Book Review: If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin

If Only I Had Told Her by Laura Nowlin
Genre: Young Adult Fiction (Contemporary)
Date Published: April 1, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

If only I’d told her that I loved her years ago, then I wouldn’t be here now.

Finn has always loved Autumn. She’s not just the girl next door or his mother’s best friend’s daughter, she is his everything. But she’s not his girlfriend. That’s Sylvie, and Finn would never hurt her, so there’s no way Autumn could know how he truly feels.

Jack, Finn’s best friend, isn’t so sure. He’s seen Finn and Autumn together. How could she not know? And how is he supposed to support and protect Finn when heartache seems inevitable?

Autumn surrounds herself with books and wants to write her own destiny—but one doesn’t always get a new chapter and fate can be cruel to those in love.

Told through three different perspectives, If Only I Had Told Her is a love story brimming with truth, tragedy, and unexpected bonds that heal us.

If Only I Had Told Her is the sequel to If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin. We get Finn and Jack's perspective this time around. Like the first book, we get a lot of day to day stuff with their perspectives. Some of it was necessary, as it shows how the different relationships built up and/or crumbled. But I feel like a lot of it could have been skipped through.

We also get more from Autumn's perspective. I enjoyed watching how her character grew and coped after the death. I feel like it was very believable, and the pacing was much better than it was in the first book or with the boy's perspectives in this book. I can see how these books would be helpful to people in similar situations.

Have you read the first book?

Laura Nowlin is the NYT bestselling author of If He had Been with Me and This Song is Not for You.  She holds a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from Missouri State University.   When she isn’t at home agonizing over her own novels Laura works at the public library where the patrons give her plenty of inspiration for her writing.  She lives in St. Louis with her family.

To learn more about Laura Nowlin and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads and Twitter.

Buy this book at:

Book Review: Hooked by Emily McEntire

Hooked (Never After #2) by Emily McEntire
Genre: Adult Fiction (Dark Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: September 5, 2021
Publisher: McIntire Publishing, Co.

He wants revenge, but he wants her more…

James has always had one agenda: destroy his enemy, Peter Michaels. When Peter’s twenty-year-old daughter Wendy shows up in James’s bar, he sees his way in. Seduce the girl and use her for his revenge. It’s the perfect plan, until things in James’s organization begin to crumble. Suddenly, he has to find the traitor in his midst, and his plan for revenge gets murkier as James starts to see Wendy as more than just a pawn in his game.

Wendy has been cloistered away most of her life by her wealthy cold father, but a spontaneous night out with friends turns into an intense and addictive love affair with the dark and brooding James. As much as she knows James is dangerous, Wendy can’t seem to shake her desire for him. But as their relationship grows more heated and she learns more about the world he moves in, she finds herself unsure if she’s falling for the man known as James or the monster known as Hook.

Hooked is a dark contemporary romance and the first complete standalone in the Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales where the villains get the happy ever after. It is not a literal retelling and not fantasy. Hooked features mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised. 

Hooked is the first book in the Never After series by Emily McEntire. This is a dark reimagining of Peter Pan where Peter is the bad guy. I mean, they're both pretty much bad guys.One is just worse than the other. Wendy is caught between their feud. James and Wendy were pretty spicy. I was a little surprised at how innocent, little Wendy wanted things in the bedroom. I felt like that wasn't entirely realistic to her character.. at least not right out of the gate like that. I wasn't expecting all the naughtiness in general. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Yes, it was a little much at times, but the story itself was intriguing and fully kept my attention. It's essentially about revenge. James wants Peter to pay for a wrong in his past. These characters are flawed, and the author developed their histories quite well. I felt like I really got to know them. I love a good fractured fairy tale, and I'm definitely interested in reading more.

Emily McIntire is a #1 New York Times and #1 Sunday Times bestselling author whose stories serve steam, slow burns, and seriously questionable morals. Her books have been translated in over a dozen languages, and span across several sub-genres within romance.

A stage IV breast cancer thriver, you can find Emily enjoying free time with her family, getting lost in a good book, or redecorating her house depending on her mood.

To learn more about Emily McIntire and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, BookBub, YouTube, and Twitter.

Buy this book at:

Book Review: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Onyx Storm (Empyrean #3) by Rebecca Yarros
Genre: Young Adult Fiction (Paranormal/Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: January 21, 2025
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.

Onyx Storm is the third book in the The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros. This was probably my least favorite so far, and I really hate saying that, but I don't feel like we're any better off after this book than we were after the second book. There wasn't as much action, so I had a very hard time staying focused. This is such a long book to read when you're struggling to stay engaged in what's going on. There was a lot of filler. Uuughh! I hate saying that, because of how much I loved the previous two books, but I don't know how else to explain it. I really hope the next one gives us something more. 

My heart seizes. We haven’t found them out on patrol—because they’re already inside.

“They’re within the walls!” Tairn bellows.

“Already figured that out.” I swap my daggers for two alloy-hilted ones at my thighs and move quickly to hand one to Sawyer. “None of us die today.”

He nods, taking the blade by the hilt.

“Maren, protect Sawyer,” Rhiannon orders. “Cat, help whoever you can. Let’s go!”

“Guess I’ll just…stay here?” Sawyer calls after us, muttering a swear word as we take off sprinting between the rows of infirmary beds.

We’re the first to make it to the doors, where Winifred holds the wailing infantry cadet by his upper arms. “Violet, don’t go out there—” she starts.

“Lock the doors!” I shout as we run through.

