book review – Page 2

Publish Date: November 7th, 2023
Number of Pages: 640 Pages
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Genre(s): Fantasy, New Adult Romance

***Warning! This review will contain spoilers from the previous book in the series, so continue reading at your own risk! You’ve officially been warned!!***

To see my review of book #1 – Fourth Wing – Click HERE

To see my Fancast/Dreamcast of the series SO FAR – Click HERE

Total Star Rating: 2.75 Stars

Because love, at its root, is hope. Hope for tomorrow. Hope for what could be. Hope that the someone you’ve entrusted your everything to will cradle and protect it. And hope? That shit is harder to kill than a dragon.”

— Rebecca Yarros, “Iron Flame”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

“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.

~~~

Now I know what you’re thinking…Nick, WTF is that rating?!

I know, I know…but I’m going to be completely honest, I struggled with this book, much to my own disappointment. There were just some things about this book that frustrated me and really took me out of it and at one point I considered dropping it. It just couldn’t keep my attention in some parts, it felt dragged out, and I’m a HUGE hater of the miscommunication trope, and it was felt in this sequel.

You’re brought right back to where Fourth Wing ended, where we discover that Violet’s brother is actually NOT Dead, he’s very much alive and is helping the rebellion out in this secret war that is brewing against the Venin, who are also VERY much alive as we found out too last book. Without giving too much away, the rebellion is very much happening, but they’re learning that the leaders are also trying their very best to make sure it stays contained or a secret…and that they’re willing to silence those who are trying to show the world the truth.

Danger is literally squeezing Violet and everyone from multiple sides!

Things definitely took a huge turn from book 1 with the character development of A LOT of the characters, and dynamics and impressions have also shifted too, Like you can’t get too comfortable with the cast dynamics because there’s some definite change either already happening or is being hinted at…

~~~

I do. I’m sorry if you expect me to do the noble thing. I warned you. I’m not sweet or soft or kind, and you fell anyway. This is what you get, Violet— me. The good, the bad, the unforgivable. All of it. I am yours.” His arm wraps around the small of my back, holding me steady and close. “You want to know something true? Something real? I love you. I’m in love with you. I have been since the night the snow fell in your hair and you kissed me for the first time. I’m grateful my life is tied to yours because it means I won’t have to face a day without you in it. My heart only beats as long as yours does, and when you die, I’ll meet Malek at your side. It’s a damned good thing that you love me, too, because you’re stuck with me in this life and every other that could possibly follow.”

— Rebecca Yarros, “Iron Flame”

~~~

What I Liked:

Xaden & The Spice! I mean…”My House, my Chair, my woman” is officially iconic and now considered one of the best lines in the romantasy genre *swoon* and Shadow Xaddy is GOALS! This should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone!
The Found Family/Friend Group! I love the side characters like Rhiannon, Imogen, Ridoc, Garrick, and I was super glad to see some of them begin to feel more fleshed out this time around. I felt like I could really begin to distinguish them more and more the more they appeared.
Great New Characters! Varrish was a great villain, he was annoying AND vicious and you hated him every time he appeared…he was like a male Dolores Umbridge! Arric and Liam’s sister, Sloane, were also great additions to the cast and its great that they’re addition had MEANING, they weren’t just filler content or someone who lasted a chapter then was brutally killed off right away.
The Danger and Unpredictability of Character Fates! It’s what I loved about Game of Thrones, the high-octane excitement and nonstop action and how it really felt like the cast of characters were really in danger. Like I’m really questioning whether some of the bigger characters are going to make it to the end of this series, and that both makes me very anxious and very excited!

What I Didn’t Like:

The Miscommunication/Secret Keeping…The drama with Violet and Xaden got on my nerves with all the secret keeping and the miscommunication that seemed to happen with them…like I feel like the book was so much thicker because of this alone. Violet being all “I can’t trust him if he doesn’t tell me everything” then doing the same thing BECAUSE he’s doing it too…I was just so UGH about it at a certain point. It felt like some high school BS mind-games and THERE ARE PEOPLE DYING, KIM!
The Lack of Andarna…I know Andarna’s absence was for a good reason and is setting up for her later in the series, but I was surprised to feel like her absence was really noticed and felt in this sequel. Like, part of the magic of book 1 was missing because of this.
Could’ve Been Condensed…This book did NOT need to be as long as it was. I feel like with some more editing like a 100 pages or so could’ve been taken out? Some of the side conflicts happening and just the immature drama really killed a lot of the momentum…this book could’ve definitely done without most of it in my opinion.
The Drama Seemed Very Childish…Like I mentioned with Xaden and Violet and their lovers quarrels and communication issues, and the issues with Violet and Cat over Xaden too, like I know they’re still young adults 21-26 years, but again….like c’mon guys, there’s a war going on…get your shit together.

