Release Blitz: Forbidden Romeo by Katana Collins

 

A pair of star-crossed lovers take their lives? No offense, Shakespeare… but not this time. Not if I have any say over it.

Forbidden Romeo, an all-new enemies to lovers, second chance, college romance and the final book in the Shattered Hearts trilogy from USA Today bestselling author Katana Collins is now available!

Love is a four-letter word in Holden Dorsey’s family.

And I finally see why. For once, all the secrets locked away in this family surface. All the betrayals.

On the eve of our Broadway debut together, Holden’s ex comes back into the picture to drop the biggest secret of all.

She thinks she can ruin everything. The show. My career. My relationship.

But the only thing that would be more tragic than losing Holden… would be losing myself.

This time, I’m rewriting my ending. I refuse to fall on that knife for anyone ever again.

This time, Juliet not only lives… but she thrives.

Start reading today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xk0Pgv  

Add Forbidden Romeo to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/frkcgr    

Start the Shattered Hearts Trilogy today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

https://amzn.to/4e1Abtu

For more information about Katana Collins and her books, visit her website: 

https://katanacollins.com

Review: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program.

This is a zany story that follows Ember as one little white lie on her resume snowballs into more lies than she can keep track of.  Some of them are innocent, while others start to get serious and impact her life, relationships, and even her new job.  I didn't have an issue with her fibbing about her ethnicity on her job application. I know that is a real thing that happens and I wish companies would stop asking those demographic question.  None of that actually matters when it comes to job performance.  I had an issue when she started lying about her cat allergy and continues to lie about completely stupid stuff and then lies about stuff she knows is unethical but does it anyway.  I know it was supposed to add an element of humor to the book, but the humor didn't always hit.  It felt like she kept making a bigger mess of things instead of trying to straighten things out.

The author did a great job capturing the various types of aggressions that one experiences in an office environment.  I've never worked at a start-up but I've worked in the corporate world for almost 20 years and have certainly experienced or seen misogyny and other types of questionable behavior during my career.  Ember was really naïve and lacked experience, so  I kept hoping she would ask someone for help or mentorship, even if it were Danuwoa.  The two of them had great chemistry first as friends and then as a couple.  If she were going to trust anyone it should have been him.  It is addressed in the book why she has a hard time asking for help, and that makes some of her decisions and actions make more sense as we approach the end of the book.

I'm so glad that Berkley published this Own Voices Rom Com, and I hope to see more of them in the future.  

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Review: A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

If you like dark fairytale retellings this one is worth picking up.  I don't think I've ever read Goose Girl, but I'll be checking out the original tale this is based on.  I always like to read the original work when reading a retelling if I haven't read.  Kingfisher's retellings are quickly becoming my favorites and this is another one to add to your TBR.  She always puts her own unique spin on the original work and makes it her own. 

This is told from the perspectives of Cordielia a 14 year old girl who has basically lived her young life as a recluse, and Hester a 51 year old spinster set in her ways.  Their paths collide when Cordelia's mother decides she must marry a rich man to support them.  Hester immediately picks up that Cordelia's interactions with her mother are not normal, and that her brother is immediately smitten with the woman.  Hester is determined unravel the puzzle that is the the woman she nicknames "Doom" and her daughter.  Cornelia and Hester quickly become friends and team up to defeat Doom.  This is highly atmospheric and has worldbuilding I've come to expect from Kingfisher.  It has great fantasy and horror elements that aren't over the top.

Hester and Cordelia's parts in the audiobook are narrated by different people which I thought was a nice touch as they often switch POVs within a chapter.  I makes it easy for the listener to know who the main point of view is even when Cordelia and Hester are talking to one another.  Both narrators were fantastic and did a wonderful job brining this dark tale to life.

If you are a fan of Kingfisher or dark fairytales I highly recommend this.  I can't speak to the aspect of the retelling as I haven't read Goose Girl.  I found this highly engaging and entertaining

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Review: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

The narrator did a great job voicing the different characters and kept the pacing moving along wonderfully.  She did a good job adding emotion and tension in the right places.  

This was a really interesting phycological thriller.  It follows attorney Stella as she works a case to figure out the best custody arrangement for young client Rose.  Rose's parents have filed for divorce after their live in nanny fell out a window and it came to light that she was having an affair with Rose's father.  Rose has stopped speaking after the horrible events in her home, so it is Stella's job to put together the facts and determine what the most suitable and safe environment for Rose will be after the divorce.  As she gets to know the family, it is clear that they are hiding something and they know more about the nanny's death than they are letting on.  The closer she gets to the truth, the more likely it is that anyone of them could have murdered the nanny including nine year old Rose.  As Stella investigates the case, trauma from her own past surfaces, and she struggles to keep her own feelings out of the case she is investigating as her past overlaps her present.

This kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.  One second I was convinced it was the daughter, the next it was one of the parents, then it was the grandmother, then in the next chapters I changed my mind again.  The author does a good job providing the reader with a good amount of red herrings to keep you guessing but does leave enough clues lead you to the right answer.  I also enjoyed learning about Stella's background story, it had you wondering if it was a distraction from the main plot, if she was projecting her own trauma onto the case or if she was doing a better job because of her past.  I do think the addition of the romantic subplot was a bit unnecessary, it was a small part of the book so it wasn't that distracting.

