The Expeditioners and the Treasure of Drowned Man's Canyon (The Expeditioners, #1) by S.S. Taylor, Katherine Roy (Illustrator)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Computers have failed, electricity is extinct, and the race to discover new lands is underway! Brilliant explorer Alexander West has just died under mysterious circumstances, but not before smuggling half of a strange map to his intrepid children—Kit the brain, M.K. the tinkerer, and Zander the brave. Why are so many government agents trying to steal the half-map? (And where is the other half?) It’s up to Alexander’s children—the Expeditioners—to get to the bottom of these questions, and fast.

I just finished reading The Expeditioners with my son and we both enjoyed it. Although, I do think he liked it more than I did. I found it hard to suspend my disbelief when three kids were taking on tasks that were wholly unbelievable at best. I wish their dad's friend had stuck around after their impromptu visit, but he didn't show back up until the end. There were very convenient solutions to all of their problems that seemed to appear out of nowhere (like a flamethrower or a boat), and the author's explanation was basically a utility vest. How did the vest work? How did the mechanics allow for the seemingly impossible to happen? I wanted to better understand the story and the world Taylor had created.

I will say that the illustrations were amazing. My son would always hop out of bed to study them more intently. They really added a whole other level to the storytelling that we both found interesting and engaging. I also liked the secret code and wish the reader had played more of a role in deciphering it. Unfortunately, it's like we're on the outside looking in and experiencing everything secondhand. I wanted to feel like I was uncovering hidden truths alongside Kit and his siblings, not as a bystander waiting for something to happen.

Three very young kids managed to travel all over the world, survive on very little food and water (if any at all), and all of the problems resolved themselves quickly and without much effort on their part. I also think the author was trying to insinuate a potential relationship between Kit (I think he was 14) and a girl that joined their group about halfway through. It felt awkward and out of place in the story, especially when his older brother also seemed interested.

Speaking of girls, both brothers drooled over a different girl later on and it was weird and uncomfortable. The sting of jealousy their friend experiences also felt out of place given their dire circumstances. Their comments about her beauty were off-putting and didn't feel natural at all.

The entire ending felt rushed and someone's death felt forced into the story instead of happening in a believable way. We were also given very little background information on the person to make their story and personal history relevant to the events that take place. It felt like the author wanted to end this book just to set up the second, and I wish more time had been spent developing the characters, world, and how everything in it worked. I shouldn't still feel confused at the end.

Overall, it's a fun story. However, it's not a series I will be continuing. My son might decide to pick up the next book on his own, but he hasn't asked about it yet. (★★★☆☆)

Legacy of Shadows, Anchor of Secrets & Destiny of Ashes (Supernaturals of Castle Academy, #1-3) by Tessa Hale

Synopsis for Legacy of Shadows (via Goodreads): All I wanted was to keep my head above water. To survive long enough to hit my eighteenth birthday so I could escape the nightmare that my homelife had become. But all of that was turned upside down the moment they showed up.

The best friend from my past. The surly brooder. The kind-hearted nerd. The king of campus. The dark one.

They say they’re here to give me a fresh start in a place where I’m safe, warm, and cared for. And I can’t deny the pull I feel to all five of them. The buzz that lights beneath my skin when they touch me. And for the first time, I feel like I might belong.

But not everything is as it seems. These guys have secrets. Ones that will rip my world wide open. But when a dark evil begins stalking us, we’re all in for the fight of our lives…

*this review is for all three books in the series

Was this series good? No.

Did I enjoy reading it? Yes.

I read all three books in the Supernaturals of Castle Academy series in two days. They're short and fun to read, but I laughed out loud during serious moments, and actually caught myself rolling my eyes on several occasions because of  how cringey some of the dialogue was. 

The high school setting and drama was overdone. I don't think they made it through a single day without something bad happening while they were at school. They would leave for this or that crisis, or something terrible happened to Leighton, and then they'd leave without really worrying about the consequences. However, they always worried about getting detention for fighting or being late (the least of their problems). The mean girl bulling was laughable and not at all believable. It got old fast. 

Leighton, LeeLee, passed out so many times I lost count. She was always waking up in her room with medical equipment and finding it difficult to open her eyes, yet somehow she managed to pull through once she realized she was surrounded by her "guys." That plot line felt abused. It didn't help that she repeatedly put herself in bad situations RIGHT AFTER everyone said they'd be close by and nothing would happen to her. She just conveniently found herself in danger an obnoxious amount of times. 

She also said the weirdest, most random things... like wishing hemorrhoids and diarrhea on people instead of actual death threats. Her mates found it endearing, but it was obnoxious. She acted like a child and not the 17-18 year old she was supposed to be. It made the sexual aspects of the story feel weird. Don't even get me started on the mewling and milking. Ack. Their relationships and declarations of love happened way too quickly and with seemingly no effort on her part. They worshipped the ground she walked on... but why?

