A Lot Like Adios by Alexia Daria

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I was in a romance reading mood after my latest fantasy read. So I was happy to dive into A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria.  I enjoyed last year's You Had Me at Hola. I thought it was a fun read and I liked the primas relationship enough to follow Michelle's journey. I received an arc from Avon Books in exchange for an honest review.

This book is friends to lovers but also second chance romance in a way. Michelle and Gabe grew up as best friends. Right after high school graduation they have a moment where they finally acknowledge that there's something there between them but before they can fully explore Michelle discovers Gabe is moving away for college. Years later Gabe is estranged from his family and living on the West Coast as the owner of a very popular gym. He's working with an investor to expand and open up an East Coast location in NYC. Michelle is doing freelance work when she receives and email from Gabe's partner Fabian  asking for her help with marketing the new location. Since Fabian has babies on the way any day now, Gabe must be the one to go to New York and work on the future gym. Michelle finds out Gabe is now her client and she agrees to still take him on but gives him the condition that he must come stay with her. To add in some extra tension, her apartment is currently under renovations so she's staying at her parent's house which is right next door to his parents. 

I really loved how the families were written in this. Michelle is Puerto Rican and Italian and she has a lot of family and we get to experience some of her family events in this. It felt like felt like every Puerto Rican family gathering I've been to with every tia and tio making a dish to pass around, and the music, and the loudness. The way they openly embraced Gabe too just felt very real.  And then her best friends are her cousins which was also something I could identify with.

On the side of Gabe's family the expectations of growing up in a strict household, being a child of an immigrant parent, and toxic masculinity is all explored. Gabe was able to reflect on his upbringing with adult eyes and realize some of what he thought was absolutely unforgiveable wasn't as bad as he thought at the time. He was able to see how his parents were well intentioned even though the execution wasn't what was best.  And outside of that he realizes he also has an extended family in his friend Fabian and his growing family. 

The sex scenes were also very well done. Michelle was free to explore her likes and fantasies with no shame as Gabe was a willing participant. Both characters are bi and it's not made a big deal.

There are these interstitials where teen Michelle and Gabe are working on a fanfic for their favorite series. I wanted to love those sections as a former fanfic writer myself but I just couldn't I don't care about the planning process, especially since we knew very little about the show it was based off of. Latinos in spaaace told me nothing. By the time actual passages of the fanfic started being included it was the end of the book. I wasn't invested so I skimmed those parts. 

With so much going on some authors might deviate from the main couple to focus more on the issues with the family or at the gym but this story stays focused on Michelle and Gabe. So I truly feel like I got to know them and their insecurities and follow their growth. 

Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Bad Witch Burning was one that I hadn't hear much about and was a complete cover grab. I read Jessica Lewis's MG debut Meow or Never where she uses the pen name Jazz Taylor and thought that was a very cute contemporary about young girls navigating middle school life. I was interested in seeing what she would do in a supernatural/fantasy setting.

Katrell is a teen living in the hood with her single mother who is currently unemployed and heavily leaning on her to be the provider. Katrell busts her ass 30 hours a week in a low end burger joint just to keep the rent paid and some food on the table but it's never enough. On top of that her mother has Gerald, one of many in a string of horrible boyfriends in the picture. Gerald is a bum who eats all their food and barely works. On top of that he's abusive and Katrell fears having to live in the house with him. Katrell doesn't understand her mother's infatuation but is hoping she'll move on soon like she always does.

The one bright spot she has in her life. She has her sole friend Will who is there for her when life gets to be too much to bear. Will is a former foster child who has been through many of the same things. She worries about Katrell and does what she can whether it's offering her a hot meal or a place to spend the night.

Katrell has a special gift. She's not sure where it originated from but she has the ability to talk to ghosts. She makes extra money on the side writing letters that let people communicate with their dead loved ones. One day after a letter writing session she receives a warning from a ghost not to write any more letters as something big is about to happen.