“Like that’s going to stop them?” Ridoc challenges as we enter the tunnel, then all three of us skid to a halt at the sight before us.The blankets on every overflow bed down the hallway have been thrown back, revealing desiccated bodies. My stomach plummets. How did this happen so fast?

 

Check out my reviews of other books in this series?

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and coffee addict. She is the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including Fourth Wing, The Last Letter and The Things We Leave Unfinished. She’s also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward. Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. A mother of six, she is currently surviving the teenage years with all four of her hockey-playing sons.

To learn more about Rebecca Yarros and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram,  Pinterest, and Twitter.

Buy this book at:

Book Review: Taken by Emma Knight

Taken (The Vampire Legends #2) by Emma Knight
Genre: Young Adult Fiction (Paranormal Romance)
Date Published: December 21, 2011
Publisher: Self

 Rachel Wood finally learns the secret that her new boyfriend, Benji, has been he is a vampire. But Rachel refuses to believe it. Thinking he is crazy, she runs from him, and resolves to never see him again. But despite herself, Rachel can’t stop thinking of him. As he comes to her in her dreams, Rachel can’t help wondering if maybe, just maybe, it is all true. Meanwhile, Rachel is back in high school, the day after her dreaded homecoming dance, and is left to deal with the fallout of the brawl. Rob’s football friends were injured, but that doesn’t stop Rob from falling for Rachel all over again. And despite herself, she realizes that she just might still have feelings for him, too. Rachel’s social pressures build from her group of friends, and she is forced to lie to her parents, and sneak out, in order to get out of being grounded and have any social life. Her sister, Sarah, covers for her, as those two start to develop a deeper bond. But problems only escalate for Rachel, as Benji comes back into her life, bringing danger with him. She discovers his world at his ancestral home in the mysterious Lyndvia Castle on the Hudson River. But just as their romance is blossoming, Benji’s twin brother shows up with a message that just might mean the end for all of them. Rachel will have to decide just how much she wants to sacrifice to be with the love of her life. TAKEN is book #2 of the Vampire Legends series (following Book #1, SWORN), yet is also a stand alone novel. Books #3==#6 in the series are now also available.

Taken is the second book in The Vampire Legend by Emma Knight. Well, things haven’t gotten better from book one. Both books need some serious editing. I usually overlook editing, because I read a lot of ARCs, and I know it’s not finalized, but these books have been published for some time now. It’s hard to ignore. Rachel is still not likable. I still don’t know Benji well enough, and there is some major insta-love going on here. It’s not realistic. It feels unnatural.. almost like they’re under some kind of love potion kind of thing. I don’t know if I’m going to read the next one or not. On one hand, I want to know what happens. On the other hand, I'm not sure.

Emma Knight is author of the bestselling vampire series THE VAMPIRE LEGENDS, consisting of six books and counting: SWORN, TAKEN, BITTEN, CHOSEN, AWAKENED and RISEN.

To learn more about Emma Knight and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads & BookBub.

Buy this book at:

Book Review: Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew

Your Blood, My Bones by Kelly Andrew
Genre: Young Adult Fiction (Paranormal Romance/Horror)
Date Published: April 2, 2024
Publisher: Scholastic Press

A seductively twisted romance about loyalty, fate, the lengths we go to hide the darkest parts of ourselves . . . and the people who love those parts most of all.

Wyatt Westlock has one plan for the farmhouse she's just inherited -- to burn it to the ground. But during her final walkthrough of her childhood home, she makes a shocking discovery in the basement -- Peter, the boy she once considered her best friend, strung up in chains and left for dead.

Unbeknownst to Wyatt, Peter has suffered hundreds of ritualistic deaths on her family's property. Semi-immortal, Peter never remains dead for long, but he can't really live, either. Not while he's bound to the farm, locked in a cycle of grisly deaths and painful rebirths. There's only one way for him to break free. He needs to end the Westlock line.

He needs to kill Wyatt.

With Wyatt's parents gone, the spells protecting the property have begun to unravel, and dark, ancient forces gather in the nearby forest. The only way for Wyatt to repair the wards is to work with Peter -- the one person who knows how to harness her volatile magic. But how can she trust a boy who's sworn an oath to destroy her? When the past turns up to haunt them in the most unexpected way, they are forced to rely on one another to survive, or else tear each other apart.

My Blood, Your Bones by Kelly Andrew is a loose , very loose, retelling of Peter Pan. It started strong. I loved the premise. I loved the characters. I loved the promise of something really sinister in the Beast. And, it seemed to all be boiling up to something big. Then the second half didn’t deliver it for me. I feel like I had to guess a lot of things and make up parts of the story for myself to make it work. I just needed more substance on some things. I didn’t enjoy the ending, and it didn’t give any of the much needed answers. I’m left wondering what the point was. I don’t feel like the conclusion fixed anything going on. Maybe there's going to be a sequel? I don't know. I do love the writer's style, and how she captures a perfectly haunting/gothic atmosphere. I would read another one of her books.

Your Blood, My Bones Excerpt by I Read YA

Kelly Andrew lost her hearing when she was four years old and she’s been dreaming up stories in the silence ever since.

Andrew lives in New England with her husband and their two daughters (and a very grouchy Boston Terrier). She has a BSW, but received her Masters in English & Creative Writing. When she’s not writing, she enjoys obsessing over a good book, scouring flea markets for treasure, and getting intentionally lost in the woods.

Andrew is represented by Josh Adams at Adams Literary.

She’s glad you’re here!

To learn more about Kelly Andrew and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Instagram, and Twitter.

Buy this book at: