Blog Tour: Wicked Princess (Royal Hearts Academy #3) by A. Jade

Wicked Princess
Royal Hearts Academy #3

By:
Ashley Jade

Release Date:
August 18, 2020

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Goodreads
Source:
eARC from Candi Kane PR in exchange for a honest review

Book Summary:

Welcome to their kingdom.

They call me a heartless b*tch.
An evil manipulator.
A wicked princess who enjoys hurting people.

They tell me terrible things happened.
Things that changed my life forever.

Only problem is...

I can't remember any of it.


This is book 3 in the Royal Hearts Academy series. Please note: Although this is Bianca's book, Cruel Prince (Jace and Dylan’s book) and Ruthless Knight (Cole and Sawyer's book) should be read first for a better understanding of the family dynamic.

WARNING: 

Royal Hearts Academy is a New Adult/High School series of standalones filled with drama, a touch of angst, and boys who are bad to the bone. The characters are flawed. If you're looking for a safe, sweet romance with nice heroes and heroines who are perfect all the time, this series is NOT for you.

Royal Hearts Academy Series:

My Review

My Review

My Thoughts:

I've been struggling with reading lately.  With health issues, a jam packed schedule from my daughter's virtual schooling, I haven't been able to read as much as I usually do.  I've attempted a few books, and haven't been able to stick with any of them.

Imagine my excitement when Wicked Princess landed on my kindle.  I love this series, and hoped that this would be the book to pull me out of my reading slump.  The moment I began reading, I was completely engrossed, and could not stop reading.  I finished Wicked Princess in one sitting, and it blew me away.  There were lots of tears, surprises, excitement, and a rollercoaster of emotions as I consumed Bianca's story.  

I loved getting reunited with Jace, Dylan, Cole and Sawyer, as well as getting to know Bianca on a deeper level.  The ending made my heart leap right out of my chest!  I hope Ms. Jade writes book four at lightening speed, as Bianca's story is a to be continued, and I need all of the answers now!!!  

I went from a book slump to a book hangover, and boy did I miss the feeling of being completely immersed in a story, and rapidly turning pages, because I wanted to both finish and never finish the story.

The Royal Hearts Academy is one of my favorite New Adult Series, and I highly recommend it!  It is addictive, passionate, exciting, and packed full of feels!  I love the deep connection that the siblings share, as well as the alluring romances in each segment. If you've enjoyed the Fall Away Series by Penelope Douglas, you should check out this series!

Book Teaser:

Purchase At:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

About the Author:

Ashley Jade loves to tackle different genres and tropes within romance. Her first loves are New Adult Romance and Romantic Suspense, but she also writes everything in between including: contemporary romance, erotica, and dark romance.

Her characters are flawed and complex, and chances are you will hate them before you fall head over heels in love with them.

She’s a die-hard lover of oxford commas, em dashes, music, coffee, and anything thought provoking…except for math.

Books make her heart beat faster and writing makes her soul come alive. She’s always read books growing up and scribbled stories in her journal, and after having a strange dream one night; she decided to just go for it and publish her first series.

It was the best decision she ever made.

If she’s not paying off student loan debt, working, or writing a novel—you can usually find her listening to music, hanging out with her readers online, and pondering the meaning of life.
Check out her amazon page and Facebook page for future novels. She recently became hip and joined Twitter, so you can find her there, too. She loves connecting with her readers—they make her world go round’.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

 Instagram | Amazon Author Page | Bookbub

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How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories

The Folk of the Air Series

By: Holly Black

Release Date: November 24, 2020

Publisher: Little Brown Books

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Book Synopsis:

An illustrated addition to the New York Times bestselling Folk of Air trilogy, that started with The Cruel Prince, from award-winning author Holly Black. 

An irresistible return to the captivating world of Elfhame. 

Once upon a time, there was a boy with a wicked tongue. 

