BOOK REVIEW Cruel Winter with You (Under the Mistletoe Collection #1) by Ali Hazelwood

Cruel Winter with You (Under the Mistletoe Collection #1) by Ali Hazelwood
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: November 12, 2024
Format: eBook (Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited)
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Cruel Winter with You by Ali Hazelwood, the first book in Amazon Orginal Stories' Under the Mistletoe Collection was a cute and fun holiday novella. Vivienne LaRue was a good narrator who did a great job bringing the story to life. Its a unique spin on childhood best friends to lovers, and I enjoyed it over the course of one sitting.

While the book is short, the plot is gripping. I really wanted to figure out what happened between Jamie and Marc. There's a lot going on in the book, but I enjoyed the romance that’s built over years and how the author touched on the feeling of not being enough. The last scene was quite satisfying, and I felt it wrapped things up nicely in a bow (even though I definitely wanted a bit more). I recommend this book to those looking for a quick and swoony afternoon read (that's included free for all Kindle Unlimited members).

REVIEW Stone Heart (Dark Olympus #0.5) by Katee Robert

Stone Heart (Dark Olympus #0.5) by Katee Robert
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: March 1, 2022
Format: eBook (Courtesy of Author's Newsletter)
Publisher: Trinkets and Tales LLC 

Katee Robert’s Stone Heart was an entertaining prequel novella to the Dark Olympus series. I really enjoyed her take on Medusa and Calypso’s individual backgrounds. There was also just enough world-building for readers who haven’t read the other books to become familiar with Olympus, and some of the less flashy power players in Olympus make an appearance. I personally need more Athena content asap.  If a sapphic love story where one is an assassin sent to kill the other, but it turns into a case of “I was supposed to kill but now I have feelings for you” sounds like something you enjoy then I would highly recommend Stone Heart. 

CONTENT WARNINGS (Courtesy of the Author): Attempted Murder, Drugging, Assault (Historical, Off-Page), Explicit Sex

TAGS (Courtesy of the Author): Was supposed to murder you but having regrets, wlw romance, plus sized heroine, big lesbian himbo energy, Medusa is good at murder and bad at everything else, Calypso is bad at feelings and good at everything else, soft only for you, Odysseus slander at all times, insta-love, scarred and tattooed heroine

About the Author

Katee Robert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, children, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and two Great Danes who think they’re lap dogs.

 

Katee is represented by Laura Bradford at Bradford Literary Agency.

Katee Robert Author Website

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ARC REVIEW: Ruin (The Fate of Crowns #0.5) by Rebecca L. Garcia

Ruin (The Fate of Crowns #0.5) by Rebecca L. Garcia

Rating: 4 STARS

Release Date: August 25, 2020

Format: eARC

Publisher: Self-Published

Ruin by Rebecca L. Garcia is a spin-off novella and prequel to the Fate of Crowns series, and after reading I’m even more excited to read the main books. I can’t say too much about the plot without risking spoilers (since the novella is only 57 pages), but if you love the main series (or any of Ms. Garcia’s other books) you should definitely take the time to read Ruin.

This novella takes characters (and readers) through a lot of different emotions in a very short time period. Rage, indignation, shame, loneliness, and love are just a subset. I became invested in Evangeline’s story very quickly and was cheering for everything to work out in the end. The journey of morally grey characters usually ends up being the most compelling for me when I read. The author did a great job in creating the world for the Fate of Crowns series - I found myself utterly enchanted by the magic and the fae vs. sorcerer dynamic.

Ms. Garcia explains in her author’s note that this novella provides a backstory to some of the references mentioned in the main books. I really love how authors have started to use novellas as a method to provide more world-building and history for series - I hope more authors do this in the future! I highly recommend the novella and the series to new adult/ adult fantasy and paranormal readers. It’s well worth the read!   

Thank you to the author for my free copy of the book. I received a copy of the Ruin novella by subscribing to her newsletter. 

About the Author: Rebecca L. Garcia

Rebecca lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and son. Born and raised in England, you can find her drinking tea, writing new worlds, and designing covers.
Rebecca devoured every book she was given from the age of five and fell in love with magical worlds. When she got older, her imagination grew with her and she delved into writing strong characters and vast worlds.

When she's not writing or spending time with her family, you can find her traveling, and hosting book signings with Spellbinding Events.

 

Rebecca is represented by The Next Step PR. For the latest sign-ups, tours, and cover reveals for Rebecca's releases you can go to www.thenextsteppr.com 

BOOK BLAST: Merry Little Wishing Spritz by Cherie Colyer

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Cherie Colyer will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Modern-day witch Cassie Moore’s cozy life turns upside down when her friend foresees the wrecking ball that threatens to destroy Cassie’s home and workplace. But Cassie isn’t giving up without a fight. She casts a well-intended spell meant to save her apartment and her job. But magic is unpredictable, especially when her friend casts a little charm of her own that has Cassie lusting after the man she desperately wants to despise.

Jack Quinn has had his eyes on Lakeside Books for years, and he couldn’t be happier the owner is finally ready to sell. He has big plans for the cozy waterfront property, but he didn’t expect to care about the store or its employees. And he never imagined he’d be drawn to a certain brown-eyed saleswoman.

Almost as if by magic.

Read an Excerpt

“I’m sorry.” I smiled sweetly, hoping to appeal to his sense of chivalry. “But I believe it’s the other way around.”

“Huh.” He wet his lips, hand still gripping the tin, smirking mischievously. “We obviously both want this tin. So what do we do?”

“I don’t know,” I said in an equally good-natured tone. ”Why do you need this particular treat?”

He shifted so his hip rested against the display and bent closer. “Well, you see,” he said, dramatically, “I have one last Christmas gift to buy, and Sara Winter’s peppermint bark is her favorite holiday treat. She’ll never forgive me if I come back from Mystic Creek without it. It might sever our relationship forever.”

He was ridiculously charming. That I had the thought at all amazed me. I wasn’t looking for a relationship and even if I were, I didn’t date mortals. Since I didn’t get any witchy-vibes—a magical shock when our fingers touched or a feeling we’d met before—it was a safe bet that this man with the clear hazel eyes and teasing smirk didn’t have a drop of magic in him.

“You don’t say,” I said, grinning.

“Oh yeah. We’re talking war on a biblical level.”

REVIEW: Merry Little Wishing Spritz by Cherie Colyer

Rating: 3 Stars  

Release Date: November 9, 2021

Format: eARC

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Merry Little Wishing Spritz by Cherie Colyer is a magical novella of a holiday read, perfect for those looking for a quick book to get them in the mood for the season. I’m a huge fan of the fantasy and paranormal genres, so I appreciated a romance with a paranormal twist that was grounded in a contemporary setting. 

My favorite scene by far was the reindeer scene (I wish the author had included more like it)! The flirtations and the build up of tension between the main characters were fun, especially with the unexpected twist at the end of the story. I wasn’t as enamored by the scenes where Cassie was cursing Jack’s plans to get rid of the bookstore and venting to her best friend, as they ended up feeling very repetitive (especially for a novella). Peyton, Cassie’s best friend, is the primary side character in the story and her actions in this book painted her into a “fairy godmother” type role in my eyes. I would love to read any related side stories featuring Peyton as the main character - cameo features from Cassie and Jack would be a bonus! 

This novella is part of The Wild Rose Press’ Christmas Cookies Collection, and the installments I’ve read so far have all been super fun! I would happily recommend these books to readers who are fans of Hallmark esque-stories with happily ever after endings and sweet romance. 

Thank you to the author and Goddess Fish Promotions for allowing me to read an early copy of the book. I voluntarily read and reviewed Merry Little Wishing Spritz; all opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way. 

About the Author:

Professional network technician by day, novelist by night, Cherie lives a quiet life in the Chicago suburbs with her charming husband. She has four amazing sons who she loves dearly. Cherie magically weaves together stories with a paranormal twist. She’s the author of the Embrace series (Embrace, Hold Tight, and Entwined), Challenging Destiny, Damned When I Didn’t, and Friends to the End. She waltzes into the adult novel world with this enchanting holiday romance, Merry Little Wishing Spritz.

Keep in Touch:

Website: https://cheriecolyer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cherie-Colyer-author-250631921629169
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherieColyer
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cherie_colyer/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5288487.Cherie_Colyer
Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cherie-colyer

Buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09FWZYS9Z
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/merry-little-wishing-spritz-cherie-colyer/1140147083
Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/merry-little-wishing-spritz/id1585526848
Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/m0BJBV
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/merry-little-wishing-spritz-christmas-cookies-by-cherie-colyer

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