The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Book: The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Read From: 9th March - 14th March 2022

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In this fake-dating romance, Aaron volunteers to fly to Spain with Lina for her sister’s wedding after she tells everyone she is in a relationship and will be attending the wedding with her new boyfriend.

I think at over 450 pages, this is the longest romance book I’ve ever read. It’s had so much hype, and romance books don’t usually have a solid plot either so it’s safe to say that I was pretty apprehensive. I was worried I wouldn’t like the characters and that I’d easily become bored. Safe to say that neither of these things happened. I absolutely ate this book up. I loved it. 

After reading The Love Hypothesis back in January, and now this, I’m beginning to understand why everyone loves the fake dating trope so much. It was done SO well in this book and you could tell that although everything was meant to be ‘fake’ Aaron was absolutely smitten with Lina and I couldn’t cope, it was the sweetest thing ever. If Armas released this exact same book from his POV I would be all over it. I need it! Aaron is the ‘man written by a woman’ blueprint, the world would be a better place if all men were a little more Aaron Blackford. I can definitely see why he is so many people’s book boyfriend. Lina was also an amazing character, she was so funny and her love for food was definitely something I resonated with😅

I loved the slow-burn and the smut was excellent. I mentioned in my review for The Love Hypothesis that I loved the discussions of consent in that book because it’s often something that’s overlooked or glossed over in romance books, and I’m so pleased that The Spanish Love Deception also approached this. It seems weird to praise something that is essentially the bare minimum but it’s just so refreshing to see in fiction when it’s not something you’ve really seen before. 

This is an obvious recommend for me especially if you’re a romance lover. Saying that though, I wouldn’t say I LOVE romance but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m excited for Armas’ second book to come out later this year. I’ll definitely be getting my hands on a copy!

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

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Book: The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Read From: 27th February - 12th March 2022

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: 6 intriguing yet dangerous magicians are invited to join the Alexandrian Society, which can give them a fountain of knowledge and incredible power. But only 5 of them can walk away.

Thank you so much to Tor / Black Crow PR for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review! 

I’m desperately trying not to let the ending of this book skew my rating because it completely boggled my mind, made me question so much about this book and the characters in it and made me extremely excited for the sequel. On that basis, I’m sticking with my guns and giving this a 3 star rating. The first 20% and last 20% was absolutely incredible and I couldn’t peel my eyes away however I definitely felt my attention wavering in the remaining 60% middle section of the book. 

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the writing style likened to that in The Secret History in its fluffiness and of course the dark academia elements - I can’t say that’s a book I was ever particularly interested in reading because I normally don’t get on with fluffy writing. That was definitely the case in some parts of this book. I think the beginning, where all the characters were introduced was amazing but as this is heavily character focused it was easy to get lost in the words sometimes. I can see why people love it but I’m a simple creature who loves simple writing so that’s definitely on me.

I definitely loved some characters more than others, Libby and Nico were amazing and I was very intrigued by Parisa and Tristan. I would have liked to have seen a little more Reina though. Saying that, they were all fascinating in their own way. I particularly enjoyed the first few chapters where they were approached with Atlas’ offer and we were introduced to each one. The rivalry between Nico and Libby was entertaining and a bit too relatable to me as someone who is ridiculously competitive. 

Honestly, this isn’t one I would go out of my way to recommend but I also wouldn’t suggest avoiding it either. However, if you’re someone who absolutely doesn’t get along with books without a plot then I’d probably say to give this one a miss. There is a plot per se, but it’s definitely on the backburner for the most of the book in order to give these horny (lol), pretentious and intriguing characters the spotlight. On the other hand, if you absolutely love character-centred books with hints of magic then I think you would really like this one.

Crimson Reign by Amelie Wen Zhao

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Book: Crimson Reign by Amelie Wen Zhao

Read From: 3rd March - 8th March 2022

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary (Blood Heir): Ana, the Crown Princess of Cyrilia, is one of the Affinites: people reviled for their magical gifts, which allow them to control the world around them. After her father’s brutal murder, all evidence points to Ana. If she’s to have any hope of clearing her name she’ll need help from the infamous Ramson Quicktongue. Known for his reputation as a cunning, smooth-talking crime lord, Ramson has his own sinister plans - though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the Princess may be the most dangerous player of them all.

I can’t believe this trilogy is over! I had such an amazing time with all three of these books, whilst the second book was undoubtedly my favourite of the 3, I still really enjoyed this conclusion and I was happy where everything left off. I didn’t have any unanswered questions, and didn’t come away thinking there should have been more development - everything was great.

I definitely think this book was the slowest of them all, which almost seems unfair to say because there was still a lot of action and things were happening, it just didn’t feel as fast paced as the first two books. This was in no way a bad thing though, over the course of the series I’ve definitely grown to love these characters (Lynn, Kais and Ramson in particular have my heart). I won’t say who the villain is because that would be a spoiler for the first book, but I wish we could have seen more of them in this book.

