Caught Up - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Caught Up (Into Darkness #2)

by Navessa Allen

What is it about:

I wanted this woman, and I was a man who always got what he wanted.

Nico 'Junior' Trocci knows Lauren Marchetti is off limits. She is sweetness and laughter, whereas Junior exists in a world of violence and depravity. Men like him don't get to have women like her. It's why he pushed her away back in high school and has kept his distance ever since.

But when Junior looks Lauren up online, he discovers the shy, bookish girl he remembers is gone. In her place is a strikingly beautiful woman whose social media is filled with scantily clad pictures of herself and a connection to a nearby play club. Junior's innocent curiosity quickly turns into a dark obsession. But watching Lauren from a distance isn't enough; he needs to make her his.

He's ruthless; a walking red flag. Good thing red is my favorite color.

Lauren is intrigued by the mystery man who keeps showing up at her club, who tempts her white-hot desires. But as their flirty online messages stir up a deeper form of connection, Lauren worries she's developing real feelings for this brooding stranger. As their combined desire ratchets up to a breaking point, who will seduce who? And will they survive the fall?

Caught Up is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the content warning at the beginning of the book.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I had such a great time with Lights Out that I pre-ordered Caught Up, especially when I saw it was about Junior.

This book! 

It is so good!

It's not as funny as I thought Lights Out was, but the romance, the steam, Junior! I read this book in one sitting, it was too good to put down.

I already liked Junior in Lights Out, but I loved him in this book. I loved seeing him trying to be a better man, to move away from his old life, and to see him explore his sexuality. I need more books where the woman is confident in what she wants and the man is the one to discover he has desires he thought were not allowed. 

Lauren is such a great character as well. She knows what she wants and what she doesn't. Her caution where it comes to Junior is understandable, and I loved seeing the two of them growing closer and mending old hurts. I also loved Lauren's friends and how they were there for each other when needed.

All in all I loved this book even more than Lights Out, and I will most certainly try to get hold of the third book in this trilogy when it releases.

Why should you read it:

It's absolutely delicious!

Enchantra - Book Review

 

Enchantra (Wicked Games #2)

by Kaylie Smith

What is it about:

Ready or Not meets Throne of the Fallen in a spicy, enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance, where an Italian getaway turns deadly after a young woman is trapped in her host family's cursed game.

Ready or not, the game has begun.

Genevieve Grimm has felt adrift ever since her sister became the head of the family. So when a mysterious friend of their mother's invites her to Italy, she accepts. She arrives at his grand palace, expecting passion and magic, decadence and luxury... perhaps even a midnight ball.

She doesn't expect the owner's ruthlessly handsome son to slam the door in her face. Rowin Silver is tall, dark, and exceptionally rude, and invitation or not, he demands Genevieve leave and never come back. But Genevieve follows nobody's orders, especially those of arrogant rich boys. She slips inside—and immediately discovers her mistake.

Rowin and his family are caught in an insidious game of hide and seek, where only one can win. The rest will be trapped in Hell... until the competition begins again.

Genevieve must either join the hunt or forfeit any hope of escaping. But to her dismay, her best chance of survival lies with Rowin. Since lovers may play as a pair, Rowin and Genevieve agree to form an alliance under the guise of a fake courtship. However, as they race through the game's elaborate labyrinth, trapped among gleaming gold and shining marble, their loathing gives way to irresistible attraction. Only Rowin is keeping secrets, especially when it comes to his ruthless family, and Genevieve can't help but wonder if she's trapped in two treacherous games: Enchantra and the one Rowin is playing with her heart.

What did I think of it:

I loved Phantasma so I got my trotters on the second book in this series.

And although it has lots of good stuff, it didn't reach the heights of Phantasma for me sadly enough.

I didn't much like Genevieve and Rowin.

I did enjoy reading about the weird game that was going on in Enchantra, really liked some of Rowin's siblings, liked the overall storyline, but those two... I couldn't stand them to be honest.

I had expected to dislike Ophelia as older sister and love Genevieve as younger sister when I started on the first book, because usually I find the older sister meddling and tiresome while the younger is just trying to live her life without the older sister intruding. Yeah... 

Give me Ophelia and Blackwell over these two any day!

Genevieve is too impulsive and unthinking for her own good, and Rowin is 'older sibling' at their worst even though he might not be the eldest.

I actually liked the 'worst' of his siblings more than him.

