October Wrap-Up

 Hello, all and Happy Halloween!

Even though I managed to read a decent amount this month, I felt a little slumpy and like I didn't get to fully enjoy my favorite month. But it's ok! I still read some good ones, and I can just keep the spooky reading going for next month.

Audio:

The Taking of Jake Livingston- Ryan Douglass; 3/5
All These Bodies- Kendare Blake; 2/5
Summer Sons- Lee Mandelo; 2/5
Firestarter- Stephen King; 3/5
Payback's a Witch- Lana Harper; 2/5
Small Favors- Erin A. Craig; 3/5
The Matzah Ball- Jean Meltzer; 2/5
Beasts of Prey- Ayana Gray; 3/5
Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark- Cassandra Peterson; 4/5
The Portrait of Dorian Gray- Oscar Wilde; 3/5

Digital:

Elementary Romantic Calculus- Susannah Nix; 3/5
Kingdom of the Cursed- Kerri Maniscalco; 4/5
Flower Crowns & Fearsome Things- Amanda Lovelace; 3/5
I Hate You More- Lucy Gilmore; 3/5
Window Shopping- Tessa Bailey; 5/5
A Shadow in the Ember- Jennifer L. Armentrout; 4/5

Physical:

Ariel- Sylvia Plath; 3/5
The Witches of New York- Ami McKay; 3/5
Vespertine- Margaret Rogerson; 3.5/5
The Ex Hex- Erin Sterling; 4/5
Witch Hat Atelier, Vol. 8; 3/5
The Lights of Prague- Nicole Jarvis; 3/5
The Death of Jane Lawrence- Caitlin Starling; 3/5
The Other Bennet Sister- Janice Hadlow; 4/5

Some favorites were: Window Shopping, Kingdom of the Cursed, and The Ex Hex. Some least favorites were most of the audiobooks I listed to 🤷

How was your reading month? What was your favorite/least favorite?

Blog Tour: You Can Go Your Own Way Excerpt

Hello, all!

Big thanks to the publisher for having me as part of the blog tour for You Can Go Your Own Way by Eric Smith!

Pub Date: 11-2-21
YA - Contemporary

With so much going on in his life, the pinball arcade is the only place where Adam Stillwater can feel at peace. It's also the only thing left he has to remember his dad by, and he'll do whatever it takes to stop Philadelphia's newest tech mogul from turning it into a lifeless gaming café. Whitney Mitchell's life is going downhill. Her parents split up, her boyfriend dumped her, and now she has to spend her senior year running the social media for her father's chain of gaming café's-- which mainly just means she's throwing insults back and forth with the decrepit pinball arcade across town. When a massive snowstorm hits stranding Adam and Whitney together, the tension between them begins to melt, leaving something else in its place. But what happens when the storm stops?

This sounds like a cute contemporary that'll be perfect to add to any winter TBR's. You can check out an excerpt below!

October OwlCrate Review

Hello, all!

The theme for this month was "Wield Your Blade." Let's get into it!

The first item was this Spin the Dawn inspired sewing kit. It was designed by Stella Bookish Art and I love how useful and pretty this is.

We all know how much I love a candle! This one by Flick the Wick is inspired by Shadow of the Fox and smells divine.

The there was this acrylic display created by Sakura Inked that features stanzas from Bilbo's poem in honor of Aragorn. I love the idea of this, but I'm actually not a Lord of the Rings fan, so I'll most likely try to pass this off to someone who is.

I can never have too many Star Wars items, and this Kylo Ren/Rey print by Jemlin is gorgeous! I'm not really a Reylo shipper, but I still really like this artwork.

The last item was this puzzle designed by Dri Gomez featuring characters from The Raven Cycle and Call Down the Hawk. I haven't read either book, but I do love a puzzle.

The book this month was Jade Fire Gold by June C.L. Tan. Ahn is no one, with no past and no family. Altan is a lost heir, his future stolen away when he was a child. When they meet, Altan sees in Ahn a path to reclaiming the throne. Ahn sees a way to finally unlock her past and understand her arcane magical abilities. But they may have to pay a far deadlier price than either could have imagined.

This is said to be inspired by Chinese mythology and filled with magic and an epic slow-burn romance, so color me intrigued! Let me know what you thought of this months box!

Mini Thoughts

Hello, all!