If you liked Six of Crows or Shadow and Bone then I think you’d really like this trilogy, the magic systems are quite similar with people having power over specific things and it’s not unnecessarily complex - it’s simple and effective. And of course there are some ‘normal’ characters too that don’t have magic. I don’t have much else to say about this series that I haven’t said already, particularly because I don’t want to go into specifics about Crimson Reign which would spoil book 1 and 2. Just know that I highly recommend these books and are perfect for anyone wanting a fast-paced fantasy series to sink your teeth into.

If you want to read my reviews for the rest of the series:

Read my review for Blood Heir (Blood Heir #1) here

Read my review for Red Tigress (Blood Heir #2) here

The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

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Book: The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass

Read From: 25th February - 28th February 2022

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Jake Livingston is one of the only Black kids at St. Clair Prep, one of the others being his infinitely more popular older brother. It’s hard enough fitting in but to make matters worse and definitely more complicated, Jake can see the dead. Most are harmless and don’t interact with people. But then Jake meets Sawyer. A troubled teen who shot and killed six kids at a local high school last year before taking his own life. Now a powerful, vengeful ghost, he has plans for his afterlife–plans that include Jake. Suddenly, everything Jake knows about ghosts and the rules to life itself go out the window as Sawyer begins haunting him and bodies turn up in his neighbourhood. High school soon becomes a survival game–one Jake is not sure he’s going to win.

This is exactly how horror books should be done! Marketed as ‘not for younger readers’, this is a YA novel that dives deeper and darker than any I’ve read before, covering some very heavy themes such as gun violence, racism, mental health, suicide and homophobia. The paranormal element was done extremely well and elevated the story a lot, creating an intriguing mystery that you couldn’t peel your eyes away from. 

I absolutely adore books with multiple perspectives and being in both Jake and Sawyers heads made for such an interesting reading experience. They’re both on COMPLETELY different, even conflicting, paths and the tension just kept coming in anticipation of when their paths would eventually converge. There were just so many things about this book that made you want to keep reading - this would be the perfect book to read around the Halloween period. 

Coming in at under 250 pages this is a short little book but it tackles so much and is very fast paced. Whilst this does feature a very cute romance, if you are expecting a queer love story I would definitely say that it takes a back-seat in favour of the complex topics that this book deals with. I think this worked very well and think I preferred that the focus was on these areas rather than the romantic sub-plot but I do think it’s important to dispel any potential misconceptions before going into this! I would definitely recommend - particularly for spooky season! 

Thank you so much to Pride Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book and for my spot on the book tour!

A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

Book: A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir

Read From: 13th February - 27th February 2022

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary (An Ember in the Ashes): Laia is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason and her family slain, Laia must go undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from those who claim they can free her brother. The academy’s finest soldier Elias is secretly its most unwilling. But before he can act on the desertion he plans, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Emperor. When Laia and Elias’s paths collide, they find that their destinies are inescapably intertwined...

I’m so sad I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first two books in the series. I think my enjoyment is definitely reflected in how long it took me to read this, in comparison to books 1 and 2 which took me only 3 days each. You know the multiple POV books where one of the perspectives is far more interesting than the others? I definitely felt that way about this one - I found myself really looking forward to Helene’s POV and I didn’t really care about Elias and Laia.

With Elias in particular, it felt as though nothing really happened during his chapters and without saying too much as to spoil previous books, the back and forth nature of going to and from the Waiting Place began to get a little bit repetitive. Whilst Laia and Helene’s POV’s started to pick up towards the end of the book, I felt like the majority of it was slowly building up tension for the explosive ending. I did really enjoy being back with these characters but I think my enjoyment could have been tainted by the absolutely outstanding book I was reading alongside this (House of Sky and Breath), which is definitely no one’s fault but my own.

I finished the second book with high hopes for further exploration into the magic system in this book but at the moment it seems to be focusing mainly on the existence of mythical and fantastical beings rather than what they can do and their abilities. Whilst I do think the focus will be shifted in the final book, I can’t say I’m in any rush to pick it up and continue my binge-read. This book definitely left me with a lot more questions than answers and for a third book in the series I would have expected at least SOME things to have been explained by this point. 

I didn’t massively dislike this book but it’s definitely not my favourite in the series and I think it’s only solidified the fact that I can’t see myself rereading this series. I’m not 100% convinced I will read the final book, I feel as though I should just for the sake of completion, but it didn’t come in the paperback box set so that’s definitely impacted my motivation to pick it up. If I did have it, I would have read it but I suppose time will tell as to whether I get around to buying it. Saying that though, I would definitely recommend this series. Whilst this third book wasn’t necessarily for me, I had such an amazing reading experience with the first two books and I can fully appreciate why this is a popular series!

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Book: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh (reread)

Read From: 14th February - 23rd February 2022

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Khalid, the 18 year old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new wife, only to have her killed by sunrise. Shahrzad is the first volunteer to become Khalid’s bride. She vows to stop is reign of terror - for the friend she lost and all those who perished before her. Incredibly, Shahrzad manages to survive her first morning, and then the next. Night after night, she mesmerises the Caliph with her storytelling - at once buying time and digging deeper into the elusive boy-king’s past.

