Paula's bookshelf: all en-US Tue, 10 Dec 2024 22:38:54 -0800 60 Paula's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Blood of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #1)]]> 216595852
I'm just a girl. And it turns out, I'm Hercules.

I'm struggling to survive in a Titan infested world where Spartans, immortals from twelve royal families who have god-like powers and obscene wealth, rule over all. A shy-stammering foster child with nothing, I keep my head down, cover my scars, and focus on excelling in school. At least, I try to. Then it happens.

My blood test reveals I'm part of the powerful elite. I'm one of them. A Spartan.

Forced to attend the Spartan War Academy, I undergo the most harrowing test of all time to see if I have what it takes to be an immortal. There's just a few problems. Achilles and Patro are my scary mentors. Kharon, the ferryman of death, and Augustus, the son of war, are my terrifying professors. Also, I'm pretty sure either someone's stalking me everywhere I go, or my sanity's slipping––I have a bad feeling both are true.

I'm surrounded by Villains and they're smothering me with their hate, obsession, and dark possessiveness. Too bad for them, they have no clue just who they're messing with.




]]> 496 Jasmine Mas Paula 0 to-read 3.84 2024 Blood of Hercules (Villains of Lore, #1)
author: Jasmine Mas
name: Paula
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes (Ladies Most Scandalous, #3)]]> 60568492 It is a truth universally acknowledged that a lady in danger must be in need of rescue, but whether she wants to be rescued is up for debate—for fans of Evie Dunmore and Netflix's Bridgerton from the bestselling author of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem!

England, 1867: Miss Poppy Delamare is living a lie. To escape an odious betrothal, she fled to London where she’s been hiding as the unassuming secretary Flora Deaver. However, when her beloved sister is accused of murder, Poppy cannot leave her to the wolves. Only a most unexpected—and unwelcome—collision interrupts her journey home . . .

Despite a rather dismal first meeting, Joshua Fielding, the Duke of Langham, has no intention of abandoning a lady in need. But he’s not above asking a favor. A fake betrothal will give Poppy and her sister the power of the dukedom and protect Langham from the society misses intent on becoming his duchess.

Yet the longer the ruse goes on, the more Poppy and Langham realize how false their first impressions were—and the less pretend their engagement feels. But before Langham can propose in truth, their search reveals a tangled web of lies and betrayals. With time running out, can Poppy and Langham find the real culprit—before Poppy becomes the next victim?]]> 352 Manda Collins 1538725576 Paula 0 to-read 3.76 2023 A Spinster's Guide to Danger and Dukes (Ladies Most Scandalous, #3)
author: Manda Collins
name: Paula
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Dark Matter 27833670 A mindbending, relentlessly surprising thriller from the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy.

Jason Dessen is walking home through the chilly Chicago streets one night, looking forward to a quiet evening in front of the fireplace with his wife, Daniela, and their son, Charlie—when his reality shatters.

"Are you happy with your life?"

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason's never met smiles down at him and says, "Welcome back, my friend."

In this world he's woken up to, Jason's life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that's the dream?

And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could've imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human--a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.]]> 342 Blake Crouch 1101904224 Paula 0 to-read 4.13 2016 Dark Matter
author: Blake Crouch
name: Paula
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Heartless (Chestnut Springs, #2)]]> 61373532 Working as a nanny for the world’s grumpiest single dad should have been simple. Except I ’t keep my eyes off him. And he ’t keep his hands off of me.

Cade Eaton is thirteen years older than I am and barely looks my way. Until I get him into the hot tub one night for a game of truth or dare. Then all bets are off—and so are our clothes.

He’s gruff, a little rough around the edges. But broad-shouldered ranchers with calloused hands and filthy mouths are this city girl’s kryptonite. So who am I to resist?

But it’s in our quiet moments together that he softens. It’s when he takes care of me that I realize his hardened exterior is just a façade. It’s when I watch him go all sweet with his little boy that I really fall for him.

Someone convinced him once that his best wasn’t good enough. But I’ve never felt more cherished than I do in his arms.

My contract may say this arrangement is only for two months.

But my heart says this is forever.
]]> 476 Elsie Silver Paula 4 4.39 2022 Heartless (Chestnut Springs, #2)
author: Elsie Silver
name: Paula
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/02
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves:
review:

]]> From Lukov with Love 37683751
After seventeen years—and countless broken bones and broken promises—she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close.

But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.

Including Ivan Lukov.]]> 493 Mariana Zapata Paula 4 4.19 2018 From Lukov with Love
author: Mariana Zapata
name: Paula
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/02
date added: 2024/10/02
shelves:
review:
All these books with "enemies-to-lovers" tropes got me thinking, "HOW DOES IT FEEL TO LIVE MY DREAM?"
]]> <![CDATA[The Mafia Nanny, Vol. 1 (The Mafia Nanny, #1)]]> 216017423
Being an Elite Nanny is simple: protect the charge, obey the principle, and don’t get emotionally attached.

This is easier said than done when Davina’s first client is a dangerously compelling Venetian underboss who’s determined to get under her skin. What he wants from her, she ’t imagine, but Gabriel Angelini drags her back into the glittering world of organized crime she thought she’d left behind forever.

Davina might get answers about her past if she digs deep enough, but her challenges will be protecting Mikey from his father’s ambitions and keeping her heart from getting tangled up in their treacherous web.

This volume collects episodes 1�12 of the smash hit WEBTOON series The Mafia Nanny.]]> 288 SH00 1998341208 Paula 0 to-read 4.45 2025 The Mafia Nanny, Vol. 1 (The Mafia Nanny, #1)
author: SH00
name: Paula
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Sky Is Everywhere 9637316
This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie's struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.]]> 275 Jandy Nelson 1101222867 Paula 5 4.08 2010 The Sky Is Everywhere
author: Jandy Nelson
name: Paula
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at: 2011/05/29
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves:
review:

]]> 99 Days 23401147 How to Love comes another stunning contemporary novel, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen.

Molly Barlow is facing one long, hot summer�99 days—with the boy whose heart she broke and the boy she broke it for . . . his brother.

Day 1: Julia Donnelly eggs my house my first night back in Star Lake, and that's how I know everyone still remembers everything. She has every right to hate me, of I broke Patrick Donnelly's heart the night everything happened with his brother, Gabe. Now I'm serving out my summer like a jail Just ninety-nine days till I can leave for college and be done.

