Review - Making the Play (Bennu Firebirds Book1) by Cait Marie

 

5 in 5 star rating

I follow this author in Tiktok and decided to have this series after a promo video of her books. 

I'm not a big fan of romances but I need to give a try as I can miss a very good story. 

This ended up being my first book written by her and it was more than a happy choice to make!

This is a vert sweet contemporary romance where not everything seems so wonderful as you can expect! 

We get this story from 2 POV's: Jax and Keyley (the MCs) and it's very good and easy to follow this kind of writing if well done (like here) 

I loved the fact that you have serious topics that are talked about and not only mentioned without having more information: we have topics as: death of parents, siblings "fights", homosexuality,.... As I was reading I noticed that some parts was so sad that I was sad too and I was really hoping for a happy ending as they everyone in this book deserved! 

Jax is a baseball player with a very complicated home situation but he like to be free and have a female company only for 1 night... until he met Kayley. Kayley that look like the kind of girl that is to keep and be for a long time relationship AKA the opposite of Jax wants

Kayley is not only Kade little sister (another baseball player) but also the daughter of the Coach! 

As you can read, this love is not meant to be but we can't choose this kind if stuff correct?

How this romance start? Well destiny make sure that they see each other again and they start as Jax helping Kayley in Statistic classes as she can fail the exames. Attraction make the work and when you realize they are a secret couple. 

But family situations, friendships and a cyclone of emotions make this complicated to Jax. 

Do his reputation will make lost the girl he love? Well I'm not going to give you a spoiler for sure! 

My biggest question in the middle of all the family drama was why Kade was not talking to his sister all along and I was trying to figured out until something make a click in my head: was because of his sexual orientation that he was not talking to her anymore or was the shame to be associate with her? (not that was easy to make a secret because of their father) 

Jax is the perfect book boyfriend that deserve all the hype for trying and not resisting to his feelings while fixing all mistakes an Kayley? well Kayley really deserve an happy moment in her life that can last a very long time! 

Resuming: all characters in this book are easy to fall in love with and deserve it for sure!

An Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R. Pan

 

A Romeo and Juliette retelling but with Chinese mythology?

Sure it will not be a pick up from a store but since it was part of a Fairyloot box I gave a try

Also the cover is simply stunning!

I was pretty ready to DNF this book as soon as I saw the description BUT after a few pages I was not ready to leave that story like that...

Luna and Hunter was born in the same year, month and day and yet their lives are a complete opposite: 

Hunter's family live in a constant state of fear due to one bad choice and they simply can't see the good in their oldest son.

Luna's family is the portrait of a perfect family and yes, you got it, they are proud of Luna in everything! 

But both families have secrets and while the worlds of Luna and Hunter start to fall they can only focus on themself and on their love. 

While I was reading it I was passing from a lovely moment to a very sad one in result of how both families put such pressure in the kids: Chang family want Luna to have the best of the best and Yee family keep putting all the frustration in Hunter but and their fear in Cody. 

At the end, as soon as I finished the last page I knew it was a 5⭐ rating book! 

You may thing that is not worth it as you have a lot of Chinese expressions but nothing that a translate can't solve and actually it's part of them and it's cultural so no cutting stars due to that for me! 

A book full of magic with a mix of lovely and sad moments. Really beautiful to read! 

Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young

 

I'm surprised that I actually enjoyed this book as I was hooked by the cover but the description was something that I actually was not sure to like. 

Everything in Saiorse is connected: families, business, traditions and of course secrets. 

14 years ago a violent fire started in the island and the body of a young girl named Lily was found. Everyone blamed August and even if no proof it was him, he was forced to leave the island with his mother. 

But the old people of the island keep saying that Saiorse call everyone back and it's true: August need to go back to bury is mother. 

The plan is to go, bury his mother and leave. He never wanted to stay in the island even when he was 18 and he knows that the people will know he's there and will not be happy. 

And they knew and was not happy: not only because they still believe he killed Lily but also because the council have a big and dark secret that they don't want to come to surface! 

The island itself have a will and will help, or not, the villagers. 

That's what she have done once and will do it again! But this time in the form of a true love and redemption. 

Secrets uncover, lies discovered, an unsolved murder and the truth about everything got me gripped in this 4⭐  story

The only thing that I was not ok was with Leoda. She have so much to tell and we only heard of her twice. She is the villain of this book and only at the end we understand how her influence go and how she put her wanting before everything else.

Christmas Hideaway by Wendy Davy

 Language: English 

Format: Kindle 

Pages: 104 

Genre: Suspense / Romance 

Rating: 4⭐

"Material witness Mandi Foster is running. And for good reason—if she testifies her family will pay the ultimate price. With no choice but to hide until the trial is over, she finds an isolated cabin to ride out Christmas alone—except she isn't alone.

A mysterious stranger follows her through a treacherous winter storm into the Blue Ridge Mountains, and then saves her from a potentially fatal accident. But as coincidences pile up, Mandi suspects her handsome rescuer is harboring dangerous secrets.

