The Lavender Phantom

 I received an ARC of the Lavender Phantom via the author in exchange for an honest review. This review might contain spoilers, so please read at your own discretion.

The Lavender Phantom by Lainey Delaroque is not quite what I expected like when I read in the blurb that the Lavender Phantom helps Sophie inside the late night teahouse Lavender I assumed it will have real Phantom of the Opera vibes. It did not have those kind of vibes, but I loved the story nonetheless.

I was not expecting there to be sex in the book and I kind of wish authors would put it in the blurb. I found out because the author has a warning at the beginning of her book about some of the subjects in the book. Thank God, because otherwise it would have thrown me for a loop.

Once I warmed up to the rope play scene it was not as bad as I thought it would be. It really felt like the author was keeping her audience in mind so while there is some horrible things that happen to the characters power is given back to them throughout the book.

I absolutely adore how Sophie is like yes this is horrible but its okay I give consent I have power over my body, which is something us girls forget to do. We forget to give ourselves permission, and I love how the book addresses some of the more serious topics like rape, toxic relationships (I dare you to read Damien's and Penny's "relationship" and say it isn't toxic), sibling relationships while both parents are dead, and (for us prudes out there) kinky sex. The author did a good job with these topics as something horrifying happens, but there is also hope afterwards as well.

Damien and Sophie need to get together in the second book and stay together. I will accept nothing less and will wrap them in bubblewrap and place them on a high shelf where the author can't reach them if I have to. Nobody touches them or face a bookworm's wrath (it will not be pretty). The chemistry between them is *chef's kiss*. I love how they compliment each other and help the other one grow as a person.

And on a side-note: the children had better make it out relatively unscathed in the second book because they were put through enough in the first one. My heart still hurts after what they did to Thomas and Melanie trying to use them as puppets. How dare they?

But, I digress. I loved the whole world-building in The Lavender Phantom especially with the late night teahouse Lavender that doubles as a twisted kind of brothel where they drug the tea so that clients can take advantage of the birds (I know they are despicable) aka the poor girls and boys that are desperate for money or a job. I love how each room was different and the details that went into the place is like heaven to a detail oriented girl like me. I felt like I was there which is a good thing and a bad thing. (I could live there without the whole brothel situation).

I love how Sophie's love of rope play comes in handy throughout the book and that the author looked up how to pick locks. Finally, someone who acknowledges that you need two pieces to unpick a lock (it was in a writing advice post I saw a couple years back). She did not do it Hollywood style where you magically stick a bobby pin in and wiggle it around until the door magically opens (hate to burst people's bubbles, but it does not work that way).

I love how her skills both helped and hindered her and I love how the characters grew in general even Valerie and she was a class act b*tch.

I know the first book does not release until February 9 (five days after my birthday, so a late gift to me. I'm totally preordering it) but I cannot wait for the second book. I need to know if Sophie, Tanya, Damien, Melanie, Thomas, and Hana are safe. I will probably break into a blubbering mess and curse the author if at least Damien and Sophie don't get their happy ever after.

500 out of 5 stars 😈 (it was the closest to a phantom mask or is it?)

Oh, Alice

 I received a free copy of Alice the Dagger by Ashley McLeo in exchange for an honest review. There might be spoilers in this review, so read at your own risk.

This book is a mess in the sense that it needs another round of editing. I spent more time on the book rereading sentences trying to figure out what was happening, so I could not be emotionally invested in the story like I wanted to be. (I want to cry when characters die or are scared for them when they are close to being captured or their goals feel like they are slipping away).

Instead, I almost DNFed it after the first chapter but persevered because we had not gotten to Henri Hatter who was the sole reason that I wanted to read the book in the first point. And he did not disappoint, in fact, he is probably the only good thing about the book.

I loved how the author tried to twist the retelling of Alice in Wonderland with Alice being an assassin, but her bada*s got stolen from her infuriating need to be one of those characters who whine about the silliest things (like I am sorry, princess, that your fae kingdom needs you and a hot guy likes you and treats you with more respect than you deserve, but you feel you need to go back to the human world where nobody loves you). I despise those characters with a passion.

I love how she portrayed the Cheshire Cat, the twins, Caterpillar, and March Hare. My only wish for them is that we got to see more of them especially since one got beheaded before you could even get to fully appreciate them (I will not say which one).

I am curious to read the second book because I want to see if it is better than the first.

3 out of 5 stars.

Can You Catch Lili?

 Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review might contain spoilers so read at your own discretion.

Catch Lili, Too by Sophie Whitmore is a story that I loved so much. It has that old comic book detective vibes like Jessica Jones (the reluctant detective that just wants to be left alone and does not want people to realize that she has a heart after all), it has the kind of mythologies that had me feeling like I was reading a better version of This Eternity of Masks and Shadows by Karsten Knight (because the author actually gave an f#ck about the mythologies and sexual orientations. Also, it did not feel creepy reading two girls kissing because it was a slow build-up to it that even Lili is surprised by it yet too) and that satirical writing style like Betsy Schow's Spelled.

