Heartless by H.G. Parry

Title: Heartless

Author: H.G. Parry

Publisher: Subterranean Press 2024

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 141

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings - Villain

Where I Got It: Library

At the age of seven, in a London workhouse, newly-orphaned James meets ten-year-old Peter. Mysterious, mercurial, thoughtless to the point of cruelty, Peter nonetheless takes a liking to James. The two forge a strange friendship, bound together by theirshared love of stories...But one fateful night, Peter vanishes from his bed, and in the morning James is found lying alone and broken in the courtyard outside...Over twenty years later, on the deck of a whaling ship in the frozen wastes of the Arctic...James's obsession with finding his childhood friend will lead him to mutiny and murder, beyond the edges of the world, and finally to an island that shouldn't exist.

I always enjoy a villain retelling usually because the villains of fairy tales are much more interesting than the heroes. In this slim novella, we get the story of Peter Pan told from the point of view of James who becomes Hook. We see the creation of Neverland and the birth of the story we know while understanding the sacrifices James made to survive. I really enjoyed this one. The overall tone of this book is very emotional and sad but it was a good fit for my mood this week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Royal Heart by Nana Malone

Title: Royal Heart (Black Rose Auction #6)

Author: Nana Malone

Publisher: Trinkets and Tales 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 235

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Preordered

Spice Rating: 7

Damon Hunt, the world's most ruthless thief, wants my skills for a dangerous job. Worse, he wants me...as his wife.

When Damon Hunt—the thief my father trained instead of me, his protégé, the same one responsible for his death—strolled back into my life after years, I shot first and asked questions later.

Then he had the nerve to ask for my help to recover the stolen Royal Heart, a Winston Isles Crown Jewel, from the underground Black Rose Auction.

Despite how I used to feel about him, I see him for who he really is. And I’m not getting sucked back into the world that cost me everything. Not to mention, I’m not a damn thief.

I’ve built my career at a recovery firm, avoiding the field. I might be the best safecracker around, but I won’t go back to my private hell.

Until Damon dangles the one thing I can’t resist, the man who shot my father.

The catch? We have to pose as husband and wife to infiltrate the auction and steal back the Royal Heart for the Winston Isles.

Navigating the underground deals brings back old wounds and undeniable attraction. Damon is like a beast from my past—dangerous, captivating, and hiding secrets behind his fierce exterior. I have to decide if I’m falling for the monster who broke my heart—or the man determined to win it back.

I was very very bored by this story. I was intrigued by the heist premise, but even that could not hold my attention. Damon is too smarmy towards Ari. Ari is constantly throwing accusations at Damon. This isn’t enemies to lovers. This is two people who need therapy to two people who have sex for some reason. I don’t even buy a physical attraction between these two. It was so boring. And the plot was way too contrived for me to buy it. Disappointing end to the series. Really my favorite story out of the entire series was “Irresistible Devil.” Most of them were too icky or boring.

Black Rose Auction

Next up on the TBR pile:

Shattered Innocence by Sara Cate

Title: Shattered Innocence (Black Rose Auction #5)

Author: Sara Cate

Publisher: Trinkets and Tales 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 170

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Preordered

Spice Rating: 7

Welcome to the Black Rose Auction where every sin can be yours for a price.

Birdie wants nothing more than to escape the clutches of her cruel and wicked stepmother, and to be with the only person she’s ever truly loved—her stepsister, Violet.

When her stepmother threatens to auction off Birdie’s hand in marriage to the highest bidder, Birdie sees it as her only way out.

Her stepsister has a plan…

Enlist the help her rich and powerful ex, Alaric Stone, to bid on their behalf.

But when things go awry at the auction, and Birdie is forced give away far more than she expected, Alaric decides he’s playing for keeps.

He wants both of them.

Can the three of them escape the clutches of Birdie’s selfish stepmother together?

And will Birdie be forced to choose between the two who have her heart…or will it be shattered forever?

These Black Rose Auction stories are really hit or miss with me. This one I was not a fan of. I dislike large age gap romances when there are unbalanced power dynamics at play. If power was equal, I can totally get behind an age gap. Unfortunately, Birdie is just way too sheltered and naive for me to buy that she has freedom of choice in this story. No amount of sex can convince me that this is a healthy relationship. Birdie is treated like a child (gross) throughout the entire story. Not a fan at all.