Day 4: A nasty note on my windshield makes it clear Julia isn't finished. I'm expecting a fight when someone taps me on the shoulder, but it's just Gabe, home from college and actually happy to see me. "For what it's worth, Molly Barlow," he says, "I'm really glad you're back."

Day 12: Gabe wouldn't quit till he got me to come to this party, and I'm surprised to find I'm actually having fun. I think he's about to kiss me—and that's when I see Patrick. My Patrick, who's supposed to be clear across the country. My Patrick, who's never going to forgive me.]]> 384 Katie Cotugno 0062216406 Paula 0 to-read 3.46 2015 99 Days
author: Katie Cotugno
name: Paula
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Kulti 24044596
When the man you worshipped as a kid becomes your coach, it’s supposed to be the greatest thing in the world. Keywords: supposed to.

It didn't take a week for 27-year-old Sal Casillas to wonder what she'd seen in the international soccer icon - why she'd ever had his posters on her wall or ever envisioned marrying him and having super-playing soccer babies.

Sal had long ago gotten over the worst non-break-up in the history of imaginary relationships with a man who hadn't known she'd existed. So she isn't prepared for this version of Reiner Kulti who shows up to her team's season: a quiet, reclusive shadow of the explosive, passionate man he'd once been.]]> 570 Mariana Zapata Paula 5 4.22 2015 Kulti
author: Mariana Zapata
name: Paula
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/21
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves:
review:
Re-read for the 2nd time and I still love this book
]]> <![CDATA[The Undermining of Twyla and Frank (Hart and Mercy, #2)]]> 149187311 From the author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy comes a heartwarming fantasy with a best friends-to-lovers rom com twist--When Harry Met Sally, but with dragons!—set in the delightful demigod and donut-filled world of Tanria.

The entire town of Eternity was shocked when widowed, middle-aged Twyla Banneker partnered up with her neighbor and best friend, Frank Ellis, to join the Tanrian Marshals. Eight years later, Twyla and Frank are still patrolling the dangerous land of Tanria, the former prison of the Old Gods.

Twyla might look like a small town mom who brings cheesy potatoes to funerals and whips up a batch of cookies for the school bake sale, but her rewarding career in law enforcement has been a welcome change from the domestic grind of mom life, despite the misgivings of her grown children.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) a recent decrease in on-the-job peril has made Twyla and Frank's job a lot safer ... and a lot less exciting. So when they discover the body of one of their fellow marshals covered in liquid glitter--and Frank finds himself the inadvertent foster dad to a baby dragon--they are more than happy to be back on the beat.

Soon, the friends wind up ensnared in a nefarious plot that goes far deeper than any lucrative Tanrian mineshaft. But as the danger closes in and Twyla and Frank's investigation becomes more complicated, so does their easy friendship. And Twyla starts to realize that her true soul mate might just be the person who has lived next door all along...]]> 464 Megan Bannen 0356521923 Paula 0 to-read 4.03 2024 The Undermining of Twyla and Frank (Hart and Mercy, #2)
author: Megan Bannen
name: Paula
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Darkness Within Us (The Shadows Between Us, #2)]]> 201126787
By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful air-headed girl, she has gathered important secrets, earned her father’s constant care, and become a wealthy duchess—all by age nineteen. Now, she is only one elderly, dying duke away from having all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted.

Or so she thought.

Turns out her little sister somehow snatched the true victory away from her: Alessandra is wedding the Shadow King, the most powerful man in the world. Meanwhile, after the death of Chrysantha’s no-good, lecherous husband, a man claiming to be the duke’s estranged grandson turns up to inherit everything that should be hers.

Chrysantha is enraged. There is no way that she’s going to let some man take everything from her. Never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive and alluring with mysterious powers� No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.]]> 336 Tricia Levenseller 1250840775 Paula 0 to-read 3.91 2024 The Darkness Within Us (The Shadows Between Us, #2)
author: Tricia Levenseller
name: Paula
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Spellshop 199269577 The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who ’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.]]> 384 Sarah Beth Durst Paula 0 to-read 4.05 2024 The Spellshop
author: Sarah Beth Durst
name: Paula
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> I Was a Teenage Slasher 199798522 Lamesa, Texas, July 1989

It’s the summer before senior year for best friends Tolly Driver and Amber Dennison. They’re not in the marching band, they’re not in the FFA � they don’t really count. Amber’s the only Native student in town, and Tolly’s only on the radar due to his father’s recent death.

This is all about to change.

Bodies are going to be dropping fast in this small West Texas town. For a few unbearably hot days that will resonate through the decades and even get made into a TV movie, Tolly and Amber will be famous. Notorious even. Finally, everyone will know their names.

This is Stephen Graham Jones x-raying the slasher genre, interrogating its motivations over the shoulder and in the voice of the killer itself � from a town he did some growing up in, in a year he was also seventeen.

The kills will be poignant, the jokes will hurt, and the violence will be endearing. Everything’s turned around for Tolly, for Amber � for all of Lamesa, Texas.

Be happy you weren’t there.

Be happy you’re only reading about it.]]> 373 Stephen Graham Jones 1668022249 Paula 0 to-read 3.53 2024 I Was a Teenage Slasher
author: Stephen Graham Jones
name: Paula
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Foul Days (The Witch's Compendium of Monsters, #1)]]> 195791008 The Witcher meets Naomi Novik in this fast-paced fantasy rooted in Slavic folklore, from an assured new voice in genre

As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice taming rusalkas, fighting kikimoras, and brewing lycanthrope repellent. There’s only one monster Kosara ’t defeat: her ex the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times, and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed to him by someone close to her, Kosara’s only hope is to trade her shadow―the source of her powers―for illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, where monsters ’t follow.

Life in Belograd should be sweet, but Kosara soon develops a fast-acting version of the deadly wasting sickness that stalks shadowless witches―and only reclaiming her magic can cure her. To trace her shadow, she’ll have to team up with the suspiciously honorable detective investigating the death of the smuggler who brought her across the Wall.

Even worse than working with the cops is that all the clues point in a single direction: one of the Zmey’s monsters has found a crack in the Wall, and Kosara’s magic is now in the Zmey’s hands.

The clock is ticking, the hunt is on, and Kosara’s priorities should be clear―but is she the hunter or the hunted? And in a city where everyone is out for themselves, who can Kosara trust to assist her in outwitting the man―the Monster―she’s never been able to escape alone?]]> 359 Genoveva Dimova 1250877318 Paula 0 to-read 3.86 2024 Foul Days (The Witch's Compendium of Monsters, #1)
author: Genoveva Dimova
name: Paula
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Empire of Exiles (Books of the Usurper, #1)]]> 60568226 Magic, mystery, and revolution collide in this fantasy epic where an unlikely team of mages, scribes, and archivists must band together to unearth a conspiracy that might topple their empire.