That aside, I had a great time with the action storyline and Voodoo Bride enjoyed the steamier scenes if not the romance.

I will keep an eye out for the third book, hoping against all hope it will feature my two favorite side characters from the first two books.

Why should you read it:

It's got lots of cool action and suspense.

Release Day Alert - A Bond of Pain and Love

 

The last book in this Dark Fantasy Romance Trilogy released today.

Go get it now!

(Or read all three books on Kindle Unlimited)

A Bond of Pain and Love

(A World of Houses #3)

by Tea Spangsberg

She will hunt them down.

Sofie can taste victory. The Houses are crumbling, Midnight City's power is shifting, and soon, she'll rule. But when power demands more blood, will she accept that it isn’t hers?

He demands their death.

Kill finally has what he's always a family, a place to call his own. It's not perfect, but it's his. But when someone threatens it, how far will he go to protect those he loves?

He will sacrifice everything.

Wrath has paid for his sins in blood and tears, and he'll fight tooth and nail to keep the love he's claimed. But when the cost rises, just how much more is he willing to give?

When the last flame dies, will their bond of pain and love survive? Or will nothing remain but the ashes of what might have been?

18+ content – Not suitable for younger readers.

Book 3 of the Trilogy. This story cannot be read as a standalone

Amazon

The Unseelie Exile - Book Review by Sullivan and Voodoo Bride

The Unseelie Exile: Arachnophobia Edition

(Web of Shadows/Floof of Shadows #1)

by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

What is it about:

This is the ARACHNOPHOBIA edition of this book! This means this has had all instances of the word “spider” mass find-and-replaced with “fluffy bunny,” “spiderweb” with “bunny nest,” the Web with “the Floof,” and so on. As you can already tell, this will cause hysterical side effects as well as nightmares of the grammatical and regular varieties. You might not have to deal with spiders, but you will have to deal with a seven-legged fluffy bunny.

_____________

One desperate night. Three forbidden seals. And the ruthless fae exile who will claim her soul...

Ava Cole thought rock bottom was losing her mother and being cast out by her father. That was until she followed enchanted lights into the midnight woods—and walked straight into the claws of the Unseelie.

Now she's trapped in a prison between realms. Her captor? Serrik—a devastatingly powerful fae outcast with vengeance burning in his veins and eternity to make her suffer. 

Cold. Merciless. Intoxicating.

His touch sears her blood. His golden eyes haunt her dreams. And with each forbidden lesson, each impossible task, Ava finds herself craving the very being who plans to use her as a weapon of magical destruction.

In this twisted realm of exiled fae who hunger for her blood and power, Ava's greatest battle isn't the magic she must unleash—it's the treacherous desire threatening to consume her soul.

Because in Serrik's deadly bunny-nest of shadows, the line between enemy and lover vanishes like mist. And falling for her worst enemy may be the most dangerous magic of all.

She can trust no one but herself.

What did we think of it:

This series is set in the same world as the Maze of Shadows series.

Voodoo Bride has to confess she was hesitant to read more in this world. She had a total love/hate relationship with Maze of Shadows.

But then we discovered there was an Arachnophobia Edition of this book!

And I will now confess I'm indeed that easy, so Voodoo Bride and I decided to buy this book and read it together.

And we had such a good time with this book!

Ava was a heroine we could really relate to, while Serrik was both alluring and dangerous. Voodoo Bride was totally invested in the relationship between the two, while I was eager to find out what would happen next in the weird prison world Ava suddenly finds herself in.

There were some really interesting fae Ava runs into, surprising events, and a compelling overall storyline.

This book was less 'awful' than a lot of the Maze of Shadows was. Where in Maze of Shadows there were some really nasty, disturbing scenes, here there were suspenseful and dangerous events as well, but it didn't squick Voodoo Bride out. There were also some very funny moments in our opinion.

As for the arachnophobia part: I very much enjoyed reading about scary fluffy bunnies, the floof, and bunny nests. The one thing that we had to get used to is that the word 'strand' was replaced with 'twig', which was weird in instances such as 'Serrik stroked back a twig of hair'.

We should have seen the ending of this book coming, but we did not!

Talk about upping the stakes of this twisted romance/attraction thing between Ava and Serrik.

All in all this is a really awesome read, and we immediately bought the second book (Arachnophobia Edition).

Why should you read it:

Evil Fluffy Bunny! 

Also: Really cool Dark Fantasy Romance

Teasing on a Wednesday - Caught Up

 

The blood was everywhere. Soaked into my shirt, sprayed onto my pants, and buried beneath my blunted nail bits. This was why i always wore head-to-toe black.

(page 1, Caught Up by Navessa Allen)

---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their  TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Resisting the Wicked Orc - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Resisting the Wicked Orc (Silvermist Mates #2)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

Fighting fate is the fastest way to get scorched.

Rava

While my brothers chase glory as elite mercenaries, I'm chasing freedom on an unsanctioned undercover mission. The stolen relic I'm hunting could break my betrothal—if an infuriatingly sexy orc would stop interfering with my plans and making my fire magic spark out of control.

I tell myself each kiss is just strategy, each touch merely distraction. But with my cover blown and hunters on my trail, the greatest threat to my escape isn't the prince I'm fleeing but the mate who makes me burn to stay.

Zral

I'm bored filling my nights with meaningless conquests while watching everyone around me find their perfect matches.

Then a defiant demon with fire in her eyes and lies on her lips drags me into her dangerous heist, only to betray me at every turn. Her reckless schemes leave me feeling more alive than ever before, and my need to claim her grows stronger each time she vanishes.

But behind her secrets lurks a royal monster who believes titles grant ownership. The cruel princeling will learn orcs don't surrender what belongs to them. Not for thrones or royal decrees.

Crowns shatter as easily as bones when standing between an orc and his mate.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I liked this book better than the first two books in this series. 

Both story and the romance were interesting and enjoyable. I liked both Rava and Zral, and that's what was missing in the first two books: I just didn't really click with the main characters in those books.

Here I was invested in Rava and Zral finding love and getting out on top.

The chemistry between these two was really delicious, and I loved the steamy scenes (especially as nobody kept bringing up their family during them).

I will say that Vexing the Grumpy Orc is still my favorite, but Resisting the Wicked Orc was a very enjoyable read as well!

All in all a fun series, and I might investigate what other books Graves has written.

Why should you read it:

Sexy Wicked Orc!

Charming the Orc's Mate - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Charming the Orc's Mate (Silvermist Mates #2)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

Even fate needs a little shelf-help sometimes.

Carissa

Inheriting a bookstore in a magical town was my childhood dream, but the reality of settling my great-aunt's estate is more hell than happily-ever-after. Between chaotic finances and pre-booked events I can't cancel, I'm counting the days until I can flee back to my ordered life in Seattle and a waiting job offer.

But selling the store gets complicated when one distractingly handsome orc from my past keeps showing up to help—and I'm running out of reasons to say no.

Torain

Watching my brother find his mate left me hungry for my own. Then "little Carrie" storms back into my life, those prim lips curved in a shush, and my mate bond ignites with a roar.

The quiet girl who shared her cookies has grown into a goddess of fitted skirts and perfectly pinned hair. She wields spreadsheets like weapons, bringing order to chaos while every buttoned-up inch of her makes me burn to watch her unravel.

When a snake of a developer plots to steal her inheritance, they'll both learn that this orc's patience has limits—and I'm not letting anyone write my mate out of our future.

But I'll savor showing her that the messiest stories make the sweetest endings.

Charming the Orc's Mate is a spicy monster romance featuring a cinnamon roll orc who's definitely not too loud in libraries, a control-freak heroine whose ordered life needs a little chaos, and a magical small town that refuses to let go of its bookstore. Expect fated mates, forbidden kisses in the stacks, and grumpy/sunshine romance with a dash of childhood friends.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

Yet another enjoyable read that didn't reach the heights of Vexing the Grumpy Orc.

I had thought I'd love this one when I discovered it centered around a bookstore, but even though that was a large part of the plot, I couldn't really connect with Torain and Carissa. Am I turning into a grump who only connects with other grumps? I sure hope not.

I still enjoyed the story and romance well enough, make no mistake, I just felt like some spark was missing for me. 

I did pick up book 4 in this series afterward to see how I would like that one. Review coming soon.

Why should you read it:

Cinnamon Roll Orc

On our TBR pile - The Unseelie Exile

 

At times Voodoo Bride and I bicker about what books to buy, and who gets to read and review the next book we buy. With this book Voodoo Bride decided to buy the bunny/arachnophobia edition so we could read it together.

Because who wouldn't want to read about scary fluffy bunnies?!

