reading review

Book Review: Hades X Persephone Series (Books 1-4)

So technically, there’s a total of seven books written by this author in this series if you include the Hades Saga too. However, as I haven’t read those books yet, this is my review of the books in this series from Persephone’s perspective, which is called the Hades X Persephone Series. I decided to read this series starting with these books first because it made sense even if it means I’m not reading these two series together in what’s considered the proper reading order. I also out of the two was more interested in hearing Persephone’s side of the story over Hades as well, which is why I decided to read these books first before reading the Hades Saga, which I plan on reading too soon. So below is my review of the four books in the Hades X Persephone Series, starting with A Touch of Darkness.

A Touch of Darkness (Hades X Persephone #1)

Rating: 4 stars

Persephone is the Goddess of Spring by title only. The truth is, since she was a little girl, flowers have shriveled at her touch. After moving to New Athens, she hopes to lead an unassuming life disguised as a mortal journalist.

Hades, God of the Dead, has built a gambling empire in the mortal world and his favorite bets are rumored to be impossible.

After a chance encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead and the terms are impossible: Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever.

The bet does more than expose Persephone’s failure as a goddess, however. As she struggles to sow the seeds of her freedom, love for the God of the Dead grows—and it’s forbidden.

What I enjoyed reading A Touch of Darkness was seeing the love story unfold between Hades and Persephone from Persephone’s perspective. I especially enjoyed this retelling of this mythology because it’s a more modern take on their story with Persephone looking to become a journalist and have a normal life. And I enjoyed that because it was interesting to see where things would go.

Seeing everything unfolding from Persephone’s perspective and reading her thoughts on what’s happening is interesting because you can see her character development. When she first meets Hades, she already has preconceived thoughts about him and publishes a story about him going off what her mother taught her to believe. But as she gets more engrossed in Hades’s world and learns more about him, she realizes everything her mother Demeter told her about this God is wrong and starts to question everything Demeter has taught her to believe. I enjoyed seeing her character development in A Touch of Darkness because you see her learn from the choices she makes and realize that not everything is what it seems.

What I also enjoyed about reading this book was the characters. I enjoyed seeing Persephone’s new friendships with nonmortals such as Hermes and Hecate and seeing her interactions with her best friend Lexa and other mortals that she starts to befriend, like Sybil. I also enjoyed seeing her interactions with the dead souls in the Underworld and Hades’s dogs. I feel like in this book, her character is working on finding her place in this world after being kept hidden by Demeter for so long, and am happy to see it through her interactions with those she considers her friends.

What I also enjoyed about reading A Touch of Darkness was getting to read about what the Underworld is like from Persephone’s perspective. I enjoyed every time she went there because it felt like there was always something going on but also because it doesn’t seem like all that bad of a place to go once you die. It also has always sounded like an interesting place to me even before I started reading this series so maybe that could be why I was interested in reading what it was like there.

If I have anything I don’t particularly like about A Touch of Darkness it would have to be the lack of plot in this book compared to the others in the series and how quickly Hades and Persephone’s romance develops in this book. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed seeing Persephone trying to fit in as a mortal and going to the Underworld to try and make life bloom there. But in comparison to the rest of the books in this series, there isn’t all that much that happens here. I still enjoyed it because it gave a good starting point for these characters and what’s going on in their lives. But in comparison to the rest of the books in the series, the plot here is lacking to me. I also wasn’t as fond of Hades and Persephone’s romance in this book because I was expecting their romance to develop slowly between the two of them, but it felt like they were instantly attracted to each other instead. While I don’t necessarily mind that whenever I read stories with romance in them, I just didn’t feel like it made sense here because of Persephone’s upbringing and everything she was told about Hades before she met him. Granted, I know she realizes her mother lied to her a lot, but I still didn’t think she would immediately develop a romance with Hades. I figured their romance would start differently than it does.

But as a whole, I enjoyed reading A Touch of Darkness and found it to be a good start to this series about Hades and Persephone. It was a combination of mythology and romance that I found endearing and was excited to continue reading the next book in the series, A Touch of Ruin to see what would happen next.

A Touch of Ruin (Hades X Persephone #2)

Rating: 4.5 stars

Persephone’s relationship with Hades has gone public and the resulting media storm disrupts her normal life and threatens to expose her as the Goddess of Spring.

Hades, God of the Dead, is burdened by a hellish past that everyone’s eager to expose in an effort to warn Persephone away.

Things only get worse when a horrible tragedy leaves Persephone’s heart in ruin and Hades refusing to help. Desperate, she takes matters into her own hands, striking bargains with severe consequences.

Faced with a side of Hades she never knew and crushing loss, Persephone wonders if she can truly become Hades’ queen.

Reading A Touch of Ruin made me glad to continue reading this series as I felt like you got to see here Persephone faced with a lot. From her relationship with Hades being discovered and published in the mortal realm, to her looking to write about another one of the Gods to get justice for a friend, Persephone’s life disguised as a mortal takes quite a turn.