Before he was a cruel prince or a wicked king, he was a faerie child with a heart of stone . #1 New York Times bestselling author, Holly Black reveals a deeper look into the dramatic life of Elfhame’s enigmatic high king, Cardan. This tale includes delicious details of life before The Cruel Prince, an adventure beyond The Queen of Nothing, and familiar moments from The Folk of the Air trilogy, told wholly from Cardan’s perspective. 

This new installment in the Folk of the Air series is a return to the heart-racing romance, danger, humor, and drama that enchanted readers everywhere. Each chapter is paired with lavish and luminous full-color art, making this the perfect collector’s item to be enjoyed by both new audiences and old.

Why I'm Eagerly Waiting:

I love beautiful books, and I can just imagine the beauty and whimsy that will be crafted for this illustrated guide!  I have enjoyed this series immensely, and am looking for any excuse to dive right back in to this enchanting, adventurous, and magical world!

What are you waiting on?

Book Review: Rage and Ruin by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Rage and Ruin
By: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: June 9, 2020
Publisher: Inkyard Press
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Source: A finished copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

Book Summary:

Dangerous secrets and forbidden desires lead to shocking consequences… Don’t miss book two of the fantastical Harbinger trilogy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout.

“Jennifer L. Armentrout’s intoxicating new fantasy is her best yet!” —New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter on Storm and Fury

Half-angel Trinity and her bonded gargoyle protector, Zayne, have been working with demons to stop the apocalypse while avoiding falling in love. The Harbinger is coming…but who or what is it? All of humankind may fall if Trinity and Zayne can’t win the race against time as dark forces gather.

As tensions rise, they must stay close together and patrol the DC streets at night, seeking signs of the Harbinger, an entity that is killing Wardens and demons with no seeming rhyme or reason. Forbidden to be with each other, Zayne and Trinity fight their feelings and turn to unusual sources for help—the demon Roth and his cohorts. But as deaths pile up and they uncover a sinister plot involving the local high school and endangering someone dear to Zayne, Trin realizes she is being led…herded…played for some unknown end. As anger builds and feelings spiral out of control, it becomes clear that rage may be the ruin of them all. 

My Thoughts:

Rage in Ruin is the sequel to Storm and Fury, the second book in The Harbinger Series; a spinoff of The Dark Elements Trilogy! With every book she writes, Jennifer L. Armentrout cements my love for her storytelling. She has a way of completely pulling a reader in to a story. She evokes so much passion, emotion, excitement, and entertainment with her gift. I always feel like I become a part of her stories, as they completely consume me and take on a life of their own. 

Rage and Ruin was phenomenal! Zayne and Trinity are in an interesting predicament. They are forbidden to be with one another. So as they live, train, and hunt for the Harbinger together, they must constantly resist the temptation of their mutual growing attraction and feelings for one another.

I loved getting a different side of Zayne in this book. While I loved him in The Dark Elements Trilogy, I thought he lacked the same palpable passion that Roth had for Layla, which is what made me Team Roth in that series. While Zayne is a nice guy, and a fierce protector, I enjoyed seeing so much more passion and carnality to his character in this book. I loved watching him lose control of himself, as he become more passionate about Trinity! The way she pushed his buttons, and these two played off of one another had me giddy! Zayne was sweet and gently, but also passionate, seductive, and protective. Trinity was so strong, brave, independent, and loyal. She had a never quit attitude, and didn't want to rely on others. 

Zayne and Trinity had such a passionate and emotional love story! I cried and felt so many raw emotions when reading this installment. To top it off, I got an exciting plot full of surprises, twists, and action. Add in a cast of magnificent supporting characters, and you have a five star read! Roth and Peanut both kept me entertained, and laughing! Roth's loyalty, and devotion to have his friends back continues to make him a favorite character of mine.

I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't mention the epic ending to this installment. JLA put me through the wringer with non-stop action, crazy surprises and twists, as well as breaking my heart in two, as I cried my eyes out, and then offering more surprises, and a starburst of shock and hope! Now, we know who the Harbinger is, and one thing is for certain, the stakes are higher than ever! I can't wait to see how everything plays out in the final book, and in the meantime, I'm emotionally exhausted, and left reeling from the best kind of book hangover, which is the mark of having read an exceptional story!

