amanda_reads13's reviews
454 reviews

Paedyn is an Ordinary (no powers) living in a city of Elites (has powers). The king has convinced the Elites that the Ordinaries are diseased and ordered them to be purged. After saving the prince, she now has to compete in the Purging Trials. 

This is basically the Hunger Games, the Red Queen, and Throne of Glass mixed together. The plot was not original and therefore was incredibly predictable.

There is a secret resistance, she has to lie and use the prince to help the resistance, the kind prince turns brutal at her betrayal, her friend is killed to punish her, etc...

It was a very YA romantasy. I found some things to be very redundant and repetitive (ie. her ocean blue eyes, daggers to the neck). I found her writing to be lacking, she falls victim to the telling instead of showing throughout the entire book. (Ie. We are told that Kai is a monster, but we don't actually see that in the book OR how Kai thinks of Jax as a brother but we never really see it).

I enjoyed the banter and tension between the MCs. I liked that it was dual POV and I enjoyed the switch to Kitts POV at the end.

Due to her writing style, the characters felt flat. I would have liked more of a backstory for these characters, that would help the readers connect more. I wish that there had been more world building and more focus on the trials. The trials almost felt like an afterthought when they were supposed to be the highlight of the book. Also, what was the point of the trails? They make no sense. Why would you want to kill off your strongest Elites? 

The implied love triangle was completely unnecessary and very unoriginal. This is marketed as an enemies to lovers, but reads more as an instalove. The enemies to lovers would have made sense if Kitt were the MMC instead of Kai.

Tropes: instalove, trials, fantasy, forbidden, slow burn

Andre, an FBI agent, has been assigned to the Reed embezzlement case, that includes watching and keeping tabs on Olivia. Olivia is left at the alter by Bradley Reed, her horrible fiance, 10 minutes before hand via text. When Olivia sets her sights on revenge, Andre has to step in before she gets herself thrown in jail. 

This book was ok. It dragged a little and was a bit repetitive. Olivia is a chronic people pleaser. She has let others walk all over her her entire life. She has very low self-worth and confidence in herself despite being a an incredibly successful woman. 

Andre hates his job and boss, he really needs to close the Reed case and get this promotion. Unfortunately for him, the woman who could be his star witness keeps making stupid mistakes that could get her locked up. He decides to step in. Along the way their feelings develop and he now has to hide the fact that he is an FBI agent who is actually tracking her. Seems unethical, but ok. 

When

Olivia finds out the truth, it seems to be resolved way too quickly. He has been lying to her and watching her for a year, yet she just forgives him in minutes. Ya, no. Again, super unethical behaviour for an FBI agent.

I hate how Olivia has to be constantly reassured and babied by Andre. Her whole character growth is based on his affirmations and encouragement, I wish we had seen her growth as more self-directed. I hate when a woman's confidence in a book solely relies on a man.

Tropes: fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, revenge

Cami takes a job as a event coordinator for beach club. Unfortunately, she becomes the target of the bitch-pack, a group of spoiled, snobby rich girls. 

I liked that there was a huge focus on Cami's career and her friendships. Cami is a girl who has only 2 friends because she struggles to let people in. 

Cami is so relatable. She was burned by her ex and now has major trust issues. She has build up walls, makes snap judgements of people, and tests everyone's loyalty. I loved her journey to heal and trust. I appreciate that she grew, yet didn't change who she is at her core. She learned to let others in, but didn't sacrifice herself or needs to do so. Her pettiness is masterful! She is so strong, independent, and feisty. 

Zach is an incredibly sweet and thoughtful partner and father. He is supportive of both the women in his life and pushes them to be their best selves. 

I really liked their relationship, they were open and honest with each other and had amazing communication. I love that Zach never pushed Cami to be someone she wasn't, but just accepted and loved her for who she was, flaws and all. 

Tropes: age gap, he falls first, small tow, found family, Mean Girls inspired 

***Please check the warnings if you have any triggers involving children. This book should come with trigger warnings!!!

Beckett's if fulfilling his best friend, Ryan's, last wish. In his last letter, Ryan asks Beckett to get out of the army and go to take care his sister, Ella, and her children. 

I don't think I have sobbed do hard reading a book. I loved this book up until about the 90% mark (see next paragraph). This is not your typical romance, you don't get a heartwarming HEA. This book is an exploration of motherhood, of loyalty, and of bonds forged through trauma. It is a story of forgiveness and the healing power of unconditional love. 

I really thought this was going to be a 5 star for me. And then the last 10% happened. I knew something big was coming

when they were getting their HEA with 4 chapters left. In one way I was completely blindsided, but in another way I had a feeling that something would happen to Cole. But man, that scene when Beckett finds Cole at the bottom of that landslide destroyed me. It was gut wrentching, absolutely devastating. BUT here is my issue: it didn't add anying to the story and did not need to happen. Yes, tragedies happen, but this last 10% was added for shock value and I don't like that. Haven't they been through enough? Ella has literally lost her entire family and went through her daughter almost dying of cancer, only for her son to be killed off. Why? They couldn't just get their HEA? This whole part should have been cut out.