Katrell is hurting and feeling broken after a blowout fight with Gerald results in the death of her beloved dog, Conrad. And despite the previous warning, she writes an emotional letter to her dog. She is shocked when Conrad ends up returning with no sign of being killed. Though he doesn't have a heartbeat and he's not his usual self. This leads Katrell to test out this newfound power which later leads her to charging people to resurrect their loved ones. She finally has a way to earn fast money quick and improve her lifestyle. But it doesn't take long for thing to get back quick with these remnants and soon Katrell finds her life spiraling out of control. 

This book was much darker than I expected but not dark as in dark magic in the very real depictions of violence, abuse, and neglect. At first when Katrell was talking about struggling to make ends meet  and going whole days without eating I was afraid this would be another YA where a poor character gets a come up and we ignore and wash over their neglectful parents abuse when they find a way out of their misery.  I had so many questions about why Katrell's mother didn't have them on government assistance at the bare minimum and why she expected her teenage daughter to take on the burden of providing for her and her man. And I was so glad that this book fully explored that toxic relationship.

Katrell truly believed that she had to love her mother because that's her mother. She made sure to hide the signs of parental neglect as much as she could making sure CPS never got involved. She has a great fear of being placed into the foster care system so much that she would rather take the abuse. It takes a lot for her to acknowledge that her mother doesn't give a damn about her despite Will pointing it out to her. But she has a guidance counselor at her school named Mike who observes how she's frequently absent from school, tired, and constantly hiding bruises. He is able to just offer her some kindness and show Katrell that she has adults in her life who care. And she had Will's adopted mother who cared more about her well being than her mother ever has. 

I could really hear Jessica Lewis' personal experience with these situations come through in her writing and I think made a world of difference. We always hear the writing advice to write what you know. But sometimes when I read books that tackle social issues I feel the writer is a little out of her element. It's been awhile since a book brought tears to my eyes but this story had that effect. Jessica Lewis manages to insert a bit of fantasy into a tough story about a young girl just trying to survive in a world that seems hopeless. 

Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett

 

Welcome Back Booklovers! So I finally decided to do a reread of a book I haven't reread in awhile. I really enjoyed Hollywood Homicide during my initial read of it back in 2017.  And even though this was a reread I couldn't remember who the killer was so it was almost like I was following along with the journey anew.  I've recommended this book multiple times and I even interviewed Kellye Garrett on here last year. 

Dayna Anderson is a broke retired actress struggling to find any kind of job to make ends me. She had one hit series of commercials for a fast food chain and not a lot since. Her father calls her and lets her know that her parents are behind their house payments. Even though she barely has any money she's determined to get the money for them even though he savings is wiped out, she's living in a closet, and she's scraping together gas money. She sees a billboard offering a big reward for tips that lead to an arrest in the case of a hit and run and she decides that's her key to saving her parents house. Dayna vaguely remembers passing near the scene on a night out and seeing a car speeding away so she starts her search for clues by contacting her friend Omari who she's been avoiding since that night. This leads her to a full on investigation as her friends Emme and Sienna worry about both her safety and sanity. 

I really enjoyed Dayna. This was a fun story that took me back to my high school days when Kyra Davis's Sophie Katz Murder Mystery books introduced me to amateur sleuth stories. Hollywood as a back drop is fresh and Kellye uses her background writing for television to write a character believable as a former actress. Dayna has unique best friends which made for a solid supporting cast. And I still laughed at Dayna's interactions with the woman who ran the tip hotline. 

Unlike in many amateur sleuth stories Dayna has no clue what she's doing and often fumbles which leads to crazy situations. This is a fast paced read with multiple red herrings that serves as a great introduction if you like contemporary stories but want to figure out if mystery is your thing. Or if you just want a light hearted mystery in the vein of a cozy but without the small town setting and less sanitized language. There's even a touch of romance as Dayna tries to figure out her complicated love life.

This book is currently out of print however you can still find used copies and the audiobook available for purchase. 

The Rebel Heir by Niobia Bryant

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I bought The Rebel Heir back in May because I was intrigued by the concept of romance between two high end chefs. This is described as an upstairs/downstairs romance and while Jillian may not have come from a chef dynasty like Cole she's built a pretty impressive resume as a food blogger turned private chef. While Cole is the rebellious brother opting to run his own food truck over being heavily involved in the family corporation. 

Jillian works as a private chef for the Cress family who run a culinary dynasty. She and Cole have had a friends with benefits relationship going on for a year now that they've kept secret. Or at least they thought they kept it secret until Cole's mother Nicollette pulls up at Jillian's condo and reveals she's know Jillian is sleeping with her son and she's not paying her for that. So while she fires Jillian she offers her a job as an executive chef at one of Cress Inc's West Coast restaurants. And Cole having heard the entire exchange, is upset when Jillian tells him she can't afford to be homeless and decides to take the job. 

Jillian and Cress realize they can't stop thinking about each other while they're apart and realize their feelings for each other are stronger than they thought. But while they reunite and Jillian moves back to NYC, Cress can't fully commit to her because he's afraid of being betrayed. His father cheating on his mother years ago has stuck with him. On top of that both his parents are so controlling he's constantly at odds with them. While Jillian and Cress know they're perfectly compatible in the bedroom it's outside of it where they're still figuring things out.

This is a multicultural romance. Cole Cress has a Black British father and a White French mother.  And there's plenty of French sprinkled throughout as the Cress family often switches between speaking French and English. I get a little weary of how biracial men are written in romance because sometimes they're written like their mixedness is what makes them sexy.  And colorism and featurism is highlighted. Other than finding it a little odd how every brother's look were compared to a famous biracial celebrity(The Rock, Daniel Sunjata, Lenny Kravitz) I was happy this story didn't play into that.

Niobia Bryant knows how to bring the steam. This might have been the hottest Harlequin Desire story I've read yet. And she brings the drama too. Jillian and Nicollette sparing certainly got my attention. And then you have Cole fighting with his father Phillip over family secrets. So if those are things you like in your romance then definitely check this out.

Interview with Synithia Williams

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm back with another author interview. If you've been following me for awhile you know I've been stanning the Jackson Falls series by Synithia William. It's a top recommendation for me when people ask for a good Black romance series. And I'm not someone who usually reads every romance in a series. So I knew I needed to get Synithia on here for an interview.

How did you get your start as an author?

I was first published in 2012, but I actively chose to pursue my dream of being a published writer in 2010. After a co-worker made a major life decision I realized if I wanted to write and publish a book I had to be willing to dedicate time and energy toward it. So, that’s what I did. I finished one of the three manuscripts I’d been playing around with, researched options for publishing and took the necessary steps.

What is the hardest part of the publishing process for you?

Starting a new book is always hard. Everytime I start I wonder how I completed a book previously. I saw someone say online “writing is hard because you want it to be good”. I realized that’s exactly why I struggle with each manuscript. I want it to be good, and I work hard to try and meet my reader’s expectations. 

Do you have a favorite book out of all the books you’ve written?

I have a few books that I enjoyed writing and are probably my favorites. A Heart to Heal, Guarding His Heart, Just My Type, and Careless Whispers are the ones that come to mind.

How did you find your writing group?

My first writing group were authors who all started out at the imprint Crimson Romance. Although Crimson Romance no longer exists, I still keep in touch with many of those original authors. My writer friends at Crimson lead me to other authors. I’ve mostly met people online and later in person. My online writer friends led me to a retreat in Destin Florida where I met my current writing crew, the ladies who are so supportive and amazing, the Destin Divas.

Are there any stories you would like to see more of on shelves?

I love fantasy and paranormal romances. I’d love more of them with adult Black characters. I know they are out there, but I'm greedy and will always want more. Especially space operas. Give me Black adults in space, please! Lol!

What can you tell us about Foolish Hearts?

Foolish Hearts is the last installment of my Jackson Falls Series. For those who read the first book Forbidden Promises you may have noticed the hints about the couple in Foolish Hearts. It’s a second chance romance (one of my favorite tropes). Ashiya and Russell dated previously, but Ashiya’s heart was elsewhere. She broke his heart and now they have to work together to help Ashiya claim her inheritance and forge a partnership with her family’s larger corporation. Sparks fly and feelings are tested as these two determine if they can make a relationship work this time around.