Purchase:

Amazon | Audible | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

About the Author:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. 

Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins. 

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Book Review: The Summer Deal (Wildstone #5) by Jill Shalvis

The Summer Deal
Wildstone #5
By: Jill Shalvis
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Publisher: William Morrow
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Source: eARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review

Book Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes a friends-to-frenemies-to-sisters story… And then add in a love story (okay, two love stories). Shake. Stir. Read on a lazy summer day at the beach. 

Brynn Turner desperately wishes she had it together, but her personal life is like a ping-pong match that’s left her scared and hurt after so many attempts to get it right. In search of a place to lick her wounds and get a fresh start, she heads back home to Wildstone. 

And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who after battling serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, is tired of hoping for . . . well, anything. She's fierce, tough, and pretty much the opposite of Brynn except for one thing: they're half-sisters. Kinsey is keeping this bombshell, and a few others as well. Long time frenemies from summer camp, there’s no way she’s going to tell Brynn they’re related. 

But then Brynn runs into Kinsey's lifelong best friend, Eli, renewing a childhood crush. He’s still easy-going and funny and sexy as hell. When he gets her to agree to a summer-time deal to trust him to do right by her, no matter what, she never dreams it’ll result in finding a piece of herself she didn’t even know was missing. She could have a sister, love, and a future―if she can only learn to let go of the past. 

As the long days of summer wind down, the three of them must discover if forgiveness is enough to grasp the unconditional love that’s right in front of them.

My Thoughts:

The Summer Deal was such a great read!  Jill Shalvis is a master storyteller, and every time I read a story of hers, I'm reminded of why I love her books so much.  Her characters are real, relatable, and likable!

We get the stories of Brynn Turner and Kinsey Davis.  The story toggles between the past (in diary entries,) and the present, in which we learn these two attended the same summer camp every year, and did not get along.  

Brynn leaves Long Beach for Wildstone when things go south with her boyfriend.  She needs a new start, and to have the support and love of her nurturing mothers, Olive and Raina.  However, she doesn't want to live with them, and prefers to have her own space.  Unfortunately, rent in Wildstone is too high for this substitute kindergarten school teacher.  So when Eli,  (her adolescent crush,) offers her a room for rent at a reasonable price in his home, she accepts.  What she doesn't realize is that Eli had a huge crush on her too, and is excited to have her back in Wildstone.  Bryn becomes upset when she learns that Kinsey is one of his roommates, and even though she decides she's going to back out of the arrangement, they convince her to stay.  

Eli and Kinsey have been best friends since they were young, and bonded over having families that abandoned them.  Eli wants to bring Brynn and Kinsey together, because he knows an important secret.  So Eli, his fun-loving half-brother Max, Brynn, and Kinsey all end up becoming roommates.

Kinsey is very sick.  She has Kidney Disease, and unfortunately transplant rejection has been a problem for her. She has a friends with benefits arrangement with Deck, a single father and nurse at the dialysis center.  Kinsey insists on keeping everyone she cares about at arms length, because she has resigned herself to death, and doesn't want to hurt anyone.  

The Summer Deal was a fantastic read!  I loved getting to know sweet, sensitive, quirky Brynn.  Kinsey was a character with many layers,  At times she could appear cold, but she had suffered so much since a young age, and we realize she is trying to protect herself, as much as she's trying to protect those around her.   Eli and Deck were both wonderful love interests that had me swooning!  They were patient, kind, caring, and compassionate.  They had their work cut out for them with Brynn, (who had major trust issues,) and Kinsey. 

I loved so much about this story!  I loved how realistic the main characters were.  Jill Shalvis brought them to life, and they felt so real to me, that they could have walked right off of the page.  They were flawed, like any person is, but had so many great qualities to them as well.  Brynn's mothers and Kindergartner’s charmed me, made me smile, and laugh.  My heart broke for the individual hurt and pain they all suffered along their unique journeys.  I was rooting the whole way through for Brynn and Kinsey to make peace with one another, and get close.  I was holding my breath hoping that Brynn and Kinsey would take a chance on love, and was ecstatic when Ms. Shalvis delivered the perfect ending!

