reading review

Book Review: Wild Wolf (Darkmore Penitentiary #4)

Rating: 4 stars

Freedom never tasted so bitter.

A stolen love. A strangled curse. A heart of sin. And a fate touched in moonlight.

My men weave a tangled web around my soul, and I’ve formed a pack that will go to death and back for me.

The moon hangs low over my heart as the call of the endless sky draws me closer and I find myself lost in the abyss that was waiting for me out here.

Fate has left a bitter taste on my tongue, the haunting echoes of the past mocking me at every turn. But I’m not a pup anymore. And I won’t let another ten years pass without mending the rift in my heart.

Darkness draws near enough to devour me but I have forged a pack of wild creatures at my back and I won’t be pulled into the grip of despair.

I’ll find the stars in this endless night and force them to hear me howl.

I am Rosalie Oscura and I will claim my happy ending, even if I have to claw it from the hands of destiny itself.

This is the final installment in the Darkmore Penitentiary series.

This series is set in the world of Solaria five years after Zodiac Academy and ten years after Dark Fae and book one was previously published as Darkmore Penitentiary. There is some character crossover but all series can be read independent of each other without spoilers. The female lead will end up with more than one love interest.

I reread the previous books in this series before I read this last book, Wild Wolf since it had been a while since I had picked up the Darkmore Penitentiary series. And I’m glad I did as this book does a wonderful job of bringing you back into the world of its characters and the story told within its pages. Like with its predecessors, this book didn’t disappoint as it was a good way to end this series that I had come to enjoy.

What I enjoyed about reading Wild Wolf is that there was quite a bit of character development between all of the guys Rosalie cared about. I felt like they were all starting to get along once they were out of the prison, like they finally understood why Rosalie cared about each of them. I felt like I saw this through all of the guys working together to help Roary with what he was going through and then once again when they all fought together against the main antagonists. I especially enjoyed seeing Cain and Roary develop a good relationship with each other as the book went on because I wasn’t expecting it, so it was nice to see. I also enjoyed the connection between Sin Wilder and some of the characters from Zodiac Academy as it was a twist in his character that I wasn’t expecting but was happy to see as I felt like Sin deserved to find out where he came from and I’m glad that was included here.

I also enjoyed seeing the connection between Cain’s past and Zodiac Academy concerning the main antagonists involved. It made me feel like with this last book in the series, the authors were connecting all of these series together that are set in Solaria, and I enjoyed it immensely. I will say though that I was disappointed in how easily the antagonists are defeated here because I was expecting more of a fight than what ends up happening. But I am glad with how things turn out in this book.

What I also enjoyed with Wild Wolf was the story itself. I was curious to find out what would happen once they got out of prison and this book didn’t disappoint. Yes, what happens to Roary is terrible and I wish it didn’t have to happen after everything he had already been through in these books. But at the same time, I’m glad it did because it brought all of the characters together when I wasn’t sure how that was going to happen. I also felt like there were a lot of good moments in this book with these characters that made this book even more enjoyable for me to read and I was glad that I decided to finish reading this series.

If I had to choose anything with regards to Wild Wolf that I didn’t particularly enjoy it would have to be with how Hastings’ character is portrayed. I initially liked his character in this series but didn’t like that his character was in this book to provide comedic relief. Especially because I felt like his chapters weren’t necessary as they didn’t add anything to the plot of the story. I felt like he was just in this book as a distraction from what was going on and I feel like nothing he did help Rosalie and the rest of the characters. If anything, I feel bad for him in this series because he gets used by Rosalie while she’s in the prison and then once he leaves the prison, he is used again as a way to distract from what Rosalie and the rest of the characters are going through. Don’t get me wrong, I overall like his character. Just not the way he ends up portrayed in this book like he’s weak and can’t handle doing things on his own.

What I also didn’t enjoy with this book is what Roary goes through as I feel like saving him and helping him get what he’s lost takes over as the main plot of this book. Yes, I enjoyed it because his struggle here results in deeper character development for Cain, Sin, and Ethan. But at the same time, the focus ends up being on saving him with what’s going on versus stopping the antagonists from doing what they did to him to others. And I feel like it doesn’t end up mattering anyway because while he gets what he lost back, he also has something else that none of the other characters in this world have and I feel like it’s never explained what this truly means.

But as a whole, I enjoyed reading Wild Wolf. It was a good last book for this series, and it was nice to see all of the characters working together and to see them all get the happy ending they truly deserve.

March 16, 2025 0

Book Review: At Last Sight (Witch City #2)

Rating: 4 stars

At Last Sight, book two in the Witch City series, follows Imogen, a reluctant clairvoyant on the run from her past, and Cade, the stubborn detective determined to give her a future…

Imogen Warner has spent ten years running scared.

After a childhood in the spotlight, the clairvoyant left home at fifteen without looking back. In the decade since, she’s moved from place to place like a ghost, keeping her head down, her powers hidden, and her name out of the newspapers. But anonymity is no longer an option when she finds herself in Salem, Massachusetts.

Despite Imogen’s initial determination to hold everyone at arm’s length, she’s quickly caught up in the unique magic of the town — and its eccentric residents. She feels at home for the first time in… forever. At least, until an annoyingly persistent — and annoyingly handsome — local detective demands she use her unique abilities to help solve his latest case.

Cade Hightower never runs from a fight.

The decorated detective thrives on a challenge, whether it’s with the case files on his desk or the women in his bed. He’s instantly captivated by the beautiful new arrival in his town — the one with the witchy eyes and the mysterious past. The more he interacts with Imogen, the more he wants to peel back her layers one by one. (And, while he’s at it, peel off her clothes piece by piece.)

Too bad he’s got no time for either. Cade’s top priority is tracking down the young trick-or-treater who vanished seemingly into thin air on Halloween night. And he’s willing to use any tactic — even Imogen’s unconventional ones — to bring the child home before it’s too late.

Tensions — and tempers — run hot in this opposites-attract romance set in the infamously witchy city of Salem. At Last Sight is a total standalone romance of 140,000 words, balancing a fair bit of suspense with spicy scenes, spooky moments, and lots of laughs. (Note: while the story is a total standalone, it does contain some crossover characters and settings from book one, Bad Luck Charm.)

Like I enjoyed reading Bad Luck Charm last year, I enjoyed At Last Sight just as much. This second book in this series reminded me why I enjoyed reading these books so much, from the witty back-and-forth banter between Imogen and Cade to Imogen’s interactions with the residents in Salem. What made this book stand out from its predecessor was that as a reader, we could see the story told from the perspective of someone freshly arriving in Salem, Massachusetts. So when Imogen was explaining what this place was like, we were able to see the quirkiness and charm of this place vividly.

I also enjoyed Imogen as a character. Yes, she has quite the baggage which results in a lot of trauma that her character hasn’t fully healed from due to her always being on the run. But as the book goes on, you see the immense character development of her character as she starts to realize that Salem is where she wants to be, and she learns to trust the people of Salem when she usually struggles to trust anyone. I also found her to have quite a bit of personality through her interactions with Cade. When seeing these two characters together, I already knew there was something there as it was very apparent from the moment Cade came up to her car and offered his help. So I was excited to see how things would unfold between Imogen and Cade as I continued reading their story.

What I also enjoyed about reading At Last Sight was getting to see the same characters from Bad Luck Charm play a role in Imogen’s story. Which makes sense since Imogen got a job at Gwen’s shop. But it was still nice getting to see Gwen, Florence, Desmond, Sally, Agatha, and Graham again even though Imogen’s story seems to take place shortly after the events in the first book in this series. I enjoyed this too though as it feels like this book picks up where its predecessor left off but with different characters as main characters. I also loved how these characters welcomed Imogen into their lives even with her initially hesitating in opening up about her past. It was nice because it was obvious how much Imogen was struggling with wanting to make friends in Salem since she was initially planning to leave as soon as she could.

I especially loved the romance between Imogen and Cade and the other story that’s happening while their romance takes off. Like I said earlier, from the moment Cade helped Imogen with her car, I felt like I could see the connection between the two of them. As the story goes on, I find myself loving their relationship more and more because you can see how much they care about each other. I also loved the story here with regards to the missing boy that was happening while you get to see Imogen and Cade’s relationship develop. I enjoyed this aspect of the story because you get to see Imogen’s character develop as the characters in the story want her to use her gift and trust that she’ll be able to help save him. I feel like this helps Imogen realize she has a home in Salem, and she doesn’t have to run from her past anymore because she’s gained some friends in her life that will support her.

If there was anything with At Last Sight I didn’t particularly enjoy it would have to be how easily the conflicts in this book were resolved. The best example that comes to mind for me is Imogen’s past with her ex-boyfriend Adrian and her uncle. I felt like the aspects of Imogen’s past that she was running away from were just easily resolved in this book. A lot faster than I was expecting whenever Imogen starts talking about her past with the friends she’s made in Salem and Cade. It almost made it feel like her story was far from being told or like the trauma she was running away from was something that could be resolved with only a few words. This bothered me only because I felt like these aspects of her story should’ve been fleshed out a little more than they were.