This was a reread for me! Whilst I rated it 5 stars the first time around, I didn’t quite get the five star feels on a second reading so I changed my rating to 4 stars but this was still an incredible book and I would highly recommend. I definitely need to get to the sequel at some point and rereading this for book club gave me the perfect excuse to come back to this world, I’m not going to leave it another year before I finally get to The Rose and the Dagger. 

Renee Ahdieh’s writing is absolutely BEAUTIFUL and Shahrzad and Khalid’s story is told in a way that’s impossible for you not to get sucked in by the atmosphere and gorgeous writing. My favourite part of this book (on both reads) was definitely Shazi’s storytelling - not only are you transported to Khorasan through Ahdieh’s words, you’re also transported to wherever Shazi is taking you too and that’s such a magical feeling, perfect for a brilliant fantasy book. 

The plot is definitely on the slower side in this one but it honestly doesn’t feel that way. I’m always coming back to the writing style but honestly it really elevated the experience. The characters were developed so well, I loved seeing all of them interact (particularly Despina and Shazi)! The sub-plot (if you can call it that) with Tariq was also really interesting to see develop and I think it has paved the way for an explosive sequel - particularly with the way The Wrath and the Dawn ended. In our book club discussion, the chat was definitely divided between those who liked Tariq and those who didn’t... despite being team Khalid all the way I am excited to see how things transpire in The Rose and the Dagger. 

It goes without saying that I would definitely recommend this book to all fantasy lovers, unfortunately I’m unfamiliar with the original 1001 Nights tale so can’t comment on how The Wrath and the Dawn holds up as a retelling. If you like intricate storytelling, atmospheric writing and loveable characters then definitely give this one a go.

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

Book: House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas

Read From: 15th February - 19th February 2022

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary (House of Earth and Blood): When a demon murders Bryce Quinlan’s closest friends, she is left bereft, wounded and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation alongside Hunt Athalar, enslaved Fallen angel, where she is determined to avenge their deaths. As Bryce and Hunt dig deeper into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear.

Ahhhh this book was absolutely amazing and I don’t know how I’m going to wait a year or two for the third one in the series to be released! If this review sounds vague in any way, then that’s deliberate. So many people have been anticipating reading this, or are in the middle of reading it and taking it slow, and I am not about to be the person who spoils it for them. Because trust me this is a book you’re not going to want spoiled in any way. I’m not going to give specifics about anything so please be assured that this is a safe space even if you haven’t read it yet. 

I think this one was definitely a lot more character focused than the first book but in no way was this a bad thing. The plot was definitely there, but ultimately what kept me turning the pages was these amazing characters. I don’t understand how so many people on Bookstagram/BookTook aren’t completely smitten with Hunt, I think he is an amazing love interest and an even more amazing character. Same with Bryce - I think she is absolutely brilliant and I know a lot of people have an issue with her recklessness, but I really enjoy it. It’s nice to see a not-so-perfect heroine who makes mistakes. Yes it enhances the plot by increasing the tension, but it also makes her so much more relatable and I really enjoy reading about her character. We also get much more depth to the side characters from the first book, particularly Tharion, Ithan and Ruhn (I LOVE LOVE LOVE RUHN). There were also some new characters introduced too, who were... interesting to say the least. You never quite know who to trust. 

A lot of people have said they prefer House of Sky and Breath to book 1. Whilst both books were undoubtedly 5 stars for me I think that if I had to compare the two I definitely preferred book 1. Without saying too much, the ending to House of Sky and Breath was absolutely incredible and I don’t know how I’m going to manage waiting for Crescent City 3 to be released!

Read my review for House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) here.

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

Book: A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

Read From: 10th February - 13th February 2022

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary (An Ember in the Ashes): Laia is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason and her family slain, Laia must go undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from those who claim they can free her brother. The academy’s finest soldier Elias is secretly its most unwilling. But before he can act on the desertion he plans, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Emperor. When Laia and Elias’s paths collide, they find that their destinies are inescapably intertwined...

I’m having a lot of fun with binge-reading this series, both books so far have been relatively easy to get through whilst being filled with enough tension to be stupidly addictive at the same time. Even though it’s not the most memorable fantasy series I’ve ever read, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed making my way through these books and I’m excited to see what the third brings for these characters on their journeys. 

In the interests of not spoiling the first book, all I’ll say is that A Torch Against the Night begins right where An Ember in the Ashes ends. Literally immediately after. So you’re thrown straight back into the plot and this world which I think would have been a little disorienting had I not read the books back to back. Usually, I leave it a couple of months between books in a series so if that’s something you do too then I think this is definitely something to bear in mind.

I liked that Helene’s POV was introduced, she was a very intriguing character in the first book so it’s not only great to see more of her but be inside of her head too. If I had to pick a favourite character, I think it would definitely be her. More of the magic system was also revealed/hinted at in this second book, proving itself to be very interesting and I’m definitely excited to see where it goes in book 3 (where I have very strong reasons to believe we will be finding out a LOT more about it). 

Overall, just like the first book in the series, this one was a lot of fun. It’s definitely not going to end up being my favourite fantasy series of all time and I doubt that these are books I’ll ever revisit, but I’m having a great time nonetheless and I’m excited for the third book.