"What makes this book special, even by Erin’s lofty goalposts, is the world she weaves around the characters. Detailed and mysterious, a place to explore and relish. Empire of Exiles is highly recommended!� � R.A. Salvatore, author or “The Legend of Drizzt� and the DemonWars novels

“The beginning of a truly epic tale. Deft worldbuilding and wonderful verbal fencing that is a delight to read. In these pages, you are in the hands of a master.� - Ed Greenwood, creator of the Forgotten Realms and internationally bestselling author

Twenty-seven years ago, a Duke with a grudge led a ruthless coup against the empire of Semilla, killing thousands. He failed. The Duke was executed, a terrifyingly powerful sorcerer was imprisoned, and an unwilling princess disappeared.

The empire moved on.

Now, when Quill, an apprentice scribe, arrives in the capital city, he believes he's on a simple errand for another pompous noble: fetch ancient artifacts from the magical Imperial Archives. He's always found his apprenticeship to a lawman to be dull work. But these aren't just any artifacts � these are the instruments of revolution, the banners under which the Duke lead his coup.

Just as the artifacts are unearthed, the city is shaken by a brutal murder that seems to have been caused by a weapon not seen since the days of rebellion. With Quill being the main witness to the murder, and no one in power believing his story, he must join the Archivists � a young mage, a seasoned archivist, and a disillusioned detective � to solve the truth of the attack. And what they uncover will be the key to saving the empire � or destroying it again.

�Empire of Exiles has it all: characters I love, intertwined compelling mysteries in the past and present, plot twists that keep coming, and a unique and fascinating world and magic system!" � Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower

“Beautifully wrought and equally ensnaring, this book lived up to and then surpassed all my expectations.� � Cat Rambo, author of You Sexy Thing]]> 378 Erin M. Evans 0316440876 Paula 0 to-read 3.97 2022 Empire of Exiles (Books of the Usurper, #1)
author: Erin M. Evans
name: Paula
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands]]> 154985516 For fans of Piranesi and The Midnight Library, a stunning historical fantasy novel set on a grand express train, about a group of passengers on a dangerous journey across a magical landscape

It is said there is a price that every passenger must pay. A price beyond the cost of a ticket.

There is only one way to travel across the Wastelands: on the Trans-Siberian Express, a train as famous for its luxury as for its danger. The train is never short of passengers, eager to catch sight of Wastelands creatures more miraculous and terrifying than anything they could imagine. But on the train's last journey, something went horribly wrong, though no one seems to remember what exactly happened. Not even Zhang Weiwei, who has spent her life onboard and thought she knew all of the train’s secrets.

Now, the train is about to embark again, with a new set of passengers. Among them are Marya Petrovna, a grieving woman with a borrowed name; Henry Grey, a disgraced naturalist looking for redemption; and Elena, a beguiling stowaway with a powerful connection to the Wastelands itself. Weiwei knows she should report Elena, but she ’t help but be drawn to her. As the girls begin a forbidden friendship, there are warning signs that the rules of the Wastelands are changing and the train might once again be imperiled. Can the passengers trust each other, as the wildness outside threatens to consume them all?]]> 336 Sarah Brooks 1250878616 Paula 0 to-read 3.57 2024 The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands
author: Sarah Brooks
name: Paula
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[남주� 첫날밤을 가져버렸다 1 (The First Night With the Duke, Vol. 1)]]> 63340734 소설 � 엑스트라� 백작 영애 리플리로 빙의 � 여주인공. 이왕 이렇� � � 전생� 경험하지 못한 귀족의 화려하고 풍족� 삶을 만끽하기� 한다. 하지� 최강 집착 남주와 엮인 것도 모자� 악녀� 타깃이 되어버린 리플�.

"망했�! 하필이면 남주와 사고� 치다�!"

어느 � 눈을 � 보니 소설 � 엑스트라�
백작 영애 리플리로 빙의� 있었�.
이왕 이렇� � � 소설� 끝날 때까지
풍족� 뽀시래� 조연� 삶을 만끽하는 거야!

그런�,
아무래도 파티에서 사고� 단단� � � 같다.
술을 마신 것까지� 기억하는데�
정신� 차려보니 냉혹� 남주 제로니스와
� 이불� 덮고 있는 것이 아닌가!

"남녀가 함께 첫날밤을 보냈으니,
서로� 책임져야 하는 것이 당연하겠지?"


1-14]]> 296 Hwang DoTol Paula 0 to-read 4.24 2022 남주의 첫날밤을 가져버렸다 1 (The First Night With the Duke, Vol. 1)
author: Hwang DoTol
name: Paula
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Luna and the Lie 42883009
Luna Allen has done some things she would rather no one ever know about. She also knows that, if she could go back in time, she wouldn’t change a single thing.

With three sisters she loves, a job she (mostly) adores, and a family built up of friends she’s made over the years, Luna figures everything has worked out the way it was supposed to.

But when one of those secrets involves the man who signs her paycheck, she ’t find it in her to regret it. Despite the fact that he’s not the friendliest man in the world. Or the most patient.

Sometimes there are things you’re better off keeping to yourself.]]> 580 Mariana Zapata Paula 0 to-read 4.01 2018 Luna and the Lie
author: Mariana Zapata
name: Paula
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Out on a Limb 124950295 397 Hannah Bonam-Young 1778027784 Paula 0 to-read 4.25 2023 Out on a Limb
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: Paula
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Throne of Secrets (Prince of Sin, #2)]]> 204593559 A wicked prince determined to save his kingdom.

Gabriel Axton—infamous as the Prince of Gluttony, the self-proclaimed rake of rakes—has always lived for indulgence: in delicious food, in tantalizing women, and most of all, in the thrill of the hunt, where his love of danger can take over. But when his favorite adventure takes a deadly turn, he realizes something is very wrong in his demon court. With the clock ticking, he must turn to the only one who might uncover the truth: a journalist he has spent a decade avoiding�

A reporter hell-bent on finding the truth.

Adriana Saint Lucent has been on the hunt for years—if she could just report something damning enough about that no-good scoundrel Gabriel Axton, she knows others would finally see the demon as she does. But she never expected to turn up a rumor too terrifying to be believed: could the ice dragons to the north be growing restless? Drawn into the secrets of the Underworld, Adriana’s investigation leads her into the place she dreads most� Axton’s infamous court.

