While 2023 wasn't the best year for reading (for me), I did find some absolute treasures and I'm excited to share them all with you in a neat little list.
Here's to hoping that 2024 will be a better reading year for me. I miss the days when I'd read 30-50 books a month. Can I get that back please?
My Stats
Total Books Read: 151
Total Pages Read: 48,394
Average Rating: 3.86
Included Tropes:
* amnesia * arranged marriage * apocalypse * assassin * enemies to lovers * fated mates
* forbidden * forced proximity * friends to lovers * instalove/lust * mafia/organized crime
* mc romance * protection/security * retelling * royalty * second chance * secret baby
* single parent * small town * stalker * vigilante
Total Pages Read: 48,394
Average Rating: 3.86
Included Tropes:
* amnesia * arranged marriage * apocalypse * assassin * enemies to lovers * fated mates
* forbidden * forced proximity * friends to lovers * instalove/lust * mafia/organized crime
* mc romance * protection/security * retelling * royalty * second chance * secret baby
* single parent * small town * stalker * vigilante
Contemporary Romance
Dark Romance
Fantasy Romance
Paranormal Romance
Romantic Comedy
Have you read any of these books or have them on a list? Leave a comment below and tell me all about it!
I wish everyone the best that 2024 has to offer — may all of us continue to be healthy, happy and safe this year!
xo, Natalie
These scars should never be seen as a Fae who has been abused or broken because, instead, they tell a story of every battle won. Every war her father unleashed on her that she didn't retreat from. She held her ground and never gave in, which is clear in how she's going against him now.
Blood of Desiderium by Ali Stuebbe
Rating -
Part of a series - The Divide #1
Release - December 21, 2022
Genre/Trope - Fantasy Romance / enemies to lovers / royalty
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - a couple of descriptive and explicit scenes
Source - ebook from NetGalley
Length - 484 pages
In the lands of Deyadrum, where every Fae possesses power, Princess Emma is the only one forced without. Confined in the walls of her palace by her father, she’s desperate for a taste of freedom.
That is, until she discovers the truth: everything she thought she knew was a lie, for something evil plagues her lands - promising death and darkness.
A betrothal that tests her.
A mysterious vigilante who teases her.
A Dark Prince who doesn’t trust her.
And a phantom that invades her dreams.
Emma must try to escape her father’s torturous grip as she journeys to find a way to save her people…and herself.
But Emma has dark secrets of her own. And a game she has to play.
Can she overcome her grief and fears to save her people before the darkness that lurks within consumes her?
Just remember, even that which appears true may be deceiving.
That is, until she discovers the truth: everything she thought she knew was a lie, for something evil plagues her lands - promising death and darkness.
A betrothal that tests her.
A mysterious vigilante who teases her.
A Dark Prince who doesn’t trust her.
And a phantom that invades her dreams.
Emma must try to escape her father’s torturous grip as she journeys to find a way to save her people…and herself.
But Emma has dark secrets of her own. And a game she has to play.
Can she overcome her grief and fears to save her people before the darkness that lurks within consumes her?
Just remember, even that which appears true may be deceiving.
Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
Blood of Desiderium was a gloomy, wonderful, glaringly grim depiction of a woman fighting for freedom.
This debut novel had just about everything I needed to stay captivated: a fierce heroine, who was battling a darkness she couldn't control; a devastingly handsome dark prince, who has his own secrets to keep; a few secondary characters who each deserve their own stories; an extremely cruel King, who wanted to rule over everyone; a stunning magic system; and a moving plot.
At times I wanted to both slap and hug Emma. She really was her own worst enemy (aside from the King and his followers). While she and Draven (our swoon-worthy hero) clashed from the start, there was no mistaking the chemistry between them. The author doled out the heat in spades!
And while this book definitely had some spice to it, whether through heated words or heated intimate exchanges, the plot was what held my attention most. I couldn't figure out how Emma would come into her power, who was responsible for the monstrous beasts plaguing the fae, or if any of these people I had come to love would even survive. I was hooked and I need the next book, Soul of Salvation immediately. Waiting for its release is going to feel like torture.
