Book Review! Slay King by Abbi Glines

Slay King (Georgia Smoke) by Abbi Glines
Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: April 14, 2024
Publisher: Self

“This world I live in isn’t one that builds strong relationships. It rips them apart.”

Perhaps that was true, but nonetheless, I had fallen in love with him anyway. The man who had lied to me, the man I couldn’t trust, the man who would never love me back, yet even knowing all that, I loved him still. His smile could make me forget all the reasons why I shouldn’t. I was so easily blinded by the charm that was King Salazar.

He used it like a weapon, and I was one of the many who fell under his spell. Accepting that I had nowhere else to go and running from the southern mafia was impossible, I gave in to my feelings for him. All the while knowing he would eventually break me in a way that my abusive husband he had killed had not.

While he kept me locked away, safe from the gang bent on finding me, I had to sit back and watch him live out a fake relationship with the next Governor of Georgia’s only daughter. We all know how that story goes. I’d read enough of those tropes in books to prepare myself for the end. When he would fall for her and, I would, once again, be left alone. Shattered beyond repair.

Slay King is the second book in the Georgia Smoke duology by Abbi Glines. I hate that I didn’t read the first book already. I thought these were stand alones. I don’t feel out of the loop though, because the book does an excellent job catching you up on everything, so much so that I don’t feel like I am missing anything from book one except for maybe how the relationship between Rumor and King developed. Honestly, I’m on the fence with King. There’s an Alpha male personality, and there’s just being ridiculous. I felt like he was ridiculous a lot. I didn’t see what made Rumor fall in love. There was a LOT of sex, but what else do they have? I assume that’s what I missed in book one. Rumor was very believable. Coming out of an abusive relationship, I can see why she would cling on to a guy like King for both good and bad reasons. I love the whole Southern Mafia thing going on! That’s something I can really get into. I’m a big Abbi Glines fan, but it’s been a while since I picked up one of her books. So, I’ve got some catching up to do.

The ARC of Slay King by Abbi Glines was kindly provided to me by Wordsmith Publicity for review. The opinions are my own.

Check out some of my reviews of other books by Abbi Glines!

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, and Existence series. She has a new YA series coming out in the fall of 2015 titled The Field Party Series . She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she was born in Alabama. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, shopping (major shoe and purse addiction), sneaking off to the movies alone, and listening to the drama in her teenagers lives while making mental notes on the good stuff to use later. Don’t judge.

You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.

To learn more about Abbi Glines and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Release Day Review! Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter

Red Kingdom (Fairy Tale Retellings #2) by Rachel L. Demeter
Genre: Adult Fiction (Fractured Fairy Tale/Fantasy Romance)
Date Published: April 10, 2024
Publisher: Self

Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.

Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.

Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.

United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.

Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?

Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate, slow-burn historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.

*Red Kingdom is a standalone installment in a series of reimagined fairy tales.

Disclaimer: This is not your grandmother's Little Red Riding Hood. Red Kingdom is a dark historical romance set in a war-torn kingdom. As such, it contains graphic content and mature themes, including grief, strong violence, offscreen rape and suicide, and animal/human death. Reader discretion is advised.

Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter is the second book in the Fairy Tale Retellings series. I just had to pause and recoup after reading this one, because so many horrible and wonderful things happened. It kind of left me a bit in awe. This is a dark one. It's brutal with a lot of death. Don't get attached to anyone. And, I hate deaths of favorite characters! I mean, we all do. Right? But, these deaths had purpose at least. It wasn't for shock value. I still don't like it, but they had meaning. That brings me to the characters in general. They were fleshed out very well. You really got to know them and all their layers, and you didn't get it all at once. It was a process throughout the reading experience. I love a good enemies to lovers romance, and this was definitely that. Red Kingdom was well thought out from start to finish, and I can't wait to see what's next for us in this series.

Th ARC of Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.

Have you read the first book yet?

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing dark, poignant romances that challenge the reader's emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

Imagining dynamic worlds and characters has been Rachel's passion for longer than she can remember. Before learning how to read or write, she would dictate stories while her mother would record them for her. She holds a special affinity for the tortured hero and unconventional romances. Whether crafting the protagonist or antagonist, she ensures every character is given a soul.

Rachel endeavors to defy conventions by blending elements of romance, suspense, and horror. Some themes her stories never stray too far from: forbidden romance, soul mates, the power of love to redeem, mend all wounds, and triumph over darkness.

Her dream is to move readers and leave an emotional impact through her words.

To learn more about Rachel L. Demeter and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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Excerpt! Slay King by Abbi Glines

Slay King (Georgia Smoke) by Abbi Glines
Genre: Adult Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: April 14, 2024
Publisher: Self

Blurb Coming Soon!

“What are we? You… you say we’re friends but this… this doesn’t feel like friends, King. This feels like more, and to me, it is more. And if it’s not more for you then I can’t keep doing it and survive it. Survive you.”

“You’re right. It’s not friends. I thought it could be, but I need you. I want you with me all the damn time. When sh*t gets dark all it takes is your smile to ease the demons inside. Does it need a label?”

Yes. No. Ugh! Why was I pushing? This was all new. Perhaps I was too unexperienced in life and I was asking for something I shouldn’t.

           
“I guess not,” I replied.

His hands grabbed my waist and pulled me against him. “Those eyes of yours are saying something different. You want security. Your trust in me is gone, and I deserve it.” He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. “I don’t know what to call this. I just know you’re all I think about. The only one I want to f*ck. The only person I miss. Yeah, it sounds like a relationship, but I’ve seen what happens when people fall in love. That shit isn’t real. It’s just a word. It ends in disaster, and I could never live with myself if that happened to us and I lost you. My life. This world I live in isn’t one that builds strong relationships. It rips them apart. I’ve seen it happen over and over. So, let’s not label it. Let’s just live in the moment. Enjoy how this feels.”

There were no right words here. At least I couldn’t think of any. I just nodded, and he brushed his lips against mine as his hands tightened their hold on me.

“This world I live in isn’t one that builds strong relationships. It rips them apart.”

 

Perhaps that was true, but nonetheless, I had fallen in love with him anyway. The man who had lied to me, the man I couldn’t trust, the man who would never love me back, yet even knowing all that, I loved him still. His smile could make me forget all the reasons why I shouldn’t. I was so easily blinded by the charm that was King Salazar.

He used it like a weapon, and I was one of the many who fell under his spell. Accepting that I had nowhere else to go and running from the southern mafia was impossible, I gave in to my feelings for him. All the while knowing he would eventually break me in a way that my abusive husband he had killed had not.

While he kept me locked away, safe from the gang bent on finding me, I had to sit back and watch him live out a fake relationship with the next Governor of Georgia’s only daughter. We all know how that story goes. I’d read enough of those tropes in books to prepare myself for the end. When he would fall for her and, I would, once again, be left alone. Shattered beyond repair.

*Please be advised that this is book two in a duet and is a standalone in the Georgia Smoke Series. 

Check out some of my reviews of other books by Abbi Glines!

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, and Existence series. She has a new YA series coming out in the fall of 2015 titled The Field Party Series . She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she was born in Alabama. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, shopping (major shoe and purse addiction), sneaking off to the movies alone, and listening to the drama in her teenagers lives while making mental notes on the good stuff to use later. Don’t judge.

You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.

To learn more about Abbi Glines and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

Buy this book at:

Book Review: Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh

Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh
Genre: Adult Fiction (Historical)
Date Published: January 9, 2024
Publisher: Harper Muse

The Titanic was only the beginning. What she survived has become legend. What she survived has become legend. Inspired by true stories of survival and resilience, Unsinkable entwines the lives of two women, one from World War 1 and another from World War 2, as they face adversity and take hold of the second chances given to them.

Violet Jessop is Miss Unsinkable.