What does Spicy Southern Romance mean to you?

When I first started writing I wanted more books set in the South. I love New York, LA, and Texas, but there is a lot of sexiness in the Southeastern states. Lol. Most of my books are set in a southern location. Even if they’re somewhere else (A New York Kind of Love or A Malibu Kind of Romance) there are ties to the south. What can I say, I’m a country girl and I love representing the area where I grew up.

What are some of your favorite memories of growing up in The South?

Hanging out with my cousins after church on Sundays, packing up the car for a trip to the beach or Carowinds, picking pecans from my great grandparents trees, getting super excited about the possibility of snow for it to never happen.

What dishes are a must try for someone visiting South Carolina for the first time?

Hmm...I’m a fan of mustard based bar-b-que sauce.. My husband will fight anyone who claims mustard over vinegar based. We grew up in different parts of the state and therefore our preferences are very different. I’d say try bar-b-que in the Upstate, Midlands and Pee Dee regions to see if you prefer mustard, vinegar or ketchup based.

Have you picked up any new hobbies or rediscovered hobbies you enjoy during the pandemic?

Not at all! Lol! All I’ve done during this pandemic is buy more tiaras, watch more K Dramas, and eat a lot more food. I have no regrets whatsoever! :) 

You can keep up with Synithia Williams on Twitter @SynithiaW and on Instagram @synithiaw .  And it's not too late to start her Jackson Falls series.

Mixed Match by Mia Heintzelman

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Mixed Match is a book that's been on my TBR for well over a year. So I was determined to finish it in the month of August.  These are characters in their 30s and the cover was giving me rom-com teas. Plus reading more indie-published romance is a goal of mine. 

Sophia Kent is has moved to Portland from Las Vegas into the house she received in her divorce settlement. She's trying to make a fresh start. And a part of her is trying to prove to her mother and cousin that she can make it on her own. She's a a trained chef with dreams of opening her own restaurant. But right now she's stuck in a rut which consists of plenty of ice cream to go along with her moods and horror movie marathons. Cousin Julie insists she needs to find a new man to get under.

Everett Monroe own's a family real estate business. The Monroe family has had a long standing feud with the Harmon family. His grandmother was tricked out of signing over her home before she died and he's ready to get it back. He's surprised when he meets the woman now residing in his home. Between his instant attraction towards her and his urge to discover her intentions he decides to get close to her. And to get close to her he can't have her discover that he's the man who is trying to take away her home. 

It was a little clunky for me at first. Sophia and Everett meet when he's serving her papers at her new home. And they are immediately turned on by each other. Their lust for each other is very much in your face. This story is also dropped Hatfields and McCoys references multiple times and I had already figured out it was that type of story before so I didn't see the need to spell it out again and again. 

I liked reading about them spending time with each other while Sophia got familiarized with Portland like the farmer' market trip and hiking dates . And I liked how Sophia also built a friendship with Everett's sister, Zora. Everett has Zora and his friend Mike to support him and help him understand his growing feelings.

Now where this book shined was in the sex scenes. The first one especially is so hot. They're driving in a car and Sophia decides she's ready to risk it all. It's a race to get to an area they can pull over at before they crash because they can't keep their hands off each other. 

I'm very conflicted about this one because while I started to like Everett and Sophia together; their entire relationship is built on a lie. She doesn't even know his first and last name! But at the same time he loved his grandmother and was fighting to get back what was stolen from her. And he does try and support Sofia when he realizes she's not like the Harmons and help her find a retail space for her restaurant. I just couldn't get completely invested in them. I'll probably read the next book in the series because I really liked Zora.

Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Could Be by Nichole Perkins

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I don't usually read a lot of non-fiction and especially not memoirs but from the time I saw this cover it was calling my name. Something about those nails and the pink dress and the dripping peach. I started following Nichole Perkins partially because I never saw anyone spell their name like that outside of my sister. But her tweets more often than not were coming across my timelines and I agreed with her takes. I didn't go in with any expectations and I think that's what made this such a wild ride.  I received a gifted finished copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nichole Perkins has lived a life! She doesn't hold back from the first essay Fast she explores her relationship and somewhat obsession with sex in a way I've never heard anyone be so blatantly honest before. I had to push some of my own judgement and bias aside just to read some of these essays. And she uses pop culture to mark different events over phases in her life. Like her love of Prince's music and the way he explores sex throughout his catalog. To her experience being a mistress and the awkward Aim and email conversations with the wife probing her for tips. 

She has an essay titled White Boys and explains where she tries to breakdown her obsession with dating them and realizing that the at the end of the day they're still men no different from other men. She also details in another essay an experience with a particular white man who set off all her red flags and pushed her boundaries in ways she's learned to never compromise over again. 

I loved the essay about Niles Crane and holding what's considered unrealistic expectations for your lover. Not to mention I agree with her that Fraiser is a good way to test your potential partner. If they can't get with the witty intellectual humor of that how than they probably won't understand me. And in My Kameelah-Ass List she reflects on what qualities she would like her ideal man to have.

But it's not just her love life and sexual exploits that make this memoir worth a read. I liked what she wrote about her family as well. She talks about the household she grew up in with a momma who was holding everything down while in an abusive relationship with her father. And her mother finding her own voice and sense of liberation and control through Janet Jackson. She writes about her relationship with her sister and the bonding moments over TV shows, music, and movies. There's the relationship with her brother where she's always been his keeper because he has special needs and she grew up learning to  stand up for him. How her favorite aunt tried to help her get away from the family dysfunction with book buying outings where she would indulge her love of romance.

As an HBCU grad she discusses the roles HBCU have played in her life. She grew up in Tennessee near 3 HBCUs so it was never a question whether she was going to one or not. It was choosing which one to go to and she opted for the further away Dillard to experience being on her own away from home. She gets into how freeing it was to be educated in an environment where her skin color didn't matter and the start difference when compared to her high school and grad school days. 

Even if you think you aren't like Nichole it's hard not to be able to relate to parts of her stories. Whether it be the questioning of Christianity because the church has let you down in the past or relating to the sentiment of not wanting to end up alone but also not wanting to compromise your ideals. This was a great read and even though non fiction isn't my usual go-to I highly suggest checking this out even if you just decide to read the essays as a slow read. 

Foolish Hearts by Synithia Williams

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! August is just flying by and there's so many new releases I'm still looking forward to over the next couple of months. The Jackson Falls series by Synithia Williams is one that I got hooked on this year. Every book has been better than the last and I'm so invested in the Robidoux family. It's the soap opera goodness I've been missing since I stopped watching soaps. So I was very excited after reading Careless Whispers that another book would be released this year.  And I was lucky enough to receive a finished copy from Synithia Williams and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.

Foolish Hearts follows Robidoux cousin Ashiya who owns a designer thrift store in Jackson Falls. She's happy away from the corporate drama of the Robidouxs. One day she finds out that her estranged grandmother on her father's side willed her majority shares of her multi-million dollar company The Legacy Group. Though Ashiya has never been interested in corporate powerplays she's determined to prove to her estranged family that they're wrong about her.

Russell is still nursing his broken heart from when Ashiya shattered it a few years ago. He has hopes of moving into the CEO position at Robidoux believing that the power that comes with that title will help him find a lead in the case of his missing brother. When he's assigned to work as a consultant for Ashiya he must put his old feeling of hurt aside. 

So they ditch Jackson Falls for Hilton Head, South Carolina where Ashiya has to prove herself to the Waters family. She immediately classes with her cousin Levi who believes she's stealing the company out from under him when he worked so hard with his grandmother to keep it thriving. As Ashiya and Russell work together they try to fight old feelings.