The Unseelie Exile: Arachnophobia Edition

(Floof of Shadows #1)

by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

This is the ARACHNOPHOBIA edition of this book! This means this has had all instances of the word “spider” mass find-and-replaced with “fluffy bunny,” “spiderweb” with “bunny nest,” the Web with “the Floof,” and so on. As you can already tell, this will cause hysterical side effects as well as nightmares of the grammatical and regular varieties. You might not have to deal with spiders, but you will have to deal with a seven-legged fluffy bunny.

_______________

One desperate night. Three forbidden seals. And the ruthless fae exile who will claim her soul...Ava Cole thought rock bottom was losing her mother and being cast out by her father. That was until she followed enchanted lights into the midnight woods—and walked straight into the claws of the Unseelie.

Now she's trapped in a prison between realms. Her captor? Serrik—a devastatingly powerful fae outcast with vengeance burning in his veins and eternity to make her suffer. Cold. Merciless. Intoxicating.

His touch sears her blood. His golden eyes haunt her dreams. And with each forbidden lesson, each impossible task, Ava finds herself craving the very being who plans to use her as a weapon of magical destruction.

In this twisted realm of exiled fae who hunger for her blood and power, Ava's greatest battle isn't the magic she must unleash—it's the treacherous desire threatening to consume her soul.

Because in Serrik's deadly bunny-nest of shadows, the line between enemy and lover vanishes like mist. And falling for her worst enemy may be the most dangerous magic of all.

She can trust no one but herself.

My Immortal Elf - Release Day Review by Voodoo Bride

 

My Immortal Elf

(Elves Among Us #1)

by L. E. Sunwick

What is it about:

It was bliss, until it wasn’t. I never planned to fall for my boss, and certainly not for an immortal.

Semi-divine physical perfection.

Mind-shattering lovemaking enhanced by ancient magic.

The freedom that comes with wealth.

Self-confidence that comes from 123 years of life experience.

But when I age, he’ll remain physically perfect.

Leaders of his clan don’t want their duke with a mortal.

And he leads a deadly struggle against enemy immortals.

I refuse to be a liability to him, or his clan.

He insists I don’t need to prove myself.

But I disagree.

On my mission I discover the enemy’s plot.

At stake is the fate of humanity…

And of my heart.

(This is the significantly expanded and updated Book 1 of the series, replacing "Claimed by my Immortal Elf).

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I really enjoyed the prequel novella so I have been looking forward to read this book. luckily I got selected as an ARC reader!

This was yet another delicious read.

I liked Jenna from the start, she's smart, resourceful, and wants to do good, even if it comes at the cost of her own happiness. Stefan was yet another hunky elf, so what's not to love!

The story was fun, but with a lot of suspense. Even though this is a romance, these two have to fight for their love and for their future. Not just the bad guys tried to drive them apart. Between the lighter heartwarming moments and the steamier scenes there's lots of stuff going on that impacts the two of them. At times it seemed as if a Happily Ever After could easily drift out of their reach.

I can tell you I was totally engrossed and was invested in them saving the day and their love.

The worldbuilding is really cool as well, and there were several side characters who were really interesting. One of the ones I really liked is the lead character of the next book - which I already bought a while ago - so you bet I will read that soon.

Why should you read it: Hot Immortal Elves! Even the bad guys are Hot!

New Reviews Soon

 

New Reviews are coming soon

Still no new reviews

But here's a Nug.

No Book Review This Week

Busy playing Dragon Age The Veilguard

Bewitching the Orc Chief - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Bewitching the Orc Chief (Silvermist Mates #1)

by Chloe Graves

What is it about:

The most potent magic is sealed with a bite.

Miranda

All I wanted was one night of normal after a year of... avoiding my former coven. Instead, I got an orc chief who took one look at me and growled "mine." One scorching night later, I wake up in his village—which is definitely not what I had in mind for the morning-after.

Now I'm surrounded by suspicious orcs, trying to keep my magic under wraps, and fighting an inconvenient attraction to my very large, very possessive "host." But hey, at least my familiar likes him—the traitor.

Osen

The clan elders demand I take a mate to secure my position as chief. I didn't expect fate to hand me a witch who makes my blood burn and my instincts roar to mark her again. And again.

Our shaman spits venom about dark magic, while my uncle circles like a vulture. But when my brother lies bleeding out and her forbidden power yanks him back from the brink, I know I'll burn down tradition to keep her.