Black Rose Auction

Next up on the TBR pile:

Stolen Vows by Sav R. Miller

Title: Stolen Vows (Black Rose Auction #3)

Author: Sav R. Miller

Publisher: Trinkets and Tales 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Preordered

Spice Rating: 6

For three days, the doors to this luxe New York estate are thrown wide for anyone with a taste
for the obscenely rich, the ultra-exclusive, and the once in a lifetime thrill of the forbidden: where
nothing is off the table and everything—and everyone—can be had for the claiming.

In STOLEN VOWS by Sav R. Miller, a Rapunzel remix, a virgin is forced to marry a
mafia heir determined to kill anyone who touches her—only to flee from him the day
after their wedding. But he's done waiting and has the perfect trap in mind to lure her
back...

Not my favorite within this series so far, but a pretty decent Rapunzel story. We get our FMC being kept int a proverbial tower and a MMC attempting to rescue her. But of course, we are going to twist the story to fit our dark romance tropes. We get a very broody, dangerous MMC attempting to rescue our FMC but also stumbling around tragically. I liked seeing their dynamic once we actually get to the auction, but the lead up was a bit much. It took so long to get there that I started to lose just a bit of interest. Once we get our characters back together, I was enjoying things but also a bit frustrated that the two characters could never actually speak to each other. Oh well. It was a decent romance novella.

Black Rose Auction

#1 Wicked Pursuit
#2 Divine Intervention
#3 Stolen Vows
#4 Irresistible Devil
#5 Shattered Innocence
#6 Royal Heart

Next up on the TBR pile:

Irresistible Devil by Jenny Nordbak

Title: Irresistible Devil (Black Rose Auction #4)

Author: Jenny Nordbak

Publisher: Trinkets and Tales 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 271

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Preordered

Spice Rating: 6

For three days, the doors to this luxe New York estate are thrown wide for anyone with a taste for the obscenely rich, the ultra-exclusive, and the once in a lifetime thrill of the forbidden: where nothing is off the table and everything—and everyone—can be had for the bargaining.

In IRRESISTIBLE DEVIL by Jenny Nordbak, a Rumpelstiltskin remix, a society darling is willing to make any bargain to benefit her family, but each deal draws her deeper into a dark and decadent world ruled by the dangerous man who's been pulling her strings from the start...

I enjoyed the Katee Robert story in this series. I did not enjoy the RM Virtues story in this collection. I was hoping that this one was going to be a hit and it was. I am always drawn to the villains in stories as they are much more complex and interesting. In this one, we finally get to explore Reaper (Rumplestiltskin) and learn more about his own wants and desires. I knew he was going to be a great character. I was just concerned that he wouldn’t find his partner. Thankfully Juliet shows a spark right away and continues to grow and strength throughout the story. I was glad that she didn’t immediately submit to Reaper, but ended up finding her own path even if it was difficult. We get to see her come into her own identity and eventually take what she wants. I sped through this book in two days not wanting to put it down for even a minute.

Black Rose Auction

#1 Wicked Pursuit
#2 Divine Intervention
#3 Stolen Vows
#4 Irresistible Devil
#5 Shattered Innocence
#6 Royal Heart

Next up on the TBR pile:

Divine Intervention by R.M. Virtues

Title: Divine Intervention (Black Rose Auction #2)

Author: R.M. Virtues

Publisher: Trinkets and Tales 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 219

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Preordered

Spice Rating: 7

In this Goldilocks remix, a witch must work with her ex's father (who she betrayed) and an angel to steal a magical chalice from the auction floor. But things get scorchingly complicated when all three agree that revenge is best served in the bedroom...

And that's just the beginning. Accept your invitation to this exclusive auction. You never know who you might see there...

After the success of Katee Robert’s story, I went into this one with high hopes. Unfortunately I could barely make it through the story. The author uses my least favorite romance trope “daddy play.” I just could not keep hearing the FMC call her lover “daddy” especially considering that he was the actual father of her husband. I have very few icks when it comes to romance. This is one of them. Definitely not a story for me. I mean I really should have known from that tagline. Nope.

Black Rose Auction

#1 Wicked Pursuit
#2 Divine Intervention
#3 Stolen Vows
#4 Irresistible Devil
#5 Shattered Innocence
#6 Royal Heart

Next up on the TBR pile:

Wicked Pursuit by Katee Robert

Title: Wicked Pursuit (Black Rose Auction #1)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Trinkets and Tales LLC 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 277

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Preordered!

Spice Rating: 7

A mafia heiress meets her match when a dangerously obsessed stalker claims her as his own. In this scorching reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood, bestselling author Katee Robert pulls back the curtain on a world where forbidden tastes are explored, loyalty is lethal, and love is the most dangerous game of all.

