Recent Reads: Q1 2021

And just like that the first quarter of 2021 is over! So I figured it would be a good time to recap what I’ve read lately and what I thought about them. Reading has been a much needed respite from our current reality, so I’ve leaned into some of my favorite genres like YA and romance even more than usual this year (and most of last year TBH).

1 | Well Met By Jen DeLuca

Description: “Emily knew there would be strings attached when she relocated to the small town of Willow Creek, Maryland, for the summer to help her sister recover from an accident, but who could anticipate getting roped into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire alongside her teenaged niece? Or that the irritating and inscrutable schoolteacher in charge of the volunteers would be so annoying that she finds it impossible to stop thinking about him?

The faire is Simon's family legacy and from the start he makes clear he doesn't have time for Emily's lighthearted approach to life, her oddball Shakespeare conspiracy theories, or her endless suggestions for new acts to shake things up. Yet on the faire grounds he becomes a different person, flirting freely with Emily when she's in her revealing wench's costume. But is this attraction real, or just part of the characters they're portraying?”

My Rating: 3.5/5 I really wanted to love this idea because I did like the haters to lovers trope and thought the premise of the story revolving around a renaissance fair in a small town.

2 | A Song Below Water by Bethany Morrow

Description: “In a society determined to keep her under lock and key, Tavia must hide her siren powers.

Meanwhile, Effie is fighting her own family struggles, pitted against literal demons from her past. Together, these best friends must navigate through the perils of high school's junior year.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice at the worst possible moment.

Soon, nothing in Portland, Oregon, seems safe. To save themselves from drowning, it's only Tavia and Effie's unbreakable sisterhood that proves to be the strongest magic of all.”

My Rating: 3.75/5 The events taking place do not really come together fully until the very end, but I actually liked that about it. I thought this book was so unique and creative and look forward to reading the 2nd installment.

3 | The Lovely War by Julie Berry

Description: “A sweeping, multi-layered romance set in the perilous days of World Wars I and II, where gods hold the fates--and the hearts--of four mortals in their hands.

They are Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette. A classical pianist from London, a British would-be architect turned soldier, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the U.S. Army, and a Belgian orphan with a gorgeous voice and a devastating past. Their story, as told by the goddess Aphrodite, who must spin the tale or face judgment on Mount Olympus, is filled with hope and heartbreak, prejudice and passion, and reveals that, though War is a formidable force, it's no match for the transcendent power of Love.”

My Rating: 4/5 I thought this book experience was great as an audio book.

4 | Ravenswood Series: A Girl Like Her | Damaged Goods | Untouchable | That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert

Description: Lumping all of these books together because I basically read them all in one go: A romance book series set in a small English town where feisty, outcast heroines are swept off their feet by the strong, sweet men who love them.

My Rating: 4/5 Talia Hibbert’s books are a delight and have absolutely helped me get through 2020 (and 2021 so far). If you like steamy but well written romance novels with lovely heroes, give her books a try. You can start with her Brown Sisters Series, or you can start with some of her older books like the Ravenswood Series. If you enjoy contemporary romance novels where Black women get their ‘Happily Ever After’, you won’t regret it.

5 | The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

Description: “After a scandalous secret turns their fairy-tale wedding into a nightmare, Rebecca "Bex" Porter and her husband Prince Nicholas are in self-imposed exile. The public is angry. The Queen is even angrier. And the press is salivating. Cutting themselves off from friends and family, and escaping the world's judgmental eyes, feels like the best way to protect their fragile, all-consuming romance. But when a crisis forces the new Duke and Duchess back to London, the Band-Aid they'd placed over their problems starts to peel at the edges. Now, as old family secrets and new ones threaten to derail her new royal life, Bex has to face the emotional wreckage she and Nick left behind: with the Queen, with the world, and with Nick's brother Freddie, whose sins may not be so easily forgotten -- nor forgiven.”

My Rating: 3/5 This book was ok but didn’t have the same ‘zest’ for me that the first book did. I thought it could have been a bit shorter to be honest. But lovers of all things Royal Family may still want to give it a try though.

