see. As the story goes on and she begins uncovering more information about her family’s history, Noni realizes she’s exactly where she needs to be and uncovers the truth regarding her family’s relatives that will change everything she and her mother believed they knew.

What Tangleroot does well is provide you with an intriguing story that takes place in a town that you want to learn more about. While this book initially started slow for me, as the story went on, I found myself becoming more interested in hearing Noni’s story. I especially enjoyed Noni learning more about her family history and being able to uncover facets of her family’s ancestry that not even her mother was able to uncover. This aspect of the book was interesting to read about because I felt that while her character is fictional, I felt like the process she undergoes to find out more about her relatives is realistic.

I also found the setting of this small town to be very interesting and wanted to learn more about the town and the people in it. And I feel like this book delivers by providing the reader with a wide cast of characters each with their own stories. With how descriptive this book was, I felt like I was with Noni as she navigates this new unfamiliar place being surrounded by people who don’t know her but have opinions of her because of her mother.

What I also enjoyed about reading this book is how well Tangleroot does in discussing important subject matters such as racism and the role it plays both in the past and in the present day. You see this through Dr. Castine’s experiences with dealing with the school board at Stonepost College, through Noni’s interactions with some of her coworkers at Charm, and even when Noni finds out more about her relative Lacey Castine. As someone aware of her privilege, whenever I read stories like Tangleroot, I’m reminded how fortunate I am to be white. Books like this one also help me gain more knowledge and understanding regarding the struggles minorities go through regularly just because of the color of their skin. And help me sympathize with what’s going on since I know I’ll never be able to understand since it’ll never be my experience.

If there’s anything about Tangleroot I didn’t particularly enjoy it would have to be Noni’s relationship with her mother. It felt like no matter what Noni does here, it’s never enough for her mother. It feels like she’s never happy with any of the decisions Noni makes when they move into the Tangleroot plantation. And I feel like the tough relationship they have with each other is never really discussed either because Noni just ends up doing whatever her mother wants her to do even if it ends up not being what she actually wants. I understand she’s trying to live up to her mother’s expectations, but she never stands up to her mother in this book whenever they are in conflict with each other. I struggled with reading about their relationship because I felt like it shouldn’t have been this way, especially since Noni is old enough in this book to make decisions for herself. And Noni just deals with it, never says to her mother how she feels about things, which wasn’t okay for me.

Overall though, Tangleroot was a wonderful read that I highly recommend. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading coming-of-age stories, young adult literature, and historical fiction. Tangleroot was published on October 15, 2024, for anyone interested in reading this book. 

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Book Review: The Sunflower House

Rating: 4 stars

Family secrets come to light as a young woman fights to save herself, and others, in a Nazi-run baby factory—a real-life Handmaid’s Tale—during World War II.

In a sleepy German village, Allina Strauss’s life seems idyllic: she works at her uncle’s bookshop, makes strudel with her aunt, and spends weekends with her friends and fiancé. But it’s 1939, Adolf Hitler is Chancellor, and Allina’s family hides a terrifying secret—her birth mother was Jewish, making her a Mischling.

One fateful night after losing everyone she loves, Allina is forced into service as a nurse at a state-run baby factory called Hochland Home. There, she becomes both witness and participant to the horrors of Heinrich Himmler’s ruthless eugenics program.

The Sunflower House is a meticulously-researched debut historical novel that uncovers the notorious Lebensborn Program of Nazi Germany. Women of “pure” blood stayed in Lebensborn homes for the sole purpose of perpetuating the Aryan population, giving birth to thousands of babies who were adopted out to “good” Nazi families. Allina must keep her Jewish identity a secret in order to survive, but when she discovers the neglect occurring within the home, she’s determined not only to save herself, but also the children in her care.

A tale of one woman’s determination to resist and survive, The Sunflower House is also a love story. When Allina meets Karl, a high-ranking SS officer with secrets of his own, the two must decide how much they are willing to share with each other—and how much they can stand to risk as they join forces to save as many children as they can. The threads of this poignant and heartrending novel weave a tale of loss and love, friendship and betrayal, and the secrets we bury in order to save ourselves.

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

The Sunflower House is a historical fiction novel that takes a look into the real horrors of Germany during World War II. This book tells the story of a young Allina and the horrors she experienced when being forced to be a nurse at one of Germany’s baby factories. I feel like this book did a wonderful job at portraying what Hochland Home was like from the perspective of a young woman looking to save the children she had in her care.

What I enjoyed with reading this book was that I felt like I learned a lot about what Germany was like during that time. As someone who typically doesn’t read historical fiction, I feel this book did a good job at pulling me in and wanting to hear Allina and Karl’s stories and hearing about what happened. I found myself feeling extremely empathetic, especially to Allina as she went through so much at that time in her life in order to get out of Germany.