~~~

Conclusion:

Overall, I was disappointed how much a drop the series was with this book compared to book 1, which I ADORED! I just really struggled with this book and wasn’t feeling it as much based off the reasons I’ve listed.

It has me worried if I’ll keep going with the series? I’m a part of the group of folks who it’ll really depend on how Onyx Storm goes on whether I keep going or not…I don’t WANT to discontinue the series, but I’m also not going to keep going if I’ve flown the coop or fallen off the fandom for the sake of following the bandwagon of a really popular series. I have too many other books to read to stick with a series I’m lukewarm about…

I REALLY hope I love Onyx Storm and that it hooks me back into the series, fingers crossed!

Thanks for Reading

— Nick Goodsell

Dark Romance, Erotica, New Adult, New Adult Romance, Romance

My Review: God Of Malice (Legacy of Gods #1): by Rina Kent

December 13, 2024 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: July 14th, 2022
Number of Pages: 576 Pages
Publisher: Bloom Books
Genre(s): Dark Romance, New Adult Romance

Total Star Rating: 4.25 Stars

Not all girls like the hero. I was fated to fall in love with the villain. Because I know, I just know that he’ll put me ahead of everyone. Himself included.”

— Rina Kent, “God Of Malice”

What It’s About:

The Official Synopsis:

I caught the attention of a monster.
I didn’t ask for it.
Didn’t even see it coming.
But the moment I do, it’s too late.
Killian Carson is a predator wrapped in sophisticated charm.
He’s cold-blooded, manipulative, and savage.
The worst part is that no one sees his devil side.
I do.
And that will cost me everything.
I run, but the thing about monsters?
They always chase.

This book is not a conventional romance and contains themes that aren’t to everyone’s liking. Please check the author’s note before reading.

~~~

Now here’s a book that, in my humble opinion, lived up to the MASSIVE hype it’s received…

Being a part of the book community, and a growing fan of the Dark Romance sub-genre specifically, it’s probably hard to traverse this particular corner of the community without having coming across the Legacy of Gods series by Rina Kent. It feels like it’s just about everywhere, and there are multiple different sets and editions that go for astronomical resale prices on the BST market too.

I’ll admit seeing that stay pretty consistent also made me super curious about these books and the hype around them…

Okay, so this book definitely starts off with a bang…and then it just devolves into more beautiful chaos from there. This book revolves around Glyndon King and Killian Carson, two college-age students of the ultra british elite. Glyndon is on a cliff looking over the ocean where she’d witnessed a friend drive over towards his unexpected but brutal death. Haunted with those past images stuck in her brain, that’s where a grieving Glyndon meets the enigmatic and chaotic Killian, and like I said…it just gets more and more out of control from there!

Killian was a really fun anti-hero, dark knight sort of character because the dude was a legit psychopath/sociopath, but he still had a ton of charm to him! He gave me Joe Goldberg from YOU vibes sort of in that sense, but he makes Joe look pretty mild in comparison if that says anything. His snark and banter were top tier throughout; I even found myself falling for the villain here.

My only critiques of this book were it felt like it didn’t need to be as long as it was, like it could’ve been condensed somewhat, because I did find myself getting a little impatient towards the 75% mark in this book. My only other critique was all the many other characters introduced, especially right away in like the 3rd or 4th chapter, but I also know most if not all of them are the main stars of the next books in this series. I maybe just wish we were introduced to them more smoothly throughout the book instead of all clumped together…it’s like when you’re introduced to a whole lunch table of new people and their names are listed off back to back; how many of those people’s names do you actually remember after 5 minutes?

I will admit, I was hesitant to start this sooner because of the MASSIVE universe these books are a part of with a lot of Rina Kent books/series. I know the parents of the characters are stars in other series that take place way before these, but luckily I found myself able to get through this book no problem without having read any of the previous books beforehand. Sure, you’d probably get more out of this book if you HAD read them before and learned the stories of the parents, but here’s me saying it’s not entirely necessary. Thank god for that too, because it’s a HUGE commitment to read all the books that take place before the Legacy of Gods series, which then ironically has become the most popular of them.

