Bonds of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy review

 

Bonds of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

Book 2 of this series was much bigger than the first one, and boy was I glad. There was so much more going on in this one than in book 1. It was still really easy to read and not too complicated. There were still lots of laughs, sass, and banter, but there was also so much more drama. There were even a few moments where I was genuinely worried about what might happen, so book 2 totally upped the stakes, and I was completely here for it.

The spice was definitely stronger in this one than in the first book, but it is not simply filled with smut. I would say the spice is still on the lighter side. It fits the story really well, but if you are after something that is spice heavy and enough to have you fanning yourself, this series is probably on the lower end of the scale.

I would say my favorite part was still the story itself. I loved seeing where it was leading and wondering what was going to happen next. As I said before, I have never read a book centered around a cupid before, so I am really enjoying the fun, cheesy uniqueness of it.

I do think book 2 took a much more serious turn and raised the stakes, so I cannot wait to see what book 3 has in store for me.

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Signs of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy review

 

Signs of Cupidity by Raven Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🌶️Half a Spice

First time reading a book with a cupid in it, and honestly, it was a lot of fun.

I loved the banter and really liked the way the book was set up, giving us a better idea of our lead and her life before anything big happened. I really felt for her, and she was a TOTAL sass bag. I was absolutely here for it.

The book is pretty simple to read, very easy to follow, and the storyline is easy to grasp. It was mindless fun, but it had enough substance to keep me reading and wanting to find out what happened next.

I will say, if you are hoping to read something with SUPER RICH DEPTH, maybe this one is not for you. But if you are after a quick, fun, and super easy read with great banter and enough going on to keep you entertained, then this book is definitely for you.

I finished the whole book in about 3 to 4 hours, and it was just really easy to fly through, needing very little brain power.

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For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn review

 

For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐½ 3.5 Stars
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

What an unusual book. Hells bells, did I not know what I was getting into when I started this one.

I had never heard of this book before and happened to pick up a second hand copy by chance. Unsure what to read next, I grabbed it without even reading the back because I wanted to surprise myself.

Well... it was NOT what I expected at all.

This book covers a detailed interpretation of the afterlife, and honestly, I flipping loved the way it was imagined and how the author portrayed it. The idea that the end does not always have to be a true ending, that sometimes it can simply be the beginning of something new, a chance to heal and become more, was a premise I absolutely adored. It made for a fascinating and unique reading experience.

Bal was a massive GREEN FLAG. Honestly, he was as sweet as honey, and I was overwhelmed by how much joy his personality brought to the story. The way he and Lily bounced off one another was wonderful. The characters, settings, and details were fun to read about, and I found the book easy to follow. Some of the characters really stood out, and I loved the friendships and family dynamics. It was heartwarming and, at times, very emotional.

That said, I did have some problems with the book.

For one, given the subject matter, it felt strange to have such cozy, fluffy vibes while also touching on some very dark lives and experiences. The afterlife itself was portrayed beautifully, but where was the WOW after that? Where were all the events I wanted to see unfold? Where was the action? Where were the moments that could have elevated this from good to unforgettable?

Now, I love a cozy read, but this book felt like it had the potential to be so much more. I felt like I spent a lot of time reading about... not much really. It often felt more like a day to day slice of life story, despite having all these fascinating ideas sitting right there, begging to be explored.

That left me a little sad.

I felt like the book was building toward something bigger that never fully arrived. I have a lot of unanswered questions and quite a few things I wish had been explored further. There was so much untapped potential here. The book is fairly long, and there was plenty of room to dig deeper into some of those ideas, but sadly it never quite happened.

I do not hate the book. Not at all. But I was disappointed.

Honestly, if the book had fully committed to being a cozy read and never hinted at all these bigger possibilities, I probably could have given it 4 stars. But because it kept teasing me with glimpses of something more and never fully delivered on them, I have to settle on 3.5 stars.

I think readers who enjoy stories that stay relatively gentle and never really peak into something larger will probably love this. But if you are anything like me and felt teased by all the missed potential, welcome to the club.



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A Spark So Bright by Emma Hamm review

 

A Spark So Bright by Emma Hamm
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐ 3 Stars
🌶️ 1 Spice

This is book 3 in the series.

It was a quick, easy read, and I got through the whole thing in just a few hours. Was it one of my favorites in the series? No. I think the first book still remains my favorite of the bunch.