I feel like the author of this book did a wonderful job at portraying what Hochland Home was like for someone who had never heard of these baby factories before. I feel like a lot of research and care was put into writing The Sunflower House and even though that made it a difficult read, I was interested to see what would happen with these characters in their efforts to save these children and thwart Hitler.

While the romance between Allina and Karl isn’t the overall main plot of the story, I enjoyed getting to see their relationship develop. The way their relationship comes together wasn’t what I originally expected here, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. It was wonderful to see that they both had someone who they could trust during this dark time in their lives, and I enjoyed seeing them work together when it came to the children in Hochland Home and doing whatever they could to help them.

If I had to choose anything with The Sunflower House to criticize it would be that I felt like certain details were left out that to me would’ve been nice to have. For example, I feel like the choice Allina’s fiancé at the beginning of the book makes is never fully explained and I feel like it never revealed how Karl’s plot to assassinate Hitler was discovered. Both of these are things I wanted more details on that were never addressed that to me I wish had been. I also wanted to know what had happened to Allina’s friends from the beginning of the book as it was never revealed if they were actually alive or not. Not having the answers to all of these things in the book bothered me. While I understand to a certain extent why they weren’t addressed, I feel like they should’ve been.

As a whole, The Sunflower House was a good historical fiction read that took a look at one of the many horrors that had occurred in Germany during World War II. I feel like this book is a good read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially historical fiction that takes place during World War II. And I highly recommend it as I feel like you’ll learn something from reading this book just like I did. The Sunflower House is set to release on November 12, 2024 for those interested in reading this book.

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my review of The Sunflower House! If you enjoyed my review of this book, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments below or check out another one of my blog posts.

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Manga Review: Is Love the Answer?

Rating: 4 stars

A poignant coming-of-age story about a young woman coming into her own as she discovers her identity as aromantic asexual. A complete story in a single volume, from the creator of “Mine-kun is Asexual.”

When it comes to love, high schooler Chika wonders if she might be an alien. She’s never fallen for or even had a crush on anyone, and she has no desire for physical intimacy. Her friends tell her that she just “hasn’t met the one yet,” but Chika has doubts… It’s only when Chika enters college and meets peers like herself that she realizes there’s a word for what she feels inside–asexual–and she’s not the only one. After years of wondering if love was the answer, Chika realizes that the answer she long sought may not exist at all–and that that’s perfectly normal.

I first heard about this manga from a fellow book blogger on WordPress that I follow called The Book Raven. She had written such a wonderful review of this manga about a subject that I feel like I still need to learn more about that made me decide to check it out for myself to see if I’d enjoy it just as much as she did.

And let me tell you, Is Love the Answer? didn’t disappoint. It was a simple short manga telling the story of young Chika who’s always felt different from her peers because of never having fallen in love with another person. She had a lot of doubts, wondering if there was something wrong with her and wanting to know why she didn’t feel the way about romance her high school peers did. It’s only when she goes to college and meets people who’ve had somewhat similar experiences that she discovers the word for her experience and begins to question what love looks like for her and what that means.

I enjoyed reading this manga because of how relatable the character Chika is to me. While I don’t completely have the same experiences when it comes to love that Chika does, I felt like I could relate to her character because, for the longest time, it took me a while to pinpoint for myself how I develop feelings for people when it came to any of my relationships in my life. Like Chika, I struggled to identify how I feel when it comes to romantic relationships. And also like Chika, when I learned what that was for me, I also found myself curious and wanting to look more into it to see if it’s something I truly identified with or not. So for me, this book was a good read because it helped me feel validated about my experiences and also learn more about asexuality and what that means and looks like for those who identify as asexual.

What I also enjoyed when it came to reading Is Love the Answer? was learning more about different sexual identities that fell under asexual. I felt like I read about a lot of terms I hadn’t heard of before which has made me want to look further into them just so I can know even more about them. I also enjoyed this aspect of this manga because along with seeing those terms, there were characters in this story that identified as them too so that allowed me as a reader to see how those sexualities can potentially look.

If I had to choose anything from this manga that I didn’t particularly like, it would have to be how short of a read it was for me. I finished this manga in one sitting and was sad about it because of how much I was enjoying what I was reading. I wish it was a little longer because I wanted to continue seeing Chika learn more about herself and see her relationships with the friends she made along the way develop more.

But as a whole, Is Love the Answer? was an enjoyable manga to read. I haven’t read too many mangas in my life, nonetheless any recently that I’ve decided to review here on my blog. But I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it, especially for anyone part of the LGBTQ community and anyone who wants to read young coming-of-age story about a young woman coming into her own identity.  

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my review of Is Love the Answer?! If you enjoyed my review of this manga, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments below or check out another one of my blog posts.            

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Book Review: Open Minded

Rating: 3 stars

After nine years of dating, Holly is sure her boyfriend Will is going to propose. But instead of popping the question, he shocks her by suggesting they open their relationship to date other people.