Ali Stuebbe grew up in the state of Ohio, near the city of Cleveland. At the age of 21, she married, becoming a military spouse, and has called three other states home. She studied English Literature at Cleveland State University and American Public University. She began writing her debut novel when she grew confident in her writing and felt ready to bring this story to life. When she’s not writing, she can be found at the gym or sitting on the couch with her nose in a book and a large coffee in her hand. Ali is the author of Blood of Desiderium, and currently lives in Texas with her loving husband and two beautiful children.Visit https://www.alimariestuebbe.co for more information.
Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
Legacy of Temptation by Larissa Ione
Rating -
½Standalone - Demonica Birthright #1
Release - February 6, 2024
Genre/Trope - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Primarily dual 3rd person
Heat - descriptive to explicit scenes
Source - eARC from NetGalley
Length - approx. 400 pages
Eva Tennant, like everyone at The Aegis, hates demons. But she loves her job as Deputy Spokesperson for the global demon-slaying organization, and she’s excited to be in the running for Chief Spokesperson. All she has to do is not screw up the two-week exchange program with The Aegis’s rival agency, the Demon Activity Response Team. But things go horribly wrong when a murder turns her into a fugitive from justice and puts a demonic target on her back.
Logan, son of the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as Death, has dedicated his life to fighting demons alongside his colleagues at DART. He loves fighting, females, and his pet hellhound, Cujo. What he doesn’t love is The Aegis, whose leadership attempted to slaughter him at birth. Understandably, he balks when he’s ordered to protect an Aegis Guardian responsible for the deaths of his friends. Really, he’d rather feed her to Cujo.
But when an old enemy rises from the ashes, Eva and Logan find themselves giving into temptation even as they sacrifice the things…and people…they love the most.
Logan, son of the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as Death, has dedicated his life to fighting demons alongside his colleagues at DART. He loves fighting, females, and his pet hellhound, Cujo. What he doesn’t love is The Aegis, whose leadership attempted to slaughter him at birth. Understandably, he balks when he’s ordered to protect an Aegis Guardian responsible for the deaths of his friends. Really, he’d rather feed her to Cujo.
But when an old enemy rises from the ashes, Eva and Logan find themselves giving into temptation even as they sacrifice the things…and people…they love the most.
"This is probably really stupid,"
he said against her mouth.
"Agreed." She grinned. "But it's gonna be fun."
he said against her mouth.
"Agreed." She grinned. "But it's gonna be fun."
Okay. Wow!!
So much happened within these pages and I'm still all over the place about it all.
Logan and Eva were the main protagonists of this tale. They work for opposite sides trying to accomplish the same thing: protect humanity from evil demons. Too bad Eva believed that all demons were bad. Being the son of Death, Logan has to hide so much of himself from the woman he has quickly grown an attachment to. What will it take to obliterate Eva's prejudice so that they will have a chance at happiness together?
I adored the way these mythical beings love one another. The bond between the Horsemen, the bond shared by their kids, the bond shared with all of their allies... I'm here for it. I could have done with the prejudice that permeated this story from Eva and her cronies (they soured my stomach), but it fed the story and I loved when she finally saw the truth behind the lies. For a world renowned journalist, she didn't do a lot of fact-checking, huh?
I'm a huge fan of Logan and the depth of his story. For such a strong being, he had plenty of vulnerable bits. Who doesn't admire a hero with a heart?
My heart is hurting right now. No one is safe and the story is far from over. I need the books to come in this series in my hands NOW!! While I wait, I'm going to be reading the original books of the Demonica series to better acquaint myself with all of the characters I met in this book and discover, from the beginning, the many ways they love each other.
Okay, so the following are just some thoughts that I want to keep straight for the series. So I don't ruin this for anyone else, I'm going to hide them behind a spoiler. I also don't plan on sharing these thoughts when I cross-post this review.
Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.Visit https://www.larissaione.com for more information.
Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon
One Cursed Rose by Rebecca Zanetti
Rating -
Standalone - Grimm Bargains #1
Release - June 25, 2024
Genre/Trope - Paranormal Romance / enemies-to-lovers / retelling
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - explicit scenes
Source - eARC provided by NetGalley
Length - 400 pages
Information is power, and those who control it live like gods.
In my world, billionaires play deadly games of insult and influence where magic is the dirtiest weapon of all. Here, even a powerful princess can be swallowed by the darkest of shadows . . .
My name is Alana Beaumont, and due to a recent tragedy, I’m the sole heir to Aquarius Social, a family business being systematically dismantled by an unseen enemy. My father’s solution is to give me in marriage and create a coalition with a competing family, so I’m torn between my thirst for revenge and my duty. Now I just have a week to finish my hunt before the wedding.
There’s nothing like an assassination attempt to cut short the best of plans—even worse is my unwanted rescue by Thorn Beathach, the Beast whose social media empire is driving Aquarius under. The richest, most ruthless of them all, he protects his realm with an iron rule: no one sees his face. When he shows himself to me, I know he’ll never let me go.
Thorn may think he can lock me in his castle forever, but I’m not the docile Beauty he expects. If the Beast wants to tie me up, I’m going to take pleasure from every minute of it . . .and we’ll just see who ends up shackled.
In my world, billionaires play deadly games of insult and influence where magic is the dirtiest weapon of all. Here, even a powerful princess can be swallowed by the darkest of shadows . . .
My name is Alana Beaumont, and due to a recent tragedy, I’m the sole heir to Aquarius Social, a family business being systematically dismantled by an unseen enemy. My father’s solution is to give me in marriage and create a coalition with a competing family, so I’m torn between my thirst for revenge and my duty. Now I just have a week to finish my hunt before the wedding.
There’s nothing like an assassination attempt to cut short the best of plans—even worse is my unwanted rescue by Thorn Beathach, the Beast whose social media empire is driving Aquarius under. The richest, most ruthless of them all, he protects his realm with an iron rule: no one sees his face. When he shows himself to me, I know he’ll never let me go.
Thorn may think he can lock me in his castle forever, but I’m not the docile Beauty he expects. If the Beast wants to tie me up, I’m going to take pleasure from every minute of it . . .and we’ll just see who ends up shackled.
Anyone who pays attention to my reading habits knows that Rebecca Zanetti is an author I HAVE to read. No joke. Anything she writes, I want it. Hearing about a dark romance from one of my favourite authors? You know I had to get my hands on it. So here's what I liked:
➤ Beauty and the Beast... twisted and screwed.
➤ rivals to lovers plot. You know it's going to be hot when their relationship starts off with animosity, defiance, and misunderstandings.
➤ Thorn's a stalker. Watching his prey's every move, but never really getting to know her... until he kidnaps her!
➤ a stunning AND smart heroine. Alana was so much more than she seemed and I enjoyed watching her embrace her power.
➤ the fantastical elements with the gems. I still don't really understand the power that these stones have, but I'm very interested in learning more.
➤ the bond that grew between our protagonists. It may have been a tad unorthodox, especially with the way Thorn courted Alana, but it was entertaining.
My only issue with this story — aside from the missing information about the gems, their power, and how and why they're relied upon — was the fact that I was promised a dark romance and this wasn't it. Aside from the kidnapping, the captivity, the killing of people (by Thorn), and the mystery surrounding some other deaths, there wasn't anything really dark. It was more suspenseful than anything else. It did read differently than anything I've read from this author before. I had to remind myself a time or two about who actually wrote this story because the tone felt very new.
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys suspense with a splash of the supernatural in their love stories.
Rebecca Zanetti is the author of over forty romantic suspense, dark paranormals, and contemporary romances, and her books have appeared multiple times on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. She lives in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with her own Alpha hero, two kids, a couple of dogs, a crazy cat…and a huge extended family. She believes strongly in luck, karma, and working her butt off…and she thinks one of the best things about being an author, unlike the lawyer she used to be, is that she can let the crazy out. Upcoming series are: The Blood Brothers, The Realm Enforcers and The Scorpius Syndrome.Visit https://rebeccazanetti.com for more information!
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