~~~

Understand this, Glyndon, there’s nothing noble or tender about what I feel for you. It’s violent volcano of obsession, possession, and deranged lust. If you want love, then I do love you, but it’s the unorthodox version of love. I love you enough to let you within my walls. I love you enough to let you talk to my demons. I love you enough to allow you to have a hold over me when I’ve never allowed anyone to have the power to destroy me from inside out.”

— Rina Kent, “God Of Malice”

What I Liked:

The Banter! The back and forths between Killian and Glyndon were just so so good. It felt like it was like a third of the book, and I don’t have any complaints about that at all! I am always a sucker for good snarky banter.
Killian Carson! He is a dark, sexy, psychotic MOFO who actually had quite a bit of depth to him too. That was surprising to me, like he wasn’t a dark character just for the sake of it or for cheap shock value, it felt natural and explored wonderfully in this story with some explanations brought forward to make him feel like a truly well thought out and fleshed out character.
Amazing Cast of Characters! While a lot of them get thrown at you right away, once you start to distinguish them from each other, I did really enjoy each character and the different dynamics that were presented. A lot of easter eggs were definitely planted for the next books too, it was fun to try and catch them with what limited knowledge I had.
The Start of the Book! This book starts off in a really exciting and attention grabbing way, and as someone who gives a book 100 pages to grab my attention before I decide to DNF it and move onto the next, I thought with how this book started was a great way to instantly hook readers!

What I Didn’t Like:

Too Many Introductions At Once…Way too many characters were introduced to me all at the same time and all right away in the very beginning of the book…It felt like a dark college romance version of like Game of Thrones or something…I eventually got them all figured out and distinguished, but man was it overwhelming at first!
Part of Multi-Series Universe…This could be a good or bad thing depending on the kind of reader you are, but the fact that this series is the very latest in a LONG line of other books/series that are all connected was a major yellow light/yield sign that made me hesitate for like a year before finally deciding to dive in. Luckily it’s not required to have read all of them before starting LOG series, but it enhances your overall experience reading this too, and part of me does feel the FOMO of not having read from the very chronological beginning

Conclusion:

Overall, this was one hell of a way to start a series, and I can say I am HOOKED and I will definitely be reading on to see how the other books are! Killian was a perfect addictive psychopath and Glyndon was the perfect angel who could make him see the light as well as explore her dark side too…

This book is perfect for fans of opposites attract, dubcon/noncon, mafia/secret societies, dark college romance type stories with lots of banter and spice to boot.

Like I mentioned above, this is one of those massively hyped/popular books that actually lived up to all the hype! I definitely recommend it if this sounds like your kind of book to dive into.

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Fantasy, New Adult Romance, Romance

My Review: A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows (Stars and Shadows #1): by Holly Renee

December 2, 2024 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: July 11th, 2022
Number of Pages: 290 Pages
Publisher: Holly Renee Publishing
Genre(s): Fantasy, Romance

Total Star Rating: 3.25 Stars

It doesn’t matter that you are destined to be his. Every part of you is begging to be mine.”

