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A Strange Hymn (The Bargainer #2)
A Strange Hymn (The Bargainer #2)
Laura Thalassa | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Paranormal, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Siren and soulmate to the King of Night, Callypso Lillis survived the clutches of Karnon, the mad king, and his twisted prison. But the nightmare isn't over. Callie wears the physical reminders of her time as a captive, and mounting evidence suggests the Thief of Souls is still out there.

When a fae celebration thrusts Callie and her mate, Desmond Flynn, into the Kingdom of Flora, they take their investigation with them. But under the bright lights and striking blooms of the realm, they find there are more immediate issues to deal with. No place is more uniquely savage than the great fae halls, and no amount of bargains can save Callie from royal intrigues.

Fairies play dangerous games. Some want love, some want vengeance, some want flesh, and some want things too unspeakable to utter. One thing is for sure: no one is who they appear to be. Not even Des, who only grows more enigmatic with every passing secret.

But the Kingdom of Flora has its own secrets, from bleeding trees to branded slaves and missing guards. Something is stirring in the land of all that grows, and if Callie isn't careful, it will claim everything and everyone she loves - and her along with it.




I bloody loved it!! Second One was better than the first! I’ve been waiting for a decent fairy series since Merry Gentry by LkH and this fits it! I adore Des! Love Temperance and Callypso is just brilliant! The fey politics is brilliant and it makes an exciting read!! I’m really enjoying Laura’s writing style.
  
Good Neighbors
Good Neighbors
Sarah Langan | 2021 | Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan is a difficult book to review in 200 words. There is so much I want to mention but need to limit myself. My review can be summed up in three words "read this book."

Maple Street is a perfect place to raise a family. The neighbors interact with each other as an extended family. They gather for barbeques, help each other, and look out for each other's children.

The new family is different. Arlo, a has-been rock star. Gertie, a beautiful ex-pageant queen. Julie, an intelligent preteen who curses like a sailor. Larry, an autistic boy who, along with his family, does not fit with the Maple Street image. The queen bee, Rhea, takes the family under her wing, and everyone welcomes them into the fold.

After a booze-fueled night, Rhea overshares to Gertie, which starts the Maple Street implosion.

Good Neighbors is a twisted story that takes its time to grow like the heat in summer. I recently read an ok writer cannot mess up a great plot while a great author will take a great plot and make it even better. Langan's writing and the great plot make for an excellent, well-written book.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com.
  
Two Forces (Crescentwood #2)
Two Forces (Crescentwood #2)
R.A. Smyth | 2021 | Contemporary, Erotica, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Darker, dirtier and a damn sight more dangerous!

Spoilers/warning : Please be aware there is an attempted rape scene/a rape and sex trafficking which includes reference to underage girls which could be a trigger for some readers.
    Also a few graphic descriptions of violence and sex.

Chapter one starts us on the same day we left off, only with Sophie, not Preston.
    I'm so happy that we've not jumped ahead weeks, especially after the cliffhanger of the first book. It's pretty seamless too, no subtle character discrepancies and no questions about what's happened since we were last enveloped in Crescentwood.

Sophie is as strong and sassy as ever but we get to see a more vulnerable side too. A side that puts cracks in tough exteriors of four smoking hot guys.

Each page I read makes me want a reverse harem so bad! Hot, gorgeous bad boys with tattoos and a soft spot for Sophie and some mind blowing sex.....lucky girl! I love how the boys characters are growing, how each of them is showing traits that explain why Sophie is so drawn to them.

Yet again we're left with questions and a bit of a cliffhanger but I wouldn't have it any other way, it just has me impatiently waiting for the next installment!

The epilogue is grim, twisted and puts a lot of the pieces together. It confirmed some of my theories, made me uncomfortable, oddly satisfied and quite honestly anxious about what's ahead for Sophie and the boys.
  
Briar Rose
Briar Rose
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received this book as a first reads copy via GoodReads and My Kinda Book.

I'll start by saying I love the cover of this book.

Then: I'm a big Jana Oliver fan, having loved her Demon Trappers series so when I saw the First Reads giveaway on Goodreads for this I just had to enter and luckily for me, I was picked as one of the winners.

I have to admit that I, too have always liked the idea of Princes and Princess' and fairy tale endings and this was a unique take on it, with the twisted fairy tale one that is almost of Briar Rose's own making.

I kinda wish I could say more but I don't want to ruin it for those who are going to read this...sorry ;D

Saying that, it was very unique to me, as I have never seen or heard of anything like this before, and I really enjoyed it. Maybe it was the authors style which I can easily fall into or maybe it was the idea of the story but I was captivated by it from early on.

I also really liked all the major characters though it took a while for Pat to grow on me. The rest; Briar, Joshua, Reena and Ruric were all pretty cool from the start.

If you're a fan of the author then you should give this a try, as well as those who like fantasy books as this is no ordinary fairy tale.
  
Lies Lies Lies
Lies Lies Lies
Adele Parks | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
7
8.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
"Millie was a miracle. Conceived without any medical intervention. A miracle. She saved us."

This was my first book by Adele Parks, and I found she sucked me into the story from the very beginning. For me, the plot was easily the star here. This was a twisty thriller that kept me guessing, often wondering which path it was going to lead us down next. While I had an inkling about one particular plot point, others took me by complete surprise, which was fun. I always love a mystery that keeps me on my toes and goes down completely unexpected paths.

"People with secrets rarely sleep soundly. Fact."

One strength of the book is the fact that it's told from both Daisy and Simon's perspectives. Neither are particularly sympathetic, but it's easy to get caught up in their worlds. Daisy comes across as a doormat, who cannot stand up to her alcoholic husband. And Simon, of course, a drunk who endangers his family on a regular basis. You want to shake some sense into both of them. But there's certainly a twisted web of lies and secrets behind the foundation of this couple. Nothing is as it seems, and as time goes on, you can start to at least understand some of their motivations.

Overall, I enjoyed this one. I welcomed a different plot, which had some surprises in store. The ending was a bit ambiguous, but overall still a solid read. 3.75 stars, rounded to 4 here.