 

Beckett is broken, raised in the foster system, he joined the army as soon as he could. He has never known love or emotional connection until he met his best friend Ryan. That connection altered the course of his life forever. Ryan lead him to Ella, who showed him what it was like to truly be part of a loving family.

Ella has not only lost her entire family, but now her daughter is fighting for her life. She is an incredibly strong mother who puts everything into protecting her children. She has major trust issues and has never felt like she has been able to depend on anyone. That is until Beckett. These two help each other heal and support each other through their grief and trauma. 

Of course I can't not mention Havoc... The best doggie ever! I loved her and her connection to all of the characters.  
Tropes: found family, brothers best friend, forced proximity 

Grace has just gone through a breakup and ends up going on a road trip with Jax, her brother's teammate. 

Grace is a bubbly, positive 22 year old who loves her freedom and is always there to support those she loves. She has always had the privilege to travel and has never had the desire to settle down. Meeting Jax changes things for her; she has always been a people pleaser, putting herself last and keeping her feelings hidden. Around him, she allows herself to become more vulnerable and open with her feelings. 

I love that Jax accepts Grace exactly as she is. He understands her need to roam and explore the world, and never tries to clip her wings. She finds her home with Jax, but he doesn't make her feel tied down or guilty about wanting to explore. 

Just as Jax supports Grace, she encourages him to set boundaries with his parents. His father is abusive and uses him for his money. 
 
Two huge obstacles for them to overcome were that so scared of Vince finding out about their relationship and their age difference. Vince didn't want his teammates to mess with his sister, completely understandable. But I like that once he learned the truth of their feelings, he was pretty quick to accept their relationship. I don't think that their age difference was the huge deal it was made out to be (8 years). It was more of an excuse than an obstacle. 

I am getting tired of these perfect,  petite FMCs. She lives on a steady diet of candy yet is this tiny, whisp of a woman?! Where are my curvy women?! 

Tropes: Forbidden, Hockey, Brother’s best friend, Road trip

Ellie is on the run with her sons and sister, trying to escape her mafioso, abusive husband. She ends up at a house in Maine, whose caretaker is none other than Frank, her childhood best friend. 

10 years after the death of his brother, Frank finds himself acting as the ghost behind the Irish mob. Hiding in Maine and working for the FBI, everyone believing he is dead. For 10 years he has believed he has been under cover and helping to track down a serial killer.

Turns out that his Bennett has been lying to him the whole time. Bennett was working for the Irish mob the whole time and lying to Frank. So Frank unpended his entire life for a gigantic lie. They just wanted Frank in charge of the Mob.

Ellie's whole childhood was filled with abuse. The one bright spot was Frank, that is until he disappeared. She was then sold off to the Mafia. Her husband was supposed to be her protector, he was also a childhood friend of hers. But his jealousy over her feelings for Frank lead him to treat her with distain and violence.

He also turned her into a serial killer, ya, the one Frank is hunting. She was killing all her husbands enemies.

When she got the call that she inherited a house, she took the opportunity to escape with her family. 

Wow, Ellie is one strong woman. Her childen and sister come before all else, she will literally kill to protect them. She is the definition of a badass, resilient woman. She has spent her entire life building walls to protect herself and I loved seeing her slowly let her guard down and learn to trust. 

Their relationship is so sweet. Frank is a giant teddy bear with Ellie and her boys. He showed them how much he loved them every single day, in all his little and big actions. The bikes, the dogs, boxing, cooking together! All he wants to do is keep them safe and ensure they have a good life. He will take out anyone who ever tries to harm them. Also, I love seeing a man willing to openly show his feelings! 

I would highly suggest reading this after the Whiskey/Billionaire series as they really are interconnected. 

Tropes: second chance, small town, mafia, childhood best friends, forbidden, single mom, forced proximity 

This book starts 13 years after the end of book one. 

Frank was correct in saying that this family is a damn telenovela. Is there anything that didn't happen to them? Murder attempts, bribery, hidden secrets, mob hits, explosions... There is a lot happening. I felt like all of the excessive drama took away from the story. 

Jay is not a good guy. He does a lot of shady shit in the name of loving Cat. I feel like there should be a line somewhere, but with Jay the line does not exist. He will do literally anything and hurt anyone to get Cat. 

So I know everyone is hating on Cat's family, but honestly can you blame them? Cat hides the truth from them for over a decade and then she wants them to be happy about her arranged marriage to their rival? I don't think so. Yes, they did some crappy things, but so did Cat. She literally broke up Cash's relationship. AND she kept the secrets about her brothers child and her other brothers mother. 

Overall, I enjoyed the push and pull and their banter in the beginning. About halfway through it started to get repetitive and a little boring. 

Honestly, I loved the side characters more. I want a Sophie and Dexter book and cannot wait to read Frank's story! 

