Book Review: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

It Ends With Us (It Ends With Us) by Colleen Hoover
Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary/Romance)
Date Published: August 2, 2016
Publisher: Atria Books

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. And when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life seems too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

It Ends With Us is the first book in the It Ends With Us duology by Colleen Hoover. I'll start with what irked me. The letters to Ellen. They were a little much. I feel like we needed all that background info, but I really wish it wasn't through letters to Ellen. That made it a bit cringey, in my opinion. I do appreciate her bringing attention to domestic abuse through this story though. I feel like this wasn't as extreme as a lot of stories portray domestic abuse to be, but that makes it just as important. In real life, the woman may think it's "manageable", but it could easily have escalated to an extreme case. There are all kinds of domestic abuse. No case is the same.  There really is quite a bit more I'd like to say, but I feel like I've already said too much. If any of this applies to you or this book speaks to you... you can break the cycle too!

International and #1 New York Times bestselling author of romance, YA, thriller, women's fiction and paranormal romance.

I don't like to be confined to one genre. If you put me in a box, I'll claw my way out.

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

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Book Review: Three Queens by Geneva Lee Albin

Three Queens (Filthy Rich Vampires #3) by Geneva Lee Albin
Genre: Adult Fiction (Paranormal Romance)
Date Published: February 7, 2023
Publisher: Estate Books

All magic will die, and with it, all who carry it. Every last one of us...

Thea and Julian have made their choice, but can they survive the fallout? Experience the decadent, magical world of Three Queens, the third book in the Filthy Rich Vampire series from New York Times bestselling author Geneva Lee.

Returning to the world of the vampire elite as Solstice falls, they must navigate new dangers, treacherous allies, and morally grey friendships. When information leads them to Venice, the couple finds themselves at odds. Following the clue isn’t just dangerous, it could be deadly. With the fate of her family on the line, Thea rushes to Venice, and Julian follows despite his haunted history with the city.

The past might hold the key to their future, but to find out, Julian must face the monster he was once, and as forgotten magic stirs in Thea's blood, the search for answers leads to devastating consequences.

With the future of the magical world hanging in the balance, tensions rising in their family, and war looming on the horizon, will their love triumph, or will they pay the ultimate price?

Check out the other books in this series!

Geneva Lee Albin is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of over thirty novels. Her bestselling Royals Saga has sold nearly four million copies worldwide. She's shamelessly addicted to recovering alpha males, headstrong heroines, and drop-your-jaw plot twists. People Magazine calls Geneva's books "convincing with fluid writing that's full of drama." When she isn't writing or reading, you might find her on another adventure with her real-life hero and their three kids. 

To learn more about Geneva Lee Albin and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Goodreads, Facebook, & Instagram.

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Book Review: Belladonna by Adalyn Grace

Belladonna (Belladonna #1) by Adalyn Grace
Genre: Young Adult Fiction (Paranormal / Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: August 30, 2022
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

The  New York Times  bestselling author of  All the Stars and Teeth  brings to life a highly romantic, Gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal. ​

Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each one more interested in her wealth than her well-being—and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation, and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Signa realizes that the family she depends on could be in grave danger and enlists the help of a surly stable boy to hunt down the killer.

 

However, Signa’s best chance of uncovering the murderer is an alliance with Death himself, a fascinating, dangerous shadow who has never been far from her side. Though he’s made her life a living hell, Death shows Signa that their growing connection may be more powerful—and more irresistible—than she ever dared imagine.

Belladonna is the first book in the Belladonna series by Adalyn Grace. Signa was a strong, female lead. She stood her ground even through her fear, and she was believable. The supporting characters all played their parts well and flowed in and out of the story nicely. Then there's Death. Am I the only one that pictured the scenes with death in a "Harry Potter/Deathly Hallows movie style"? I have to say... that imagery only made the story more enchanting. Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was pretty unique. It took "Death"- something we all fear- and made him human.. well sorta.. not really. But you can understand him within this story. Maybe not right away, but this story line builds in many ways. So, yes, I'm going to read the next book.

Adalyn Grace is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, International, and Indiebound bestselling author of Belladonna and the All the Stars and Teeth duology.

Prior to becoming an author, Adalyn spent several years working in live theatre and studied storytelling as an intern on Nickelodeon Animation’s popular series The Legend of Korra.

Local to San Diego, Adalyn spends her non-writing days by watching too much anime, and by playing video games with her two dorky dogs.

To learn more about Adalyn Grace and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads & Instagram.

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Book Review: Boy in Luv by Jay Crownover & Rebecca Yarros

Boyin Luv (In Luv Duet #1) by Jay Crownover & Rebecca Yarros
Genre: New Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: October 19, 2019
Publisher: Jay Crownover LLC

Distance sure as hell made his heart grow fonder… But it shattered hers into a million pieces.

Langley Vaughn knows she's never going to make the same mistake again.

Who falls head over heels in love in a week? Langley did, and she's regretted it every day since she handed her heart to a boy with too many secrets and too much baggage. Iker doesn't fit into Langley's world, and he made it clear he doesn't want to. He left before she even got a chance to try and change his mind or to prove to him how good they could be together. Langley's spent the last nine months healing her heart and making big plans for the future. Plans that absolutely don't include Iker… even though he's back, looking better than ever, and saying all the right things.

Iker Alvarez knows he made the biggest mistake of his life.

At first, the pretty blonde in the red dress was nothing more than a means to an end. But, she quickly became so much more. As soon as Iker walked away from Langley, claiming it was for her own good, he knew he screwed up. He left her so she wouldn't worry about him when he deployed, so she wouldn't waste her time waiting around for a guy who was never going to be good enough for her. Only, nine months and a deployment later, Iker still can't get Langley out of his head… and he totally underestimated the hold she has on his hardened heart. He's a guy who's not sure how love should work, or how to go about winning his girl back…he's about to get a crash course in both.

Boy in Love is the second book in the In Love Duet by Jay Crownover & Rebecca Yarros.I was looking forward to this book, but once I got into it, I just couldn't get into it. And, what really bothers me, is I can't really put a finger on what I didn't mesh with. I just couldn't connect with them this time around. I like the characters a lot, and I'm glad the story went about things the way they did. I don't know. I kinda wish they could have wrapped things up in the first book. You know? Just made that one a bit longer.  

Read the second book yet?

Jay Crownover is the International and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point and Breaking Point Series, and the Loveless, Texas series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.

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

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.

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Review: The House by Raelyn Drake

The House (Mason Falls Mysteries) by Raelyn Drake
Genre: Middle Grade/Young Adult Fiction (Mystery)
Date Published: April 1, 2018 
Publisher: Darby Creek

The old, abandoned house at the end of Grace's street is a local legend. All the neighbors say it's haunted, but every Halloween someone leaves candy on the front porch. Grace and her friends decide to investigate, hoping to find out once and for all if someone―or some thing ―really is haunting the place. But what if there is more to the house than there seems?

The House by Raelynn Drake was the first book in the Mason Falls Mysteries Series. It was a middle grade mystery and it read like middle grade.. maybe even older elementary. I typically don't read middle grade, but I needed a quick read to pass the time. It was available and fit the bill. I think the younger end of this age group would find this story entertaining. It's on the predictable side, but it definitely helped me pass the time, which was much needed.

Raelyn Drake enjoys chai tea, tai chi, and coming up with more than two items for lists. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her husband and rescue corgi mix, Sheriff.

To learn more about Raelyn Drake and her books, visit her on Goodreads.

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