Then her coven tracks her to my mountains, and I discover exactly what kind of darkness my mate has been running from. They want to drain her magic and steal her power—but they'll need to go through me first.

My mate. My witch. And I'll destroy anyone who tries to take her from me.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I really enjoyed Vexing the Grumpy Orc, so I decided to get the other books in this series as well. So after starting this series with book 3, now it was time for book 1.

If I had started with this book it would have been immediately clear this is Urban Fantasy Romance. The Orc village feels really Other World Fantasy, but outside of their village things are modern. This book made that immediately clear, where book 3 took some time to get away from the village.

I liked the overall story and romance well enough, but this romance had one major turn-off: How much Osen kept mentioning his brother during one of the steamy scenes. I mean: if anyone would do that with me, I'd be out of there, Mate or not. I usually am not one to skim steamy scenes, but here I totally did.

That aside: I liked the book well enough, but I didn't connect with Osen or Miranda as much as I did with Galan in Vexing the Grumpy Orc. I still liked it enough that I'll read book 2 soon.

Why should you read it:

It's an enjoyable Orc Romance

On McPig's Radar - Never the Roses

 Did I already post about this book before? 

And did I already read it because I know the author and she gave me an early digital copy?

Yes! to both these questions.

But this book is so good!

Believe me: you want it! 

It's utterly amazing and beautiful in and out! 

Go preorder: I totally did.

Never the Roses

by Jennifer K. Lambert

UNSTOPPABLE WAR. UNSPEAKABLE SINS. IMPOSSIBLE LOVE.

Genevieve Gornichec’s The Witch’s Heart meets Madeline Miller’s Circe in this epic and deeply emotional romantic fantasy debut by Jennifer K. Lambert. The hardcover edition features beautiful stenciled edges.

The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s exhausted from fighting the endless wars of kings and queens, and has long accepted that her death is near. Alone at last but for a few uninvited companions―a near-mythical wolf, a goddess’s avatar, and a feline that embodies magic itself―Oneira realizes that she’s bored. On a whim, or perhaps at the behest of fate, she makes an unlikely trip to the most extensive library in existence: the home of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.

By recklessly stealing a book from him, Oneira inadvertently initiates a forbidden correspondence. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.

But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is tasked with waging war on the queen she once served. A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away.

A bond with Stearanos could alight the long-extinct flame of life within her… or it could destroy her entirely.

Expected publication July 8, 2025

The Twisted Ones - Book Review

 

The Twisted Ones

by T. Kingfisher

What is it about:

When a young woman clears out her deceased grandmother’s home in rural North Carolina, she finds long-hidden secrets about a strange colony of beings in the woods.

When Mouse’s dad asks her to clean out her dead grandmother's house, she says yes. After all, how bad could it be?

Answer: pretty bad. Grandma was a hoarder, and her house is stuffed with useless rubbish. That would be horrific enough, but there’s more—Mouse stumbles across her step-grandfather’s journal, which at first seems to be filled with nonsensical rants…until Mouse encounters some of the terrifying things he described for herself.

Alone in the woods with her dog, Mouse finds herself face to face with a series of impossible terrors—because sometimes the things that go bump in the night are real, and they’re looking for you. And if she doesn’t face them head on, she might not survive to tell the tale.

What did I think of it:

This is yet another really cool horror!

As always Kingfisher managed to creep me out even before anything really scary or creepy happened. I really liked Mouse and her dog, and even though in the first few pages you discover that Mouse is telling the story after the fact, I worried about the two of them. 

The building tension and atmosphere is once again so good! It kept me glued to the pages to find out what would happen next. I'm impressed how Kingfisher can write dark atmosphere and manage to have the story be funny at times as well, I must say.

Note: This story is inspired by The White People by Arthur Machen, which I definitely plan to read to see where the stories connect. 

All in all another one for my keeper shelves. We'll try one of Kingfisher's more romantic books next.

Why should you read it:

It's a humorous and suspenseful horror read

Teaser Tuesdays - I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com

 

"Thicken Nugget, you evil bitch, stop murdering half the desert," I muttered from behind my camera. As expected, Thicken Nugget ignored my request.