What I enjoyed with Persephone in this book is that I could relate to her character. She goes through a lot in A Touch of Ruin that I honestly felt like I could relate to as the loss she goes through is one I know all too well and wouldn’t wish on anyone. In this book, she felt more mortal than God with everything she struggled with, and I found myself feeling for her in everything that happened. Yes, she didn’t make some of the best choices, but I felt like I understood why she made them as she wanted to save her closest friend. And that’s something I found I couldn’t blame her for even though it ended up causing more harm than good in the end.

What I also enjoyed in this book was getting to meet Apollo. He starts here as not an enjoyable character due to the circumstances he’s introduced. But then once Persephone gets into a bargain with him, I found myself liking his character because he very easily could’ve not helped her after what she tried to do. Instead, though, I felt like we saw a side to him I wasn’t expecting, and it made me want to see how things would turn out with him and Persephone becoming friends.

What I also enjoyed reading A Touch of Ruin was seeing the obstacles Hades and Persephone had to deal with in their relationship. Most of these obstacles were due to the world knowing about their relationship and finding out that Hades was keeping things from Persephone. I felt that their relationship going through struggles here was needed though because I wanted to see what happened with their relationship whenever things got bad between the two of them. And I wasn’t at all disappointed as I felt like their relationship grew from the struggles they dealt with in this book.

If I had to choose anything with A Touch of Ruin I didn’t particularly enjoy it would have to be the plot surrounding Persephone’s secret admirer. It’s not because of who it ends up being, I just personally felt like she was already going through a lot in this book I didn’t feel like she needed something else to deal with along with everything else. I’m glad about the way the situation ends because I didn’t feel like she should have trauma to deal with too along with her grief but just wish this wasn’t included as a part of her story. I get why considering the character and making it align with the mythology, I just personally felt like Persephone went through enough with losing her closest mortal friend and didn’t need something else to deal with along with coping over that loss.

Overall though, I would say A Touch of Ruin is probably my favorite book in this series. Because I found what Persephone was going through relatable to me so I felt like I could relate to what was happening in this book more as I felt like I was seeing her have human moments and see her and Hades go through struggles in their relationship that resulted in only making them stronger.

A Touch of Malice (Hades X Persephone #3)

Rating: 4 stars

Persephone and Hades are engaged. In retaliation, Demeter summons a snowstorm that cripples New Greece, and refuses to lift the blizzard unless her daughter calls off her engagement. When the Olympians intervene, Persephone finds her future in the hands of ancient gods, and they are divided. Do they allow Persephone to marry Hades and go to war with Demeter or prohibit their union and take up arms against the God of the Dead? Nothing is certain but the promise of war.

I feel like I enjoyed A Touch of Malice because it’s the book that for me does a good job of explaining what will lead these characters into war. This book does a wonderful job of setting the story for what will happen in the last book in this series as you start to see as this book goes on Gods picking sides when it comes to Hades and Persephone’s relationship. I feel like seeing them pick sides here gave me a good indicator as to what would happen once the war started. I also enjoyed it because I finally was introduced to the other Olympians, and you get to see the dynamics between all of them in relation to Hades.

What I also enjoyed with this book is I felt like you got to see Persephone’s character develop. She begins to truly learn how to harness her magic but also learns how to handle herself when it comes to interacting with other Gods. I especially enjoyed seeing her relationships with both her mortal friends and the Gods she’s friends with. Seeing her friendships in this book was nice as I felt like with everything that happened in the last book, she needed to have some moments with those she cared about to take her mind off her grief and the trauma she endured.

If I had to choose anything with A Touch of Malice I didn’t enjoy it would have to be the ending. I feel like all the conflicts that occurred in this book that would lead these characters into war didn’t truly build up until the end of this book and it all felt extremely messy and disjointed. Especially the big fight that occurs between Persephone and Hades against the Olympians, which ended up not being that much of a fight at all. But what bothered me about it was that it felt like the Olympians attacked her for no reason other than feeling threatened by her magic now that she was married to Hades. It also bothered me because it wasn’t much of a fight either as I was expecting casualties or for the organization that was attacking Gods to show up and start hurting characters on either side of the fight. It also just didn’t make sense for it to occur to begin with as it didn’t lead to anything significant happening other than discovering which Gods were on Hades and Persephone’s side in the fight, which wasn’t all that surprising to me. I felt like this fight could’ve been taken out of the book completely with how little it added to the story to me and the ending would’ve been much better without it.

The rest of what happened at the end of A Touch of Malice concerning Theseus didn’t bother me quite as much because, with everything that happened, it made sense to me. As the leader of the organization that was attacking Gods, it made sense to me that we would see more of his character and that he would bring about the war that has been talked about since the beginning of this book. The only thing that bothered me was what Persephone ended up doing. I’m not going to say more in case anyone reading my review of this book reads these books other than I felt sad for her with everything that happened to her and Hades. But at the same time, it made me ready to see what would happen in the next book too.