I liked that Synithia gave me something different than what I usually see in romance books. Russell was the one who had put his all into a relationship with Ashiya and wound up getting his heart broken. So he had to be a lot more guarded this time around. And she had to work a little harder to get him to trust her again. Plus outside of helping her, he is determined to find out what happened to his brother when he disappeared years ago. So there's a mystery element involved in the story as he searches for clues. 

Ashiya is dealing with PSTD from a childhood incident that she's never been able to move past. Her parents aren't helpful because they should've been divorced years ago but decided to stay together for the sake of their child but they can't stand to be in the same room together. Plus Ashiya's mother is a Robidoux so she's just as ambitious as Grant and Elaina and sees this as a big opportunity to get her hands in the company she missed out on and the only reason she married into the Water's family in the first place.

Like the other books in this series Foolish Hearts is fast-paced and balances drama with steamy scenes to keep you hooked. 

A Blues Singer to Redeem Him by Elle Jackson

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! So this book has a lot of tropes I usually avoid in romance but still I was intrigued. The usual archetypes in historical romance just don't really appeal to me. And with IR historical I'm extra weary of them dancing around slavery and racism while I'm supposed to root for this woman of color fighting for a place in a society that doesn't accept her all for a man who historically wouldn't have accepted her and whose family would've been involved in the oppression of her people. I also steer clear of any type of mafia, gang, and cartel romance. But I decided to give Elle Jackson's Harlequin Historical a chance as the 20th century setting and the synopsis intrigued me. I read the synopsis and wondered how the hell the author planned to make this work without Lorenzo coming off as too much a white savior.  And after reading the early chapters wondered how a happy ending would come about in the midst of such violence. 

Evelyn is living in the hidden town of West Eden after being displaced from her home of Greenwood during the 1921 Tulsa Massacre. It's been a few years and to the general public it's as if the event never happened but she still bears physical and emotional scars from that horrific night. She's living with her grandmother in this thriving all Black town but needs a way to make some money to help with her healthcare expenses.

Lorenzo comes from a major crime family in Kansas City. Though he left the family business his father continues to try and pull him back in. But just because he left the mob doesn't mean he's completely legit. Lorenzo runs a popular 24 hr club called Blues Moon and an illegal distillery. And when Evelyn first walks into his club ready to audition for the role of his lead singer he's so smitten he's ready to give her the gig without even hearing her sing. 

After he rescues her from an assault by local KKK members, he sets her up with a swanky apartment above his club. Evelyn is navigating being on her own without the watchful eye of her grandmother and brother and experiencing her first real relationship. She and Lorenzo are attracted to each other but their families don't want them together. Evelyn knows she should not be feeling these feelings for a man who looks just like the men who took her family away from her. And Lorenzo is still grappling with losing an ex-girlfriend because of his violent family connections. Aside from that there's the looming threat of the KKK who are obsessed with them.

Despite the title this isn't the story of Lorenzo's redemption alone. Lorenzo and Evelyn have chemistry but where the book shines the most is in it's ability to approach a difficult history. This book does not shy away from the violence of the KKK and white rioters. The author specifically set out to tell an untold story of Black history despite how ugly the truth is. The prologue is set during the events of  the massacre when Evelyn and her family are packing to flee Greenwood. And my heart was pounding for them. I thought she did a great job unpacking Evelyn's trauma while still allowing her to have moments of levity, discover her sexuality, and become a confident and fearless woman.

There was just a tad too much, "I love you! But I must push you away because my life is so dangerous!" drama coming from Lorenzo. I understand he was trying to prove himself as the good one who is unlike his father. The mobster's son who refuses to kill and steers clear of violence as much as possible. But his emotions gave me whiplash and were a little exhausting towards the end. And then Evelyn just started acting stupid the further in love she fell. She of all people already knew how relentless the KKK are, yet she figured made some actions towards the end that just irritated me because she felt too smart for that. I hate when writers feel the need to dumb characters down to get them in the mix of conflict.

That being said this was still a solid read. This year marks 100 years since the Tulsa Massacre. There's something to be said about the way fictional stories like this can help people connect to the past in a way non fiction may deter them. Maybe someone will pick up this story and be inspired to discover more about the history behind it.

