Bride - Ali Hazelwood (#Review)

Date of Reading: 8/3/2024

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: February 6, 2024

Rating: 5/5

About the book:

A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again...

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

Review:

       If you are considering hosting a book buffet, look no further for a dessert option; this book fits the bill perfectly. I must admit I practically devoured this book within a single day. Looks like, for once the hype is actually real.

       What did I love the most? Oh, that will be quirky dialogues and the slow-burn romance between Misery and Lowe. I love so many things about the book -- love between siblings, techno-savvy heroine, loyal friends and forbidden romance to name a few -- but these two definitely top the list. 

      The plot follows Misery's point of view with each chapter giving a short preview of what goes through Lowe's head at the beginning. I was drawn to Misery right from the start, particularly her ability to find humour even in the most dire situations. Lowe Moreland provides the perfect counterbalance and I loved the way the author included the idea of mates in this paranormal story set in a modern world. 

       The novel does include a mix of everything. It is part mystery, at times romantic and many thrilling scenes keep you at the edge. Only four months into 2024, I could already see this book becoming my favourite of the year. 

Meet the author: 

Ali Hazelwood is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis, as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her three feline overlords (and her slightly less feline husband).

House of Sky and Breath - Sarah J. Mass (#Review)

Date of Reading: 1/3/2024

Author: Sarah J. Mass

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Publication Date: February 15, 2022

Rating: 3.5/5

About the book:

Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.

The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.

In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.

Review:

       I was waiting for the third book to come out to start this series. So after the wild ride of 'House of Earth and Blood', I wanted something a bit more laid back. And lo and behold, I got what I wished for . . . or more than what I asked for. Let's just say, the story went through the following stages:

• Relaxing
• Slightly boring
• Boring
• Things start perking up
• The big reveal
• The end

        One thing I love about this book is that Mass gives ample space for other characters to develop. Since Bryce and Hunt are already a couple, there weren't any surprises there. By the end of the book, I couldn't help but feel sorry for Hunt. He might be a powerful angel with rare magic in his veins, but the author gives him no leeway to show off. His power is curtailed by the dark halo in the first book and the second book fares no better by relegating him to a punch bag. 

     

        The chemistry between Bryce and Hunt, a major driving force in the first book, fizzles out here. Ya, ya, there is plenty of talk on mates but I fail to find an equal partnership here. Bryce withholds her plans from Hunt and while he is affected strongly by their bond, going into some primitive frenzy to protect her, his feelings are not reciprocated as strongly. I am all in favour of female empowerment, but this felt more like replacing a patriarchal system with an equally domineering matriarchy. Even after finding his mate, Hunt's plight is no different than two thousand years ago. He still follows around a powerful female lover with no power whatsoever to influence her decisions.

       What really made this book a joy to read was Ruhn and Agent Daybright. Among all of Bryce's questionable decisions, their love story really stood out. A prince who feels useless and an agent willing to do anything for the cause - it was truly delightful!

Meet the author:

Sarah J. Maas is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Crescent City, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and the Throne of Glass series. Her books have sold more than twelve million copies and are published in thirty-seven languages. A New York native, Sarah lives in Philadelphia with her husband, son, and dog. To find out more, visit sarahjmaas.com or follow @therealsjmaas on Instagram.