Overall I enjoyed A Touch of Malice because it set up the story of what was to happen next concerning the war and enjoyed continuing to see Persephone’s character development through the use of her powers. While I didn’t enjoy the battle between the Gods at the end, seeing how Theseus’s character is involved in what’s been going on was an interesting twist that made me excited to read the last book in this series to see how this series concludes.

A Touch of Chaos (Hades X Persephone #4)

Rating: 3 stars

Persephone, Goddess of Spring, never guessed a chance encounter with Hades, God of the Underworld, would change her life forever—but he did.

A fight for humanity and battles between gods, it’s a world Persephone never thought she would see. To end the chaos, she must draw upon her darkness and embrace who she’s become—Goddess, Wife, Queen of the Underworld.

Once, Persephone made bargains to save those she loves, now she will go to war for them.

While I enjoyed reading A Touch of Chaos, there were a lot of loose ends with this book that made it not as enjoyable as the rest of the books in this series. I will say though that I did enjoy the pacing in this book because events transpired quickly in each chapter. From the first page to the last, a lot was going on. I felt like I was on edge while reading, waiting to see what would happen next.

What I especially enjoyed here was continuing to see Persephone’s development through her powers. I especially appreciated it when she used her abilities to defend the souls in her home from the threat Theseus unleashed on the Underworld and when she went to get Hades back. I loved seeing her come into her powers as a Goddess and embracing them to help those she cared about be safe. There was also a lot of character development for her in this book with how she dealt with the deaths of those she cared about too, which made sense considering the number of characters that end up dying by the time this book is finished.

I also enjoyed the introduction of Dionysus and Ariadne into A Touch of Chaos. I especially enjoyed seeing their relationship with each other as you could see how much Dionysus cared about Ariadne when I made it to the chapters told from his perspective. I wasn’t sure what the importance of their characters was here originally until Ariadne helped Persephone save Hades in the maze and you found out about her sister and Theseus’s obsession with Ariadne.

I felt bad for Ariadne in this book because of her sister and how he treated her and what happened to her and her sister in this book because of Theseus. What Theseus did to Ariadne in this book made me hate him even more than when I started this book so much that I couldn’t wait for him to die. Especially since I had to read about it from his perspective. As a warning, what Theseus does to Ariadne is extremely traumatic and the author does have a content warning at the start of this book concerning the traumatic things that happen within this book’s pages. So if you’re reading this post and decide to give this series a read, please make sure to read the content warning so you’re prepared for what’s to come.

There were so many things that happened in A Touch of Chaos that while interesting, resulted in this book having a lot of loose endings, which made this book not as much of an enjoyable read for me. For example, I didn’t truly understand why Dionysus went looking for Medusa. With everything else that was going on, finding her didn’t seem like it should’ve been a high priority in the story as once he finds her nothing happens with her character in this book. I also feel like we don’t get any closure concerning what happened with a lot of the characters in this book. Like now that Ariadne and Dionysus are reunited, what’s going to happen with their relationship, and how is Ariadne going to recover from the trauma she endured from Theseus? Another example has to do with the Gods that are now dead. What’s going to happen now with these Olympians dead? Who’s the God that’s going to keep things going after everything that’s happened?

I also in general wanted more of an epilogue with the characters that made it to see how their lives were after everything that happened as what we got while it was enjoyable to read, wasn’t enough. I felt like there was so much about what happened that was never discussed as it felt like everything just returned to normal once the fighting was over. I also wanted to see what happened with Theseus now that he’s one of the souls in the Underworld as his death wasn’t nearly as satisfying to me as I first found it when I originally read it. I wanted to see justice enacted against him in the Underworld and wanted to find out what they decided as his punishment there.

What I also found disappointing with A Touch of Chaos was the fight scenes. I felt like all the fights save what happens in the maze were easily resolved. Even when it came time to take down Hades’s father, it happened way too easily, which made me feel like something else could potentially happen to him later on. I also feel like there should’ve been something that happened with Persephone due to her taking someone’s life before their thread was cut, but that’s never truly addressed here either.

Overall what I enjoyed about A Touch of Chaos was how fast-moving the story was, Persephone continues to grow in development with her abilities, and the introduction of Dionysus and Ariadne into the story. Nothing else only because there were too many loose ends and because none of the characters truly get a resolution to what happens to them after the events in this book. As a whole though, I truly enjoyed reading the Hades X Persephone Series. I felt like this version of their romance was enjoyable to read as it was a unique take on mythology and can see myself reading these books again in the future once I’ve gotten to read the Hades Saga. Maybe the next time I decide to read this series, I’ll follow the recommended reading order to see what reading the books in that order is like.

March 30, 2025 1

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

Rainy Day's Books, Video Games and Other Writings

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