(page 1, I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming)

---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their  TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Five Gifts for the Blacksmith's Wife - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Five Gifts for the Blacksmith's Wife

by Lyonne Riley

What is it about:

When her village faces a winter of starvation, Sita draws the shortest straw. Now she’s to be given to the orcs across the river in exchange for food and supplies so her family can survive. Given the chance to choose her own husband from among the eligible orc bachelors, she selects Gurrek, the reluctant blacksmith, who clearly doesn’t want her. He’s the safest option.

Gurrek has always wanted a wife of his own, but not like this. Now he’s saddled with a human woman who needs new shoes, new clothes, and can’t even speak his language. He wants nothing to do with her, and yet her sweet, strong personality draws him in closer with every passing day.

As Sita and Gurrek try to find a place to fit within each other’s lives, attraction begins to bloom between them. But Gurrek refuses to touch a woman who never wanted to be his in the first place. Can Sita break through the blacksmith’s high walls to become his true wife, mind, body, and soul?

This is a sweet, cozy, steamy orc romance that features an arranged marriage, a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, a slow burn, a virgin sexual encounter, and a winter holiday vibe. Please check the content warnings on the author's website.

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

I read a Romance with Orcs that turned out to be Urban Fantasy, and although I really liked it, I wanted to read a Fantasy Romance with Orcs. So I tracked this one down, as I love the grumpy/sunshine trope.

And this turned out to be a nice read.

I really loved Gurrek and rooted for him to get a Happily Ever After. I had a bit more trouble with Sita. At times she felt... too young. I mean: she's adult in years of course, but in her behavior she sometimes felt like a child to me. Maybe it's me and I'm getting old, but because of how she felt to me I had a hard time believing in their romance.

Still, the writing was nice, Gurrek a grumpy sweetheart, and I enjoyed the read.

I might try another one of Riley's books.

Why should you read it:

Grumpy Orc! 

On McPig's Wishlist - Illuminations

 

Illuminations

by T. Kingfisher

Rosa Mandolini knows in her heart that her family are the greatest painters of magical illuminations in the city. But the eccentric Studio Mandolini has fallen on hard times and the future is no longer certain.

While trying to help her family, Rosa discovers a strange magical box protected by a painted crow. But when she finds a way to open the box, she accidentally releases the Scarling, a vicious monster determined to destroy the Mandolini family at any cost.

With the aid of her former best friend and a painted crow named Payne, it’s up to Rosa to stop the Scarling before it unmakes the magical paintings that keep the city running, and hopefully save her family in the process!

The Baby Dragon Café - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

The Baby Dragon Café (The Baby Dragon #1)

by A.T. Qureshi

What is it about:

When Saphira opened up her café for baby dragons and their humans, she wasn’t expecting it to be so difficult to keep the fires burning. It turns out, young dragons are not the best magical animals to keep in a café, and replacing all that burnt furniture is costing Saphira more than she can afford from selling dragon-roasted coffee.

Aiden is a local gardener, and local heart-throb, more interested in his plants than actually spending time with his disobedient baby dragon. When Aiden walks into Saphira’s café, he has a genius idea – he'll ask Saphira to train his baby dragon, and he'll pay her enough to keep the café afloat.

Saphira’s happy-go-lucky attitude doesn’t seem to do anything but irritate the grumpy-but-gorgeous Aiden, except that everywhere she goes, she finds him there. But can this dragon café owner turn her fortunes around, and maybe find love along the way?

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:

This could have been more than it was.

Don't get me wrong:

I liked the romance. Once again it was grumpy/sunshine, and I really liked the grumpy Aiden. He's more of an introvert than actually grumpy, I have to say. I totally read this book start to finish to see him get the girl and happiness.

It was the world building and the dragons that didn't vibe for me. I felt like the author didn't really know if the dragons were pets or beings that had similar intelligence as humans. The baby dragons felt really off because of that. I also thought the café wasn't used enough in the story. It was more a starting point than something the book revolved around.

The writing style was nice enough, but didn't draw me in. I was not bored enough to stop reading, and not entertained enough to glue myself to the book. 

All in all a nice enough read, but I won't be reading other books in this series/world.

Why should you read it:

Grumpy, introverted gardener.

Teaser Tuesdays - A World Alone

 

Zombies! 

Very excited about diving into this one.

THERE'S ONE IN THE HOUSE. The dragging thump of footsteps, somewhere downstairs, is what tips me off.

(page 1, A World Alone by R.K. Weir)

---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their  TBR Lists if they like your teasers!