As a whole though, At Last Sight was a wonderful read and I enjoyed it immensely. It was nice to see all of these characters again and to see Cade have his happy-ever-after with Imogen. Can’t wait to read the next book in the Witch City series, Worst Laid Plains whenever it comes out as I know I will enjoy it.

February 9, 2025 1

Book Review: Iron Flame and Onyx Storm (The Empyrean Books 2 and 3)

At the end of 2024, I read Fourth Wing, the first book in The Empyrean series. While I no longer like to read books in a series until it’s completed, I can’t get enough of the world in this series and found myself wanting to continue with these books anyway. I know after the two books I’ll be reviewing here there are going to be two more in this series, and I have accepted that I’ll have to wait until they are also released before I check them out. But for now, since I’ve finished reading these books, I would like to share my thoughts on Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, the second and third books in The Empyrean series.

Iron Flame (The Empyrean #2)

Rating: 4.5 stars

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

As the second book in The Empyrean series, Iron Flame does a marvelous job of picking up where Fourth Wing left off. And just like with its predecessor, I found myself immediately hooked on the story and wanting to find out what happened next with Violet, Xaden, her squad, and their dragons. I felt like there was a lot of world-building in this book, but I was perfectly fine with it as I felt like I was learning more about the vast world all of these characters inhabit.

What I also enjoyed about the story here is that I felt like there were quite a bit of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. From finding out the truth about the real threat in their world to the introduction of new characters and bringing back certain characters, Iron Flame was a page-turner for me from beginning to end. I found myself continuing to read this book wanting to find out what happened next because for me I enjoyed the world and these characters and wanted to see where the story was going.

Iron Flame is full of so much action that I found myself heavily engaged in the story and the choices these characters make when the truth is revealed to them regarding the threat to their world. I also enjoyed seeing the character development of these characters as they navigate the different challenges they experience while at Basgiath and whenever they leave their school. I was especially happy to see that Violet’s friendship with Dain changes in this book once he finds out the truth of what’s going on. While the way he treated Violet in Fourth Wing irked me, I felt like he does a better job here realizing she’s more than capable of taking care of herself which made him a more likable character for me.

Even the ending in Iron Flame was enjoyable to read for me. It was tough to read because of what happened and I was sad about the events that transpired too. But with the amount of twists and turns that happened in this book, I figured the ending would have some sort of twist I wasn’t expecting that would make me want to read the next book in the series. And it didn’t disappoint, even if aspects of it were sad to read.

If I had to choose anything with this book in The Empyrean series I didn’t enjoy it would have to be some of the new characters that were introduced and the problems in Xaden and Violet’s relationship that occurred here. The new characters I wasn’t particularly fond of here were Varrish, Sloane and Cat. Varrish was an interesting character to have as an antagonist in most of the book but I wasn’t particularly fond of him because all he did was do things to make Violet’s life at Basgiath difficult, but there really wasn’t all that much to his character that made the story interesting. As for Sloane and Cat, while I understood their reasons for not being fond of Violet here, I also felt like they were mostly unfounded too, and were the result of things that were out of her control. And even when these two characters get to a point in the story where they no longer dislike her, I find myself still not too fond of either of them.

I felt like the drama that happened in Violet and Xaden’s relationship in this book was completely unnecessary. I understood in the beginning Violet being upset with Xaden for keeping things from her that he should’ve told her. But at the same time, I also understood his perspective and why he felt like it was truly necessary. I also understand feeling a sense of jealousy when encountering someone from someone you love’s past. But I felt with the way Xaden acted towards his ex, there was truly no reason for Violet to be jealous here. So to me, I felt like there was a lot of drama between the two of them here that wasn’t at all necessary for their relationship that irked me.

However, despite these two aspects of the story, I really enjoyed reading Iron Flame. I felt like I was right back to where its predecessor left off and when it finished it made me all the more excited to read the next book in the series, Onyx Storm to see what happened next with this series I’ve been enjoying.

Onyx Storm (The Empyrean #3)

Rating: 3.5 stars

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.

I feel like in comparison to the rest of the books in this series, Onyx Storm was my least favorite. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, but in comparison to Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, it wasn’t as enjoyable a read for me.

What I enjoyed about Onyx Storm though was that I felt like I learned more about the world outside of Navarre. There were a lot of places that Violet and members of her squad went to in search of allies and I enjoyed learning about these different isles and what those who ruled over them were like. The amount of detail that went into creating such a vast world that has so many unique places some of which resulted in their group being unable to use their magic and communicate with their dragons or griffins is incredible. I felt like I was reading a story with a cast of characters on a quest because of what Violet and her group were in search of and I enjoyed that aspect of it.