A dangerous rivalry—and deliciously twisted fairy tale.

To stop darkness from falling over their kingdom, Axton and Adriana will have to unite against an escalating danger. But with each holding tight to their own secrets, can they find the truth before it’s too late? And what will they do with an equally troubling rumor: that they might not actually hate one another, after all?

Two rivals torn apart by a dark memory reunite on a deadly hunt—and in an irresistibly twisted fairy tale—in the next steamy standalone fantasy romance from New York Times bestselling sensation Kerri Maniscalco.]]> 502 Kerri Maniscalco 0316557544 Paula 0 to-read 3.88 2024 Throne of Secrets (Prince of Sin, #2)
author: Kerri Maniscalco
name: Paula
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Summer Romance 198563734
There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?]]> 321 Annabel Monaghan 0593714083 Paula 0 to-read 4.01 2024 Summer Romance
author: Annabel Monaghan
name: Paula
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Betting on You 60197314
Now, Bailey and Charlie are still polar opposites, but instead of everything about him rubbing Bailey the wrong way, she starts to look forward to hanging out and gossiping about the waterpark guests and their coworkers—particularly two who keep flirting with each other. Bailey and Charlie make a bet on whether or not the cozy pair will actually get together. Charlie insists that members of the opposite sex ’t just be friends, and Bailey is determined to prove him wrong.

Bailey and Charlie keep close track of the romantic progress of others while Charlie works to deflect the growing feelings he’s developed for Bailey. Terrified to lose her if his crush becomes known, what doesn’t help his agenda is Bailey and Charlie “fake dating� in order to disrupt the annoying pleasantries between Bailey’s mom and her mom’s new boyfriend. Soon, what Charlie was hoping to avoid becomes a reality as Bailey starts to see him as not only a friend she can rely on in the midst of family drama—but someone who makes her hands shake and heart race. But Charlie has a secret—a secret that involves Bailey and another bet Charlie may have made. Can the two make a real go of things…or has Charlie’s secret doomed them before they could start?]]> 432 Lynn Painter 1665921234 Paula 0 to-read 4.13 2023 Betting on You
author: Lynn Painter
name: Paula
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Reckless (Chestnut Springs, #4)]]> 108518990 Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies� man. Scorching hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package.

And he’s looking at me like I might be his next meal.

But I’m almost free of my toxic marriage and have sworn off men entirely. So all I see when I look back is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak.

The man is hard to trust—and even harder to resist.

Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard I try to freeze him out, he melts my icy exterior and pulls apart all my defenses.

Over a drink in a small town bar, I blurt out my deepest, darkest secrets. Then I spend the singular hottest night of my life with him.

He worships my body. He makes me blush. I come alive beneath his hands.

Then I tell him to forget it ever happened. I want simple, and with him it all feels complicated.

It was supposed to be a one-time thing.

A secret.

But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep.]]> 466 Elsie Silver Paula 0 to-read 4.38 2023 Reckless (Chestnut Springs, #4)
author: Elsie Silver
name: Paula
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Hopeless (Chestnut Springs, #5)]]> 174753697
I’m the outcast bartender, a shy girl from the wrong side of the tracks.

He’s thirty-five and all man, and I’m twenty-two and all� virgin.

He’s also my fiancé. Correction: my fake fiancé.

We start out as a bet. He doesn’t believe that anyone holds my last name against me. So he offers me his to prove a point.

It’s win-win. He gets a break from his concerned family’s prying, and I get a chance to shed my family’s reputation while I save up to ditch this small town.

He says all I have to do is wear his ring, follow his lead, and pretend I ’t keep my hands off of him in public.

But it’s what happens between us in private that blurs all those carefully drawn lines.

It’s what transpires behind closed doors that doesn’t feel like pretending at all.

This engagement was supposed to be for show. This agreement? It has an end date.

He once told me he’d never fall in love.

And yet here I am, head over heels for my fake fiancé.]]> 486 Elsie Silver Paula 4 4.12 2023 Hopeless (Chestnut Springs, #5)
author: Elsie Silver
name: Paula
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/01
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves:
review:

]]> Wild Love (Rose Hill, #1) 199368721 She's been driving him wild for years . . . the good kind of wild.

The kind of wild that comes with wanting your best friend's little sister and knowing you can't have her.

Forbes may have labeled Ford Grant the World's Hottest Billionaire, but all he cares about is escaping the press and opening a recording studio in gorgeous small town Rose Hill. Something that comes to a screeching halt when he ends up face-to-face with a young girl who claims he's her biological father. Now, he spends his days balancing business with parenting a sullen twelve-year-old, all while trying desperately to keep his hands the hell off his best friend's sister, Rosie Belmont.

After living in the city, Rosie came blasting back into town like a storm. Beautiful, messy, and chaotic. And one wide-eyed, desperate plea for a job is all it takes for Ford to hire her. He vows to keep her at arm's length. Tries to stick to scowls and grumpy one-liners. But with her, verbal sparring is a type of foreplay―friction that soon turns to blistering heat.

Ford knows damn well he shouldn't cross this line. But shouldn't and can't are two very different things.

And the only thing he truly can't do is resist her.]]> 466 Elsie Silver 0349441626 Paula 4 3.98 2024 Wild Love (Rose Hill, #1)
author: Elsie Silver
name: Paula
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/01
date added: 2024/08/28
shelves:
review:
Can I please quit my job and have a billionaire give me 100k dollars too pretty please
]]> Wild Eyes (Rose Hill, #2) 209568782
As a chart-topping country singer with a recent streak of bad press it’s hard to find any peace. But I find it in Rose Hill. With a little boy and a little girl who steal my heart just as thoroughly as their dad.

Weston Belmont.

The man is a shameless flirt. He oozes confidence and masculinity in a way that’s downright distracting. And in bed? He’s addictive.

Everything with him is wild and impulsive and I’m desperate to regain some control.

But no one has supported me like West does. And no one has ever made me feel as loved as he does either.

So, while my brain says settling down with a small-town horse trainer is impossible� my heart says I’m right where I belong.

Still, my life as a celebrity haunts me. It has the power to pull us apart.

I can see in his eyes that wants me to stay. And I want that too.

