In Filthy Rich Fae by Geneva Lee
Quote: “Worrying
is expensive. It costs you the one thing you can’t get back. Time.”
Goodreads synopsis: A dark urban fantasy
romance set in New Orleans; Cate Holloway knows the unspoken rule of New
Orleans: avoid the powerful Gage crime family at all costs. Of course, that was
before her brother got caught in their chaos. Now Cate has no choice but to
confront the dark prince of New Orleans himself and beg for her brother’s life. But Lachlan Gage is as lethal as he is
beautiful…and the only currency he’s interested in is her soul. Lachlan is not merely a ruthless criminal.
He’s fae. And he has his secret reasons for binding her to him. Tricked and desperate, Cate is torn between the
Realworld and the Otherworld. A place filled with shadows and secrets, with
members of each fae court plotting against her, just as her captor’s motives
for trapping her become more mysterious.
And if she can’t break this sinister bargain in the next thirty days,
she’ll be bound to the inscrutable yet infuriatingly tempting fae prince and
his deadly world…forever.
My view: I have read the first three books
of The Filthy Rich Vampire series and still need to read the final book. I
enjoyed this palette cleanser. It was the month's first book after completing
“A Sky Beyond the Storm.” There is an
attraction between the two characters, but I am unsure if I am as invested in
the vampire series. I will decide after I officially read book two. Some areas seem rushed or forced. I am not sure that I fully feel their passion
or connection to one another. Also, the
story is set in New Orleans, and you get little to no New Orleans atmosphere. I feel like this is missing. New Orleans has that witchy…vampire…Fae vibe
already as you stroll through the French Quarter. I still recommend the read and gave it four
stars because I did not hate the story, and was still invested in it.
Book Started: 02 May 2025 / Book Completed: 12 May
2025
Rating: 4.0 Stars / Total Listening Time: 14 Hours:
27 Minutes
Total Pages Read: 353 pages / Format: Libby (own
the physical book)
Mile High by Liz Tomforde
Quote: "Stevie,” Zanders
says. “You following me?"
Quote: "You don’t have to
love your body every single day. That’s unrealistic to expect, but I’ll be here
loving it for the days you can’t."
Goodreads synopsis: EVAN ZANDERS: The Chicago
Raptors hockey squad isn't complete without me - everyone's favorite player to
hate. I know my role, and I play it well. I thoroughly enjoy spending most of
my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my
arm each night. I don't like the latest
flight attendant on our team's private plane. She works for me, not the other
way around. But I'll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee that by
the end of the season, she'll be begging to quit her job. But every road trip blurs the lines, and I
can't quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button to
push her buttons, or if it's more than that.
STEVIE SHAY: I've been a flight attendant for years. She has a twin brother named Ryan (he will be
the MMC in book two). Ryan is a
professional basketball player in Chicago.
Stevie lives with her brother in his penthouse. I
thought I'd seen it all, but I second-guess everything when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL. Including my promise never to hook up with an athlete again, no
matter how annoyingly tempting he may be.
Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his good.
He loves his image, but I hate everything about it. Everything but him.
My view: This is book one in a five-book
series (Windy City). I know some people
have differing opinions on book one. I
love this book because Stevie (Vee) is like me.
Not tiny, small, and not all too confident. Outwardly she exudes confidence but internally
she is very self-conscious of her body due to an ex-boyfriend and her mom and
her shitty so-called friends. Stevie’s
relationship with Zanders helps her to embrace her true self and to reclaim
her voice. With Zanders, Stevie doesn’t feel insecure or unworthy, as
Zanders values Stevie for her gentle heart and her fierce spirit. His belief in
her and his investment in her life helped her to believe in herself again.
Stevie also proves capable of change even when Zanders isn’t around.
Zander (Zee) to the outside world is the bad boy on the
ice. But his best friends (Eli and Logan
Maddison) know better. Their daughter,
Ella, thinks Zanders walks on water, and she is 6 years old. Eli and Zander co-founded “Active Minds of
Chicago: but people only see that to Eli. While Stevie deals with her trauma, so
does Zander. His mom abandoned him, his
Dad, and his sister to go off and marry a rich guy. This forced Zander’s dad to
work a lot to pay for everything, including Zander’s hockey. This left Zander
home alone a lot, which caused a rift between him and his Dad. Zander’s relationship with Stevie gradually
teaches him that he is worthy of love and capable of embracing his true self. Stevie
sees, understands, and respects Zanders for the first time. Stevie isn’t
interested in Zanders’s money or professional success; instead, she devotes
herself to Zanders because she sees his heart.
I was invested in their love story and felt the
characters had instant chemistry. I love how they helped each other with their
emotional and personal baggage, both knowingly and unknowingly. I am looking
forward to completing the series.