I also enjoyed the relationship of the characters here better than I did in Iron Flame. With everything serious that was going on in this book, I felt like there was a lot of witty banter in this book in comparison to its predecessors which made some of the serious moments seem not quite as serious. There were a lot of moments when reading Onyx Storm where I found myself giggling at something that happened because of these moments in the story. The characters that annoyed me in Iron Flame didn’t annoy me as much in this book too, which helped. I especially enjoyed seeing the relationships between the dragon riders and griffin riders and how they all worked together in this book. I also enjoyed finding out more about the characters that had a second signet. I thought that was an interesting piece of information to include in the story and I was excited when I found out what Violet’s ended up being even though I felt like it ended up being an obvious signet for her to have.

While I enjoyed seeing the dynamic of Violet and Xaden’s relationship in this book more, certain aspects of their relationship annoyed me. While I understood Xaden’s actions regarding their relationship, Violet was the one who annoyed me a lot with the way she acted about Xaden trying to keep himself in control. I also feel like with Violet, there wasn’t a lot of character development for her in Onyx Storm. Yes, I feel like she did a lot of badass things when it came to what they were doing on the islands to secure an army. But I also feel like at this point in the book, she wasn’t as strong as she could’ve been. I think I’m at the point where I feel like while she has a very powerful signet, she should have a grasp on how to use it by now in this series, but she still doesn’t. And it’s annoying to me because I feel like it’s going to continue causing more harm than good for her and those around her that she’s trying to protect.

Another aspect of Onyx Storm that I wasn’t particularly fond of was the overall plot. I understood why the things that were going on happened, but I felt like there was a lot of filler in this book too. Yes, I thought the islands that Violet and her group went to were interesting, but there were a lot of details that weren’t necessary as well. And while I enjoyed their journey, I also felt like it was kind of pointless too. Especially because it felt like a majority of it was for nothing due to the events that transpired as a result of it. I also felt like learning about the world outside of Navarre was interesting, there was also too much information for me to remember with all of the places they ended up traveling to.

I also found myself annoyed by it because of all the mystery surrounding Violet’s father regarding the information he left for her to find. I didn’t understand why he went to all this trouble to hide this information for only her out of the members of her family to find. I understand not keeping the knowledge he had somewhere leadership at Basigath could easily find it, but I felt like how he hid the information he had was too much. Especially because I felt like it didn’t contribute much to the story of what was going on and made me dislike her father even more than her mother.

But if I had to choose anything with this book I disliked the most, it was the way the antagonist in this book is brought into the story and the ending. While I think Theophanie was an interesting antagonist to introduce into the story to show how their enemies have similar powers to them, I thought she would end up playing a bigger role in this series moving forward than she does. I felt like she was just introduced as this powerful character for Violet to take down to show how much Violet has grown throughout the series. But I feel like in a lot of their fight Violet struggled and very easily could’ve ended up killed herself. What I didn’t like about the ending was that there were multiple points of view from different characters that could’ve very easily happened throughout the book instead of at the end. Also felt like the ending left me with way more questions than answers as there’s a lot that’s mentioned but no real explanation for it. It also made me feel like everything that happens in this book was for nothing and that things are about to get bad for Violet and everyone else. It was my least favorite ending out of the books in this series so far.

As a whole, I enjoyed reading Onyx Storm but in comparison to the rest of the books in the series, it wasn’t my favorite as I felt like a lot of the plot was filler. And while I plan to continue reading the rest of the books in the series, I’m hoping they won’t be like this one for me.

As a whole, I’ve enjoyed reading both Iron Flame and Onyx Storm and am excited to continue reading the rest of The Empyrean series when the books come out to see what happens next now that I’ve finished reading both these books.

February 2, 2025 0

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.

November 29, 2024 0

Book Review: Restless Stars (Zodiac Academy #9)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Orphans. Changelings. Princesses. Queens.

We are all and nothing now, our fate weighed on the scales of the stars and counterbalanced by the forces that oppose us. The shadow of the false king spreads as thick as oil across the kingdom we were born to rule, and none remain untouched by its darkness. Our crowns lay within reach if only we can claim them. All souls are at risk now and when the final battle dawns, a new regime will rise. The time for the true reckoning is upon us and we have proven ourselves as savage as our father, as brutal as our mother, and as wild as the Elements which roar through our veins. We can only hope it is enough. When the last sword strikes the final death in this game of fate and fortune, only one side will be victorious. The Starfall Legion charges at first light. And our destiny rides upon our shoulders as we rush into the end. All hail the True Queens. May our rule last longer than this night.