But I know better than anyone that we don’t always get what we want.]]> 464 Elsie Silver 1464220824 Paula 0 to-read 4.24 2024 Wild Eyes (Rose Hill, #2)
author: Elsie Silver
name: Paula
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Play Along (Windy City, #4) 199285128 Kennedy

I’m the only woman on staff for the Windy City Warriors, and after years of putting up with a sexist lead doctor, I’m desperate to land my dream job with a new team next year. All I have to do is maintain my professional reputation for my final season in Chicago.

But a Las Vegas run-in with the team’s shortstop threatens it all, leaving me with a fuzzy memory and a ring on my left hand.

Now, not only am I legally bound to the most persistent man I’ve ever met, but thanks to Isaiah’s scheme to save my job, I have to pretend the whole thing was a planned elopement and not a drunken mistake.

Isaiah Rhodes is reckless, impulsive, and frustratingly charming. He’s also my brand-new husband.

They got the saying wrong. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas� sometimes it follows you right back home.


Isaiah

As the shortstop for Chicago’s professional baseball team, I’ve had my fair share of fun. But that all ended the day Kennedy Kay became a single woman.

I’ve crushed on the team’s athletic trainer for years. I’ve flirted to no avail, so imagine my surprise when I woke up in Sin City with a ring on my finger and my favorite redhead in my bed.

We agree to stay married for one baseball season, just long enough to keep her job safe, but in my mind, I’m using our time together to prove to her I’m husband material.

Kennedy might be reluctant to join in on our game, but it’s one I refuse to lose.

So come on, wife� play along.]]> 384 Liz Tomforde Paula 0 to-read 4.44 2024 Play Along (Windy City, #4)
author: Liz Tomforde
name: Paula
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Wall of Winnipeg and Me 29367958
But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she's beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn't find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He's asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?]]> 475 Mariana Zapata Paula 5 4.18 2016 The Wall of Winnipeg and Me
author: Mariana Zapata
name: Paula
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2024/08/27
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves:
review:
I have read so many romance books and I honestly didn't think I would enjoy a slow burn romance. But this has ruined me for the other romance books I have lined up to read after this one
]]> Archer's Voice 20639274 345 Mia Sheridan 0692214844 Paula 4 4.44 2014 Archer's Voice
author: Mia Sheridan
name: Paula
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2014/03/31
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tangled Up in You (Meant to Be, #4)]]> 197577021
Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.

Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.

But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fire on a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they've both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.]]> 320 Christina Lauren 1368092837 Paula 0 to-read 3.89 2024 Tangled Up in You (Meant to Be, #4)
author: Christina Lauren
name: Paula
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Bride Bet (Girl Meets Duke, #4)]]> 49975375 How to lose a duke in ten years…without losing your heart.

Once upon a time, two sworn enemies - the bookish daughter of a scholar and the devilish heir to a duke - made a pact: If they were both still single in ten years, they would marry each other.

It was a joke, Nicola thought. A duchess? Her?

But when the Duke of Westleigh returns a decade later, he’s serious. He needs an heir, so he’s holding her to their marriage bargain—diamond ring, lavish gown, engagement ball, and more. Nothing Nicola says can dissuade him. When she calls him arrogant, he praises her honesty. When she makes social stumbles, he catches her fall. And when she gets exasperated, the duke ’t seem to get enough. For reasons she ’t fathom, he claims that no other woman will do.

He’s betting he can change her mind, with logic and passion.

She’s betting she can change his mind, just by being herself.

And as the clock ticks down to a wedding day, neither is counting on losing their heart.]]> 384 Tessa Dare 0062672193 Paula 0 to-read 3.99 2026 The Bride Bet (Girl Meets Duke, #4)
author: Tessa Dare
name: Paula
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Governess Game (Girl Meets Duke, #2)]]> 36111620 He’s been a bad, bad rake—and it takes a governess to teach him a lesson

The accidental governess.

After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud: duke’s heir in the streets and devil in the sheets. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart... without risking her own.

The infamous rake.

Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to give her an education—in pleasure. That should prove he ’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling... and he’s in danger of falling, hard.]]> 373 Tessa Dare 0062672126 Paula 0 to-read 3.87 2018 The Governess Game (Girl Meets Duke, #2)
author: Tessa Dare
name: Paula
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Not Another Love Song 201627074 Two string players fight their attraction for each other as they compete for center stage in this spicy and emotional romance.

Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne are both musical prodigies, but each has had very different paths to success. Xander was born into classical music royalty, while Gwen had a natural ear for music that was nurtured by a kind shop owner.

After Gwen performs at his friend’s wedding, she’s mortified when she realizes Xander has no clue who she is—despite having worked together for a year at the Pops Orchestra. But she’s more furious that he arrogantly critiques her performance.

When Gwen is offered the role of First Chair of the orchestra, something Xander had secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. But their respect for each other's music is undeniable, and their onstage chemistry off the scale. As they begin to explore their feelings for one another, suddenly they're box office dynamite and the fragile romance that's growing between them is in danger of being crushed beneath a publicity stunt...]]> 384 Julie Soto 1538740915 Paula 4 4.05 2024 Not Another Love Song
author: Julie Soto
name: Paula
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/26
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves:
review:
read the last chapter and i wished there was more
]]> The Rebound 124930198
Only from Audible comes this exclusive laugh-out-loud rom-com, perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Beth O’Leary.

Kitty Harris has it all: cosily coupled up with boyfriend Archie, she’s putting in the hours at an ad agency to land her dream job. OK, so maybe they’ve become a bit too comfortable in their routine, with pizza night every Thursday, and maybe the agency isn’t so much up-and-coming as been-and-gone, but Kitty is happy.

Until one diamond ring sitting pretty in her pepperoni ruins everything. Kitty does NOT want to get married, not after being caught in the crosshairs of her parent’s destructive divorce. Desperate not to lose Archie altogether, Kitty suggests a summer-long break so she can turn her ‘I don’t� into ‘I do�. Somehow.

Enter Leo Evans, Kitty’s impeccably dressed advertising nemesis who loves to appear at the very worst moment. Needing a distraction of his own, Leo claims to have the cure for Kitty’s cold feet: a no-strings rebound fling and a ten-date plan to face her marriage fears. Kitty shouldn’t really be fraternizing with the gorgeous enemy, not when they’re about to go head-to-head for the biggest pitch of their careers, but if it means getting her happily-ever-after with Archie, it’s a risk she’s willing to take.

This rebound is about to get complicated. Luckily, you ’t catch feelings when you’re still madly in love with someone else...right?]]> Leeanne Slade Paula 3 3.94 The Rebound
author: Leeanne Slade
name: Paula
average rating: 3.94
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/26
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1)]]> 212127083
In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn't much a girl wouldn't do for a glass of water.

Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen's reservoirs for as long as she can remember.

But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.

When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently re-opens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares... but it turns out they're real, and Saeris has landed herself in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist's magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him . . . or her.

Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he's the only way Saeris is going to make it home.]]> 588 Callie Hart Paula 0 to-read 4.34 2024 Quicksilver (Fae & Alchemy, #1)
author: Callie Hart
name: Paula
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Forget Me Not 61618737 An ambitious wedding planner must work with her grumpy florist ex, whose heart she broke, on the most high-profile wedding of her career, in this spicy and emotional romance from popular fanfic author Julie Soto.

He loves me; he loves me not...

Ama Torres loves being a wedding planner. But with a mother who has been married more times than you can count on your fingers, Ama has decided that marriage is not the route for her. But weddings? Weddings are amazing. As asmall business owner, she knows how to match her clients with the perfect vendor to give them the wedding of their dreams. Well, almostperfect�

Elliot hates being a florist, most of the time. When his father lefthim the flower shop, he consideredit a burden, but he’s stuck with it. Just like how he’s stuck with the way he proposed to Ama, his main collaborator and girlfriend (or was she?) two years ago. But flowers have grown on him, just like Ama did. And flowers ’t run off and never speak to him again, like Ama did.

When Ama is hired to plan a celebrity wedding that will bring her business national exposure, there's a catch: Elliot is already contracted to design the flowers. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. Add in a meddling ex-boss, and a reality TV film crew documenting every step of the wedding prep, and Ama and Elliot's hearts are not only in jeopardy again, but this time, their livelihoods are too.]]> 341 Julie Soto 1538740885 Paula 0 to-read 3.94 2023 Forget Me Not
author: Julie Soto
name: Paula
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Save Me (Maxton Hall, #1) 35060774 The first book in the international bestselling Maxton Hall series—now an Amazon Prime streaming series—in English for the first time.

They come from different worlds, and yet they are meant for each other.

Money, glamour, luxury, power—Ruby Bell couldn’t be less interested in these things if she tried. After being awarded a scholarship to one of England’s most prestigious and expensive private schools, Maxton Hall, all she wants is to keep her head down, work hard, and get accepted to Oxford. She keeps her distance from everyone, especially the arrogant, rich, and extremely handsome James Beaufort, ringleader of the school’s party boys.

When Ruby discovers a scandalous secret about the Beauforts, she is suddenly on James’s radar. It only gets worse when James is forced to work with her to plan the school's annual gala. Yet the more time they spend together, the more they realize they share much more than they thought.

Falling for James Beaufort was never part of her plan, yet Ruby ’t help but let her feelings sweep her away. But James must make a decision for will he choose what’s expected of him, or what he feels for her?]]> 416 Mona Kasten 3736305567 Paula 0 to-read 3.98 2018 Save Me (Maxton Hall, #1)
author: Mona Kasten
name: Paula
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Remix 21472663
Kaz is still reeling from being dumped by the love of her life... Ruby is bored of hearing about it. Time to change the record.

Three days. Two best mates. One music festival. Zero chance of everything working out.]]> 304 Non Pratt Paula 0 to-read 3.58 2015 Remix
author: Non Pratt
name: Paula
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)]]> 12983100 Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world.

When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?]]> 438 Susan Ee Paula 5 4.24 2013 World After (Penryn & the End of Days, #2)
author: Susan Ee
name: Paula
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2013/12/26
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves:
review:

]]> Zenith Part 1 29569157
Most know her as the Bloody Baroness, the captain of a fearsome glass starship called The Marauder. Androma and her crew strike terror in the hearts of those who cross them amongst the many corners of the Mirabel Galaxy.

When a routine mission goes rogue, the all-female crew is captured by a bounty hunter from Andi’s past and forced into a job that could, quite literally, start a war that will devour worlds.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the galaxy, the ruthless ruler Nor waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time. The final pieces are about to fall into place, liberating a plan that will tear Mirabel in two.

As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, there is one lesson that proves to be No one can be trusted in a galaxy that runs on lies and illusion.

From internet sensation Sasha Alsberg and multi-genre author Lindsay Cummings comes a new serialized space opera, full of action, intrigue, and steamy star-crossed romance.

Perfect for fans of Hugh Howie, Sarah J Maas, and Beth Revis.]]> 62 Sasha Alsberg 1311167609 Paula 0 to-read 3.48 2016 Zenith Part 1
author: Sasha Alsberg
name: Paula
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Sunlit Man 60531420 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson―creator of The Stormlight Archive, the Mistborn Saga, and countless bestselling works of science fiction and fantasy―comes this standalone novel showing a rare glimpse of a future Cosmere universe.

Running. Putting distance between himself and the relentless Night Brigade has been Nomad’s strategy for years. Staying one or two steps ahead of his pursuers by skipping through the Cosmere from one world to the next.

But now, his powers too depleted to escape, Nomad finds himself trapped on Canticle, a planet that will kill anyone who doesn’t keep moving. Fleeing the fires of a sunrise that melts the very stones, he is instantly caught up in the struggle between a heartless tyrant and the brave rebels who defy him.

Failure means a quick death, incinerated by the sun� or a lifetime as a mindless slave. Tormented by the consequences of his past, Nomad must fight not only for his survival―but also for his very soul.]]> 447 Brandon Sanderson 1938570391 Paula 0 to-read 4.28 2023 The Sunlit Man
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Paula
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Yumi and the Nightmare Painter]]> 60531416 #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us a gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different worlds must compromise and work together to save their worlds from ruin.

Yumi comes from a land of gardens, meditation, and spirits, while Painter lives in a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares. When their lives suddenly become intertwined in strange ways, can they put aside their differences and work together to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save each other’s communities from certain disaster?]]> 480 Brandon Sanderson 1938570375 Paula 0 to-read 4.45 2023 Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Paula
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Not in Love 198971010 A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science—from New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.

Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he ’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.]]> 379 Ali Hazelwood 0593550420 Paula 0 to-read 3.69 2024 Not in Love
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Paula
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England (Secret Projects, #2)]]> 60531410 399 Brandon Sanderson 1938570332 Paula 0 to-read 3.74 2023 The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England (Secret Projects, #2)
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Paula
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow]]> 57390604
Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe.

But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all.

Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war, but a revolution—and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria’s freedom.]]> 417 Zoulfa Katouh 0316351377 Paula 5 Tbh it triggered a mental breakdown within me so I would not be touching another book like this in the next few months]]> 4.48 2022 As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
author: Zoulfa Katouh
name: Paula
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/03
date added: 2024/03/03
shelves:
review:
So, so beautiful but ALSO VVVV heartbreaking.
Tbh it triggered a mental breakdown within me so I would not be touching another book like this in the next few months
]]> <![CDATA[Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth, #1)]]> 127305713
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe � a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution � who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch� is falling in love.]]> 406 Kristen Ciccarelli 1250866901 Paula 0 to-read 4.16 2024 Heartless Hunter (The Crimson Moth, #1)
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: Paula
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/02/15
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]]> A Love Song for Ricki Wilde 173404023
Leap years are a strange, enchanted time. And for some, even a single February can be life-changing.

Ricki Wilde has many talents, but being a Wilde isn’t one of them. As the impulsive, artistic daughter of a powerful Atlanta dynasty, she’s the opposite of her famous socialite sisters. Where they’re long-stemmed roses, she’s a dandelion: an adorable bloom that’s actually a weed, born to float wherever the wind blows. In her bones, Ricki knows that somewhere, a different, more exciting life awaits her.

When regal nonagenarian, Ms. Della, invites her to rent the bottom floor of her Harlem brownstone, Ricki jumps at the chance for a fresh beginning. She leaves behind her family, wealth, and chaotic romantic decisions to realize her dream of opening a flower shop. And just beneath the surface of her new neighborhood, the music, stories and dazzling drama of the Harlem Renaissance still simmers.

One evening in February as the heady, curiously off-season scent of night-blooming jasmine fills the air, Ricki encounters a handsome, deeply mysterious stranger who knocks her world off balance in the most unexpected way.

Set against the backdrop of modern Harlem and Renaissance glamour, A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a swoon-worthy love story of two passionate artists drawn to the magic, romance, and opportunity of New York, and whose lives are uniquely and irreversibly linked.]]> 352 Tia Williams 153872670X Paula 0 to-read 3.97 2024 A Love Song for Ricki Wilde
author: Tia Williams
name: Paula
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/02/15
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]]> <![CDATA[Just for the Summer (Part of Your World, #3)]]> 195820807
Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?]]> 432 Abby Jimenez 1538704439 Paula 0 to-read 4.35 2024 Just for the Summer (Part of Your World, #3)
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Paula
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/02/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated, #1)]]> 165940202
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.

Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.

Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.]]> 419 Danielle L. Jensen 0593599837 Paula 0 to-read 3.91 2024 A Fate Inked in Blood (Saga of the Unfated, #1)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Paula
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/02/15
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]]> Happily Never After 196700456 Their name? The objectors.

Their job? To break off weddings as hired.

Their dilemma? They might just be in love with each other.

When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!�

During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in.

The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all.

And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.]]> 304 Lynn Painter 0593638018 Paula 0 to-read 3.72 2024 Happily Never After
author: Lynn Painter
name: Paula
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/02/15
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]]> <![CDATA[What You Are Looking For Is in the Library]]> 91274427 For fans of The Midnight Library and Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this charming Japanese novel shows how the perfect book recommendation can change a reader's life.

What are you looking for?

This is the famous question routinely asked by Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. Like most librarians, Komachi has read every book lining her shelves—but she also has the unique ability to read the souls of her library guests. For anyone who walks through her door, Komachi can sense exactly what they’re looking for in life and provide just the book recommendation they never knew they needed to help them find it.

Each visitor comes to her library from a different juncture in their careers and dreams, from the restless sales attendant who feels stuck at her job to the struggling working mother who longs to be a magazineeditor. The conversation that they have with Sayuri Komachi—and the surprise book she lends each of them—will have life-altering consequences.

With heartwarming charm and wisdom, What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is a paean to the magic of libraries, friendship and community, perfect for anyone who has ever found themselves at an impasse in their life and in need of a little inspiration.]]> 304 Michiko Aoyama 1335005625 Paula 0 to-read 4.07 2020 What You Are Looking For Is in the Library
author: Michiko Aoyama
name: Paula
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2020
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/02/15
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]]> She and Her Cat: Stories 60321429 For fans of Mieko Kawakami’s Breasts and Eggs and Murata Sayaka’s Earthlings, this Japanese bestseller from renowned anime director Makoto Shinkai features four inspirational and heartwarming vignettes following women and their cats in their quests for love and connection.

Lying alone on the edge of the sidewalk in an abandoned cardboard box, a nameless narrator contemplates the indifferent world around him. With his mother long gone, his only company is the sound of the nearby train. Just as he fears that the end is near, a young woman peers down at him, this fateful encounter changing their lives forever

So begins the first story in She and Her Cat, a collection of four interrelated, stream-of-conscious short stories in which four women and their feline companions explore the frailty of life, the pain of isolation, and the limits of communication.

With clever narration alternating between the cats and their owners, She and Her Cat offers a unique and sly commentary on human foibles and our desire for connection. A whimsical short story anthology unlike any other, it effortlessly demonstrates that even in our darkest, most lonesome moments, we are still united to this wonderous world—often in ways we could never have expected.]]> 135 Makoto Shinkai 198216574X Paula 0 to-read 3.88 2013 She and Her Cat: Stories
author: Makoto Shinkai
name: Paula
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2013
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/02/15
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]]> Manacled 52122096
Fanfiction for Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling.
Words: 370,256]]> 925 SenLinYu Paula 0 to-read 4.64 2019 Manacled
author: SenLinYu
name: Paula
average rating: 4.64
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/02/15
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review:

]]> The Christmas Star 202432379
It's nearly Christmas, Julia Devine's favourite time of the year. She's just programmed a wonderful lead into the holidays at Sunny Street Cinema, which leaves her plenty of time to worry about going home to Cumbria for Christmas. Her mum and stepdad are fine, but the thought of spending another holiday with her awful stepsister Becca is enough to make a Scrooge out of anyone.

When Becca calls to let her know about the dreamy pilot she's bringing to Christmas lunch, Julia finally snaps and does something very silly. She tells Becca she's dating heartthrob movie star Hugo Turner.