For the last three years, Fliss and her boyfriend Ash have been in a happily open relationship. But now that they’re turning thirty, he wants to close it, throwing Fliss’s whole ethos of living life on her terms rather than society’s expectations into question.

When Fliss overhears Holly crying in the toilets during her first date in nine years, they decide to ditch their dates and have dinner together. They strike up an instant friendship with Fliss agreeing to teach Holly everything she knows about being in an open relationship, while Holly, who’s been with one person for almost a decade, can help Fliss try monogamy.

Fliss is willing to give up dating other people if it means staying with Ash, and Holly is willing to try anything if it means she gets her happy ending with Will. But perhaps both Fliss and Holly will learn that there’s no one size fits all when it comes to relationships . . .

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

Open Minded was an enjoyable book for me to read as Holly and Fliss are both relatable characters struggling with opposing issues. I enjoyed seeing that as the story was told from both their perspectives, so it was interesting to see what was going to happen in regard to their relationships once the two of them became friends. I enjoyed seeing this sisterhood between the two of them and how it came about and seeing them going to each other for advice when it came to the issues in their relationships and how to deal with them.

I also enjoyed seeing their relationships with the guys they were with and seeing everything play out. While I didn’t necessarily like all of the guys and the relationships Holly and Fliss had with them, I enjoyed seeing these two different relationships. I also found both Liam and Rowan’s characters an interesting dynamic in these stories as Holly grapples with her now open relationship by dating Liam while Fliss struggles with keeping Rowan as just a friend now that her boyfriend wants to be exclusive.

While I found these aspects of Open Minded enjoyable to read, there were some things with the story too I disliked. One of my dislikes had to do with the lack of Holly and Fliss actually taking each other’s advice when it comes to their relationships. I feel like they both go to each other for advice during their friendship and seem like they’ll take what the other is saying to heart. But from the beginning, Holly lies to Fliss about why she and Will are in an open relationship and Fliss doesn’t initially listen to Holly when it comes to her “friendship” with Rowan. As a result, I feel like a lot of conflict happens in this story that wouldn’t have occurred if Fliss and Holly took each other’s advice.

Another issue I have with this book is how both Holly and Fliss handle their relationships. With Holly, the issue I have with her relationship with Will is that even though they’ve been together for nine years, I felt from the beginning that there was something off in their relationship. It wasn’t until later in Open Minded when she was dating Liam that I realized how little Will actually listens to her and that she wasn’t standing up for herself in their relationship. There is also very little communication between the two of them too because Will decides that they are going to have an open relationship but then never communicates with her what he wants from it. Then once it’s no longer working for him, Will doesn’t say anything and expects Holly to just be with him again.

With Fliss, the issue with her relationship with Ash was communication regarding their relationship becoming exclusive. Ash asks about the two of them becoming exclusive and Fliss just goes along with it but then there’s no further discussion about it. I feel like the issue is more on her end though as when she realizes that she can’t be exclusive, she doesn’t discuss things with Ash until she makes a reckless decision that almost cost them their relationship. It isn’t until she’s without him that she realizes that while she doesn’t want to be exclusive, she wants to continue having open relationships but wants to be with him while being in an open relationship.

As a whole though, Open Minded is an enjoyable read that has you seeing relationships in a different way. While I know for myself an open relationship is never something I’d personally do, this book allowed me to see what an open relationship can be like for those involved. Open Minded has a publication date of November 12, 2024, for those interested in checking out this book.

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my review of Open Minded! If you enjoyed my review of this book, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments below or check out another one of my blog posts.

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Book Review: The Harlequin Crew Series

After having read the Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep series and Dead Men Walking duet, I figured I might as well continuing reading books set in the same world. Since I’ve enjoyed the books I’ve read in this world so far, I figured I might as well give The Harlequin Crew series a try to see how much I enjoy it. So to kick these reviews off, let me start by talking about the first book in the series, Sinners’ Playground.

Sinners’ Playground (The Harlequin Crew #1)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Dead girls don’t feel pain. But they like the taste of vengeance.

Maybe that’s why I came back to my hometown. Because it sure as hell wasn’t for the surf. But what else was I supposed to do when I found myself in Sunset Cove with twenty bucks to my name, the key to my enemies’ secrets hanging around my neck and a mouth full of grave dirt that wouldn’t wash clean?

I hate the Harlequin boys.

But this is the perfect opportunity to take what they owe me. Because once upon a time, they broke my heart, stole my life, and sent me away from everything I’d ever known.

Fox, JJ, Chase, and Maverick. The four names tattooed onto my heart more permanently than any of the ink on my skin. They don’t just live in this town anymore, they rule it. And the view here may be beautiful, but the sun, sea and sand hide dark secrets.

The gangs. The lies. The violence.

It all lurks beneath a veil so thin that once you’ve seen through it, you can never close your eyes to the truth again.

But I don’t plan on closing my eyes. I have four devils set in my sights. And this dead girl no longer has anything to lose.