6 | The Princess Trap by Talia Hibbert

Description: ‘Cherry Neita is thirty, flirty, and done with men. As far as she can tell, they're overrated, overpaid, and underperforming-in every area of life. But a girl has needs, and the smoking-hot stranger she just met at the office seems like the perfect one-night stand...

Prince Ruben of Helgmøre is reckless, dominant, and famously filthy. The outcast royal is rebuilding his reputation-all for a good cause-but he can't resist a pretty face. And bossy whirlwind Cherry's got the face, the body, and the attitude to make Ruben's convictions crumble. Even better, when she propositions him, she has no idea who he really is.

But when paparazzi catch the pair, erm, kissing in an alleyway, Ruben's anonymity disappears faster than Cherry's knickers. Now the press is in uproar, the palace is outraged, and Ruben's reputation is back in the gutter. There's only one way to turn this disaster around-and it involves Cherry, some big fat lies, and a flashy diamond ring. On her left hand.

Unfortunately, Cherry isn't pleased with Ruben's 'fake engagement' scheme...

And neither is the king.”

My Rating: 4/5 I enjoyed this book with it’s Royal romance trope and vulnerable hero!

7 | The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

Description: ‘Multiverse travel is finally possible, but there's just one catch: No one can visit a world where their counterpart is still alive. Enter Cara, whose parallel selves happen to be exceptionally good at dying--from disease, turf wars, or vendettas they couldn't outrun. Cara's life has been cut short on 372 worlds in total.

On this dystopian Earth, however, Cara has survived. Identified as an outlier and therefore a perfect candidate for multiverse travel, Cara is plucked from the dirt of the wastelands. Now what once made her marginalized has finally become an unexpected source of power. She has a nice apartment on the lower levels of the wealthy and walled-off Wiley City. She works--and shamelessly flirts--with her enticing yet aloof handler, Dell, as the two women collect off-world data for the Eldridge Institute. She even occasionally leaves the city to visit her family in the wastes, though she struggles to feel at home in either place. So long as she can keep her head down and avoid trouble, Cara is on a sure path to citizenship and security.

But trouble finds Cara when one of her eight remaining doppelg ngers dies under mysterious circumstances, plunging her into a new world with an old secret. What she discovers will connect her past and her future in ways she could have never imagined--and reveal her own role in a plot that endangers not just her world but the entire multiverse.’

My Rating: 4/5 Honestly I was sold on reading this book when I read the word multi-verse in the description. I thought this was a solid and unique sci fi debut and always appreciate a flawed Main Character.

8 | Bridgerton Collection Volume 1: The Duke and I | The Viscount Who Loved Me | An Offer from a Gentlemen by Julia Quinn

Description: The first three novels of the acclaimed Regency romance novels that were adapted to the popular Netflix series that you’ve probably heard of unless you’ve really been good at staying away from popular culture this year.

My Rating: 3/5 These books were ok to me, not the best but certainly not the worst. I read them to be able to compare the books to the Netflix series and will likely read the rest of them at some point when they are available at my Library at some point.

9 | From Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout

Description: ‘A Maiden...Chosen from birth to usher in a new era, Poppy's life has never been her own. The life of the Maiden is solitary. Never to be touched. Never to be looked upon. Never to be spoken to. Never to experience pleasure. Waiting for the day of her Ascension, she would rather be with the guards, fighting back the evil that took her family, than preparing to be found worthy by the gods. But the choice has never been hers.

A Duty...The entire kingdom's future rests on Poppy's shoulders, something she's not even quite sure she wants for herself. Because a Maiden has a heart. And a soul. And longing. And when Hawke, a golden-eyed guard honor bound to ensure her Ascension, enters her life, destiny and duty become tangled with desire and need. He incites her anger, makes her question everything she believes in, and tempts her with the forbidden.

A Kingdom...Forsaken by the gods and feared by mortals, a fallen kingdom is rising once more, determined to take back what they believe is theirs through violence and vengeance. And as the shadow of those cursed draws closer, the line between what is forbidden and what is right becomes blurred. Poppy is not only on the verge of losing her heart and being found unworthy by the gods, but also her life when every blood-soaked thread that holds her world together begins to unravel.’