Overall I enjoyed this, I thought I had great pacing, and while I normally don't like books with small children in them when it comes to thrillers this one was worth the read.

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Review: Bananapants by Penny Reid

Bananapants by Penny Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

This reads as a complete standalone, but if you have been a Penny Reid fan for a long time you will recognize some of the characters that make appearances.  This follows Ava and Desmond, who happen to be children of Fiona and Greg and Janie and Quinn from the Knitting in the City series.  If you have read and loved that series, their are appearances from some of the other characters from that series. Ava and Desmond were best friends until he ghosted her at 15 and they haven't spoken in years.  They run into each other at a party where Ava is impersonating a friend of hers, and Des is working a job.  This kicks off a series of events full of comedy, discussions about mental health, and action packed Robin Hood type shenanigans as Ava and Des reenter each others lives.  As they get to know each other again, they fall right back into their best friend roles, only this time there is undeniable attraction between them.  Their romance is a little unorthodox, especially as they are both inexperienced in different ways, but they figure it out especially when they realize communication is key.  I loved getting to know them.

I'm not sure if this is going to be a new series with the second generation of Knitting in the City characters, but if it is I'm here for it.  I absolutely adore Penny's books and will read whatever she writes.  Her books are always a mix of comedy, romance, emotion, and thoughtful subject matter.  In this installment we get the very real topic of bipolar disorder.  The author is very open about the representation in the book and the neurodiverse nature of her characters.  Make sure you read the author's note.  I always love the amount of research and care Penny puts into her books because I always learn something new and I get an entertaining read with wonderful characters.  I loved this and I loved that we got to revisit with some favorite characters from the past.

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Review: Northern Twilight by Samantha Young

Northern Twilight by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both an audio and print ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are by own.

This book like all of the other books in the series does read as a complete standalone, however it does feature characters that we have gotten to know over the course of the series.  Callie and Lewis were children in previous installments when we met their parents, now they are all grown up and we learn how they went from best friends as kids to high school sweethearts to not speaking to one another.  

Lewis and Callie both left Ardnoch after high school.  Lewis moved to London for university and is beginning his career as an architect.  He is beginning to feel the pull to move back home and be closer to his family, but he is still heartbroken over losing Callie.  She's recently moved back home to work at her mother's bakery after a stint in Paris studying pastry arts.  Callie was adamant she never wanted to leave Scotland and their small town, so naturally Lewis is confused by her actions and their breakup.  When they run into each other in London, all of those unresolved feelings come rushing back and they both let emotion and passion lead them.  

As with the other books set in Ardnoch this has a bit of a suspense element to it.  It doesn't overtake the main romance plot between Lewis and Callie as they navigate getting to know one another again, but strange things keep happening to them that threaten to upend their happiness.  I really enjoyed getting to know Lewis and Callie as adults.  I thought it was a nice creative touch that this was told in both the present and the past.  We get to know them both as teenagers when their romantic relationship was developing and as it fell apart and we get to know them as adults as they start dating again and re-establishing their relationship and navigate the things that tore them apart in the first place.  Callie has to deal with the emotional trauma from her past as well as all of the local gossips wanting to stir up drama for her and her family.  Fortunately she has a strong support system, and she and Lewis slowly ease their way back to what they once had only better.  This has a good amount of spice and was a great second chance romance!

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Review: The Dead Cat Tail Assassinsby P. Djèlí Clark

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via the publisher and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  Listening to the audiobook was even better than reading the book.  The narrator was wonderful, she did an amazing job voicing all of the characters.  It was like there were multiple narrators with all of the accents and voices she created for this book.  It was such a rich listening experience and really brought Clarks vivid world and characters to life.

I read this back in April when it was originally scheduled to release in the spring, but I jumped on a chance to listen to the audiobook.  I absolutely loved the audiobook and highly recommend picking this up in whatever format you prefer.  This was originally supposed to release in April, however the publication date has moved to August. This novella is roughly 200 pages in print, bringing it to just over 7 hours of listening time.  I listened to it in a day and couldn't put it down.  It is a fast paced and action packed mix of sci-fi and fantasy. Each one if Clark's books mixes a bit of steampunk, science fiction, and fantasy into a unique story that you don't want to put down. The world building is excellent, and even in a short time you come to love the characters!

Eveen is a member of The Dead Cat Tail Assassins', they are a guild of undead assassins governed by contracts and godling laws. When presented with what appears to be a proper contract, Eveen finds herself unable to fulfil the contract which could bring down the wrath of Aeril, the goddess she and those like her serve, on not only herself bur her entire guild.

Eveen and her mark, set out on a mission to figure out how to undo the contract through time and space without destroying the entire city before the sun comes up. Eveen and Sky offset each other like night and day, while using everything at hand to figure out how to circumvent the contract and set things to rights. This had everything I would want from a great story, good humor, engaging plot, interesting characters, and it was a lot of fun!

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