I had seen this series teased on Katee Robert’s instagram for months. Unfortunately I do not pay for her Patreon and so had to wait until it was published more traditionally. Thankfully that was in March and I snacthed this up. I didn’t get around to reading until just a bit ago, but devour it I did. We get a Little Red Riding Hood retelling where Red is not so innocent and the Wolf is wearing many disguises. I do love a good stalker romance as an escape fantasy. I don’t often turn there, but I trust Robert to not lead me astray. I could have used a bit more meat to this story, but I understand that they are supposed to be novellas and started as an author challenge. I cannot wait to read the stories from the other authors.

Black Rose Auction

#1 Wicked Pursuit
#2 Divine Intervention
#3 Stolen Vows
#4 Irresistible Devil
#5 Shattered Innocence
#6 Royal Heart

Next up on the TBR pile:

Twisted Wonderland Vol. 4

Title: Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul, Vol. 4

Author: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki

Publisher: VIZ Media 2024

Genre: Manga

Pages: 194

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!

Now that he’s officially a student at Night Raven College, Yu has to deal with Heartslabyul housewarden Riddle when his magic and emotions go wild! Yu and his fellow students Grimm, Ace, Deuce, Trey, and Cater confront the rampaging Riddle. But is he too powerful for them to get back under control?

Yeah! Such a great conclusion to this story. We get to see Riddle absolutely lose his mind a la the Queen of Hearts. We get to see how the characters react and attempt to put everything right. Chenya was a great addition to the cast. I would love to read more in this world.

Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul

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Next up on the TBR pile:

Twisted Wonderland Vol. 3

Title: Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul, Vol. 3

Author: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki

Publisher: VIZ Media 2023

Genre: Manga

Pages: 162

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!

Still trying to get his friend Ace out of trouble, Yu attends one of Heartslabyul Dorm’s traditional unbirthday parties. But instead of solving Ace’s problems or having a bit of fun, they wind up incurring the wrath of the housewarden, Riddle!

We finally get to the Unbirthday Party and see everything really start to come to a head. I loved the take on the classic story mixed with the new characters and interpretations. I loved seeing Trey and Cater be at the center of the all the fuss. Riddle is a great tyrant, even if I am slightly tiring of his schtick. I can’t wait to see how Yu and Grim and Ace and Deuce get out of this mess.

Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4

Next up on the TBR pile:

Twisted Wonderland Vol. 2

Title: Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul, Vol. 2

Author: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki

Publisher: Viz Media 2023

Genre: Manga

Pages: 194

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!

Yu is formally enrolled in Night Raven College. He’s even a prefect…of Ramshackle Dorm. But that doesn’t mean things are getting any easier for him. When his classmate Ace shows up on his doorstep after getting in trouble, Yu faces his biggest challenge yet!

Okay a bit of slow volume as we get more acquainted with Night Raven College. We get a little adventure involving some crystals, but overall this volume dragged a bit. I get it Ace and Deuce are fuck-ups and Riddle is a tyrant. My favorite parts involved Cater and Trey.

Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4

Next up on the TBR pile:

Twisted Wonderland Vol. 1

Title: Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul, Vol. 1

Author: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki

Publisher: VIZ Media 2021

Genre: Manga

Pages: 198

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!

Yu is whisked away to Night Raven College, an arcane academy in the world of Twisted Wonderland. Stranded until he can find a way home, Yu is allowed to stay on campus despite having no magic of his own. But when his new friends land him in trouble with the headmage, his future at the school looks bleak. Now Yu’s fate hinges on bringing together a pair of argumentative first-years and a fire-breathing monster cat…

I know that this is based on a video game, but I love finding new stories based on Alice in Wonderland. In this one, we get the start of a story involving a new-to-this-world character, new students, tyrants, a mysterious headmaster, a cat?, and some fun adventures. Loved this start of the series. Can’t wait to see what trouble Ace and Deuce get into next.

Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul

Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4

Next up on the TBR pile:

How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann

Title: How to Be Eaten

Author: Maria Adelmann

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company 2022

Genre: Magical Realism

Pages: 291

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retelling

Where I Got It: Library

In present-day New York City, five women meet in a basement support group to process their traumas. Bernice grapples with the fallout of dating a psychopathic, blue-bearded billionaire. Ruby, once devoured by a wolf, now wears him as a coat. Gretel questions her memory of being held captive in a house made of candy. Ashlee, the winner of a Bachelor-esque dating show, wonders if she really got her promised fairy tale ending. And Raina's love story will shock them all.