This is an enemies to lovers contemporary series where the girl will end up with multiple love interests and all of the characters are in their late twenties. Trigger warning: this series features gangs, violence, dark romance, and jealous/possessive themes.

This book is a wonderful start to this series as I was immediately hooked to Rogue’s story and the story of the boys who stole her heart and broke it. What I enjoyed most is the overall story, the setting of Sunset Cove, and all of the characters that as a reader I’m introduced to.

What I enjoyed about the plot is that from the beginning, it hooks you in. The main female protagonist, Rogue, is a dead girl walking who returns to her hometown of Sunset Cove after ten years, promising to get revenge on the boys who broke her heart and kill the man who tried to kill her. Of course, doing those things isn’t going to be an easy task as she was told if she ever came back to Sunset Cove again, she was as good as dead. And the guy who tried to kill her is the leader of a dangerous gang called the Dead Dogs and an enemy of the Harlequin Crew, the gang that rules over Sunset Cove and whose leader is one of the boys who broke Rogue’s heart ten years ago. I enjoyed the plot in Sinners’ Playground because I knew there was no way Rogue was going to be back in Sunset Cove again without the guys she once loved knowing she was back and was interested to see how everything played out for everyone in this book. And where the plot went once Rogue was back didn’t disappoint, keeping me on my toes and continuing to read to see what would happen next.

What I also enjoyed about Sinners’ Playground was the setting of Sunset Cove. It’s interesting reading a book series that takes place in a beach town that’s run by a gang. But I also like it too because I love going to the beach. So even though Sunset Cove is rough around the edges, I feel like I enjoy this setting for this series because I feel like I can imagine a lot of what’s happening in the story pretty vividly. And even though it’s not a typical beach town, I still feel like Sunset Cove could be an interesting town to go to for vacation.

I also love the characters as well. I felt like as far as female protagonists go, Rogue is an overall badass. Now I’m not going to say I agree with all of the choices she makes because I do sometimes feel like she makes terrible decisions. But I also understand that she’s used to depending only on herself ever since she was made to leave Sunset Cove ten years ago, and she doesn’t want anyone trying to control what she does even when she’s being told it’s for her own good. So I actually feel like I understand a lot of the choices she makes, even the really terrible ones. And considering all of what she’s been through, I don’t blame her for the way she acts towards these guys when she’s back in town and they know she’s there. But I feel like she’s a wonderful female protagonist and enjoy her character here. I also like JJ and Maverick as well because I feel like out of the guys she knew, both of them seem to understand her the most regarding what she wants. Which I find crazy, considering how much Maverick hates Fox and his crew because of what happened that resulted in Rogue leaving ten years ago. I also find them to be the most interesting characters out of the boys Rogue used to love out of the four in the group. Their background and stories interest me the most as well, which I think helps as I want to understand what they both went through during the time Rogue was no longer in Sunset Cove.

If I had to choose anything with regards to what I dislike from reading this first book in The Harlequin Crew series, Sinners’ Playground, it would have to be the way Fox and Chase act when Rogue returns. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely like both their characters because I know the way they act in this book isn’t going to last for the whole series. But I wasn’t fond of them in this book when I was reading it. What I didn’t like about Fox here is how controlling he is when it comes to Rogue and how much he freaks out whenever she manages to get away. It’s not like I don’t understand that he’s trying to protect her, both from his father Luther who is the one who promised her death if she ever returns to Sunset Cove, and from the man who tried to kill her even though she hasn’t told him in this book yet who the one responsible is. But at the same time, I feel like he goes way too overboard with it sometimes. I also don’t like how possessive he acts with her by claiming her as his girl when she hasn’t agreed to be with him at all. I know he did it to offer her protection in his gang, but it’s just too controlling for my tastes so I don’t like him all that much because of it.

With Chase, what I dislike is how much he hates Rogue even though he’s one of the people responsible for her leaving Sunset Cove. While I get a lot of his hate has to do with how much his heart hasn’t fully healed from her absence and not wanting her to destroy the lives of the people he considers family, I also find it frustrating. Because I know from reading the chapters from his perspective how much he actually still loves her, whether he truly wants to admit it or not. And instead of admitting those feelings and facing them, he’s determined to get her out of Sunset Cove and making sure she doesn’t want to come back. His overall hatred for her is what results in the way Sinners’ Playground ends, and while I don’t necessarily hate the ending of this book, I hate how much Chase is giving into the hatred he feels towards Rogue because his plans to get her away from the men he calls family is only going to end up backfiring and hurting the people he cares about the most more than anything.

Despite how much I dislike Fox and Chase and the way they treat Rogue in this book, I enjoyed reading the first book in this series and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next in the second book in the series, Dead Man’s Isle. 

Dead Man’s Isle (The Harlequin Crew #2)

Rating: 4.5 stars

I’m the girl who no one wanted. Or the one who got away. Depending on who you ask.