Pub Date: 7-11-17
Adult - Historical Fantasy

The Witches of New York- Ami McKay: New York in 1880 is a time of invention, creation, and suspicion. The people regularly spend their time engaging in scientific lectures or attending seances, anything that promises to uncover the hidden truths of the world. Many enterprising young women make their trade by pretending to be spiritualists or mediums, but Eleanor St. Clair and Adelaide Thoms are the real deal. The pair own a tea shop specializing in everything from secret cures to fortunes told. Seeking a shop-girl to help around the store, Eleanor and Adelaide hire seventeen-year-old Beatrice, who has just left her small-town village in hopes of seeking adventure in the big city. Beatrice soon discovers she has a talent for communing with the dead, and under Eleanor and Adelaide, begins to hone her ability and harness the power brimming within her. But unbeknownst to the trio, evil is lurking in the shadows, and it won't stop until every witch in New York is wiped out.

First off, doesn't this cover scream autumn vibes? It was a cover buy for me, so I didn't know too much about the premise before going into it, but I ended up enjoying it. The characters were fantastic, and I loved watching the relationship between Eleanor, Adelaide, and Beatrice come about. They each grew and learned from the other which I liked, and it was satisfying watching Beatrice learn about her powers and use them to help others. McKay's writing was lush and atmospheric. It felt like she transported you to the grimy NYC streets, and you were walking along, watching everything unfold. That said, I did find it heavy at times. Not so much in the subject matter, more so just densely packed with information. There was so much detail and things going on that I had a hard time fully grasping the story, but then I started listening to the audiobook while physically reading, and it helped me digest the story better. I almost wish this wasn't a standalone since there are a few questions I'd like answered and some bits I'd want to be expanded, but overall, I liked this a lot.

Rating: 3/5

Pub Date: 10-5-21
Adult - Contemporary

Payback's a Witch- Lana Harper: Emmy Harlow may be a witch, but her powers have dwindled to almost nothing after moving away from her small hometown of Thistle Grove. It's not that she doesn't love where she comes from, but after having her heartbroken by the heir to the most powerful family in town, coupled with her complicated history with her own family, it was time for Emmy to strike out on her own. But Emmy soon finds herself being called back to participate in a traditional spellcasting tournament which determines the fate of all the magical families in town. Emmy was hoping to do her duty and get back to her normal life, but then she crosses paths with Talia Avramov. Emmy has always admired Talia for her badass abilities, so she finds herself agreeing to help Talia and their other friend enact revenge on the same guy who broke all their hearts. The longer Emmy stays in Thistle Grove, the more her magic starts to stir, and her feelings for Talia grow deeper. Can Emmy leave all this behind again, or will she finally embrace her magical life?

I've heard a lot of talk about this book lately, so I was very intrigued, but it just didn't work for me. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters, I wasn't invested in the plot, and I was just bored. I did think Harper had a charming and fun writing style, and I liked the atmosphere she created with these families coming together to build this small-town, but I think the pacing really threw everything off. There were moments where everything felt like it was happening at once, and then others where it dragged. Then there was the magical tournament aspect which sounded like it was going to be so epic but instead was lackluster. It felt predictable and wasn't as entertaining as I was hoping. Also, the relationship between Emmy and Talia was fine, but could've benefitted from having dual POVs. I think this had a lot of potential to be great, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.

Rating: 2/5

Pub Date: 9-28-21
Adult - Contemporary

The Ex Hex- Erin Sterling: Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones had her heart shattered, so she did what any heartbroken/drunken witch would do and cursed her ex. Vivi has always been told not to mix vodka with witchcraft, but with only a Bath & Body Works candle on hand, it's not like the hex will go through, right? That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town's founder and breaker of hearts, comes back to Graves Glen to recharge the ley lines that support the town's magic. What should've been a quick trip soon turns disastrous when Rhys's magic starts to go haywire, and Vivi realizes her little hex wasn't so harmless after all. With old feelings bubbling back to the surface, the pair will need to work together to save the town and find a way to break the hex before it's too late.