I thought the book was okay, but I did have some fairly big problems with it. The SA content in the book was a lot for me(not detailed on page fyi) . I have read plenty of books with traumatic backstories and difficult experiences for characters, but this one just did not sit right with me. Maybe it was the way it was portrayed, which at times felt more like a crutch to unlock her powers rather than something explored with the depth I expected.

I also did not really connect with Rose. I struggled to fully invest in her story and found myself drifting at times. Thankfully, the author has a very easy writing style, so it was still simple to read and get through.

I do not think I hated the book, but it definitely landed more on the "meh" side for me. I was very much on the fence throughout most of it.

I also think the first part of the book felt a little all over the place. There was a lot of information and events thrown in to catch readers up to the same timeline as the first two books, and honestly, I just was not really here for it.

One thing I did like was Gunnar. He was smart, kind, and a genuine gentleman. I honestly felt a little bad for him at times because he was often just trying to do the right thing. He was definitely the highlight of the book for me and the character I found most likable.

I was also not particularly invested in the spice. There was not much of it in the book, but given the circumstances and themes being explored, I completely understood why.

Overall, it was an okay read. Not bad, not amazing. Just okay.

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(Moonfall, #2) The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker

 

The Ballad of Falling Dragons by Sarah A. Parker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars (Honestly, I would give it 6 if I could.)
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

Yep, this book was written to destroy me and leave me curled up and weeping in the middle of the night, I swear to you.

I really enjoyed book one of this series. Book two looked at book one, rubbed its little hands together, and laughed maniacally while proclaiming it would bathe in the tears of everyone who read it. Well, bravo, because it had me tearing up and sobbing more than once.

I found the writing in this one even better than the first. It is so beautifully woven, both gorgeous and dark, and so involved that you need all your brain cells firing to truly appreciate the masterpiece this book is.

This book also had a lot more POVs, and I was totally fine with that. I actually felt like it helped break the story down, making it feel more layered and giving it even greater depth overall. The character growth of our lead was incredible to watch, and it made so many moments hit even harder because we got to see so much more of her as a whole.

The secrets, lies, and pain in this book could bring most people to their knees, but it was done so well and was so amazing to read. I will admit there were points where I was cursing like a sailor as my heart was ripped out and booted across my living room while I begged and pleaded for a different outcome. Did I get that outcome? Absolutely not. Instead, it just added to everything, including the steady downfall of my mental stability. Lol.

This story has an abundance of everything. Family, friendship, love, betrayal, grief in many forms, and even spice. But the best way to sum it up is that the story itself is operating on a WHOLE other level. It is working full time, taking no breaks, and giving you absolutely everything it has.

I got goosebumps. I could be laughing one minute and sobbing the next. Then suddenly I would be excited, hopeful, or completely devastated. It was a full emotional assault that left me totally invested and hopelessly in love with what I was reading.

So far this year, this is my favorite read. But honestly, it is more than that. I genuinely think this is one of the best books I have EVER read, and I am hopelessly in love with this series.

Also, I have SO many questions, and I really hope the next books answer them and somehow manage to live up to my ridiculously high expectations!

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When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker review

 

When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐½ 4.5 Stars
🌶️🌶️ 2 Spice

What a roller coaster I just got myself onto. Where, oh where, do I start? Not going to lie, this book threw me through some emotional hoops. From the VERY start, it pulled me right into its world, and it was not a slow lead in. Nope. I was dragged into its pages wide eyed and totally unprepared for what was about to unfold before me.

This book had one great opening. I am talking a fantastic introduction to a very deep fantasy world. I would say if you are more on the easy fantasy side, where you like to sit back, relax, and drift through the pages like a pleasant little stroll, this is not your read.

If, however, you are after a book that sits somewhere between medium and hard fantasy, where you have to focus on what is going on and really get to grips with the world, then this is absolutely for you.

Let me put it simply. You need your full brain switched on for this one, or you are not getting the most out of it. Normally I can read well into the early hours of the morning on minimal brain power. Not with this book. OH NO. The moment my concentration started to drift, I knew I needed to be giving it one hundred percent if I wanted to truly appreciate it.

Once I got into a real flow, I realized just how much was going on. This plot was PLOTTING. Working overtime and then some.

For the first half of the book, I was convinced I had it figured out. I was enjoying our strong female lead, Raeve. She was smart, skilled, and had sass for days, and I was completely here for it. I was practically sitting in the stands with pom-poms, cheering her on and thinking this was going to be a really cool read.

And then... BANG.

The plot smirked at me and told me to hold on tight as it ripped my heart out and kicked it into a ditch.

I sobbed. I blinked. I stared into space.

The story suddenly kicked into high gear, and after one major event I felt like I had been thrown into freefall without wings. The plot started throwing curveballs and secrets so shocking that I was gasping out loud.

I was blindsided. Completely.

Honestly, I do not think I can fully explain how flabbergasted I felt half the time. My brain was constantly trying to piece things together, making theories, only to throw them out and start all over again. It was all wrapped up in this beautiful, dark, and fascinating world, and by the end I felt emotionally wrung out in the best possible way.

I loved being surprised. I loved being thrown into complete chaos. I genuinely do not think I would have guessed some of these twists even if I read another thousand books.

There is so much going on story wise. As I have said, this plot is working two jobs and doing both exceptionally well.

But beyond the plot, I loved the way the world unfolded before me. It felt detailed, but not in an overwhelming way. I never felt like I was being handed an encyclopedia and told, "Good luck."

Instead, I felt like I was learning the world naturally. A little information here, a little more there, and then suddenly a lightbulb moment where everything clicked into place. It felt immersive and rewarding.

That being said, there were a few moments where I wanted more information. Sometimes I struggled to form a completely clear picture of certain things, but overall it was fantastic.

As for the characters, what can I even say?

Raeve is an enigma wrapped inside another enigma. We learn a lot about her, yet somehow it still feels like so much of her remains hidden. It is like knowing someone while only seeing one side of them and sensing that seventy percent of who they are is still out of reach. It made her incredibly compelling to read about.

I also loved Kaan. Getting his POV and watching his story unfold felt like watching a beautiful painting slowly come together. The emotion, the angst, the pain... I felt all of it.

Overall, this was a GREAT read.

The reason I did not give it five stars is that I got lost a couple of times and had to stop and reread sections. I also felt that there were a few points where I needed more information, and I was a little disconnected from Vega's POV at the start.

But overall, I am really pleased with this book and cannot wait to move on to the next one in the series.

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Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir review

 

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars
🚫 Zero Spice lol

This book is light years away from my normal day to day read, but turns out that did not matter because fudging hell, I loved it!!

The book starts off pretty easy. There is humor and mystery, and honestly, I felt like I slipped into the book as easily as breathing. It is hard to even put into words why the book worked so well, but I will start with my highlights.

The premise of the story itself, the high stakes, the risks, and this massive unknown all work brilliantly. As someone who is not particularly science minded, I would say that even with all the information and technical details sprinkled throughout the book, I was still completely invested.

I normally dislike books that use flashbacks or things that pull me away from the main story, but here it felt like I was living inside Grace's struggling mind as he worked to understand for himself what in the world had happened to get him here. It made for the BEST mystery. I spent almost the whole flipping book convinced of one thing, only to reach the end and go OMG!!! I was wrong. It completely flipped everything on its head, and I loved it. It had me gasping and feeling awful for Grace when he learned the truth too.

While Grace was, of course, the lead, and I really enjoyed his character, Rocky totally stole the top spot for me. He was so likable, and watching him become a little sassier, more fun, and more outspoken as the story went on had me rolling around giggling. I loved watching the pair bounce off one another, learn together, and simply try to do the best they could.

I was honestly shocked by how much I liked this book because it somehow felt like it had both a lot going on and not much going on at the same time. It is such a weird feeling. Normally when I read a book there are so many characters that I need notes to remember important names, but here the story is limited and contained because of the environment and situation.

The flashbacks give you lots of people, places, and events, but they all exist within Grace's memories. In reality, you are stuck on a small ship and almost completely alone. I felt like the author handled the back and forth between those two elements incredibly well, and I could not have been happier with it.

A few things I struggled with were that some of the science became a little overwhelming for me, and I had to reread those sections. I also would have loved a more emotional reaction from Grace in a few places. There were moments where I felt he should have had a bigger outburst or more emotional turmoil. I know I would have been climbing the walls.

Also, that ending... OMG!!! Perfect. I really liked how it ended, but I did have one massive question and one moment that made me gasp. I cannot say much more because I do not want to spoil anything for people who have not read it.

Overall, a fantastic science fiction book!!

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