Either way, betrayal and heartache have been my friends for far too long and it’s time for me to start over.

I gave the Harlequin boys a chance to change. A chance to prove that history wasn’t just set to repeat itself. But they failed with spectacular colours.

Maybe it’s time for me to stop running. After all, Sunset Cove has been living under the Harlequins’ thumb for far too long. It’s time to set our demons free and let them burn this place to the ground. Who knows if I’ll survive the fallout? But I guess I’ll soon find out if dead girls can die twice.

This is an enemies to lovers contemporary series where the girl will end up with multiple love interests and all of the characters are in their late twenties.

Just like Sinners’ Playground, I enjoyed reading Dead Man’s Isle immensely. What I enjoyed with this book is that I felt like I got more of a peak into Maverick’s character. A lot of the chapters from his perspective gave a lot of insight into what his life was like after Rogue left and how he started up his gang against the Harlequin Crew. And I enjoyed reading his chapters because I felt like I had a better understanding of his vendetta against the guys he used to see as his brothers. I also felt bad for him too though because you could clearly see how dark his life had become and how much pain he had in life once Rogue was gone.

What I also enjoyed about this book was how it picked up where its predecessor left off. In this book in the series, you start to see some of the consequences of one of the character’s actions from the decisions he made at the end of the last book. You also see Rogue make a lot of big decisions here that initially surprised me but then didn’t when I thought further about them. I understood she made these choices so that she could continue living in Sunset Cove and get back at her ex who tried to kill her. And I’m here for it because I’m interested to see how she gets back at Shawn for everything he put her through before she came back to Sunset Cove.

What I enjoyed about everything that happened in this book is that I feel like the plot keeps picking up. The main plot in this book focuses on the rivalry between the Dead Dogs and Harlequin Crew and the war that both gangs are in with each other while Rogue continues working on her plan to destroy the men who broke her heart. I enjoyed every minute of this story because things just get more intense and take a turn I don’t expect. So I find myself becoming enamored with the story and excited to see what will happen next as these guys fight for Sunset Cove and to keep Rogue safe from Shawn.

I also enjoyed continuing to see her relationships with Maverick and JJ. Even though it’s clear how much these two guys still dislike each other, it’s also clear to see how much they both care about Rogue and making her happy too. I also enjoyed Rogue’s relationships with Fox and Chase in this book too more than I did in Sinners’ Playground. What I enjoyed with Fox’s character in Dead Man’s Isle is the references made to other books that I’ve read before (one of which is another series by these authors) as he decides to read some of the romance books that JJ has to see what he can do to win Rogue over. I still don’t like how controlling he acts towards Rogue in this book, but I don’t feel like it’s quite as bad as the first book in the series. With Chase, you could see the guilt he felt over the big decision he made that ruined his relationship with Rogue. And I felt bad for him because of how much he was beating himself up over it, especially felt bad too when Fox and JJ discovered what he’d done. I know a big part of it for me is that his character is someone I can relate to because of what he’s been through, and I understand his feelings when it comes to Rogue and feeling like he’s not enough for her. He goes through so much in this book and with the way this book ends, I know he’s about to go through a whole lot more trauma than he deserves.

If I had to choose anything about Dead Man’s Isle that I dislike it would have to be Shawn’s character. Don’t get me wrong, he makes for a wonderful villain in this series. But I hate him as a whole so much. He reminds me of some guys I’ve dealt with before in the past with regards to the way he treats women. He’s also just a really annoying character as well as he’s one of those villains that just opens his mouth and talks a lot when he’s coming out on top. And I really really am excited to continue reading the books in this series to see Rogue and the guys she loves bring about his death and downfall. Because I know when it comes, everything these characters have been through because of him will be worth it.

Overall though, I enjoyed reading Dead Man’s Isle. It does a wonderful job picking up where its predecessor left off, gives me more insight into one of my favorite characters from these books, shows me more of a relationship between two of the guys Rogue loves, and shows some character development between two of the guys I wasn’t as fond of in this book’s predecessor. And while I hate Shawn’s character despite how good of a villain he truly is, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Carnival Hill to see how this series continues to play out.

Carnival Hill (The Harlequin Crew #3)

Rating: 4.5 stars

I thought that I was broken before, but my damage never tasted as bitter as this.

The Harlequin boys are more than just a memory now. More than a daydream of our youth and an idea to cling onto. They’re my greatest weakness and my biggest regret, but I’ve started to realise that coming back to Sunset Cove was always my fate.

My heart beats to the turn of the tide here. My skin only warms beneath this sun. And my soul will only ever be home on these streets and with the men who grew out of my memories.

But nothing is the same as I remember and the time for childish games is coming to an end.

I may want to pretend that the last ten years never happened, but the nightmare I lost myself in has followed me home and I can’t keep ignoring the things I once did to survive.

The question is, will my mistakes be the end of me and my boys? Will the choices I made then change everything now? And will the life I never wanted steal away my only chance at the life I’m afraid to wish for?