— Holly Renee, “A Kingdom Of Stars and Shadows”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

Destiny or desire?

Where does your allegiance lie?

I am told my union to the crowned prince will determine the fate of the kingdom, but it isn’t my betrothed who haunts my dreams. It’s the half-breed prince who stands at his side.

He is darkness and sin, and when he whispers promises of wickedness in my ear, I crave a man who I can’t have.

Every thought I have is treasonous. The way my hands ache to touch him deceitful.

Even my dreams make me a traitor to the kingdom I am sworn to protect.

But when the kingdom is attacked, I am forced to make choices I’m not prepared for. Our lies and deception are entangled in the shadows and stars, and as they unravel so shall my fate. Betray a kingdom or betray my heart.

~~~

This is a great option if you want something more on the fantasy side but you either are not a fan of intensely dense worldbuilding or you just want something quick and almost mindless to read with some good spice…but with fantasy! Basically, it’s a great romantasy guilty pleasure option that’s also a super short and quick read.

Compared to what I’ve read and enjoyed in the past, the vibe of this book felt very much like the spicy, underdeveloped child of A Court of Thorns and Roses and From Blood and Ash, where it definitely is able to stand on its own as a story, but the comparisons between even just these two is very apparent.

It wasn’t bad by any means, in fact the spicy scenes were pretty good I’ll admit, it just felt like the world wasn’t very unique or original…I mean, we don’t even get a map of the world, and that’s like an unofficial requirement for me with fantasy books!

The story revolves around Adara, who’s this thing called “Starblessed” where she has markings across her body and she’s prophesized to save the kingdom. She’s brought before the royal family and becomes betrothed to the Prince, Gavril, but also shares a secret and (very tempting) attraction to his half brother, Evren.

Evren is WHERE IT’S AT, by the way…add him to your list of shadow daddy’s is all I can say!

Most of this book revolves around Adara and Evren, who kind of sneak around and it’s pretty hot and forbidden, and luckily it’s not cheating because Adara has absolutely NO romantic feelings for Gavril whatsoever…but his mother, Queen Kaida, is not about to have whatever plan she clearly has underfoot to be ruined just because the STARBLESSED doesn’t love her betrothed…then all the while there’s a growing threat of Vampyres (yes that’s spelled correctly) on the edge of the kingdom that we may need to worry about later on…

Like I said, this wasn’t bad by any means, but I wouldn’t call it great either…It feels like those stories that mix in a ton of the popular tropes from other books, blends it together, and is presented as something else. The plot is fairly predictable, the characters are pretty generic, BUT the forbidden romance and the spicy scenes are what kept my attention grabbed, so I’ll say I was entertained nonetheless.

~~~

Why not? Because you are betrothed to my brother or because your thighs just tightened around mine as you imagined it yourself.” I opened my mouth to argue, but he wasn’t finished. “It doesn’t matter that you are destined to be his. Every part of you is begging to be mine.”

— Holly Renee, “A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows”

~~~

What I Liked:

The Romance/Spice! I mean, this is what drew me into the story to begin with. I was promised some good spicy time, and I will say that this book definitely delivers in that.

How Quick It Is! This one is actually a toss-up, because I like how quick it was, but I also critique the lack of worldbuilding, so the lack of it obviously has to do with how short and sweet this book is…I guess it falls under the like category more because the shorter pace of this story was actually a nice change of pace from the other Romantasy stories that are heavy and dense in the worldbuilding and history and lore.

Evren! Like I said before, add this man to your book boyfriend or shadow daddy list, because DAYUMMMMMM! I also love a dirty talking bastard, and he defs doesn’t hold back on that either.

What I Didn’t Like:

Adara Is Whiny…Kind of like how I don’t like Frodo in a lot of parts of LOTR, Adara was very whiny and kind of bratty in some parts of the story that made me not like her as much as other Romantasy FMC’s. Like I get it, you’re taken against your will and then betrothed to a fae prince whom you have no feelings for…but being a whiny brat to everyone isn’t going to make your situation any better.

Too Predictable…The plot does feel very predictable in this, and that has to do with the familiar tropes we see in Romantasy in general and the lack of uniqueness this story gives us compared to others.

No Map…YES, my petty ass will continue to stay on this small tidbit as I have with plenty of other books on my website…it really bugs me when a fantasy book doesn’t have a map to reference of this fantasy world we explore.