Purchase At:

Amazon | Audible | Barnes and Noble | iBooks 

About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

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Crush

Crave #2

By: Tracy Wolff

Release Date: September 29, 2020

Publisher: Entangled Teen

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Book Summary:

Jaxon and Grace’s story continues in New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff’s captivating sequel to Crave. I’m in the fight of my life. For my humanity. For Jaxon. And for the world I’ve only just begun to be a part of. I’m all in, even if saving the people I love means I risk losing myself forever.

Why I'm Eagerly Waiting:

I loved Crave, the first book in this story, and it was a five star read for me!  The ending was really exciting, and gave me a surprising plot twist that has me dying to get my hands on this sequel!

What are you waiting on?

Blog Tour Promo: The Hunter (Boston Belles #1) by L.J. Shen

“The queen of enemies-to-lovers strikes again. I devoured every page, hooked on the sizzling chemistry between Hunter and Sailor. A ten star read." --Parker S. Huntington, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

The Hunter, an all-new compelling and must-read contemporary romance from USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now! 

Boston’s debauched elite is going up in flames, and it’s the Fitzpatrick family that set it on fire. 

Hunter

I didn’t mean to star in a sex tape, okay?

It was just one of those unexplainable things. Like Stonehenge, Police Academy 2, and morning glory clouds.

It just happened.

Now my ball-busting father is sentencing me to six months of celibacy, sobriety, and morbid boredom under the roof of Boston’s nerdiest girl alive, Sailor Brennan.

The virginal archer is supposed to babysit my ass while I learn to take my place in Royal Pipelines, my family’s oil company.

Little does she know, that’s not the only pipe I’ll be laying…

Sailor

I didn’t want this gig, okay?

But the deal was too sweet to walk away from.

I needed the public endorsement; Hunter needed a nanny.

Besides, what’s six months in the grand scheme of things?

It’s not like I’m in danger of falling in love with the appallingly gorgeous, charismatic gazillionaire who happens to be one of Boston’s most eligible bachelors.

No. I will remain immune to Hunter Fitzpatrick’s charm.

Even at the cost of losing everything I have.

Even at the cost of burning down his kingdom. 

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KZt7S9

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Add THE HUNTER to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Qav1lR

Excerpt:

“Why?” I asked, blinking at him in confusion. I had two left legs and the coordination of roadkill. I couldn’t dance if my life depended on it. I’d tried dancing at the only party I’d ever gone to—sophomore year—and was subjected to such thorough humiliation. People took videos of me dancing and forwarded it to half my school. Saggy Sailor, they’d graffiti-ed on my locker. Apparently, my back looked hunched and droopy when I danced.  

“Because…” He tilted his chin down, his voice low, smoldering. “You’re obviously bored, and my family is watching us, and I’m partial to fondling you.” 

“It’s the dress,” I muttered. 
“I’d actually prefer fondling you out of it.” 

I sliced my gaze sideways, noticing that Aisling and Persy hadn’t picked up on my exchange with him. They were now watching a video, probably of the reality show they were arguing about. Even though Hunter was just after a friendly dance to show his family we were getting along, I couldn’t unglue my butt from my chair.   

“No fondling.” I crossed my arms over my chest, buying time. 

“No promises. Get up.” “Did you tell anyone we live together?” I accused, my eyes narrowing into slits.  

He stared at me, wide-eyed, mouth parted. “Negatory.”

“Did you tell anyone we were dating?” 

“This is the lamest twenty-questions game I’ve ever participated in. No.” 

“Well, people are talking about us.” 

“That’s what people do. They fill the air with useless words to entertain each other. It’s called gossip, and it sucks all the asses in the world. Doesn’t mean it was me. Our building employs more than a hundred people. All of them work for my father. That means he’s spreading whatever the hell he wants to spread.”  

About LJ Shen:

L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to twenty different countries.  

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.

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Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/