I fell in love with every aspect of this story because it is gripping and the worldbuilding is set at a perfect pace. None of it felt forced and it felt like everything was meant to happen (if that makes sense?).

The characters melted my heart because they are all sweethearts in their own ways and I love how imperfect all of the characters were regardless if they were a monster or not. And that plot twist! Holy smokes, I should have seen it coming, but I never did and it makes so much sense when you think of it. Nope, I will not spoil it for you because it is too good and you should read the book because it is one of the better LGTBQ+ (sorry if I got the letters in the wrong order. I can never get them straight.) stories I have read in a long time.

My only criticism is that I wish the author played with the depression a bit more for Lili because there were ample opportunities to have Lili give into her depression, but for a while, it was almost like her depression was forgotten. However, I love how Lili tried dealing with the depression because it makes you feel so bad for her and you just want to hug her but you can't (because she has an aversion to touch).

And the location details at the beginning made my year and a vast majority of 2020 as well. I have never snickered so much reading those which also adds to the old-timey detective story vibes.

I could go on and on about this book, but you should have stopped reading at this point and gone to buy the book.

Although some things might be triggering for some people as it does deal with depression and identity.

I am a sucker for any book that toys with the idea of who is monstrous the monsters or the humans, so this book easily gets 500 out of 5 stars.

The Gatekeeper of Pericael

 I received a free arc of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start off by saying that I normally not a fan of middle-grade books, but The Gatekeeper of Pericael by Hayley Reese Chow is so fricking cute. I could not not fall in love with it from Porter's constant fear of losing control to Ames's unflappable nature even when he is scared. I love how the characters seem to fuel each other and push each other to be better versions of themselves.

The magic system is wonderful and I love how spirits are what is used to fuel the magic. I love the different types of creatures although I wish the author had not introduced them in a list and done it gradually because I forgot what half of the creatures were as soon as I finished reading the list.

The map made me laugh because it is such a young boy's way of describing things. Also, it is a great start to Ames's characterization because he is so totally that kind of person.

Hayley Reese Chow has become one of my top ten favorite authors and has definitely made it onto my list of authors where you buy their books no questions asked. I have not been disappointed by any books that I have read from her. I devoured this book in a day and a half and I will have no qualms if there are more books in the Pericael world because I loved it so much. Spoiler: everything will try and kill (eat) you if you are not careful.

5 out of 5 stars (500 out of 5 stars)

The Night Sender

 I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review might contain spoilers so read at your own risk.

The Night Sender by Christina Tsirkas is an intriguing read and the mystery of the night senders had me flipping the pages (or in my case on my Kindle it was tapping the pages). I held a love-hate relationship with most of the characters because I could never decide if I wanted to hug them or shake them.

I loved the idea of if you give pain in one life you will be forced to give pleasure in the next. And there is some Beauty and the Beast vibes in the book that I loved. The only thing that sets my teeth on edge is the ending because it feels like we work so hard toward something only for it to be naught. 

This is hard to review without spoiling anything because there are some fascinating twists in the story that pleased me and others that did not. All I will say is that there is a lot of sex and sexual pleasure in the book that I know is important to the story, but most of the time it was like "okay, we get it". I feel like the book can be just as strong if it focused more on the characters and not on how the night senders unleash pleasure in women (it will make sense if you read the book because I cannot say anything without giving things away).

3.5 stars out of 5.

Luck of the Draw: the sweetest romance I have read in 2020

 This book, Luck of the Draw by Kate Clayborn, deserves more than five stars because it is everything I look for in a romance novel. It has that gut-wrenching moment when you realize that the conflict you did not want is about to happen and the characters cannot live in this happy bubble where everything is going to be okay. It has characters that grow and lean on each other even when they do not realize it is something that they need and this will make you cry.

oh my gosh, Zoe and Aiden's story is to die for and you just want to hug them and tell them everything is okay because you want it to be okay for them. I loved the enemies to lovers aspect and how the characters changed and grew into themselves. It may have started out with a guilt jar, but I have nothing but gratitude for how good Aiden and Zoe are for each other. I cannot picture them with anyone else and I love how his parents tried to move past a pang of guilt they did not even realize they were carrying.

I will gladly reread these books if it means I get to stay in the world of the characters a little longer because I never want to leave it and I would highly recommend this series to anyone who loves romance or is looking for a little romance in their lives especially since it does not have to be read in a particular order to appreciate the beauty of these novels.

I could go on but I don't want to spoil it with my rambling of how amazing the characters are in this series because I love every single one of them.

500 out of 5 stars.

Sinful Secrets: The All Stars (5 stars)

  Hello lovelies, So to save us all from having to read a huge review on the 20 or so box set of Sinful Secrets an anthology of different authors that rang from somewhat clean romance to steamy fan yourself and feel your face turn beet red romance. I decided to break this up into how I would rate the books separately. Warning this is not the order that the books are in the box set and there might be spoilers and some inappropriate topics due to the nature of some of the books. Please read at your own discretion.