Tropes: second chance, forced proximity

18 year old Zetain offers herself up as a concubine in order to assassinate her sister's killer. But what she never expects to do it's to kill him through their psychic link and survive. Now she carries the label of the Black Widow, a feared woman who has too much power. She is then paired up with Li Shimin, the most powerful pilot (also deathrow inmate) in hopes of suppressing her power. Again she pulls off the unexpected when their pairing is a match. 

I really love this book. It has fantastic world building, dynamic characters, and a plot that sucks you in. I love how she brings in historical figures and facts while manipulating them to be relevant to this story and world. Feminism/patriarchy is obviously the main theme tackled here, but she also tackles addiction, abuse, government corruption and oppression, and gender and sexuality. 

Throughout the story we learn about how Huaxia is a country fighting against alien invaders called Hunduns, these giant round metallic creatures. For centuries they have been battling them using Chrysalises (giant magical robots crafted out of the spirit metal of Hundun corpses) which uses a two-pilot system in which one girl and one boy pilot a single vehicle. 

Huaxia is rules over by the Heavenly Council, a group of "Gods" who orbit the planet. The people of Huaxia must offer up Hunduns corpses in return for the gift of technological schematics. We discover that

the the people of Huaxia are actually the invaders and that their colony only exists to kill and harvest Hunduns for the precious spirit metal.  This leaves so many unanswered questions. Where are these people originally from? Are there other colonies? What do they need this metal for?

This world is a patriarchal hell-hole for women. Women have two choices in life: become a wife or sacrifice yourself as a pilot's concubine. Women rarely survive as a concubine as they are scaeificed to ensure the man survives. 

Throughout the story we meet Zetian (the iron widow), Li Shimin (the iron demon) and Yizhi (the cinnamon roll rich boy).  Zetian comes into the story roaring. There is no build up to her rage, she just wakes up and chooses violence. I love it. She is a very compelling and fascinating character. Through her we learn about the misogyny blanketing this world, suppressing women to sexual play things and property. She is determined to make the world a better place and stands up when all others cower. As she learns about the truth behind the army, she seeks to destroy it from the inside out, willing to sacrifice herself for a better future.

The yin seat is designed to limit the power of women and turns them into a battery that is easily consumed by the male pilot in the yang seat. This ensures the pilots survival.

I really appreciate the approach she took with the love triangle that could have been. Zetian is in love with Yizhi, yet develops feelings for Shimin as well.

Does she have to choose? Nope! And not only does she get to be with both guys, but they both develop feeling for each other. So we get bisexual representation and a polyamorous relationship. Perfect!

I love this because I generally dislike the YA angst of a love triangle. 

Their families are rivals, they are supposed to be enemies, but you can't help who you fall in love with. 

If you read the Falling for Whiskey Duet, this book jumps back in time to when Cat and Jay are in their early 20s. 

Jay and Cat have been raised to hate each other's families. They own rival whiskey businesses afterall. Oh, there is also the small matter of Cat's father having an affair with Jay's mother. Now, Jay's father is out for revenge, and though he doesn't know the whole plan, he has helped his father by getting close to Cat's brother Carter. Due to this rivalry, they have to keep their relationship a secret. 

I love these two together, their relationship is incredibly sweet. They truly bring out the best in each other. They encourage and support each other and never try to change each other. They become better versions of themselves for one another. 

Cat comes from a very wealthy family, but is determined to make her own way in life. She changes her last name, gets a job and scholarships to pay for school, and stears clear of the family business. She is so strong and independent. I love her relationship with her family (sans father), they are so protective and supportive of each other. Side note:

Her pregnancy at the end shocked me!

I wasn't sure what to think about Jay at first. I liked him in the Falling for Whiskey Duet, but in this book, he seemed like a self-assured asshole at first. Also, he has been brainwashed by his psycho father, who

lied and told him his mother was dead! Talk about trauma.

But he becomes such a better man for Cat, he is obsessed with her and will literally do anything for her. 

Including killing his own father and letting her go! WHAT!?

She is his soft spot and he is so tender, patient, and sweet with her.

Tropes: Romeo/Juliet, rival families, reformed playboysecret relationship 

Tessa (from Falling for Whiskey Duet) is heading to Tahoe to be her best friend Ryan's fake girlfriend for his sister's wedding. These two have been best friends since childhood, but each have been harbouring secret feelings for the other. 

Tessa was the my favourite character from the Falling for Whiskey duet and I continued to loved her in this spicy novella. She is wild and sassy, unequivocally herself. 

I loved Ryan and Tessa's dynamic. You could cut the tension with a knife, their chemistry was absolutely fire. 

I loved lumbersnack Ryan! He is swoonworthy! I love the relationship he has with his niece, it is absolutely adorable. 

My only 2 complaints were... We didn't need Shawn's POV and I wish this had have been a full length novel instead of a novella. I want more of them! 

Tropes: fake dating, one bed, best friends to lovers