After her mother becomes too ill to work, the responsibility to provide for the family falls to Violet as the oldest of nine. When the world enters the Great War, she serves as a nurse, helping men who could very well be her brothers. Working as a stewardess and wartime nurse, Violet not only survives a shipwreck but also two sinkings, one on the infamous Titanic. No one can understand why she would return to sea, but something keeps drawing Violet back to the tumultuous waters, where she struggles to put the tragedies of her past behind her and pursue a life and love all her own.

Daphne has survived calamity of her own.

Daphne Chaundanson grows up as an unwanted child after her mother died in a tragedy. She throws herself into education, collecting languages like candy in a desperate attempt to finally earn her father's approval. When the Special Operations Executive invites her to be an agent in France in World War II, her childhood of anonymity and her love of languages make her the perfect fit. She sees it as an opportunity to help the country she loves and live up to her father's expectations. But the dangers of war challenge Daphne in ways she never could have expected, and the secrets from her own past must be faced for her to truly have a future beyond the conflict--if she can survive it.

Inspired by true stories of Violet Jessop and the thirty-nine women of the Special Operations Executive. Two unsinkable women. Two stories of survival, family, and finding one's own happiness. One connection that reshapes both their lives forever.

Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh was tricky for me to rate because I found it hard to stay focused. I’m not sure what these two women have to do with one another. Why are their stories told in fluctuating timelines within the same book? I kept waiting for something to link them in a significant way. I think I know one thing that’s a link, but it’s never specified for certain and doesn’t play a big part in the long run. So, I'm just a little confused and never really felt hooked into their lives.

The characters are likable, and they scream girl power. I also love that their stories are being told. This is fiction. Don’t get me wrong, but their stories are based on real people. The author explains it better in the book. The real women these characters are based on must have had so much mental and emotional strength. I couldn’t imagine.

The ARC of Unsinkable by Jenni L. Walsh was kindly provided to me by the publisher through Net Galley for review. The opinions are my own.

Jenni L. Walsh is a USA Today bestselling author of over twelve books. Her passion lies in transporting readers to another world, be it in historical or contemporary settings. She is a proud member of the Tall Poppy writers, a graduate of Villanova University, and lives in the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband, daughter, son, and various pets.

For adults, Jenni has written historical novels Becoming Bonnie, Side by Side, A Betting Woman, The Call of the Wrens, Unsinkable, and the forthcoming Ace, Marvel, Spy. She also writes books for children, including the nonfiction She Dared series and novels Hettie and the London Blitz, I Am Defiance, By the Light of Fireflies, Over and Out, Operation: Happy, and The Bug Bandits. 

To learn more about Jenni L. Walsh and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.

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Book Review: The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Genre: Young Adult Fiction (Mystery/Romance)
Date Published: September 7, 2021
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Intrigue, riches, and romance abound in this thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Inheritance Games perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.

The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions - including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons.

Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows that she's not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture - by any means necessary.

With nonstop action, aspirational jet-setting, family intrigue, swoonworthy romance, and billions of dollars hanging in the balance, The Hawthorne Legacy will thrill Jennifer Lynn Barnes fans and new readers alike.

The Hawthorne Legacy is the second book in the Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Okay so… the second book was just as good as the first. Crazy right?! There are so many twists, turns, reveals, games, puzzles….. And you feel like you're figuring things out right along with the characters. Aaah! I love it! You can guess some things along the way, but ultimately, it throws some curves. I really don’t know what to expect with this story, and that’s such a good thing!

Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed young adult novels. She has advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science, including graduate degrees from Cambridge University, where she was a Fulbright Scholar, and Yale University, where she received her Ph.D. in 2012. Jen wrote her first published novel when she was nineteen-years-old and sold her first five books while still in college. In additional to writing YA novels, Jen has also written original pilot scripts for television networks like USA and MTV, and she is one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of fandom and the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination more broadly. Jen is an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma, where she holds a dual appointment in Psychology and Professional Writing.

To learn more about Jennifer Lynn Barnes and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Tumblr, and Twitter.

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