Last, but not least, the ones that took my heart in one way or another (bad grammar and all. I think one of them has the characters eating half a box of pizza and a bottle of wine instead of saying that they drank a bottle of wine. I had a good chuckle over it and hope the characters were okay while eating glass 😝)

1. The Nicolaides Baby by Sandra Daniels. Ugh, this book had me on an emotional rollercoaster and the ending left me pressing a hand to my heart like it could stop it from melting and hurting. I laughed, cried, died a little with the characters, got angry on the characters' behalf, and wanted to hurt some of them (I am looking at you Gia.). I will not say much except that this book ruined me so I am doing what a bookworm does best. *Ahem* "This book brutally ripped out my heart and destroyed it" *shoves book under your nose* "you should read it." Come die with me, people.

2. Fake Fiancé by Amy McKinley is my happy place. Starcrossed lovers? Romeo & Juliet like story? Yes, please. Ugh, Adeline and Stone will always have my heart especially Adeline because I can totally see myself doing some of the things she does (what can I say one should always be careful around a klutz). I love how it is open to the interpretation of are they the star-crossed lovers in the past or were they somehow possessed by them. I loved every moment of it and never wanted the story to end. Highly recommend this book (do not make me shove this under your nose because I am a bookworm I will gladly do it).

3. Sex, Love, Lust, Hate by Mika Jolie is heartwarming and the perfect enemies to lover story. I loved every moment with Jagger and Charlotte because every moment had you guessing how they were going to react to each other. And Jagger (bless his heart) is such a morally good guy that he even apologized to Charlotte about kissing her in the office after hours. Yup, I fell in love at that point and never looked back. It is so cute that it hurts.

4. Stronger than Love by C. R. Robertson is one of those books that surprised me because I am not into any books with kinky sex and this book has some of it, but I dare you to not fall in love with Oonagh and Liam. I did because I love it when the characters realize that there is more to the story that might not paint them as the bad guy that they thought the other person was. Like I said it surprised me because I loved every moment of this book even the kinky sex that had me blushing.

5. Candy's Crush by Leela Lou Dahlin is another book that surprised me because it has a club that specializes in kinky sex and somehow I did not mind any of it even though I am an absolute prude. Normally, I stay away from these kinds of books, but I was so drawn in by Candy and Hunter and wanting to see if they would get back together even though Hunter tried really hard not to care about Candy again.

6. Unholy Trinity by Macy Butler killed me because it ended too abruptly and now I need to read the second book to figure out how Dante and Trinity are going to protect Lena from the guy her abusive husband Chase sent to go fetch her especially since the guy knows where she is and then it ended. I was devastated because it was one of the better threesome books I have read and it was adorable how much Dante wants Lena and the lengths he will go to do keep her. However, he also has a thing for Trinity and at first, he wanted Trinity, but he got a taste of Lena and it kind of shifted. oh yes, the drama. I need to know more.

7. Last Chance Security by Allison LaFleur is one of those books where the fact it did not get edited at all (and there is no lying because even at a glance it is obvious some of the errors like a / instead of a period at the end of a sentence). However, it made me laugh because it was like what am I reading must read more. My only issue is that the blurb had it where a trusted ally betrayed Gage it kind of made it obvious that his "cop buddy" was up to no good. It kind of took away the shock factor especially since there was not really any betrayal at the beginning of the book when Gage's undercover story went south. The ending felt a little abrupt but I really love the chemistry between Gage and Morgan that I was probably expecting more than was needed.

8. Mayhem by Cayce Poponea is one of those books that you have to appreciate even though there are a lot of grammar errors and I was laughing because it was the wrong word (heals instead of heels or loose instead of lose). I loved Bullet and Jillian, but my only major criticism is that the conflict was awful because she jumped to conclusions instead of talking to him like an adult. I do love how the author broke the stereotypes and incorporated another fictional book into hers. I will definitely consider reading the entire series because it has me intrigued and I fell in love with all the characters.

9. What We Didn't Say by Lauren Campbell is as sweet as it sounds. Although, with the way the blurb was written I was waiting for more drama between Heidi, Chandler, and Ryleigh. However, that never happened. Although, the drunk scene with Jade, Ryleigh's other best friend, made my year. Tosses her keys off the building as Chandler is scrabbling to hold her back as she leans over to see if she hit someone with them and proudly exclaiming that she didn't, but getting the whole wedding party kicked out because she tossed her keys off the building. I don't think they could have planned it better. Oh, I could read that scene forever and never get bored. I swear you should all read the book just for that scene alone. Also, it's a cleaner romance than some of the other books.

The best thing about the Sinful Secrets box set is that it has a little bit of something for every reader and I loved it more than I thought I would. (Before any of you ask, I got it because it was 99 cents for Kindle and how could I not get it especially since I am trying to expand my reading to things that make me uncomfortable). I have no regrets about this box set at all (okay, that is a lie. My only regret is that my Kindle has run out of storage so I have to delete it, but I plan on bringing it back on again when I finally get my Kindle back under control). This is a definite reread.