~~~

Conclusion:

Overall, a good option to have as a quick guilty pleasure read and that can scratch that Romantasy itch without having to make a big and heavy commitment. If the other books are as short as this one, I feel like I can say you could easily get this whole series under your belt while you’re waiting for that bigger, badder book to be published from that other series you’re reading!

*looks over at Rebecca Yarros and a certain Dragon Riding series she writes…

It was decent enough to keep my attention, and hey, I’ll admit that I definitely want to keep going with these books. I’ve found that the story usually becomes more it’s own thing as it develops in later books, and usually the first book is filled with the most cliché’s and familiar tropes so here’s hoping that the story manages to surprise me and keep me engaged as it goes on in the next book!

Thanks For Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Erotica, Fantasy, New Adult, New Adult Romance, Paranormal

My Review: The Dark One (Vicious Lost Boys #2): by Nikki St. Crowe

October 30, 2024October 30, 2024 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: April 24th, 2022
Number of Pages: 228 Pages
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre(s): Dark Romance, Fantasy, Erotica, Reverse Harem

***Warning! This review contains spoilers from the previous book in the series, so continue reading at your own risk! You have been warned!***

To see my review of book 1 – The Never King – Click HERE

Total Star Rating: 4.25 Stars

I’m a china cup that has been broken so many times that I’m never sure if I’m a cup or just separate pieces held together by glue and sheer determination, molded into a cup-like shape. I know how to crack and I know how to mend.”

— Nikki St. Crowe, “The Dark One”

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

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. Including using the one thing Pan never thought he wanted or needed — me. I’m a descendant of the Darling family and now I belong to him and the Lost Boys.

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?

NOTE: The Dark One is book two in the Vicious Lost Boys series. It is a dark reimagining of Peter and Wendy. If you like your enemies to lovers romance with hot, ruthless, morally gray love interests, you’ll enjoy The Dark One and the Lost Boys. You can expect hate kissing, fighting, bickering, and ‘touch her and I’ll unalive you’ vibes.

Please check the author’s website for CWs

~~~

Okay, but this was a vast improvement from the previous book in my opinion! The previous book, The Never King, definitely felt like a setting placer and merely showed us the world with a basic premise but not much more than that in terms of storytelling….

That’s not to say it wasn’t hot! It just felt like nothing happened at the same time if that makes sense?

…Anyways, this second book just felt like much more was going on and was much faster paced, like it rolled much further along this time around with finding Pan’s shadow and the lengths people will go to acquire it.

The biggest highlight for this installment for me was the inclusion of Captain Hook, who we all know is the arch nemesis of Peter Pan…it was only a matter of time until he showed up in this Peter Pan retelling. BUT I appreciate how he wasn’t just a simple black/white Disney Villain, he definitely has some shades of grey to him here. Those honestly make the best villains in my opinion.

The spice was perfection like I expected in this story! I love the use of magic and fantasy elements to enhance these scenes too, it really makes the series stand out. And all I can say is that those who wanted more Vane are going to be very pleased.

…And I loved that cliffhanger as well too! Super well done!

~~~

He is an unholy sight. And I will never stop sinning for him.”

— Nikki St. Crowe, “The Dark One”

~~~

What I Liked:

That Ending! Holy cliffhangers, Batman! This one was a doozy and I loved it! Made me have to go to the next book immediately.
Captain Hook Showing Up! Captain James Hook definitely added a LOT to the story now that he’s shown up! Pun intended, he got me hooked these books?
There Was More Plot/Conflict! This book just felt more enhanced than the previous one for me, and I think it had to do with the fact that it felt like there was more plot/conflict happening this time around.

What I Didn’t Like:

…Is It REALLY love though?…Sometimes Winnie’s relationship with Peter Pan and the lost boys feels off to me, or that it shifted way to quickly? Like they refer to her as their whore and have turns having a lot of sex with her, but then it’s like instantly like they’re all in love with her too? Maybe call it another case of instalove, but that dynamic feels off to me with these characters when half the time Winnie seems like she’s just a walking, talking sex toy to the male characters. But at the same time, I’m not reading this story expecting a Disney Princess happily ever after.

~~~

Conclusion:

Overall, this sequel was much better for me than the previous book in this series. Everything felt enhanced for me; the plot, the spice, the pacing, the characters, EVERYTHING! I enjoyed this one more, and that cliffhanger ending had me grabbing for the next book ASAP!

Thanks for Reading!

— Nick Goodsell

Erotica, LGBT, New Adult, New Adult Romance

My Review: Fair Catch (Leighton U #3): by CE Ricci

October 19, 2024October 30, 2024 nicholasjgoodsell

Publish Date: August 30th, 2024
Number of Pages: 444 Pages
Publisher: Deserted Press LLC
Genre(s): MM romance, LGBT+, New Adult Romance

*Please Note, each book in this series is a standalone story, so no worries as much about spoilers*

To see my review of book 1 – Iced Out – Click HERE

To see my review of book 2 – Caught Stealing – Click HERE

~~~

Total Star Rating: 4 Stars

What It’s About:

The official synopsis:

Taking in Kason Fuller as roommate is meant to be a favor; one I regret immediately. The bumbling, virgin football player drives me to the brink of sanity, stealing my food, my sleep, my peace and solitude. My solution? Call a ceasefire. Get him out on dates and out of my hair. Yet as our truce shifts, I realize there’s a depth to this connection unlike any I’ve felt before.

It turns out, I don’t mind his presence. I crave it, along with every morsel I learn about him. But falling for the guy from the wrong side of the tracks wasn’t in the cards. And I’m not the only one who thinks so.

Now, I’m at a crossroads between the life I thought I’d have, or risking everything to catch him.

~~~

If you’re a fan of CE Ricci books, I feel like this one will continue to not disappoint you in her MM romance-type books!

This title felt different than all the other books I’ve read by her because of its slower burn with the couple of Kason and Hayes. There was spice for sure, but the big difference for me was that there were a lot more softer moments between them too. Their relationship dynamic shifted very organically from reluctant roommates to friends to lovers, and it was freakin’ adorable to see them slowly grow closer and closer to each other and gain that intimacy and trust between them, which makes sense since one of the characters turns out to be demisexual!

The demisexual representation was a huge highlight for me, one because its an asexual orientation that I feel like I’m possibly myself and that it was a huge reason for how this relationship dynamic was handled and also how it was explained too.

~~~

What I Liked:

The Demisexual Representation! Demisexuals are slowly getting more and more recognition in romance books, and this book is the second one I’ve come to notice with this specific sort of representation.
The Slowburn Romance! This romance in this book was at much slower pace than the other CE Ricci books I’ve read, and I think that really makes this one stand out more too
The Softer Romantic Moments! Like it being one of the slower paced books she’s written, it’s also probably the softest book she’s written too. At least, it is amongst the books of hers I’ve written.
Sneaking in the Easter Eggs for the Next Books! Considering I know who the couple is for the next book, I liked the subtle set up for it that you can catch in this book too, and will probably intertwine a little bit too!

What I Didn’t Like:

The Parents Involvement in the 3rd Act Breakup… I will admit, the snooty rich parents coming between the couple and making them choose between them and inheritance wasn’t the most creative method to have the third act breakup between these guys in my honest opinion. It feels like a very played out or kinda cliché conflict.

~~~