This is a dark fantasy romance – don’t go expecting a sweet school for magic with friends around every corner. Fae fight for everything they own and Zodiac Academy is a cutthroat school for students aged 18+ where only the strongest prevail. There’s no Dumbledore here to save anyone’s ass and Lionel Acrux will give Voldemort a run for his money in the evil dictator category. So hold onto your stardust (broomsticks not required) and get ready for a bumpy ride.

As sad as I am that this series is now over, I couldn’t be any happier with the way this book turned out. I feel like the authors did a wonderful job in Restless Stars with tying all of the loose ends together, and giving these characters the ending they all deserve.

What I enjoyed about reading this last book in the series was seeing everything come together. I feel like this book gave me everything I needed with this being the last book in the Zodiac Academy series but in a way that made sense. This book also did a wonderful job at pulling at my emotions during certain moments in the story as I was reading just because of how much I was enjoying those moments and the way the characters were acting during them. Any moments in particular that involved the main cast of characters really had me in this book because it was wonderful seeing their love for each other in this book and seeing all of them together.

What I also loved about Restless Stars is seeing justice being served when it comes to Lionel. While at times I felt like this book dragged out too much for this moment to happen, when it finally did I was so happy and relieved because I feel like he got exactly what he deserved. Granted, how quickly it happened wasn’t my favorite, but I did love the end result from it, knowing he’s never going to know any peace because of the choices he made due to his greed for power. It wasn’t completely the end I was hoping for, but I was still happy with it because he was finally gone.

I also personally feel like out of the endings I’ve read in series by these authors, this one hands down is my favorite. All of the main characters get the happy ending they deserve, and it was nice to see it for them. It also felt realistic for these characters as I could very easily imagine it as I was reading it.

If I had to choose anything from Restless Stars I didn’t enjoy it was how much the plot dragged out in the story. While I did overall enjoy the story here, I feel like the middle of the book leading up to the final battle dragged on at times. I know there were some things that needed to happen before the climax of the story took place, but I feel like there were a lot of unnecessary chapters in this book that didn’t add anything to the story being told that made the plot drag for me. Yes, I enjoyed a lot of the sweeter moments when development in relationships took place, but there were some chapters that could’ve been left out because they didn’t add anything more to the story.

Overall though, I enjoyed reading the last book in the Zodiac Academy series, Restless Stars. While I’m sad to have finished a series I’ve enjoyed very much, I’ve already started doing a reread of Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac and will be doing a reread of this series as well which will make finishing this book not as sad to me. As a whole, I highly recommend reading this series for anyone who enjoys dark fantasy, paranormal romance with well-developed characters.

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my review of Restless Stars! 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.

May 1, 2024 0

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.

April 20, 2024 0

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.

April 6, 2024 0

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?

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.

March 30, 2024 0

Book Review: Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep Series

When I first started reading this series, I initially was thinking of having two reviews of the series since there were a total of four books. But because of how quickly I’ve been going through these books so far, I’ve decided against it and am going to do this one review where I talk about the whole series in this review, starting with the first book in the series, Kings of Quarantine.

Kings of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #1)

Rating: 4 stars

Cruel. Heartless. Quarantined. The ruthless boys of Everlake Prep never saw lockdown coming.

But the virus isn’t their number one enemy. I am.

And as if being confined to a boarding school for the elite wasn’t bad enough, now I’m stuck in isolation with the boys who hate me most too.

Saint, Kyan and Blake. The Night Keepers. Or so they call themselves. They’ve embodied the Native American legend which lives in this valley, taking on the role of the monsters who lurk in the forest. And though they act like beasts, they may also be the most tempting creatures I’ve ever seen.

With the virus escalating and my dad’s name splashed through the news, my entire world is falling apart. What he did has cast a dark shadow over me. And the Night Keepers want to make me pay for his crimes.

Then things went from bad to worse when I touched the sacred rock. A rock which supposedly holds a curse to bind me as the Night Keepers’ slave. And as crazy as it sounds, I decided to play along. Because there are things about me they don’t know. Things my dad has hidden from me for years. All I can be sure of is that I have to find a way to escape this school. But until then, those savage boys are making my life a living hell.

As the virus sweeps through the country and the world twists into something ugly and unknown, the kings of this school become true monarchs. Even the teachers bow to them now. And I’m kind of glad about that ‘stay six feet away from one another’ rule, because without it, I know they’d rip me apart.

At least there’s a silver lining. I’m cozying up to Coach Monroe. My hot as hell, brooding P.E. teacher who has a vendetta of his own against the Night Keepers. And with his help, I may succeed at doing more than escaping the clutches of these heartless fiends. I might even destroy them along the way.

My father taught me how to be strong. How to prepare for the end of the world. So this isn’t going to be the end of my world, mark my words. But if I’m able to use my mind and body to bring these assholes to their knees, it might just be the end of theirs.