If you're looking for a charming witchy story for the spooky season, look no further! It has everything one could want in an October read: curses gone awry, an angry poltergeist, and a treat-obsessed talking cat. I loved the little small-town setting of Graves Glen and thought it brought such a coziness to the story. It almost gave me Bewitched vibes, and I was here for it. Vivi and Rhys were so fun to follow, and I enjoyed watching them work their way through all the shenanigans brought forth by the curse. The chemistry between them was good, I would've liked to have seen a little more, but I ultimately enjoyed how their story played out. It's quite a fast read, so the pacing felt like it escalated pretty quickly, and there were moments I wish would've been fleshed out more, but overall, I thought Sterling crafted a witty, fun tale and I couldn't get enough of it.

Rating: 4/5

The Witch Haven Review

Hello, all!

I've been reading a lot of witchy books lately, and I'm not complaining! I mean, 'tis the season, right? The one I'll be talking about today is The Witch Haven by Sasha Peyton Smith.

Pub Date: 8-31-21
YA - Historical Fantasy

Seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days working as a seamstress and her nights mourning the unexpected death of her brother months prior. One night, Frances is attacked and the man ends up dead with her sewing scissors embedded in his neck, and Frances has no idea how they got there. Frances is convinced she’ll be thrown in jail for murder, but before the police can convict her, she’s saved by two strange-looking nurses telling her she’s deathly ill and must report to Haxahaven Sanitarium for treatment. But Frances quickly discovers that Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all, but rather a school for witches.

Within the dark halls of Haxahaven, Frances finds friendship and power she never knew she possessed. Frances soon grows bored with the small simple magic being taught to the students and yearns for more. Then she meets Finn, a charismatic boy with magic of his own, who offers to teach her the skills needed to help her discover what happened to her brother. As Frances’ magic starts to grow, she catches the eye of a powerful leader of an ancient order who will do anything to have her by his side. With events spiraling out of control, Frances will have to decide between getting justice for her brother, her growing feelings for Finn, or the safety of the witches and her city. But what if the price of power is more than she’s willing to pay?

This sounded like it was written for me. Historical fantasy set in New York City? Check. Witches and secret societies? Check. A female character learning to harness her power? Check. You would think that since it had so much going for it that I would’ve been immediately sucked in, but that wasn’t necessarily the case here. I liked the story, but it was just missing a certain something. The plot dragged on and was fairly predictable. I was able to guess where Smith was going with the characters and storyline, so nothing ever came as a shock. I also felt the characters could’ve benefited from being a bit more fleshed out. They all felt rather one-note, and I would’ve liked to have seen more depth and insight into their backgrounds. I did feel some emotion towards Frances, but it was mostly frustration in how badly she handled situations by not stopping to think things through. Despite not fully clicking with this as I’d hoped, I did love how atmospheric it was. This is also marketed as a standalone but the ending leaves the door open for a follow-up which I’d be interested in since all the potential was here in this one, it just needed a bit of finesse.

Rating: 3/5

Harry Potter NYC Store

Hello, all!

You all know how much I love Harry Potter, so I've been itching to go into NYC to visit the massive store ever since it opened in the summer. I finally went in last week and it was so fun! It's definitely a tourist trap with tons of overpriced merch that you can pretty much find online/in other stores, but the little touches of decor makes it all worth it.

There are so many little nods to the films and books littered throughout the two full floors that it took multiple passes for me to take all of it in. I loved how there were rooms dedicated to certain parts of the wizarding world. From Honeydukes to books, and of course, wands. There's also a VR experience where you can fly around, and a little cafe-like space where you can eat some treats and relax with a Butterbeer. If you're in NYC and are a Harry Potter fan, I definitely recommend checking it out.

Here are some more pictures I took!

Vespertine Review

Hello, all!

If you're like me and are trying to stuff as many spooky reads into the month of October, let me introduce you to Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson. 

Pub Date: 10-5-21
YA - Fantasy

Artemisia is training to become a Gray Sister, a nun who cleanses the dead to ensure their spirit passes on. If the bodies are not properly taken care of, they risk coming back as vengeful spirits with a ravenous hunger for the living. While others may balk at this job, Artemisia relishes it. She finds comfort in the silence of the dead and would rather spend her time with them than with the hateful words and rumors the living toss her way because of her scarred hands and tragic past.

When her convent is attacked by possessed soldiers, Artemisia will do anything to protect her home-- even if that means awakening an ancient revenant spirit trapped within a saint's relic. Revenants are malevolent beings, and the one Artemisia now finds herself bound to wouldn't hesitate to possess her body if her guard drops for even a moment. Artemisia knows only a vespertine, a priestess trained to wield a high relic, could weather the toll the revenant takes on a body, but with all their knowledge lost to time, she has no choice but to turn to the revenant itself for help. With more attacks cropping up, Artemisia and the revenant will have to band together if they hope to defeat the dark evil making its way over the land.

I went into this with very high expectations, and I fear I shot myself in the foot a bit. With Rogerson's previous books, I was instantly swept up into her worlds and loved everything from the get-go, and while I did end up enjoying this, it took me quite a bit to get grounded. There were two main reasons for this. First, I felt the first few chapters were very info-dumpy, and while I get that was necessary to set everything up, it was a little jarring trying to get my bearings. All the lore of the world was fascinating once I understood what was going on, though. Second, was Artemisia herself. She came off as very brash and unwelcoming at first, but once you got to know her and her backstory, you realize her standoffishness is valid. I did warm up to her eventually and thought she was incredibly loyal and admired her strength. My favorite bits came from her interactions with the revenant. They started so at odds and distrustful of one another, but then it turned into this wonderfully nurturing partnership. Not to mention, the revenant's sass was always on point. Though it took me a bit, I still thought this was highly enjoyable, and Rogerson crafted an atmospheric, action-filled ride, and I'm intrigued to see where it goes from here.

Rating: 3.5/5

September OwlCrate Review

Hello, all!

The theme for September was "Haunted Hearts" and I hate to say it, but I was a bit underwhelmed.

First up, we had this wooden page holder inspired by Wintersong and designed by Juniper and Ivy Designs. We had gotten another one of these in a different box and I never used it, so I don't foresee me using this one either.

Next we had this coaster set created by Lichen and Limestone. Each one features quotes from Jane Austen, The Vampire Diaries, Pablo Naruda, and Crimson Peaks. I could always use a coaster, so these I may actually keep.

OwlCrate has definitely included some out there products in the past, but this calligraphy kit is a little too niche. It's beautiful and I love that it's Stalking Jack the Ripper themed, but I would never actually use this.

Then there were these magnetic fridge frames from Riddle & Ravens. These have quotes from The Beautiful and The Shadows Between Us, and yeah, unfortunately, another item I don't see myself using. I like the designs, but it's just not a practical item.

Aside from the coasters, this travel mug is the only other item I liked. This was the next installment of OwlCrate's Reading Through the Seasons drinkware set. I love the autumnal flowers and the quote from Emily Brontë.

September's book was Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone. Violeta Graceling has arrived at the haunted Lakesedge estate fully prepared to encounter a monster. She knows the rumors surrounding Rowan Sylvanan, who drowned his entire family when he was just a boy. But neither the estate nor the boy are what they seem, and the true horror is lurking in the black waters of the lake, which seems to be calling to Violeta.

I've never heard of this book before, but I'm definitely intrigued. It sounds like the perfect spooky, Gothic read for this time of year. I also love when OwlCrate does these naked dust jackets, I think they're so pretty.

Let me know what you thought of this box!

Make Your Own Cemeterrarium

Hello, all!

You all know how much I love anything spooky, so when I was browsing Pintrest and saw a photo where someone took a terrarium but made it into a cemetery scene, I knew I needed to try my hand at making one. It was so fun (and ridiculously easy!) to make and you can fully customize it to look however you want. 

I figured I'd share how I made mine in case anyone wanted to make their own!

Supplies: Terrarium (I bought this one at Walmart and it was super affordable), sand (or actual dirt) and rocks, moss, and whatever little decoration bits you want. I got all of these pictured from Michaels.

Step 1: Layer your sand/dirt and rocks. You can add however much you want. I added the entire bag of sand and then just piled a few handfuls of rocks until I liked how it looked. I'd suggest putting something down, like newspaper, before you do this as I didn't and then got bits of sand everywhere.

Step 2: Add in your moss. Again, just add as much as you want until you like how it looks.  This also gets everywhere (especially if you pull it apart like I did, so definitely put something down if you don't want moss bits all over!), and I just sort of pushed it down into the rocks and sand so it looked like it was growing rather than just laying on top of it.

Step 3: Add in your decorations! I also pushed these down into the rocks to anchor them, especially the little headstones, but I actually love how they're a little sideways cause it adds to the old graveyard affect.

This was such a quick little DIY (it took me 15 minutes at most) and I love how you can literally add in whatever you want to make it to your taste. I'll probably keep this up on my bookshelves all year round since I love it so much. Let me know what you think or if you make your own as I would love to see them!

Kingdom of the Cursed Review

Hello, all!

One of my favorite books from last year was Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco (review here), so obviously, I was eagerly awaiting the second in the series, Kingdom of the Cursed. I've tried to keep this as spoiler free as I could, but still, heads up!

Pub Date: 10-5-21
New Adult - Fantasy

After her twin sister was brutally murdered, Emilia turned to the dark magic her grandmother always warned the witches about. In her grief, Emilia called forth Wrath, one of the seven Wicked princes of Hell. Though the pair butted heads at every turn, they forged a tentative alliance to get to the bottom of who was killing the witches of Italy. But when Wrath betrayed Emilia, she was left with no choice but to sell her soul and become the wife of Prince Pride, making her the Queen of the Wicked.

Nothing could've prepared Emilia for what she was about to encounter. She thought Hell would be full of fire and brimstone, not ice castles and backstabbing princes. She soon realizes that everything she's been taught to believe-- about the Wicked, about magic, even about herself--isn't as it seems, and that many secrets have been kept from her. To figure out what happened to her sister, Emilia will have to navigate scheming courts, centuries-old curses, and her desires if she hopes to find the answers she craves.

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and I'm happy to report it delivered! I found the writing style and story just as captivating and would have to force myself to put it down. I loved seeing Emilia grow into this powerful woman who wasn't afraid of her magic and one who would no longer tamp down her desires or what she was feeling to please others. Aside from her character growth, my favorite part of this was her relationship with Wrath. I just love these two so much. They have great banter, and the tension between them is always perfection. I kept hearing how spicy this book was, and while there were plenty of steamy scenes between them, it never felt too overwhelming, and actually, I was expecting more just given how much emphasis was on that fact. Despite everything I loved, I did have a few issues with it. The biggest being that I didn't feel like much happened until the last 100-150 pages, and I was left with more questions than answers. We did get some answers to Wrath's past (which I totally called), but Emilia's is still one big question mark. Even so, Maniscalco has such a way of crafting these vivid, compelling worlds that suck you in and leave you wanting more, and I'll be counting down the days until the third book because I can't wait to see what comes next.

Rating: 4/5

Book Haul

Hello, all!

I haven't done a book haul in a while, so here's what I've picked up the last few months.

1. The Essential Emily Dickinson

2. Dark Tales- Shirley Jackson

3. The Wolf Den- Elodie Harper

4. Jane Eyre- Charlotte Brontë

5. Wait for It- Jenn Mckinlay

6. The Inheritance Games- Jennifer Lynn Barnes

7. The Perfect Place to Die- Bryce Moore

8. The Assassin's Blade- Sarah J. Maas

9. Ace of Spades- Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

10. The Bronzed Beasts- Roshani Chokshi

11. The Song of Achilles 10th Anniversary Edition- Madeline Miller

12. Little Women- Louisa May Alcott

Blog Tour: The Keeper of Night Excerpt

Hello, all!

Two of my favorite genres are fantasy and historical fiction, so when you mix the two together, it's an instant win in my book. Big thanks to the publisher for having me as part of the blog tour for The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker!

Pub Date: 10-12-21
YA - Historical Fantasy

This follows Ren Scarborough, who is a half British half Japanese Shinigami, who has been collecting souls for the London streets for centuries. Despised by the rest of the Reapers, Ren is expected to just obey the harsh hierarchy and does her best to keep her emotions in check. When she fails to keep her Shinigami powers in check, Ren is forced to flee London and heads to Japan to seek out acceptance from the Reapers there. While there, Ren begins to serve the Goddess of Death, where she is tasked with finding and eliminating three dangerous Yokai demons. Knowing this may prove to be an impossible task, Ren is determined to earn the respect she deserves and will stop at nothing to earn her place at Death's side.

You can check out an excerpt below.

Let's Talk: A League of Extraordinary Women Series

Hello, all!

Much like The Bromance Book Club series, I can't believe I've never mentioned my love of Evie Dunmore's historical romance series, A League of Extraordinary Women. Seeing as how the third book recently came out, I figured it's the perfect time to rectify that.

Pub Date: 9-3-19
Adult - Historical Romance

Bringing Down the Duke: Annabelle Archer has earned a position as one of the first female students able to study at the prestigious University of Oxford. Unfortunately, due to lacking funds, Annabelle must keep up a scholarship by helping support the women's suffragist movement. Her mission is to recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Everything was going smoothly until Annabelle meets to cold Duke of Montgomery, Sebastian Devereux. After receiving an invitation to visit Sebastian's home, Annabelle is determined to win the duke over. Sebastian needs to find a wife of good breeding to secure the legacy he's fought so hard to rebuild, and he knows he should stay far away from the brash, outspoken Annabelle. The pair quickly butt heads, but neither can deny the fierce attraction sparking between them, and maybe what they both have been looking for has been right in front of them the whole time.

This was so charming and fun! I loved the whole setting and Annabelle as a character. She's so intelligent and independent and super feisty. Her relationship with Sebastian was so dynamic and I loved watching it grow. I also really enjoyed Annabelle's friend group, they all seemed to genuinely care for one another even though they weren't all from the same societal stations. This was such a solid smart debut, and I really enjoyed this more than I thought I would. 

Rating: 4/5

Pub Date: 9-1-20
Adult - Historical Romance

A Rogue of Own's Own: Lady Lucie had a plan. She and her fellow suffragettes were going to purchase one of London's major publishing houses to plant articles to help further their cause for women's rights. What she hadn't planned on was Lord Tristan Ballentine, her old nemesis, standing in her way. As the second shareholder, Tristan has the power to veto anything that Lucie has in mind. She desperately tries to negotiate for full control, and to her surprise, Tristan is more than willing to give up his ownership--for one night spent in her bed. Tristan has a reputation for being a rake, but the only woman he's ever felt a real attraction for has been Lucie, and he's determined to show her the spark between them is more than just annoyance. When Lucie starts spending more time with Tristan and shirking her responsibilities, she has to decide if her cause is worth more than her heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed Bringing Down the Duke, so I was highly anticipating this follow up, and I'm so happy it delivered. Lucie is so determined and headstrong in her fight for women's rights. I really enjoy the passion she had for the cause and her friendships as well. She was so feisty and willing to do whatever it takes to get to where she needs to go. I loved how despite showing a tough exterior, she had such a soft, vulnerable side as well, and a lot of that was brought out by Tristan. I'm always a fan of hate-to-love romances and theirs was no exception. I loved how sassy both were, and how they eventually brought out the best in each other. Once again, Dunmore brought it with the top-notch banter and swoon-worthy moments. 

Rating: 4.5/5

Pub Date: 9-7-21
Adult - Historical Romance

Portrait of a Scotsman: Hattie Greenfield has always dreamed of marrying her best friend. Someone she can read books with, drink hot chocolate with, and roam around Italy with admiring the artwork. But she finds her dreams dashed after being caught in a compromising position with the notorious Lucian Blackstone. Lucian is a feared businessman, and he knows a good opportunity when he sees it, so he agrees to marry Hattie believing she'll be able to open doors that high society would rather stay locked to him. Hattie was willing to make the best out of their situation, until she discovered Lucian has been harboring quite a few secrets from her, especially in regards to their meeting. Heartbroken and embarrassed, Hattie demands an annulment, but Lucian isn't one to let go of his investments. When the pair travel to Scotland and are forced into cramped quarters, Hattie is determined to keep up her frosty facade, but then Lucian begins to show her he's more than the blackhearted rogue society has painted him to be. With their trip winding down, Hattie will have to decide if her future lies with Lucian or elsewhere.

After loving the other two books in this series, I was highly anticipating this one, but it sadly wasn't my favorite. I didn't connect with Hattie at all, and truthfully, found her quite irritating for the majority of this. She had that feistiness that I've come to expect in Dunmore's main ladies, but she lacked the gumption of the others. There was something about her that I just didn't love but can't quite put my finger on. However, I did appreciate her growth and how she came into herself by the end. I thought the relationship between her and Lucian was fine and though there were some cute moments, it felt a bit average. I found myself waiting for that big moment that would make me swoon, but I just never got it. I think most of my disconnect with this one was due to the plot. It felt very centered around business and Lucian's dealings with the coal mine, and that just wasn't interesting to me. Then there was the typical third-act drama every romance has which felt so random and misplaced here. I still adore this series and will be counting down the days until the next one, but this one just didn't do it for me.

Rating: 3.5/5