I also wished the author had developed a relationship between her and Sam, or the girl from the department store. Leighton was never with anyone other than Colt, Ronan, Declan, Dash, and Trace. It would have helped her character development if she'd had friends. (Trace was easily my favorite. The others tended to blend together, unfortunately.)

Additionally, explaining her magic in more detail and actually making her work to learn how to use it would have helped with believability. She was just oh-so perfect and an expert at overcoming her past. Where was the struggle? And I'm not talking about the endless panic attacks that always resulted in her mates coddling her. Leighton needed a backbone. 

I enjoyed the world and the supernatural abilities. You don't see too many stories out there about incubi, and I've always found them interesting. The combination of casters, shifters (dragon and wolf), vampires, incubi, and demons kept things interesting. More history surrounding the individual groups would have been nice.  

Overall, it was fun to read. The books themselves are short and the plot moves along fairly quickly. I wish the characters had felt older, instead they acted like 13-14 year old's playing at being adults. Even the adults acted like children. Some of their personalities gave me mental whiplash. I think fleshing out the characters would have made this story so much better than it was, and making their situation feel believable despite being fantasy. (★★⭑☆☆)

War Queen (The War Brides of Adrik, #1) by Jordyn Alexander

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Cursed at birth with fairy-like beauty, Queen Adalind has only ever known pain and death at the hands of men.

Always a prize to be coveted, she doesn't know that she can trust any male. When Adalind must save her kingdom after the death of her cruel husband during a war he started with the nearby orc kingdom, the jaded queen offers herself up as a sacrifice. The orc king will receive a bride with magical beauty and she will save her subjects from more slaughter. What she doesn't expect is to be attracted to her future husband or find him to an honorable orc.

King Rognar is merely seeking to end the war started by the humans, take his pound of flesh and go home.

What he is not expecting is to be challenged by a beautiful, politically savvy queen, who seems to offer him everything he could ever want. But as he gets to see the real woman beneath her icy exterior, he finds that what he truly wants is Adalind's heart. As passion ignites between them, can they trust each other and rule two kingdoms?

Or will all the forces that conspire against them tear them and their kingdoms, apart?

I read War Queen by Jordyn Alexander in two days! I can't remember the last time I wanted to read a book without stopping, so naturally I've already ordered book two, War Mistress, from Amazon. I'm impatiently awaiting its arrival and cannot wait to start Pellia and Verrick's story! War Queen gave me Ice Planet Barbarians vibes, and I was totally here for it. 

My one teeny tiny complaint would be that I wanted more from the story. I wish the book had been longer and the author had fleshed out some of the secondary characters, places in the story, and some of the worldbuilding. Hopefully, we'll get more of that as the series continues. I thought the Orikesh words and history were fascinating, loved the runes and the magic surrounding them, and I thought the places they stayed at and visited were really interesting. 

I wanted to know more about their childhoods, how their lives looked in the present (before meeting), and would have preferred a slightly slower buildup for their relationship. I also thought what she cried out once while orgasming was a little odd, but maybe a lot of people scream about being empty right before they're filled. 😅

I would also like more information regarding the Cabal and where they stand now that several of their members are gone. I also think more backstory regarding how they got started, how often they meet, what their methods are, etc. would add more to the overall story. We all love a good villain to hate. 

The romance was sweet, the sex was hot, and I definitely wouldn't be opposed to an orc lover after reading War Queen. They seem to be more considerate than most of the men I've met. Also, their sibilance sounds lovely. I'm hoping we see more of that in War Mistress. Like I said, if you enjoyed Ice Planet Barbarians, War Queen is definitely one to consider. A quick, fun, and delicious read. (★★★★☆)

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes used in this review are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Endless (Starcrossed, #7) by Josephine Angelini

Synopsis (via Goodreads): The highly anticipated conclusion to the international bestselling Starcrossed saga.

The dice have always been loaded against her.

Helen was always fated to start a war.

Even after defeating the Olympians and taking up the mantle as the most powerful of all the Scions, Helen still wasn’t able to save her father. Bereft and betrayed by Lucas, Helen falls into a downward spiral… but the Fates aren’t done with her yet.

Star-crossed in love, she was destined for destruction.

The cycle was never meant to be broken.

Helen learns that her final purpose is to be the spark that sets the whole world on fire. To prevent this from happening, she must do the impossible, and defeat the Moirae. If she fails, she risks ending up like Oedipus, meeting her fate on the road she has taken to escape it.

Will love be the key that finally trumps fate?