This is an enemies to lovers contemporary series where the girl will end up with multiple love interests and all of the characters are in their late twenties. Trigger warning: this series features gangs, violence, dark romance and jealous/possessive themes.

I really enjoyed reading the third book in The Harlequin Crew series, Carnival Hill. What I enjoyed about reading this book was the plot continuing to do a wonderful job of continuing where its predecessor left off and the character development Chase and Fox go through. The plot in this book in the series shows extremely well how serious this war is between the Harlequins versus the Dead Dogs. Shawn is out for all of their blood and won’t stop coming after them until he gets what he wants. And he puts our heroes (especially our boy Chase) through hell. This book in the series is extremely dark as everyone realizes how big of a threat fucking Shawn is to their unit. And I loved every minute reading it to see where the story would go for this cast of characters as I rooted for them to bring Shawn to his end.

I also love the character development between two of the guys in the series that give Rogue the most trouble as they both realize what they’ve been doing when it comes to her is wrong. I also think what helps for my enjoyment of the character development here is that Chase did a lot for everyone in this book. He went through so much trauma in this book that I found myself having to hold back tears after he was able to escape it. And even when he escaped from it, he was still dealing with what he went through even though he was no longer dealing with it. And even though it was terrible to behold, I enjoyed it for his character because it strengthened his relationship with Rogue. While Fox at times here still acts all overprotective/possessive, I did find him more enduring and not as overbearing as in the previous novels. I think it’s because I understand him with it even though it’s not completely okay either. But I’m excited to continue to see his character develop and realize he doesn’t need to be that way with the people he loves.

Let’s not forget too the amount of character development Rogue goes through in Carnival Hill. Yes, there continue to be times where she doesn’t make the best decisions, but I have a hard time being annoyed with it because of the strength she shows in this book. She knows what Shawn is like and still makes the big sacrifice she makes at the end of this book even though she knows what will happen to her for making this choice. While I wasn’t overall happy with the ending in this book, I understood why Rogue made that choice regarding the men she loves. It made sense to me because if she felt like she stood a chance of being able to end this war without losing her guys, why not take it? It was painful to read and see how it played out and I was very sad about it, but I understood what Rogue was trying to do. I hated how it made all of them feel when they watched the video she made, but I understood it all the same. I feel like her making this choice, knowing what it could cost her made me love her character even more as I understood very well what she was getting herself back into but doing it because of how much she loved the men that made up the center of her world.

I also love the development between Rogue’s guys. I know I saw some of it as well in Dead Man’s Isle, but I enjoyed it even more here. Especially when they are working together in moments where you wouldn’t expect it. The best example that comes to mind here is Maverick being the one who saves Chase from Shawn and brings him back to JJ and Fox. Didn’t expect that to happen until it did and hearing Maverick’s thoughts on it made me realize how much I love their dynamic and how it’s coming together for them. Especially since you can see in this book that Maverick is no longer fighting his feelings when it comes to his friends he grew up with regarding when one of them ends up still being alive. I feel like his relationships with JJ and Chase (hell, even Fox near the end) develop well here and I was happy to see them all together. I’ve also found Fox’s dad, Luther, to be an enjoyable character in these books recently and enjoyed his presence in this book. His relationship with both Fox and Rogue I enjoy seeing and am excited to continue to see more of his character as these books go on.

I know I already mentioned this earlier, but I really hated the way this book ended. Yes, I understood the reasoning behind what Rogue does, but it doesn’t make it any easier to read. I would say it was my least favorite ending with these books so far. But I’m also looking to cheer Rogue on in her quest to kill Shawn and do whatever it takes to accomplish that task. At the same time though, seeing how Rogue hurts the guys she loves was really difficult because I knew them believing her lies will cost her in her quest for vengeance.

But despite the ending, I enjoyed reading Carnival Hill and was excited to read the next book in the series, Paradise Lagoon despite how much darker I knew things were about to get for Rogue and her guys. 

Paradise Lagoon (The Harlequin Crew #4)

Rating: 5 stars

I made my choice. I took the hard way out. Now all of our fates are riding on the dice I’m about to throw and luck never was on our side.

I was whole once, with my boys in this slice of paradise we’d carved out for ourselves, but in the time that we were parted we grew up. Grew apart. And as much as I might have yearned to reclaim that girl with the sand between her toes and the sun on her cheeks, it’s time I admit that I spent too long in the shadows to ever truly be her again.

My heart may be breaking for the men I left behind, but I know that I can make that pain count for something, because I’m no fool believing the pretty promises of a mad man.

No. I’m the assassin he just opened his fortress to. And now that I’m inside, I intend to repay him for every moment of suffering he has inflicted upon me and my boys.

Shawn Mackenzie thought he killed me once upon a time. Now this dead girl is back to return the favour.