Security Specialist Rylan Copeland is hunting. And for good reason—he has witnessed murderers walk away unpunished. He isn't about to let that happen again—not when he can do something to stop it. But as he catches up to Mandi, danger comes in ways he hadn't anticipated.

Will he convince her to testify in time? Or will another killer get away with murder?"

Mandi even if not looking is very strong and know the risks!

She knew the risks to be a witness and even then she did go make her civil duty and everything go wrong... not because they want to target her, but her family.

Even if this book as relatively small it was full of action and was well done: plot, storyline, characters,...

Only was missing more about Eric and his connections but may it's because the book was small.

Without Merit by Colleen Hoover

 

Language: English

Format: Paperback

Pages: 359

Genre: Romance, Fiction

Rating: 5⭐

"The Voss family is anything but normal. They live in a repurposed church, newly baptized Dollar Voss. The once cancer-stricken mother lives in the basement, the father is married to the mother’s former nurse, the little half-brother isn’t allowed to do or eat anything fun, and the eldest siblings are irritatingly perfect. Then, there’s Merit.

Merit Voss collects trophies she hasn’t earned and secrets her family forces her to keep. While browsing the local antiques shop for her next trophy, she finds Sagan. His wit and unapologetic idealism disarm and spark renewed life into her—until she discovers that he’s completely unavailable. Merit retreats deeper into herself, watching her family from the sidelines when she learns a secret that no trophy in the world can fix.

Fed up with the lies, Merit decides to shatter the happy family illusion that she’s never been a part of before leaving them behind for good. When her escape plan fails, Merit is forced to deal with the staggering consequences of telling the truth and losing the one boy she loves."

Such a lovely and deep story! 

I found myself getting very emotional and to be honest it was because I saw myself in Merit.

All the problems and the missing important things from her family and not knowing the true about her family was and still is very similar to me and my life. 

Depressions is really not easy to deal and most of the time you have no signs. seeing Merit not understand and believed in this only show that it was deep and it's a silent treat! 

Being depressed don't make you only see the worst in people or make you feel sad every single moment of your day. That's 1 part of the depression. The reality is that something you will smile, joke, hug someone or even be in love. It just that most of the time you feel alone, not worth it or simply you want to be in a bubble and see no one. 

That's depression and Colleen actually wrote it as it happened with me and if I was not aware of my state i will be screaming that Merit is just like me and getting aa meltdown.

It was my first Colleen Hoover book and I suffered while reading it. Do I go to pickup another book from her? Yes! 

The Librarian (The Librarian Chronicles #1) by Christy Sloat

 

Language: English

Format: Kindle

Pages: 230

Genre: Romance

Rating: 4⭐

"He’s from 1892 England, she’s in a small library in 2017. And that's just the start of their troubles.

Emme never meant to stay in Maine. She'd come only to find a librarian for her Gram's library, a custodian for the collection of mysterious books she'd promised to protect. On a dark, wintery night, alone in the library, she takes her first glance into one of the antique novels and finds herself transported to 1892 England staring into the eyes of handsome and dashing hero Jack Ridgewell. As each chapter passes she learns you can truly fall in love with a character in a book, that book boyfriends are real and Emme must choose between the real world, and his.

When the last page is read he's gone and Emme feels the cold loneliness of lost love. Will she find Jack again, or will their love be forever lost? The answer lies within the pages"

The time traveling concept is very good looking and impressive if you think about how it works in this story and the same happens to the "Librarians" and all the magic concept.

For moments I really though that Emme will just stay in 1892 or was part of the Jack's history but finally no... I mean yes and no. 

Glade to see that you can always fixe your mistakes! 

The end was perfect! Sad and happy but just perfect for this volume!

Hope book 2 and 3 get better!

Betting In Love by Mary Beesley

 

Language: English

Format: eBook

Pages: 262

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: 3⭐

"Tempest Swan is out for revenge. Billionaire Leonard Allred's software program has put her out of a job. She makes a bet with a friend that she'll get Leonard to take her on a date so she can get retribution, but a fortuitous accident with an adorable nerd might just derail her vengeance.

Leonard has reasons for hiding his identity from the public. It's worked well for him so far, until he starts falling for the honest and witty Tempest. But how can he destroy their budding romance by admitting he's actually the guy she hates?"

It's a good story really but it didn't hit me as expected ! (probably because is not one of my favorite genre)

Making a bet when you are drunk is not a good move at all but also it's the funniest one that comes like that.

I related with Tempest... the fact that it took long to admit the true is not easy to put behind.

And the family situation? WOW! I was all the time expecting they get along so I keep reading to find out how and when and believe me, for moments I though they will not get together at all or ruin the parents wedding.

It's a perfect book for Valentine day if you want to melt with the story 😊

A very Rossi Christmas by Quinn Marlowe

 

Language: English

Format: Ebook

Pages: 80

Genre: Mafia Romance

Rating: 4⭐

WARNING: This story includes violence and mature sexual themes. If you’re triggered by guns, sex, rape, or murder, this isn’t the series for you. 