My Rating: 3.5/5 While this steamy fantasy read was not a fav, it held my attention and made me want to keep reading to see how the 1st installment of this series would end. There was so much talk about it on Bookstagram, I wanted to read it for myself, and while I don’t see myself reading it again (unlike my favorite fantasy book of 2020, Legendborn), it was solid.

10 | Kingdom of Flesh and Fire by Jennifer Armentrout

Description: ‘A Betrayal...Everything Poppy has ever believed in is a lie, including the man she was falling in love with. Thrust among those who see her as a symbol of a monstrous kingdom, she barely knows who she is without the veil of the Maiden. But what she does know is that nothing is as dangerous to her as him. The Dark One. The Prince of Atlantia. He wants her to fight him, and that's one order she's more than happy to obey. He may have taken her, but he will never have her.

A Choice....Casteel Da'Neer is known by many names and many faces. His lies are as seductive as his touch. His truths as sensual as his bite. Poppy knows better than to trust him. He needs her alive, healthy, and whole to achieve his goals. But he's the only way for her to get what she wants--to find her brother Ian and see for herself if he has become a soulless Ascended. Working with Casteel instead of against him presents its own risks. He still tempts her with every breath, offering up all she's ever wanted. Casteel has plans for her. Ones that could expose her to unimaginable pleasure and unfathomable pain. Plans that will force her to look beyond everything she thought she knew about herself--about him. Plans that could bind their lives together in unexpected ways that neither kingdom is prepared for. And she's far too reckless, too hungry, to resist the temptation.

A Secret...But unrest has grown in Atlantia as they await the return of their Prince. Whispers of war have become stronger, and Poppy is at the very heart of it all. The King wants to use her to send a message. The Descenters want her dead. The wolven are growing more unpredictable. And as her abilities to feel pain and emotion begin to grow and strengthen, the Atlantians start to fear her. Dark secrets are at play, ones steeped in the blood-drenched sins of two kingdoms that would do anything to keep the truth hidden. But when the earth begins to shake, and the skies start to bleed, it may already be too late.’

My Rating: 3/5 I read the 2nd installment of this series because…I want to see how it all ends! Not much to say about this book other than that!

11 | Siege and Storm (Book #2 Shadow and Bone) by Leigh Bardugo

Description: Soldier. ‘Summoner. Saint. Alina Starkov's power has grown, but not without a price. She is the Sun Summoner--hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Shadow Fold. But she and Mal can't outrun their enemies for long.

The Darkling is more determined than ever to claim Alina's magic and use it to take the Ravkan throne. With nowhere else to turn, Alina enlists the help of an infamous privateer and sets out to lead the Grisha army.

But as the truth of Alina's destiny unfolds, she slips deeper into the Darkling's deadly game of forbidden magic, and further away from her humanity. To save her country, Alina will have to choose between her power and the love she thought would always be her shelter. No victory can come without sacrifice--and only she can face the oncoming storm.’

My Rating: 3.75/5 I did find this 2nd installment to be a solid follow-up to Shadow and Bone. I do feel invested in finishing this series because of the upcoming Netflix adaptation. I’m not sure if I’d read the 3rd installment otherwise TBH. I do want to be able to compare the books to the Netflix series.

12 | Act Your Age Eve Brown (Book #3 Brown Sisters) by Talia Hibbert

Description: ‘Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong. So she's given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself--even though she's not entirely sure how...

Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner's on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car--supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.

Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she's infiltrated his work, his kitchen--and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore... and it's melting Jacob's frosty exterior.’

My Rating: 4/5 We’ve already established that Talia Hibbert is a fav when it comes to contemporary romance novels I read but I’ll say it a final time. She’s great. Pick up any of her books if you’re in a romance mood. This was a very good close out to the Brown Sisters series (which I do recommend that you read in order). I enjoyed the representation of neurodivergent Main Characters in this book and it was nice to see glimpses of the characters in the 1st two Brown Sisters books.

Photo by Brigitte Tohm on Unsplash