Though the women start out wary of one another, judging each other’s stories, gradually they begin to realize that they may have more in common than they supposed . . . What really brought them here? What secrets will they reveal? And is it too late for them to rescue each other?

I cannot remember who exactly recommended this book to me, but I want to say thank you! This was the weird feminist rage book that I had been looking for. We get to see a group of fairytale characters wrestle with their trauma and how they are perceived by the public. We don’t get a resolution to their troubles, but a realistic portrayal of their issues. I found myself raging right alongside them. From the ways that the public treats their truth to how they treat each other. I loved the weird little pieces of insight the characters gain along the way. The biggest reason that I took off a star from my rating is the ending. I just really hated the big reveal of Will and how it impacted the women. Annoying.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Fae Princes by Nikki St. Crowe

Title: The Fae Princes (Vicious Lost Boys #4)

Author: Nikki St. Crowe

Publisher: Blackwell House 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 224

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

I thought Peter Pan was a myth and Neverland a fairytale. A story spun by my mother who had lost her mind a long time ago.

But there was no denying the overwhelming shadow cast by Peter Pan when he was standing in my house.

Pan took me captive to Neverland and I somehow found my place among him and the Lost Boys.

I’ve never looked back.

Now I’m entangled right alongside him in a war we can’t seem to escape. We thought we had defeated our enemies.

We thought we could finally have our happily ever after.

But there was one enemy we never saw coming.

A fairy who has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

The fairy with golden wings and a dark, twisted heart.

She wants Neverland and she’ll stop at nothing to have it. Including destroying anyone who stands in her way, even her own flesh and blood.

The cliffhanger at the end of the last book was absolutely bonkers! I didn’t not see that coming, but got very excited to see how they all handled this twist. I really enjoyed all of the characters, except Peter Pan. He was so brooding and unconnected to the other characters in this book that I really got annoyed with him. I wanted to see a really explosive confrontation between him and anyone else. Alas, he just moped along until Roc intercedes at the end. Beyond my quibbles with Pan, I loved seeing Kas and Bash really step up into their own destiny and exert power. I loved seeing the evolving relationships between Winnie and each of the men (except Pan of course). The ending is pretty abrupt, but I wasn’t dissatisfied. The main storyline concludes and we get a sense of the peace in the last chapters. I do want to try and pick up the spin off series featuring Hook and Roc.

Vicious Lost Boys:

#1 The Never King
#2 The Dark One
#3 Their Vicious Darling
#4 The Fae Princes

Next up on the TBR pile:

Their Vicious Darling by Nikki St. Crowe

Title: Their Vicious Darling (Vicious Lost Boys #3)

Author: Nikki St. Crowe

Publisher: Blackwell House LLC 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 248

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

The Dark One has finally accepted me…just in time for everything to change. Because Vane’s brother, The Crocodile, has just arrived on Neverland soil and he’s not alone. He’s brought with him members of the royal Darkland family and they want Vane’s Death Shadow back at any cost.

Of course, Peter Pan, Vane, Kas and Bash, they’re all familiar with war. But war isn’t easy when love is on the line.

I know those vicious Lost Boys would do anything to protect me. But what if I’m not the one that needs saving?

As power shifts on the island and shadows are claimed, all five of us have to let go of who we were, if we have any chance of becoming who we are destined to be.

Ooohhhh Winnie’s got a shadow! This book has definitely been my favorite so far. We get more development in the overall big plot and the relationships between the characters. Never thought that I would say that Vane may just be my favorite. (I really thought I would gravitate toward Kas.) I loved seeing Winnie really stand up for herself and be confident in her abilities. I loved seeing Roc come into play and add another dynamic to the conflict. And we get to spend time with Hook and Smee. I cannot wait to see how this all ends.

Vicious Lost Boys:

#1 The Never King
#2 The Dark One
#3 Their Vicious Darling
#4 The Fae Princes

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Dark One by Nikki St. Crowe

Title: The Dark One (Vicious Lost Boys #2)

Author: Nikki St. Crowe

Publisher: Blackwell House 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 228

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Cover Lover - Skull

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

I spent most of my life feeling dead inside — until I met Peter Pan and the Lost Boys.

It wasn't until Pan and Neverland that I finally felt alive.

But things are not all full of magic and sunlight on the island. There's something darker and more sinister haunting the forest.

And worse, the fae queen and Captain Hook are ready to fight for control of Neverland and they will stop at nothing to get what they want.

War is brewing—can the Never King get his shadow back and assume his rightful throne? And if he does, where will I fit?

Or will all of Neverland be in jeopardy right along with my dark, twisted heart?

I wasn’t absolutely sold with the first book in this series, but thankfully the second one pulled me in more. We get more plot and characterization and less erotica scenes. Thank goodness! The first volume felt a bit more like reading a Penthouse letter than a good dark romance. We pivot to more of a focus on the increasing relationships between Winnie and the men and even between the men. We learn more about the islands and the shadows on the loose. I’m invested in this series now and cannot wait to see where it goes.

Vicious Lost Boys:

#1 The Never King
#2 The Dark One
#3 Their Vicious Darling
#4 The Fae Princes

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle

Title: A Ship of Bones and Teeth

Author: Karina Halle

Publisher: Karina Halle 2023

Genre: Romance Fantasy

Pages: 508

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - The Lighthouse: Fairytale Retelling - The Little Mermaid

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

Princess Maren is a woman with a secret.

When she was just 16-years old, she sold her soul to the sea witch Edonia, giving up a life underwater in exchange for the love of Prince Aerik on land. But after a decade of abuse and misery inflicted by the cruel prince, Maren wants nothing more than to leave him and her royal role behind and find Edonia to reverse the spell.

An opportunity for escape presents itself when the prince and princess are traveling overseas and are taken hostage by a band of notorious pirates, led by the fearsome Captain Ramsay "Bones" Battista. Maren has heard the sordid stories about the infamous pirate--not only is his ship supposedly haunted and crewed by the damned, but that no prisoners ever survive. Fortunately for Maren, she learns that the captain also has a score to settle with the sea witch. With any luck, Maren may be able to get her old life back, even if it's being held in the captain's wicked hands.

But Ramsay gets more than he bargained for when he learns who--and what--Maren is, and that her appetite for revenge, freedom, and bloodlust rivals his.

Meanwhile Maren finds herself falling for the pirate's dark nature, even as she discovers that Ramsay has a secret more deadly than her own.

When it comes to the high seas, not all monsters lurk beneath the surface.

I grabbed this one as a dark, adult retelling of The Little Mermaid and it really hit the spot for me this week. I dove in not quite knowing what to expect, but very quickly I got my feet underneath me and the plot hit full steam. Trying to figure out exactly who Maren and Ramsay were was an added bonus to the storyline. We get a contentious relationship between our main characters until larger forces bring them together. I was fully immersed in the world and wanted to see more from all of the other characters. I must say that the steamy scenes are very steamy and very riské; be forewarned. While I really enjoyed this book, I might have actually been a bit sad that this is a standalone.

Romanceopoly 2025 Board Light Skin Brown Hair.jpg

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe

Title: The Never King (Vicious Lost Boys #1)

Author: Nikki St. Crowe

Publisher: Blackwell House 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 192

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Dark; Fairytale Retellings - Peter Pan

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

For two centuries, all of the Darling women have disappeared on their 18th birthday. Sometimes they’re gone for only a day, some a week or a month. But they always return broken.

Now, on the afternoon of my 18th birthday, my mother is running around the house making sure all the windows are barred and the doors locked.

But it’s pointless.

Because when night falls, he comes for me. And this time, the Never King and the Lost Boys aren’t willing to let me go.

Finally picked up this series after my interest in darker romance. I am a bit disappointed, but not enough to stop reading the series. Really this is very focused on the steamy scenes as opposed to plot or really characterization. We dive immediately into the world and have to very quickly understand what is happening without a lot of explanation. As the book progresses, we get some little bits, but then we focus on the physical aspect again. Winnie is not my favorite, but I am very interested in all the men involved. I really want to get more backstories and world building in the next book.

Vicious Lost Boys:

#1 The Never King
#2 The Dark One
#3 Their Vicious Darling
#4 The Fae Princes

Next up on the TBR pile:

Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova

Title: Kiss the Girl (Meant to Be #2)

Author: Zoraida Córdova

Publisher: Hyperion Avenue 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Romanceopoly - Crystal Lake (Fairytale retelling)