I really enjoyed this prequel and can't wait for "Her Romeo" coming out in February. 

Sloane and Joseph were secret best friends until they graduate. 

They never got a chance since they’re from opposing families. 

Her father is one of the biggest mob bosses in New York and his father is the other. Result? the families hate each other.

So when these two accidentally meet after a five year well you can expect feelings everywhere and out of control.

I loved dual POVs (if correctly done, you get into all characters without any problem or feeling lost). In tis novel it was a plus to know better Sloane and Rossi.

If you like Mafia Romance, it's a most real new serie.

If you like Romeo and Juliet forbidden love vibes, "touch her you'll die" trope, romance and some spice please feel free to get this book and pre-order the volume 1 😉

Dark Lover (Volume 1 - Black Dagger Brotherhood) by J. R. Ward

 

Language: Portuguese

Format: Paperback

Pages: 428

Genre: fantasy, paranormal romance

Rating: 5⭐

"The only purebred vampire left on the planet and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago.

But when his most trusted fighter is killed -- orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate -- Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful female into another world.

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger one that threatens to consume them both…"

I read this book for the first time in 2010 (with exactly 18 yo) and it was my first book with erotic scenes. 

I after re-read it a couple of times when new volumes was coming but the last time it was in 2017... so please be kind with me if I miss some important points in this or others volumes.

This is the 1st volume of an ongoing serie about sexy, dark and pretty deadly vampires.

Not all vampires are like them, the ones from the Black Dagger Brotherhood are warriors! 

They fight one enemy: the Lessening Society and The Omega 

And they don't drink blood from humans because vampire blood have the nutrients that they need to be strong and heal. And guess what? They eat normal food too (or human food) 😁

This volume it's about Wrath (the king of the race) and Beth (half-breed daughter of his former friend). 

What seems to be an help to better understand her future turns into a romance where hate give place to love and a lot of 💦 scenes. 

You don't have the action right in the first chapters no no no! You first need to dig the story of each MC first and after you will have more intense scenes so at first i was thinking "where are the fights?Where are the enemies?" and after I got it! 

This one I though for moments that was a standalone and will finish like that.... heartbroken and in shock. But it got a twist that save me from trying fandoms 😂 

I craved for more about that brotherhood and each volume talk about one of the Brothers

Sick Like Me by Mayghaen D'Urso

 

Language: English

Format: Ebook

Pages: 252

Genre: Romance Suspense

Rating: 4⭐

"Amara Black was his.

His to look at.

His to touch.

His to destroy.

From the moment she became his patient, he knew she would be his seventh. Even if she didn’t fit his usual victim profile. There was something about her that drew him in; a lowly moth to her godly flame.

But when he makes his move, nothing goes according to plan.

There’s lust in her eyes where there should be fear. Calm where there should be panic. And before he knows it, she’s alive; untouched by all but the same madness that claimed him long ago.

Now, it’s only a matter of time before it consumes them both."

I keep liking this kind of books and plots and I'm not getting the "oh no" or "this is disturbing" 

 

I was not expected Amara be so cool and ok with Ezra and in a certain point I was more concerned that she will have a breakdown and go to the police...

I mean if it was with me I was like going to the police due his behavior! 😰

Well it seems that I was not wrong about the call, I was only wrong of when since I truly believed it will be before she got too involved!

Did I expected the end? Not like that! I was expecting rage, blood, screams,..... but not that end! 

Thanks for the author providing me this ARC!

As The Page Turns by Iona Morrison

Language: English

Format: PDF

Pages: 350

Genre:  paaranormal romance

Rating: 5⭐ 

Thank you to The Wild Rose Press and to Bookstagrammers.com for providing me this book!

This is the 10th book of a series but you don't need to read the previous ones to understand this story but I would suggest you to start the serie if you like paranormal, romance and suspense! 😉

About the book itself before my review:

"Peyton Reynolds has no idea that the gorgeous summer day she is enjoying is about to take a strange turn and embroil her and her boyfriend Jaxon Kincaid in another case. As the details emerge, it won’t take long for them to understand there is nothing normal about the murder Peyton has witnessed. An erratic suspect, a gathering of ghosts, and Peyton’s sudden disappearance will leave Jaxon scrambling for answers in the pages of a book left behind. They will have to think outside the box with help from the past to solve this one."

I loved this book! The way the author mixed fantasy with mystery and romance. We have ghosts, police officers that understand that particular family gift and we have murders! I mean.... Perfect! 

It was very easy to read and understand the book and I loved how the character development is done is this plot! 

The way Peyton and her cousin are very close and how Jaxon and Matt actually are working in a relation to make sure both couples are happy with that "gift/curse" was really sweet to read. 

The suspense was killing me and I wanted more and more! And got it very soon in the book!