This is a high school bully RH series with off the charts angst, dark themes and is not for the faint of heart. Prepare to enroll at Everlake Prep. Bring your hand sanitizer, face masks and toilet paper to barter with, but don’t expect to hold onto them for long. Because it’s time to go into quarantine with the Night Keepers. And everything you own now belongs to them.

Considering how much I’ve enjoyed reading the Zodiac Academy series by these authors, I’m not too surprised that Kings of Quarantine had me hooked from the beginning. I’m not sure if it’s a combination of the main female being a total badass despite what’s she going through at the hands of the Night Keepers, the Night Keepers themselves, or both, but I enjoyed reading this book immensely from beginning to end.

What I love about Tatum’s character is that despite how these guys treat her, she continues to pick herself back up. Yes, there are moments where you see her fall apart, but she always ends up picking herself back up in the end despite how things get. I also love that she talks back to them even though she knows doing so might make things worse for her. I also enjoyed reading Saint, Kyan, Blake, and Monroe’s perspectives because as the reader, I get to see things from their perspective and get an understanding of why they are the way they are. And I saw as I read this book that things aren’t necessarily what they seem. While I do find their treatment of Tatum abhorrent in this book, I also enjoyed seeing the dynamic between them and her as she becomes one of the few people who stands up to them and the comebacks she has are wonderful. I especially enjoyed her relationship with Coach Monroe here as once she tells him how these guys are treating her, it was wonderful to see that she had at least one ally on her side who was willing to help her come up with a plan to get back at them for everything they do to her.

I also enjoyed learning about the Native American legend that these boys were trying to embody as I found it to be a fascinating aspect of the story here. Especially once Tatum finds herself embroiled in it by touching the stone rock. I know that’s when her life basically became a living hell, but I still found the whole thing interesting anyway because I was wondering how it would truly end up affecting their relationship.

Another favorite aspect of Kings of Quarantine I enjoyed was learning about the Hades Virus, which is basically this series version of Covid-19. I felt bad for Tatum because of her father being blamed for the virus spreading into the world and killing people and becoming the most hated girl at Everlake Prep because of it. But the story of it and how its spread impacted the school in this book was eerily similar with regards to Covid-19. Especially when the Night Keepers take it upon themselves to squirrel away all of the toilet paper and most of the rest of the supplies from the school’s kitchen and what ends up happening as a result of that later in this book.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Kings of Quarantine despite how rough things were for Tatum and couldn’t wait to see how the ending impacted what happened in the next book in the series, Kings of Lockdown.

Kings of Lockdown (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #2)

Rating: 4 stars

The sex tape

The fish stew

The Unspeakables

The storm

The font

The bathtub

The ice

The gun

The clothes

The humiliation

The shower

The letters

THE VOW

I had my chance to run from these brutal boys and I didn’t take it. The bonds between us are too strong now. Bonds of blood, oaths, betrayal and vengeance. And I intend to make good on all of them. I’ve made my list. And I won’t stop until each and every one of their crimes has been paid for.

Divide and conquer. We’re going to tear them apart from the inside out. I won’t quit until I’ve had my pound of flesh and then some. These broken boys paint themselves up as kings and stand themselves on a pedestal above everybody else. But that only means they’ve got further to fall. And they’re going to fall hard.

I know their strength now, but I’ve learned their weaknesses too. And I might just be becoming their greatest one. My father taught me how to survive, and it’s time to use everything I know about predators to lure them into my own trap.

Lies, betrayal, seduction. I’ll use every weapon at my disposal to bring them to their knees and once I’m done with them, they won’t own me.

I’ll own them.

This is book 2 in a dark romance series with love-hate themes, scenes of intense bullying, sexual scenes and may have triggers for some readers. It is a reverse harem which means the main character will end up with multiple partners.

Like Kings of Quarantine, I couldn’t put this one down. I felt like the story does a wonderful job of picking up where its predecessor left off by showing us the impact of the choices the characters made by the end of the previous book. The story continues to show development between Tatum and her relationship with the Night Keepers. But here, she really stood her ground against them to where she had the power to make rules for all of them that if not followed she could then dole out whatever punishment she saw fit. And I loved that for her as she was finally able to find ways to get back at these guys for everything they did to her.

I enjoyed seeing Tatum and her relationships with Blake, Kyan, Saint, and Monroe continue to grow. I felt like I learned a lot more about these guys than I did before. Especially when the truth becomes revealed regarding the Unspeakables. I had originally felt sorry for them in Kings of Quarantine, but once Kyan tells Tatum the reason why the Night Keepers treat them the way they do, I felt like Tatum did. I also felt like it showed a better side of these guys as you realize they aren’t just looking out for themselves but their classmates who also attend Everlake Prep. I especially felt for Kyan here with regard to the information he reveals to Tatum regarding one of the Unspeakables in particular since what he shares is extremely personal. I especially enjoyed her relationships with Blake, Kyan, and Monroe here as with each of these guys, you can see how much all of them care about her and how much she cares about them. Not to say I don’t enjoy the development of her relationship with Saint, but there are times when their relationship feels so slow-moving.

I also enjoyed the overall plot of this book too. Besides Tatum working on getting her revenge on the Night Keepers with Monroe, there’s a stalker at the school who has their sights on Tatum. There’s also the continued storyline development regarding the Hades Virus where Tatum finally hears back from her father who wants to meet with her. That’s when the truth regarding who unleashed the virus gets revealed and some other details regarding the virus that weren’t originally known before. A lot happens in this book that kept me engaged, wanting to find out what would happen to Tatum and these guys next.

If I had to choose anything from Kings of Lockdown that I wasn’t too pleased about, it was the ending. I felt like it ended abruptly but also with a cliffhanger that if this book series wasn’t already complete, would’ve left me upset in wanting to know what would happen next. I also just found the ending in general terrible because I felt bad for Tatum for having to endure more terrible things and for her to lose someone she deeply cared about in that way. Especially because it happened right in front of her and there wasn’t anything she could do to stop it from happening.

Despite the ending though, I enjoyed reading Kings of Lockdown, and it made me excited to see what would happen in the next book in the series, Kings of Anarchy.

Kings of Anarchy (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #3)

Rating: 4 stars

My father always taught me to take care of myself. He made me strong, cunning, and calculating. But my Brutal Boys made me unbreakable.

Have you ever heard the saying that it takes one to know one? Because from the very first moment I met the men I’ve claimed as my tribe, I knew that I was looking into the faces of monsters. And that really should have been all it took for me to know that I was one too.

Hiding beneath my skin isn’t an innocent girl, waiting for someone to ride in on a white horse and rescue me from my demons. So I think it’s time I showed the world my claws.

I’m sick of people thinking they own me. My Night Keepers and now the members of this twisted club all need to learn a lesson in that.

I’m not a doll made to dance to their tune, I’m not a puppet intended to play a part and I’m certainly no plaything to be used and destroyed. I’m a warrior with a goal of my own. And everyone who wants to stand in my way had better get used to the idea of falling to ruin at my feet.

When everything you thought you could rely on is ripped away from you, you have no choice but to find out what you’re truly made of. And deep down in the depths of my soul, I know that I was made to survive.

I have suffered through torment, fought against my oppressors, and tamed the creatures who tried to bury me in the dark.

It’s time that everyone stopped underestimating me. I’m done being a queen without a crown. I’m ready for my coronation.

This is a high school bully romance series.

From the beginning, Kings of Anarchy gripped me. I don’t know if it was because Kings of Lockdown ended on such a cliffhanger that I was hooked to find out what happened next. And oh this book didn’t disappoint.

What I enjoyed with reading this book in the series is that we continue to get more backstory with the guys. And I love that at this point, the focus of the series is on growing Tatum’s relationship with these guys and finding out who’s really responsible for releasing the Hades Virus out into the world. At this point in the story, you see all of Tatum’s relationships coming together and everyone truly becoming a family and I’m here for it. I especially enjoyed her relationships with Blake and Kyan here as they are probably my favorite guys in the group. Not to say I don’t like Monroe and Saint because I do. I think I can just relate to Blake and Kyan more out of the guys Tatum loves because of the personal things they’ve both been through as some of them are things I’ve also been through, such as grief over losing someone you care about.

I love that this book focuses on Tatum’s grief and feel like her relationship with Kyan gets stronger in this book due to the club and him getting sick due to the Hades Virus. There’s something wonderful that happens in this book that I was extremely happy with too which I feel like also helped strengthen their relationship and was excited to see the other guy’s reactions to it even though I knew they probably weren’t going to be happy about it.

I also love that we get to see Saint’s intelligence here. Out of the Night Keepers, he’s truly the brains and he single-handedly is the one figuring things out regarding the Hades Virus and the terribly sick club that Kyan has a membership in due to his family. I honestly feel like if it wasn’t for Saint, they wouldn’t have been able to accomplish a lot of what happens in this book concerning the knowledge of the Hades Virus and the club. I also loved seeing his dynamic concerning Monroe in this book as he actually uncovers the truth regarding Monroe’s identity here. And I love that it ends up strengthening their brotherhood instead of weakening it as it turns out Saint has the same hatred that Monroe does.

