Genre: Romantasy

Legendary | Stephanie Garber

Posted 02/12/2024 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 […]

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Caraval | Stephanie Garber

Posted 02/09/2024 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 […]

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Ruthless Vows | Rebecca Ross

Posted 02/05/2024 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, […]

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Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross

Posted 02/02/2024 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 […]

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A Kilt for Christmas | Tricia O’Malley

Posted 01/08/2024 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments
A Kilt for Christmas | Tricia O’Malley
Star Rating: 3.5 Stars
Spice Level: 3 Flames
Series: Enchanted Highlands #3
Published by Lovewrite Publishing on 10/24/2023
Format: Kindle (240 Pages)
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This was my first read by Tricia, and it definitely won’t be my last. The story was cute & well-written. MMC, West, was smart, nerdy, sweet & 100% swoon-worthy. FMC, Maisie, was quirky, strong-willed, relatable & adorably grumpy. The addition of magic & Scottish folklore was chef’s kiss, but I’m just not a huge fan of insta-love. Which is why I only gave this 3 stars. I need a little more will they/won’t they to tick all my boxes. I’d say this is a solid 3.5-star read. Well worth the time, just not my favorite trope.

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Iron Flame | Rebecca Yarros

Posted 12/01/2023 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments
Iron Flame | Rebecca Yarros
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Spice Level: 4 Flames
All-Time Favorite
Series: The Empyrean #2
Published by Red Tower Books on 12/07/2023
Format: Kindle (624 Pages)
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I. Am. Not. Ok. I tried to make this book last. I knew the wait for book 3 would be torture. I finished it, and I was right. The wait for book 3 will be TORTURE. Xaden. Violet. Liam. Sawyer. Lilith. Sloan. Brennan. Mira. UGG!!! Also. JACK F*CKING BARLOW

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The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy | Megan Bannen

Posted 09/01/2023 by Hilarye in Book Reviews / 0 Comments
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy | Megan Bannen
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Spice Level: 3 Flames
All-Time Favorite
Series: Hart and Mercy #1
Published by Orbit on 08/23/2022
Format: Kindle (448 Pages)
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This book. THIS BOOK!!!!! 15/10, highly recommend. The best book I’ve read in 2023. It’s ‘Six Feet Under’ meets ‘You’ve Got Mail’, set in a unique and immersive fantasy world. If you take one part zombie movie, one part enemies-to-lovers romance, one part mystery novel, one part fantasy, and a pinch of a western; shake them all up, and you’ll get the magic that is ‘The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy’. This book ripped my heart out, smashed it into a million pieces, and then put it back together again (better than before) in one fell swoop. All […]

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