Genre: Fantasy

Once Upon a Broken Heart | Stephanie Garber

Posted 01/25/2024 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Once Upon a Broken Heart | Stephanie Garber
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Spice Level: 1 Flames
All-Time Favorite
Series: Once Upon a Broken Heart #1
Published by Flatiron Books on 09/28/2021
Format: Kindle (416 pages)
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I started OUABH immediately after finishing Finale, and I’m glad I did. I was not a huge fan of Jacks at the end of Finale, but I was very curious about what would happen to him. Where will he go, how will he cope, what hijinks will he get up to? I needed to know more. For a general timeline, the first 1/4 of OUABH overlaps the last 3/4 of Finale. In true Stephanie Garber fashion, OUABH sucked me right back into the wonderful world she created in Caraval. I thoroughly enjoyed being thrust back into that world […]

Finale | Stephanie Garber

Posted 01/21/2024 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Finale | Stephanie Garber
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Spice Level: 1 Flames
All-Time Favorite
Series: Caraval #3
Published by Flatiron Books on 05/07/2019
Format: Kindle (416 pages)
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It’s over & I want more. Stephanie Garber is a master of descriptive writing. I was constantly blown away by how real everything was in my mind. I always had vivid pictures in my mind of how the fabric of the dresses felt, how the city of Valenda looked, & even how the character’s signature scents smelled. Reading one of her books is a fully immersive experience, & I LOVE IT. Finale was less magical game where you can’t tell the difference between illusion & reality, & more rounding out of the character’s storylines. Every single one of […]

Legendary | Stephanie Garber

Posted 01/18/2024 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Legendary | Stephanie Garber
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Spice Level: 1 Flames
All-Time Favorite
Series: Caraval #2
Published by Flatiron Books on 05/29/2018
Format: Kindle (416 pages)
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The first book follows Scarlett as she plays the game & tries to save her sister, Tess. On the way she falls in love with Julian, learns who she is, what she wants, & what she’s capable of. This book follows Tess as she plays the game & tries to save their mother, Paloma. Dante helps her along the way & of course, they fall in love. Sounds like the first book, but trust me, it’s very different. And Dante. Oh Dante, you sexy, tattooed, secretive, morally grey, beefcake. Your conflicted, brooding & brilliant character arc made this […]

Caraval | Stephanie Garber

Posted 01/14/2024 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Caraval | Stephanie Garber
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Spice Level: 1 Flames
All-Time Favorite
Series: Caraval #1
Published by Flatiron Books on 01/31/2017
Format: Kindle (407 pages)
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This was a “stay up until 4am because I couldn’t put it down” book. I absolutely loved it! Think Cirque du Soleil meets “The Night Circus” with a splash of “Alice in Wonderland”; but make it dark & a little twisted. UGH!!! So, so, so, so good! I didn’t know this series was a prequel to the “Once Upon a Broken Heart” series. I started to tuck into OUABH, and something made me stop 2 pages in & look online to see if I should read Caraval first. Everything I could find (while avoiding spoilers) said yes, read […]

Ruthless Vows | Rebecca Ross

Posted 01/11/2024 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Ruthless Vows | Rebecca Ross
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Spice Level: 1.5 Flames
All-Time Favorite
Series: Letters of Enchantment #2
Published by Wednesday Books on 12/26/2023
Format: Kindle (419 pages)
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While I loved this book equally as much as Divine Rivals, it was very different. The story was less Winnow/Kitt romance, & more Dacre/Enva war story. Roman & Iris spent much of the book apart. Roman acting as Dacre’s war correspondent; Iris trying to find him. Making contact through wardrobe letters, slowly reconnecting, gaining trust; trying to get Roman to remember. Roman falling in love with Iris all over again, regaining his memory & then ultimately having to stay apart so they could work together to end the war. The few precious moments they had together were electric, […]

Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross

Posted 01/07/2024 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Spice Level: 1.5 Flames
All-Time Favorite
Series: Letters of Enchantment #1
Published by Wednesday Books on 04/04/2023
Format: Kindle (368 pages)
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My heart hurts & I am unwell. I don’t even know where to start. The short of it: Divine rivals is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. It was sublime. Transcendent. Positively divine. (IYKYK) I held off on reading Divine Rivals until the duology was complete. On the one hand, I’m very glad I did. Being able to tuck into Ruthless Vows immediately after was (no doubt) imperative to my sanity & mental health. On the other, OH MY GOD, I should have read this book the day it came out. I feel […]