Book Started:
13 May 2025 / Book Completed: 21 May 2025
Rating: 4.0 Stars / Total Listening Time: 13 Hours:
39 Minutes
Total Pages Read: 473 pages / Format: Libby (own
the physical book)
The Deal by Elle Kennedy
Quote: "Just
out of curiosity,” she says, “after you wake up in the morning, do you admire
yourself in the mirror for one hour or two?”
“Two,” I reply cheerfully.
“Do you high-five yourself?”
“Of course not,” I smirk. “I kiss each of my biceps and then point to the
ceiling and thank the big man upstairs for creating such a perfect male
specimen."
Goodreads synopsis: (Trigger Warnings) She's
about to make a deal with the college bad boy... Hannah Wells has finally found
someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area
of her life, she's carrying around a complete set of baggage when it comes to
sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush's attention, she'll have to
step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice...even if it means
tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange
for a pretend date. ...and it's going to be oh so good!
All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after
graduation, but his plummeting GPA threatens everything he's worked so hard
for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him
secure his position on the team, he's all for it. But when one unexpected kiss
leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett
to realize that pretending isn't going to cut it. Now he must convince Hannah that the man she wants looks like him.
A college sports hockey romance where Hannah Wells tutors
hockey player Garrett Graham in exchange for a fake date. Their relationship
evolves into something real, with humor, emotional depth, and sizzling
chemistry. The book is widely loved for its engaging characters and intense
romance. A modern classic in college romance! Garrett Graham is the charismatic
hockey player who needs tutoring, and Hannah Wells is the no-nonsense student
helping him. Their fake dating trope quickly turns into real feelings,
featuring humorous interactions and genuine emotional depth.
My view: I was reading this book at the
same time I was listening to “Onyx Storm”. I laughed quite a few times
reading their story. I also loved how, even though they were both broken, they
could help each other heal. This book reminded me a little of “Mile High.”
There are several trigger warnings for this book, so look it up before reading.
This is book one in a five-book series. The Off-Campus series by
Elle Kennedy is a popular new adult romance series that follows the romantic
and personal lives of a group of college students at Briar University. The
series primarily focuses on male members of a fictional hockey team at the
university as they develop romances with female love interests. Each installment
alternates between the first-person perspectives of the male and female love
interests. Known for its humor, emotional depth, and steamy romance, the series
features four standalone stories with interconnected characters and a final
novel with a plot that encompasses all four couples. This book features some hockey but not much.
It skips ahead at the end, so I felt rushed, especially since this series has
five books. The last book, Legacy, covers all four couples. I own the entire
series, so I will continue it. You must read the books in order since items
from this book will appear in the other couple’s story.
Book Started: 15 May 2025 / Book Completed: 31 May
2025
Rating: 4.0 Stars / Total Listening Time: N/A
Total Pages Read: 360 pages / Format: Read the
physical book I own
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Quote: "To the ones who don’t run
with the popular crowd, the ones who get caught reading under their desks, the
ones who feel like they never get invited, included, or represented. Get your
leathers. We have dragons to ride."
Goodreads synopsis: (Trigger Warnings) The
third installment in The Empyrean series follows Violet Sorrengail as
she navigates war, alliances, and secrets. This book expands the world
significantly, offering adventure, political intrigue, and deep character
development. Many readers consider it the best in the series so far. After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War
College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time
for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing
in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who
to trust. Now, Violet must journey
beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand
with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but
she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home,
and him. It could destroy everything,
even if it means keeping a secret so big. They need an army. They need power.
They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.
But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.
My view: Damn…. I cried. I screamed…and now
I am pissed. That ending was INSANE and
now I must wait…it’s SO unfair. The best
series so far. It’s up there with The
Ember in the Ashes series and ACOTAR. As
the third book in The Empyrean series, it takes readers deeper into
war-torn alliances, political intrigue, and the evolving magic system. Violet
Sorrengail faces new dangers, unexpected betrayals, and heartbreaking twists
that thrillingly expand the world. Fans of epic fantasy and strong-willed heroes
will find this installment riveting. The third installment in the Empyrean
series continues Violet Sorrengail's journey as she navigates alliances and
battles against the venin threat. It’s
like Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones (plus sex but not too much sex),"
highlighting its blend of fantasy and romance. Yes, there will be a book four
and I am so pissed that I have to wait over a year for the conclusion to Xaden,
Violet, Imogen, Aaric, Brennan, etc… This
book was emotional for me and the writing had me fully engaged. Rebecca Yarros' writing is intense. Because of it, I had to start my June TBR
with a romance palate cleanser. After
completing the story, I had to sit with it for a few hours before making my June
TBR reading list. This is a top series
for me, and I highly recommend it. This
is why Onyx Storm was my best read of May.
Book Started:
21 May 2025 / Book Completed: 31 May 2025
Rating: 5.0 Stars / Total Listening Time: 23 Hours:
52 Minutes
Total Pages Read: 527 pages / Format: Libby (own
the physical book)