Spice Meter: 3

A modern tale of unexpectedly falling in love, and finding your voice—the highly anticipated third installment of in the acclaimed and best-selling Meant to Be collection. Ariel del Mar is one of the most famous singers in the world. She and her sisters—together, known as the band Siren Seven—have been a pop culture phenomenon since they were kids. On stage, wearing her iconic red wig and sequined costumes, staring out at a sea of fans, is where she shines. Anyone would think she's the girl who has everything. But lately, she wants more. Siren Seven is wrapping up their farewell tour, and Ariel can't wait to spend the summer just living a normal life—part of a world she's only ever seen from the outside. But her father, the head of Atlantica Records, has other plans: begin her breakout solo career immediately, starting with a splashy announcement on a morning talk show. The night before, Ariel and her sisters sneak out of their Manhattan penthouse for a night of incognito fun at a rock concert in Brooklyn. It's there that Ariel crosses paths with Eric Reyes, dreamy lead singer of an up-and-coming band. Unaware of her true identity, Eric spontaneously invites her on the road for the summer. And for the first time in her life, Ariel disobeys her father—and goes with him. Caught between the world she longs for and the one she's left behind, can Ariel follow her dreams, fall in love, and, somehow, find her own voice?

I finally got around this Little Mermaid retelling. I was going to read it last fall, but of course, I had too many library books checked out and had to make some tough choices. I got it back and sped through this very lite retelling. I found that I really dig the rock star trope in my romance. In this one, we get a Disney-esque pop star going undercover to rediscover herself and find her path in music and a up-and-coming lead singer out to get a record deal. I’m not a super fan of intentional lying in romances, but I will forgive Ariel as she is trying to escape her controlling father. We breeze through this book with some very cute encounters and lite sexual tension. Overall, it was a good romance even if it was very closed door. Cute retelling.

Meant to Be:

#1 If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
#2 By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
#3 Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova
#4 Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren
#5 Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Next up on the TBR pile:

Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren

Title: Tangled Up in You (Meant to Be #4)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Hyperion Avenue 2024

Genre: Romance

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairytale Retellings

Spice Rating: 3

She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.

Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.

Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.

But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fireon a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they've both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.

For most of this book, I was fully engaged in the story. I do love the forced proximity trope and the sunshine/grump trope, and this one was a great example of those. The beginning was a bit slow, but once we got on the road, the story really got moving. I loved seeing Ren and Fitz begin to trust each other and find themselves on the road trip. The scene in the biker bar was hilarious and just perfect for their story. I was interested to see how their relationship progressed. But then we get to the last fourth of the book. Everything was way too rushed for my tastes. I wanted to sit with the characters a bit more. I wanted to see the characters interact with others (like Mary!) and let those other characters see how they have changed. I wanted to see the main characters in their next place. The epilogue was a complete throwaway. I just really wanted more with this book.

Meant to Be:

#1 If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
#2 By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
#3 Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova
#4 Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren
#5 Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Next up on the TBR pile:

We Kept Her in the Cellar by W.R. Gorman

Title: We Kept Her in the Cellar

Author: W.R. Gorman

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books 2024

Genre: Horror

Pages: 304

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fairy Tale Retellings

Where I Got It: Library

Eunice lives her life by three simple rules: One, always refer to Cinderella as family. Two, never let Cinderella gain access to rats or mice. Three, never look upon Cinderella between the hours of twelve and three a.m.

Cinderella has dark and terrifying powers. As her stepsister, Eunice is expected to care for her and keep the family’s secret. For years, Eunice has faithfully done so. Her childhood flew by in a blur of nightmares, tears, and near-misses with the monster living in the cellar. But when she befriends the handsome Prince Credence and secures an invitation to the ball, Eunice is determined to break free.

When her younger sister, Hortense, steps up to care for Cinderella, Eunice grabs her chance to dance the night away—until Cinderella escapes. With her eldritch powers, Cinderella attends the ball and sweeps Prince Credence off his feet, leaving behind a trail of carnage and destruction as well as a single green glass slipper.

With Cinderella unleashed, Eunice must determine how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice in order to stop Cinderella. Unsettling and macabre at every turn, this page-turning horror will bewitch horror fans and leave its readers anxiously checking the locks on their cellar doors.

Oh yes! This was exactly the kind of horror I was hoping to read this season. We get a fairy tale turned on its Lovecraftian head. Everything starts normal, but then as soon as Cinderella arrives. we now that things are just a little off. Very quickly things go from bad to worst. I absolutely reveled in Cinderella’s creepy nature and the ways in which she tried to mess with Eunice. And then the second half of the book really kicked into high gear. I was dreading where the story was going, but in for the ride. This boo is not for those that get squeamish easily. There are some horrifying scenes throughout. I was in it until the very last page.

Next up on the TBR pile: