Release Day Review! Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter

Red Kingdom (Fairy Tale Retellings #2) by Rachel L. Demeter
Genre: Adult Fiction (Fractured Fairy Tale/Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: April 10, 2024
Publisher: Self

Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.

Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.

Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.

United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.

Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?

Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate, slow-burn historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.

*Red Kingdom is a standalone installment in a series of reimagined fairy tales.

Disclaimer: This is not your grandmother's Little Red Riding Hood. Red Kingdom is a dark historical romance set in a war-torn kingdom. As such, it contains graphic content and mature themes, including grief, strong violence, offscreen rape and suicide, and animal/human death. Reader discretion is advised.

Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter is the second book in the Fairy Tale Retellings series. I just had to pause and recoup after reading this one, because so many horrible and wonderful things happened. It kind of left me a bit in awe. This is a dark one. It's brutal with a lot of death. Don't get attached to anyone. And, I hate deaths of favorite characters! I mean, we all do. Right? But, these deaths had purpose at least. It wasn't for shock value. I still don't like it, but they had meaning. That brings me to the characters in general. They were fleshed out very well. You really got to know them and all their layers, and you didn't get it all at once. It was a process throughout the reading experience. I love a good enemies to lovers romance, and this was definitely that. Red Kingdom was well thought out from start to finish, and I can't wait to see what's next for us in this series.

Th ARC of Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

Have you read the first book yet?

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing dark, poignant romances that challenge the reader's emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel's passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.

Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.

Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.

To learn more about Rachel L. Demeter and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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Release Day Review! Selkie by Sydney Winward

Selkie (Mortar & Pestle #1) by Sydney Winward

Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: March 7, 2023
Publisher: Silver Forge Books

No one has ever managed to capture a selkie. Until now…

On their wedding day, Klaus Lovik’s bride is stolen by an enemy chieftain. He will travel to the ends of the earth to find her, and in desperation, he captures a selkie and uses her as a bartering piece. But the selkie’s magic is powerful enough to drown entire islands, and if he’s not careful, he might find himself in a watery grave.

Mayla Brior is gifted with the power to shed her seal skin, enabling her to walk on land. But when a man robs her of the pelt, she is forced to follow his commands, endangering her skin, and preventing her return to the sea.

Venturing into enemy territory, Klaus and Mayla bond, escalating their relationship into more than adversaries. He realizes his pending nuptials are a dreadful mistake. But it might be too late to choose another path, especially when he knows he has to eventually let her go.

Selkie by Sydney Winward is a standalone romance in the Mortar & Pestle. Each book in this series is written by a different author with different characters, but within the same World. I'm definitely curious about these other books too. Selkies interest me. They’re a creature you don’t see too often in fiction, and I’d really love to learn more about them. This story built upon itself nicely , and you got to know the main characters and the inner wars they were fighting as it progressed. I’d say there was a quick attraction, but it definitely wasn’t instalove as they hated each other in the beginning… and rightly so. I completely enjoyed getting lost in their world, and I’d like to check out some of this author’s other work as well. 

The ARC of Selkie by Sydney Winward was kindly provided to me by the author through BookSprout for review. The opinions are my own.

Check out my review of the second book in this series!

Sydney Winward is an award-winning fantasy and paranormal romance author who dabbles in the occasional historical fiction. She loves building complex worlds filled with magic, strong characters, and emotional stories that can make you laugh and cry.

Sydney is the author of The Bloodborn Series and the Sunlight and Shadows Series. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, thinking about stories, or going on adventures with her children. She lives in Utah with her husband and three amazing kids.

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

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Release Day Review! The Girl in the Front Row by Kelsey Kingsley

The Girl in the Front Row by Kelsey Kingsley
Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: October 21 2022
Publisher: Self

Lennon Jacobs is nobody.

Born with a rare eye condition and living in a world of black and white, she’s unable to drive, find an accommodating job, and have the life she’s always dreamed of. From her viewpoint, she can’t see anything special about herself—but Dylan Pierce disagrees.

When the famous rock star spots her from across a crowded room, he sees something in her she doesn't and is desperate to uncover her secrets. Lennon makes the split decision to pretend to be someone she’s not. For one night and one night only, she manages to be someone confident, worthy, and important, then slips away expecting to never see him again.

Imagine her surprise when the first man to make her feel like somebody shows up at her front door …

The Girl in the Front Row by Kelsey Kingsley is a stand alone romance with some characters that feel very real. Lennon and Dylan are deeply flawed and raw characters, but that only makes you love them more. I really struggled with the cheating part of the story. That is unforgivable for me, but I feel like this book handled the situation as best as it could have. I'm still not happy about it. Otherwise, I was thoroughly pulled into Lennon and Dylan's life. There were so many little details that really breathed life into these two.. right down to how they got their names. Their relationship was beautiful, and ugly, and everything in between. You could really feel how much heart, soul, and pieces of herself the author put into The Girl in the Front Row. It's a brave thing to do, and it paid off. 

The ARC of The Girl in the Front Row by Kelsey Kingsley was kindly provided to me by Wordsmith Publicity for review. The opinions are my own.

When I was a wee lassie, I was told by my preschool teachers that I was a natural at storytelling. When I was just a little older than that, an old friend's mother said to me, "Kelsey, one day your books are going to be on the shelves at the library."

Well, Diane, I don't know if my books are ever going to be on the shelves of libraries, but I'm sure as hell going to try.

When I'm not writing stories destined to be bestsellers, I enjoy devouring TV shows, listening to every type of music there is and going to concerts, reading pretty much anything (with a soft spot for romance and certain books located in 18th century Scotland), obsessing over makeup, and pretending to workout.

I also have a fondness for cats, my family, tattoos, and a really good French fry.

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

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Release Day Review! Cloaked: A Twisted Tale by Caroline Frye

Cloaked: A Twisted Tale by Caroline Frye

Genre: New Adult Fiction (Paranormal/Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: December 24, 2021
Publisher: Self

Most people met and fell in love, normally, Cami Wilson tumbled through a time tunnel.

Niklaus was trapped in a town of ice and snow by a magic spell when Cami fell into his arms.

With her world turned upside down, Cami struggled to rescue Niklaus but the clock was ticking, and if she didn't save him soon, the time tunnel would disappear and so would he.

And that just could not happen.. 

Cloaked by Caroline Frye was a super quick story that would make a perfect read for traveling to help pass the time faster. I completely loved the premise behind this story, however it really needed more. We get just enough information to tease us, but not enough to really know what's going on or why. So, it makes me wonder if this is a prequel to something larger or something along those lines, because there is definitely more story waiting to be told here. There is so much going on with the characters and the snow globes that needed to be fleshed out. I love a good short story every now and then, but this is one of those stories that really begs to be full length.

Cloaked by Caroline Frye was kindly provided to me from Booksprout for review. The opinions are my own.

Caroline Frye is an author of paranormal romance, but she’s also been a lead singer in a band, a country clogger, a mandolin player, and an avid follower of ghost adventures. She does her best writing after dark, in imaginary woods, during storms, and in her cabin in the mountains. Caroline loves to play paranormal matchmaker, transporting readers to a place where the heroes aren't always human, the women are stronger than they look, the world is nothing like it seems, and the paranormal is alive and well!

To learn more about Caroline Frye and her books, visit her blog. You can also find her on Goodreads & Facebook.

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Release Day Review! Owned by Clarissa Wild

Owned (Dark Mafia #2) by Clarissa Wild

Genre: Adult (Dark Romance)
Date Published: October 4, 2021
Publisher: Self

She escaped the mob boss, but he will always find his pet.

My name is Harper, but to him I’m only Kitten.
When Marcello Dellucci bought me from the auction, my life was destroyed.
Locked away in his mansion, I became his precious pet.

His needs are twisted.
His kisses are dangerous.
And his touch makes me come alive.

But I can’t ever fall for this mafia man.
This man who lied.
Betrayed.
Hurt.
Killed.
All for me.

So I run, as fast as I can.
But I know I’ll never escape his grasp.
Sooner or later he’ll come to claim what already belongs to him…
My heart.

Sold is the second book in the Dark Mafia duology by Clarissa Wild. Oh my goodness!! Harper Dear.. what were you thinking? Okay, I understand the need to get away from the person who says he owns you, but have some kind of plan. Any kind of plan! She seemed to make bad choice after bad choice.

Harper's "family" is brutal! I know they're not really family, but it's the easiest way to describe them since she was raised by them. So, much happens in this book, and once you get past the first third or so, it starts to flow better. It's still not at all believable, but that's part of its charm.

Sold was kindly provided to me by the Give Me Books for review. The opinions are my own.

Running from a mobster is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
I never thought I’d find myself in this situation. That I’d be chasing a lie, wishing the people who raised me really were my parents, and that I hadn’t seen my true father die right in front of me. I wished I could pretend and stay with him, the man who saved me from the people who stole me and raised me as their own … Marcello.
But he lied to me.
He knew the people who took me weren’t my parents, and he never told me. And I can’t ever forget that he chose not to tell me.
So I run. I run like hell because that’s all I can do when faced with the impossible.
The impossible choice between what is right … and what my heart desires.
Because I know, deep down, that I have already fallen for this man.
But this forbidden love is not meant to be.
He used me. Treated me like a pet. Like something he owned. Just because he bought my soul.
But my love is not for sale.
He may have saved me from that fire at my fake parents’ house, but that doesn’t make him any less of a monster.

Have you read the first book?

Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author with ASD (Asperger's Syndrome), who was born and raised in the Netherlands. She loves to write Dark Romance and Contemporary Romance novels featuring dangerous men and feisty women. Her other loves include her hilarious husband, her cutie pie son, her two crazy but cute dogs, and her ninja cat that sometimes thinks he's a dog too. In her free time, she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, playing video games, and cooking up some delicious meals.

To learn more about Clarissa Wild and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

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