Out of the books in the series so far, this one is my favorite. All of the characters in this series went through a lot of character development in this book and I enjoyed it. Especially Fox as even though he was still a little stubborn and hard headed, he truly realized the error of his ways when it came to being overbearing with Rogue. And Chase finally realized the error of his ways when it came to Rogue and in this book, began to do the right thing when it came to their relationship once everyone was back together again. JJ and Maverick’s character development in this book came through both of them continuing to get along with each other and working together to get Chase into their group. But they also had character development through forgiving Rogue’s actions at the end of Carnival Hill and doing what they could to help Rogue through what she went through because of Shawn. Rogue’s character development in this book is great because she realizes how strong she really is and how much these guys truly care for her. Yes, she and Chase still have some trauma that they are dealing with because of Shawn, but they both also realize they have people in their lives who love and care about them that they can go to for support.  

In comparison to the other books in this series, Paradise Lagoon was really dark and touched on some heavy subject matter, such as sexual assault, rape, and abuse. But then it also had some light moments too where you could see all of these characters’ love for each other shining through. I saw this especially through Luther’s relationship with his sons, Fox and Maverick. You can see how much he cares about Fox and Maverick in this book and realize the error of the choices he made that resulted in their fractured relationship with each other. You also see development in Fox and Maverick’s relationship with each other too. When this series started, they both hated each other because of what happened that resulted in Rogue leaving Sunset Cove. But now that the truth has come to light regarding who was responsible for Maverick’s trauma, you start to see these two working on building a better relationship with each other.

I also enjoyed reading chapters in this book from Luther’s perspective. I feel like you learn a lot about him through his chapters and enjoyed getting to read his thoughts on everything going on in his gang. I especially enjoy his chapters when it comes to interacting with one of the leaders in the cartel that’s in this book, Carmen. I find their interactions interesting because it feels like there might be more between the two of them than the working relationship that’s being portrayed. I also enjoy their interactions because I like Carmen’s character and enjoy seeing her in this book as I last saw her in the Dead Men Walking duet. Granted, she does make an appearance in previous books in this series too but seeing her and Luther’s interactions I enjoy so wanted to make note of it here since they interact a bit in this book.

Speaking of characters from other books, Brooklyn, Mateo, Brutus, and Niall from the duet also make an appearance in this book. And Tatum and some of her guys from Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep have also made more than one appearance in this series too. But in this book, I enjoyed seeing all of these characters again because of the relationships they develop with some of the main characters in this series. The way Brooklyn and Fox interacted in this book for example, I found to be one of my favorite moments because I never expected the two of them to end up getting along in the way they do. With Tatum and her guys, I enjoy seeing their interactions with Rogue and her guys in this book because you see Tatum and Rogue’s friendship growing in this book. And with their friendship, you get to see these characters and how they interact with each other, and I love it because of how much I enjoyed reading the Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep series.

Even the ending to Paradise Lagoon was great. It left me hanging, wanting to know what was going to happen next and how the story of these characters was going to come to an end in the next book in the series in their fight against Shawn. Overall a good book with a lot happening that made me excited to read the last book, Gallows Bridge to see how this story would end. 

Gallows Bridge (The Harlequin Crew #5)

Rating: 4 stars

Every story comes to an end eventually. Maybe ours was never meant to have a happy ending.

I was back in my hometown at last, surrounded by the boys I’ve loved for my entire life, and I’d finally had everything I’d ever wanted. But fate never was kind to this dead girl, and we aren’t done fighting to claim our happily ever after.

This might not be a fairy tale, but I swear on all I am that I’ll defeat the villain of our story before it’s done. The only question left to answer is whether or not we’ll all live to see him die.

I’ll do whatever it takes to get revenge for everything Shawn has taken from us and claim the ending we deserve. But it’s gonna be one hell of a ride to get there.

This is the final book in the Harlequin Crew series. Beware of dark themes, devious villains, and beautiful men with blackened souls. This series is part of the United States of Anarchy universe and there are some characters which cross over with other series in this world including Kings of Quarantine and The Death Club, but each dark and twisted tale can be read independently.

As a whole, I enjoyed the way this series comes to an end. It was nice to see Rogue and her guys finally have an upper hand in their fight against Shawn and see how they get back at him. But I will also say this is my least favorite book in this series because there were some aspects here I didn’t quite like too because they didn’t make sense to me, which I will get into shortly.

What I enjoyed with this book was seeing everyone finally together. I feel like Fox finally realizes here how much Rogue cares not just about him but all of the guys in their group and starts accepting it. He gets character development here that I wasn’t expecting when he realizes that while he can’t always be in control of the people around him, there are times when he can and that’s okay. I also enjoyed seeing them all together because with some of the flashbacks, you get an idea of what their dynamic was like before, and seeing them as adults you realize their dynamic hasn’t changed even after all the years apart. I felt like I was seeing them as their younger selves, and I was happy that they could have each other in their lives again like they used to. I also enjoyed how things came together for the blood relatives of Chase and JJ in this one. It was nice that Chase’s dad finally got what he deserved, and it was nice to see JJ’s mom happy as I felt like these family dynamics concluded the way they needed to for these characters.

What I also enjoyed about Gallows Bridge was seeing the characters from the other books in the series I mentioned during my review of Paradise Lagoon. I enjoyed seeing them here too because I felt like they all played an important role with what was going on in this final book and enjoyed seeing them all being in each other’s lives. How they help Rogue, JJ, Fox, Chase, and Maverick here was great and I was happy to see it.

I also enjoyed them getting back at Shawn for everything he put these characters through in this series and some of the epilogue too. What I enjoyed about them getting back at Shawn was that they basically did what he did to Chase in Carnival Hill but for a longer time. While I wasn’t at all expecting that (though I know they wanted to make him suffer for everything he’d put them through), I found their revenge on him great and was interested to see how they were going to end his life. And that didn’t disappoint me either because I felt like he needed an end that guaranteed he wasn’t coming back and how that happened here I felt like was a good way for that. I also enjoyed some aspects of the epilogue too though not all of it. What I enjoyed with the epilogue is what ends up happening to Sinners’ Playground as I wasn’t expecting that place to end up making a recovery the way it does. It surprised me, but in a good way as I knew that place played such a big part in these character’s lives that it was nice to see they could have that place back again. I didn’t really care too much for any of the other epilogue chapters because it didn’t make sense to me considering how much Rogue and the rest of the characters were against that happening in the first place. I also wasn’t fond of it because of how JJ, Chase, and Maverick reacted to the news, especially with everything these characters had been through up to this point in the series with Rogue. It’s not like I don’t understand why since that’s something none of them wanted either, but it rubbed me the wrong way because it almost felt like they were considering abandoning Rogue because of it and that bothered me.

What I didn’t care about regarding Gallows Bridge was the plot as a whole. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been wanting Shawn’s death since I started this series and was excited for it to finally happen. But the events leading up to it here just felt off to me. What probably doesn’t help is that I feel like Shawn himself changes course with regard to what he’s going to do when it comes to the Harlequin Crew and Rogue. From the start of the series, he was going after all of them because he wanted to take over Sunset Cove and break Rogue. But then in this book, he changes direction and decides he’s going to kill Rogue because he knows it’s going to hurt these guys. It’s not that I don’t understand why considering how things go down at the beginning of this book. But it felt like once he made that his plan, he didn’t think through everything when it came to planning that to happen. Yes, he had some ideas that he executed successfully in order to try and get what he wanted. But I feel like he didn’t think through the whole thing and come up with a backup plan in case his initial plan went wrong. I feel like if anything, it just proved Rogue’s point when it came to their relationship and him needing to make her feel like he was the center of her world. I also feel like it’s what resulted in his downfall as he had plenty of opportunities to get away from them once he was outnumbered in the beginning of this book. But he chooses not to and decides to continue going after them by looking to kill Rogue instead.

Besides the execution of the plot, I also felt like it took a while to get to the part in the story where they get the upper hand against Shawn. I think a big part of it is because a lot of Gallows Bridge was more focused on character development between Rogue and her guys than on killing Shawn. I say this because a majority of the book I saw these character’s interactions with each other more than anything happening with finding Shawn and killing him. While I didn’t mind it, I feel like Shawn didn’t play as prominent a role as the villain in this book as he did the rest of the series as he wasn’t in this book quite as much until the last bit. And since he’s the main villain in this series, it didn’t make sense to me that he was gone for a majority of this book until the climax of the story.

What I also didn’t enjoy with this book was Luther. More specifically, his absence in this book once one of Carmen’s men saves his and Fox’s life. Since there were a couple chapters from his perspective, I expected him to have more involvement here like he did the rest of the books in this series. But instead, he takes off at one point and leaves Rogue and the guys to handle Shawn. As a whole, I like his character and seeing his interactions with Carmen and was just surprised how absent he was in this book when he was heavily involved with what went on in Sunset Cove before.

But as a whole, even though this book isn’t my favorite in this series, I’ve enjoyed reading The Harlequin Crew series. I enjoy Rogue as the main female lead and how strong she was through everything she went through here and I love the guys she surrounds herself with and getting to read their story. I loved getting to be in Sunset Cove as it made a wonderful setting for everything that happens here and seeing all of the character development these characters get through to get their happy ending. This series got really dark but there were a lot of heartfelt moments with these characters that made this story enjoyable to read. I also enjoyed getting to see some of my favorite characters again from Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep and Dead Men Walking and seeing them interact with the characters here. And I’m glad I read these books because I enjoyed them so much and highly recommend this series to anyone wanting to read a dark romance series that takes place in a beach town with mob and gangster violence as a part of the story.

Thank you so much for reading my review of The Harlequin Crew series! If you enjoyed reading my review of this series, please leave a comment below and check out another one of my blog posts.    

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