I still can't believe I just read the last book in Josie's Starcrossed series. These books have been in my life for over a decade, and Josie is one of the nicest people I've ever met. I've always wanted more of Helen and Lucas' story, so I am ecstatic that I had an opportunity to read an early copy of Endless and help promote this series over the last few years. Not only did she continue their story, but she crafted an entirely new spinoff as well. I really enjoyed seeing the beginnings of certain side characters, and I think it added a lot of depth to the overall story.

Helen is grieving at the start of Endless. It's authentic and her behaviors are relatable. I also liked that she'd paired up with Hector who was battling his own demons. I loved how their relationship developed in the last book and think their closeness was even more apparent in this book. They love each other, have even loved other romantically in the past (for more on that read Timeless), but they genuinely care for each other. 

Did I miss the sexual tension from the last book? Yes. I enjoyed seeing her chaotic emotions land her in steamy water on several occasions. I still really, really want a scene with Orion, Hector and Helen, in case the Angelini gods are listening. Maybe throw Morpheus in there for good measure. However, I can appreciate that sexual tension wasn't the point of Endless. Lucas and Helen eventually manage to have a conversation, there are circumstances that bring certain things to light, and we finally see them overcome yet another obstacle that stood in their way. 

Do I wish there had been more? Yes. I felt Helen let go of her grief, something she'd struggled with for most of the book, without much thought. I wanted more from her time in the Elysian Fields. I wish we could have felt her letting go of the weight she'd been carrying around for so long. I also wanted a more satisfying interaction between her and Lucas once they'd also sorted themselves out. I wanted more from the epilogue and what their lives looked like now. I think I'll always want more from this series. Josie has written an amazing book, but I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with how she chose to end it, simply because it ended. 

It's so hard to say goodbye to this series. I'm already looking forward to the day I pick up the first book and start again from the beginning. There's just something about these characters and this story that makes you want to reach for them again and again. It doesn't matter that I'm much older now, the story remains the same. Thank you, Josie, for creating something incredible. Thank you for allowing me to participate in the Star Squad, and for all the friends I've made along the way. I will forever treasure your books and this experience. (★★★★☆)

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes used in this review are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Midnight on Beacon Street by Emily Ruth Verona

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A suspenseful and entertaining debut thriller—and love letter to vintage horror movies—in which a teenager must overcome her own anxiety to protect the two children she’s babysitting when strangers come knocking at the door.

October 1993. One night. One house. One dead body.

When single mom Eleanor Mazinski goes out a for a much-needed date night, she leaves her two young children —sweet, innocent six-year-old Ben and precocious, defiant twelve-year-old Mira— in the capable hands of their sitter, Amy. The quiet seventeen-year-old is good at looking after children, despite her anxiety disorder. She also loves movies, especially horror flicks. Amy likes their predictability; it calms the panic that threatens to overwhelm her.

The evening starts out normally enough, with games, pizza, and dancing. But as darkness falls, events in this quaint suburban New Jersey house take a terrifying turn —unexpected visitors at the door, mysterious phone calls, and by midnight, little Ben is in the kitchen standing in a pool of blood, with a dead body at his feet.

In this dazzling debut novel, Emily Ruth Verona moves back and forth in time, ratcheting up suspense and tension on every page. Chock-full of nods to classic horror films of the seventies and eighties, Midnight on Beacon Street is a gripping thriller full of electrifying twists and a heartwarming tale of fear and devotion that explores our terrors and the lengths we’ll go to keep our loved ones safe.

I didn't like Midnight on Beacon Street as much as I thought I would. I assumed it would be a quick read since it's a short book, but I never felt compelled to pick it up. I would see it sitting somewhere and think, "Oh, I should finish that." The story simply wasn't captivating and the characters weren't very likeable. Whether that's from a lack of development or dull descriptions, it's difficult to say. It's hard to care about characters when you don't know enough for them to matter.

I wasn't a fan of the overall pacing. Typically flashbacks are used to help readers understand what's happening in the present, or to give a character more depth, but these felt like random instances in someone's life. After finishing the book, I can see what the author was maybe hoping to highlight, but I don't feel like the information gleaned from those moments was all that helpful. I think I would have preferred a more linear storytelling for this book. The back and forth overcomplicated the story.

The abbreviations of their names was also something I found annoying. M? B? I would have preferred the author just used their names instead, since it did take a few chapters for me to associate letters with people. It was too much mental work.

Did I anticipate who the "bad guy" was? No. However, I think that goes back to the lack of character development. It could have been anyone... though I'm still not entirely sure what motivated them. There was too much background noise. Verona says a lot without actually saying anything at all. The ending itself was very underwhelming. 

I didn't DNF the book because it wasn't very long. Although, I was tempted to just skip to the end, see who the killer was, and then move on. I think I would have enjoyed Midnight on Beacon Street more if the characters had been fleshed out, the flashbacks had been more informative, and the pacing had been a little quicker. (★★⋆☆☆)

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes used in this review are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2) by Rebecca Yarros Narrated by Rebecca Soler & Teddy Hamilton

Synopsis (via Goodreads): “The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

I still haven't reviewed Fourth Wing, but decided to go ahead and write this one while the story was still fresh on my mind. I was already late to the game with this series, but I put myself on the waiting list for an audiobook at my library as soon as I was able to after falling in love with these characters during Fourth Wing. Additionally, Rebecca Soler is one of my absolute favorite narrators and she does an amazing job with this series. 

Yarros not only makes me fall in love with Violet and Xaden, but every secondary character is beloved as well. Losing any of them would be devasting to my heart, so that final battle in Iron Flame had my pulse racing right along with Violet's. I was already worried about finishing the book since everyone said they literally stared at a wall for 20 minutes afterwards, but I still wasn't expecting the cliffhanger we're left with. Haven't we been through enough by now?

I will say that I didn't like how long it took Violent and Xaden to work through their issues. A lack of communication between characters is a huge turn off for me in books, especially when they're romantically involved. Violet knew who he was before she fell in love with him, yet she made demands and put expectations on him that were a bit unfair. She didn't completely trust him because he wouldn't tell her everything, but everyone in this series has secrets, including her. She kept demanding total honesty and full disclosure despite other lives being at risk if she knew. Yarros managed to address these issues in a way that wasn't cringeworthy, so at least that aspect of the book was tolerable and didn't ruin everything else for me. 

The dragons are still my favorite part of these books. I love their sarcasm and menacing attitudes, especially when directed towards their own riders. Their personalities are perfection. Adolescent Adarna is an absolute delight to read about, and her getting on Tairn's nerves never fails to make me smile. I'm really happy we learned more about them in Iron Flame because so much is still a mystery. 

Love, betrayal, unexpected plot twists, new friends and frenemies, dragons and gryphons, riders and flyers, war, loss - Iron Flame has all that and more. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy fantasy and fast-paced adventure stories. (★★★★★)

Fall of Ruin and Wrath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis (via Goodreads): SHE LIVES BY HER INTUITION. HE FEEDS ON HER PLEASURE.

Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.

Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.

When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.

When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.

Calista must follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.

I finished Fall of Ruin and Wrath in less than twenty-four hours, and I'm still thinking about it a week later. Talk about a book hangover! I just wish there had been more worldbuilding and that it hadn't ended on a massive cliffhanger. I'm going to have to wait an eternity to find out what happens next. 

I think I liked this one so much because of the similarities to ACOTAR, but they weren't overly obvious. There are mental shields, a very big stay-with-the-High-Lord vibe, and some questionable word choices. This book has Starborn, which is similar to SJM's Crescent City series. The elite class is also known as Hyhborn (very cold and unfeeling, ancient and powerful), while ACOTAR has Hybern. These are easily overlooked, but I can see where it would be problematic to some, especially as more details and descriptions are revealed. 

Calista is the main character, but I really wish we'd seen more of Grady and Naomi. I think there's a lot of potential for secondary character growth that we just didn't see in this one. Additionally, Thorne has his own cabal of friends (also similar to Cas and Az from ACOTAR) that I wish we'd seen more of. I think the book was too focused on Calista and we miss out on seeing so much more of the world JLA has created. 

I also wasn't fond of some of the language used. It was a direct contrast to the world and time period depicted. Everything felt fantastical, but the modern day language and expressions were distracting. It would take me out of the moment, which is never ideal. The book also has no business being this large. The spacing and the size of the font were a bit excessive - a lot of wasted space per page. If condensed to reflect what a normal book looks like, it would probably be a quarter of the size. 

However, despite the issues I found with Fall of Ruin and Wrath (a title I'm still not sure accurately reflects the book), I really enjoyed it. It's been a while since I devoured a book so quickly. I wanted to know about Thorne and his background. I wanted to see more of the world JLA created. Unfortunately, we don't really get a lot of information and explanations. A lot is alluded to, but I have a feeling it's being saved for book two. All of the questions formed during this book... hardly any are answered. 

I do think this one needs some more fine-tuning before it's published (spelling, grammar, inconsistencies out the wazoo), but the book as a whole is a gem. I'm looking forward to seeing how the next book addresses a lot of the issues in this one. Also, it would be nice if things felt a little less rushed... the pacing was weird in certain parts. 

The one FF scene was short-lived and too subtle. I would have enjoyed some flashbacks of certain people engaging in activities together. The dinner table scene was unbelievably hot (more of that please and thank you). The slow build and tension were there, although I think maybe seeing things from Thorne's perspective would have helped. It doesn't have to necessarily be duel POV, but maybe a chapter here or there that helped us see inside of his head. (★★★⋆☆)

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes used in this review are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.