I also enjoyed seeing the stalker and Justice Ninja storyline continue to play out here and see how it ends up connecting with everything else that’s going on. They still don’t figure out the identity of these individuals in this book, but they come dangerously close at the end, which definitely gave me an inkling as to who was involved.

Speaking of endings, the way Kings of Anarchy ends definitely shocked me as I wasn’t expecting it at all. I know I probably should’ve expected it considering everything that happens here, but I didn’t. But it also made sense too because I figured the character involved with how things go here would play a bigger role than he had until this point in the story. It also made sense just because someone with a lot of power had to be involved with the spread of the Hades Virus. But it also made me all the more eager to find out what happened next in the final book of this series, Queen of Quarantine.

Queen of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #4)

Rating: 4 stars

Once upon a time I met four monsters and thought the world would come to an end at their hands.

But I was a fool. Because I didn’t understand the bigger picture. That the enemies I thought I knew would become the reason for my entire existence. My strength. My pain. My life. My love.

The big bad wolf has teeth and claws as sharp as iron, and the danger before my eyes is blinding. So blinding that I didn’t see the true danger lurking in the dark.

But now my eyes are wide open, and I see it all.

Alone and afraid and running out of time, I’m not afraid of monsters anymore. I’m counting on them to come for me. Because if they don’t, this foolish girl might be lost forever in the dark.

Queen of Quarantine was a great way to end such an invigorating series. From start to finish, this book didn’t disappoint as I felt like all of the answers I had been hoping to get were finally delivered. And there was no end in sight to the intense action that took place in this book until the very end. Not only did I get an answer to who the stalker was (though that ended up being no surprise, considering everything about this character you heard about up to this point), but also found out who was responsible for the release of the Hades Virus and in charge of that terrible club, which were in fact connected as the person responsible for the release of the virus was also the one in charge of the club.

What I enjoyed with this book was how it hooked me into wanting to find out how everything would end. With the way Kings of Anarchy ended, I knew I was in for a ride as the guys went on their mission to save Tatum. But I definitely didn’t expect some of the twists that came along as once they saved her they found themselves in just as much danger too, maybe even more so. The story about the Hades Virus and how desperate companies in the world were to get a vaccine out into the world because of how many lives were lost because of it and how that resulted in some of the events that happened in this book was interesting. It didn’t remind me quite as much about Covid-19 considering how some of the people I know are regarding that vaccine and in this book, these companies are more interested in being the first company to create the vaccine so they can make money off of people’s desperation in getting it. Even if that means hurting people who’ve had the virus and are now immune to it by using them unwillingly to create more doses of the vaccine. But it was interesting to see this connection with Covid-19 by people staying indoors to avoid getting it and how quickly this virus spread due to the absence of a working vaccine.

There definitely were some tough moments in this book. Like when Tatum is held hostage in the beginning, when Kyan gets kidnapped by the stalker, and when everything comes to a head with the person responsible for the Hades Virus being released into the world and the terrible club. But I also found some good moments here too for the characters that I enjoyed reading. These good moments made this book enjoyable even when things were tough for the characters, and I didn’t know how this book would end. I also enjoyed the rough moments too though as I felt like I learned more about these characters and how they dealt with terrible situations. And that helped me see them differently and also understand their thoughts and what they were thinking.

I would also say I enjoyed the way this series ended too. However, I hated how long it took for them to get at the man solely responsible for everything they’d been through. The way it happened in the book threw me too because I felt like they were going to deliver him a lot of pain, but that’s not how it went down. If anything, I felt like his death was less than what he deserved. But I was happy to see all of these characters get the happy ending they deserved and that justice did get served.

But as a whole, I enjoyed reading this series. The different storylines and how they connected were enjoyable and kept me engaged in wanting to find out what happened next, and I enjoyed seeing Tatum’s relationship with these guys and how everything came together. These books were a good read and I’m sad to have finished this series, though I know I can always revisit these books again in the future whenever I choose. I highly recommend these books to anyone who’s enjoyed reading the Zodiac Academy series and anyone who’s read any other books by these authors. Also, recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading dark stories with really dark themes and doesn’t mind seeing reverse harem in the books they read.

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

March 9, 2024 2

Rainy Day's Books, Video Games and Other Writings

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Book Review: Wild Wolf (Darkmore Penitentiary #4)

Book Review: At Last Sight (Witch City #2)

Book Review: Iron Flame and Onyx Storm (The Empyrean Books 2 and 3)

Book Review: Perfect Girl

Book Review: Restless Stars (Zodiac Academy #9)

Manga Review: Is Love the Answer?

Book Review: Open Minded

Book Review: The Harlequin Crew Series

Book Review: Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep Series

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