Awaken the Dragon by A.C. Arthur

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm finally picking up some monster smut! I haven't read a paranormal romance in a long time but I've been interested in this series for awhile now. And Read Love Listen said I needed to check it out. And A.C. Arthur has a good amount of shifter romance under her belt so I figured I was in good hands.

It was a little rocky for me at first and I thought this was going to be smut with a loose plot but I ended up enjoying this one once it got settled into the world and I learned a little more about the characters. 

Shola N'Gara is Yoruba from the village of Mobo and she has traveled to a former Pennsylvania mining town called Burgess.  She is engaged and being guarded by Legion's Security Company until her upcoming nuptials. But Shola has a secret. She is destined to kill her future husband who is a dark vampire lord. 

Theo Masters is a 300 year old half human and half dragon living outside of the Far Realm. He's chosen to live a quiet life as a human having distanced himself from his royal blood long ago. His security company has been tasked with protecting Shola. And she has him ready to unleash the beast within.

This story felt a little cyberpunk and as someone who loved Dark Angel I was here for those vibes. And I hope the next books in the series expand more on how this world came to be and the technology they use. With mentions of the existence of fae, witches, werewolves, and other preternatural beings there's plenty of mythos ripe for storytelling here. I also liked how African spirituality was also included here. Shola often calls upon the goddess, Oya for blessings and guidance.

And it was steamy. I know Carina Press has different heat levels but I'm still used to my tradition published books being hot but a little subdued. Whereas Shola and Theo were free to show their unabashed love of sex. Shola is out here attempting to save her village and get some dick at the same time. And unlike previous paranormal romance I've read there's no questionable behavior blurring the lines of  consent. 

I started listening to this via audio but then wound up downloading the ebook too so I could understand some of the world. It's very fast-paced and a little easy to get lost if you aren't paying attention. You learn things about this world along the way instead of being given a lot of prior backstory. A quick and smutty read with a little big of fantasy to get lost in.

Also this was a Hoopla borrow for me and a few other people said they were able to find it on their Hoopla too so if you're interested I recommend checking for it there first.

ATE by Rilzy Adams

 

Welcome Back,  Booklovers! One of this year's goals was to incorporate more indie reads. And I haven't been doing a great job. I always hear my romance loving friends praise Rilzy Adam's steamy writing. And I also wanted to check her out since she's a Caribbean author. I was lucky enough to win a content she was hosting where I received a few of her books. Everyone said read ATE because it's short and sexy. And sometimes you're just looking for a quick read where the heroine gets her back blown out.

ATE is definitely sexy. This novelette centers around Tempest who hires a private chef to cook a celebratory dinner in honor of the major deal she's made selling her hair and skincare company. Her best friend has to cancel at the last minute leaving Tempest to dine by herself.

Chef Russ Bradley is usually cool and confident in the kitchen but the woman before him has him barely holding himself together. Sexual tension is heavy in the air as he does his best to try and focus on the task at hand.

It's erotica and Rilzy definitely delivers when it comes to the sex scenes. Chemistry will make or break a story like this and Tempest and Russ have plenty to spare. They connect very easily so there's a playful banter between them. And Russ and Tempest manage to fit in a couple of rounds while each steamy sex scene manages to be hotter than the next. I liked that they were all a little different so it didn't feel like you are reading the same one back to back.

If you're just looking for a smutty quick fix and a little food play intrigues you then definitely check this one out!

Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I was lucky last year to have the opportunity to both read Raybearer early and interview author Jordan Ifueko. And it was one of the best fantasy reads of 2020 for me. So you don't understand how excited I was to get an early copy of the sequel from Abrams Kids. 

We revisit the world of Aritsar where Tarsai is working on creating her own council as she takes on her new role as Empress Redemptor. The beginning of the story starts off with a bang! I did not expect what happened so early on but it grabbed my attention. 

While Tarisai is determined to help the people and unite the realms, her council siblings are reluctant to see things her way. Some of them feel she's dramatically changed and should leave things the way they've always been. They feel she was selfish offering herself up to the Underworld without consulting them. Even Sanjeet has trouble understand her motivations though he tries to stand buy her and support her the best he can.

Tarisai is still grappling with her complicated relationship with the need to be loved. She still at times feel like that little girl who wanted her mother's attention. So when she tries to build her own council he has trouble connecting with potential council members because she must open herself up in a way she never has before. And she spends most of her time trying to bury her past and present a stronger more perfect image of herself. She has to learn that erasing the past won't change the future and that suppressing her memories isn't the best option. 

Throughout the story she's being taunted by the spirits of dead children called the Ojiji who keep telling her that's she's weak and must work harder. While doing this they also spill some truths that keep Tarisai doubting herself. Those parts did get a little repetitive for me but that didn't completely ruin enjoyment of this story. I wish Tar would've been more open with her council siblings about their visits. 

There are many new characters introduced but I would say the most notable for me were Woo In's sister Princess Min Ja and King Zuri. I did want to see some more of the old council though. They had their presence but because of new ways to avoid council sickness they were split between different realms. Ai Ling has a strong presence and helps Tarisai throughout providing her much needed support alongside Dayo. I also enjoyed her bond with Kirah. And of course I was still happy to see her complicated relationship with Sanjeet even though he wasn't on page as much as I would've liked. This story does delve a bit more into his asexuality and his feelings towards being a ruler and continuing the Kunleo line. 

While I enjoyed this and it's a solid end to the duology I didn't enjoy it as much as Raybearer. I felt like it spent a little too much time building towards Tarisai's trip to the Underworld which didn't happened until part V. So part IV and V were loaded the heavier action and shocking twists while most of part II and III ebbed along. Which made the story feel longer than it actually was. I find that a lot of epic fantasies struggle with the pacing in the middle of the story. This could've been corrected in this case with a little less emphasis on the need to complete the council and Tarisai feeling inadequate. I felt Raybearer was a little more evenly paced. However this still had some unexpected twists and is one of the stronger YA series I've read. Jordan Ifueko's descriptive writing continues to shine through allowing readers to experience a wide range of emotions while reading.

A Winning Season by Rochelle Alers

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! It's August already and there's so many books I still want to get to before the year ends. A Winning Season promised a small town romance featuring a former baseball player and the girl next door.

Zoey Allen's younger brother  Harper gets into a bit of trouble after attempting to break into former baseball player, Sutton Reeds. Sutton decides that he doesn't want to subject a young Black boy to an unfair justice system and instead makes an agreement with him to do something productive and encourages him to try out for sports. As Sutton mentors the boy and gets settled back into his hometown, he and Zoey become good friends.

Ever read a book where the pacing was both too fast and too slow at the same time? That was my dilemma with this story. I felt Zoey and Sutton very quickly became friends in the beginning of the story so the middle started moving extremely slow while trying to be slow burn romance. And then they were talking about marriage and it felt too fast again.

There was also a lot of repetition in here accompanied by random info dumps in between unrelated dialogue. By the time Zoey and Sutton actually mentioned certain things to each other I had to remember that previously they'd just been thinking about those things for paragraphs on end. I felt as if we read over an over again how Zoey had to grow up fast because she had to take care of her little brothers after her father and stepmother died, how close Zoey was to her stepmother despite their close age difference, how Sutton enjoyed be a mentor to boys who grew up without a father like him, and how shallow his ex wife was. And if I had to read the phrase "pregnant pause" one more time!

Zoey and Sutton did have chemistry but not enough chemistry to hold this book together for me in it's entirety. I understood they were attracted to each other but I didn't understand how it translated to this great love for each other over both being nice people. They also seemed to be in two very different positions in life. I know love is about compromise but Sutton was ready to settle down while Zoey was ready to get her independent adult life started. I contemplated DNFing this book but didn't only because a follower sent it to me and it's short page length. But it started getting painful and unbelievable. 

And  while I definitely appreciate authors using conflict other than 3rd act breakup to create drama the way it was done here was bad. Bad because there was no build up and it happened in the last chapter which then included a very quick and forced wrap up.