Of course, Julia isn't dating Hugo Turner - she isn't dating anyone - but Becca will never let her live it down if she discovers Julia's lie. Enter Sam Hunter, ordinary guy on the street with a startling resemblance to a movie star. Without any holiday plans of his own, he's the perfect stand-in for the real Hugo. Sam has his own reasons for agreeing to be Julia's sham movie-star boyfriend. It's just for one weekend, right? But will this Christmas charade flourish into real Christmas magic?]]> 4 Kate Forster Paula 4 3.74 2023 The Christmas Star
author: Kate Forster
name: Paula
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/04
date added: 2024/01/04
shelves:
review:
Honestly the plot itself is very predictable but the narration is so fun, I added a star just for that alone
]]> <![CDATA[A Game of Fate (Hades Saga, #1)]]> 54626426
Despite her attraction to the god, Persephone, an ambitious journalism student, is determined to expose Hades for his cruel and ruthless ways.

Hades finds himself faced with the impossible—proving his future bride wrong. Despite his efforts, there are forces who wish to keep the two apart and Hades comes to realize he will do anything for his forbidden love, even defy Fate.]]> 379 Scarlett St. Clair Paula 3 3.95 2020 A Game of Fate (Hades Saga, #1)
author: Scarlett St. Clair
name: Paula
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/25
date added: 2023/12/25
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]]> <![CDATA[How to Lose a Guy Before Christmas]]> 202432794
After a snowstorm grounds her flight, Lucy makes a last-ditch effort to get home for Christmas using a rideshare app. She thinks she’ll be taking a road trip with a stranger...but the guy who shows up is someone she knows all too well. He’s the hookup she ghosted a few months ago, and now she’ll be stuck in a car with him for the most awkward road trip of her life.

Making matters worse, he’s even more gorgeous than she remembers—too bad things between them are frostier than the North Pole. Will the long ride home allow them to get to know each other in surprising new ways? And more importantly, will the season warm things up and send sparks flying yet again? Whatever happens, one thing is clear: It’s going to take a whole lot of Christmas magic to unlock their guarded hearts.]]> 6 A.J. Pine Paula 2 3.35 2023 How to Lose a Guy Before Christmas
author: A.J. Pine
name: Paula
average rating: 3.35
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/19
date added: 2023/12/19
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review:
I listened to this because it's free on Audible but I lost interest about halfway through it
]]> <![CDATA[The Inadequate Heir (The Bridge Kingdom, #3)]]> 59487103 Return to the world of The Bridge Kingdom in this sensuous fantasy full of romance and intrigue that is perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Silver Flames.

A soldier raised as heir to an empire, Zarrah is motivated by two truths. The first is that the Veliant family murdered her mother. And the second is that her pursuit of vengeance will put every last one of them in their graves.

The Endless War between Maridrina and Valcotta has raged for generations, leaving thousands of Zarrah’s people dead and countless more orphaned. So when she’s given command of the contested city of Nerastis, Zarrah is prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy the Maridrinian forces who oppose her. And to kill the Veliant prince who leads them.

Yet a chance encounter with an anonymous, and handsome, Maridrinian causes Zarrah to question whether the violence she’s perpetrated is justice or a crime. And as she continues to meet the nameless man each night, she finds common ground - and fiery passion - in his arms.

But when identities are revealed, Zarrah must decide whether to embrace a chance at peace…or march to the drums of war.]]> 538 Danielle L. Jensen Paula 0 to-read 4.11 2022 The Inadequate Heir (The Bridge Kingdom, #3)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Paula
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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]]> <![CDATA[Things We Hide from the Light (Knockemout, #2)]]> 62022434
Too bad Lina’s got secrets of her own, and if Nash finds out the real reason she’s in town, he’ll never forgive her. Besides, she doesn’t do relationships. Ever. A hot, short-term fling with a local cop? Absolutely. Sign her up. A relationship with a man who expects her to plant roots? No freaking way. Once she gets what she’s after, she has no intention of sticking around. But Knockemout has a way of getting under people’s skin. And once Nash decides to make Lina his, he’s not about to be dissuaded…even if it means facing the danger that nearly killed him.]]> 594 Lucy Score Paula 0 to-read 4.04 2023 Things We Hide from the Light (Knockemout, #2)
author: Lucy Score
name: Paula
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)]]> 60657589
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.]]> 336 Heather Fawcett 059350013X Paula 0 to-read 3.98 2023 Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Paula
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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]]> Tress of the Emerald Sea 63068384 #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us deeper into the Cosmere universe with a rollicking, riveting tale that will appeal to fans of The Princess Bride.

The only life Tress has known on her island home in an emerald-green ocean has been a simple one, with the simple pleasures of collecting cups brought by sailors from faraway lands and listening to stories told by her friend Charlie. But when his father takes him on a voyage to find a bride and disaster strikes, Tress must stow away on a ship and seek the Sorceress of the deadly Midnight Sea. Amid the spore oceans where pirates abound, can Tress leave her simple life behind and make her own place sailing a sea where a single drop of water can mean instant death?]]> 369 Brandon Sanderson 1250899656 Paula 0 to-read 4.27 2023 Tress of the Emerald Sea
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Paula
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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]]> The Seven Year Slip 62926938 An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it.

And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.

Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.

Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.

After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing.]]> 336 Ashley Poston Paula 0 to-read 4.17 2023 The Seven Year Slip
author: Ashley Poston
name: Paula
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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]]> <![CDATA[Practice Makes Perfect (When in Rome, #2)]]> 61897968 A small-town sweetheart and an emotionally unavailable bad boy try to find some common ground in this chemistry-filled romance from the author of The Cheat Sheet and When in Rome.

Annie Walker is on a quest to find her perfect match—someone who complements her happy, quiet life running the local flower shop in Rome, Kentucky. But finding her dream man may be harder than Annie imagined. Everyone knows everyone in her hometown, and the dating prospects are getting fewer by the day. After she overhears her latest date say she is “so unbelievably boring,� Annie starts to think the problem might be her. Is it too late to become flirtatious and fun like the leading ladies in her favorite romance movies? Maybe she only needs a little practice . . . and Annie has the perfect person in mind to be her tutor: Will Griffin.

Will—the sexy, tattooed, and absolutely gorgeous bodyguard—is temporarily back in Rome, providing security for Amelia Rose as excitement builds for her upcoming marriage to Noah Walker, Annie’s brother. He has one personal objective while on the job: stay away from Annie Walker and any other possible attachments to this sleepy town. But no sooner than he gets settled, Will finds himself tasked with helping Annie find the love of her life by becoming the next leading lady of Rome, Kentucky. Will wants no part in changing the sweet and lovely Annie. He knows for a fact that some stuffy, straitlaced guy won’t make her happy, but he doesn’t have the heart to say no.

Amid steamy practice dates and strictly “educational� tutoring lessons, Annie discovers there are more layers to Will’s usual stoic attitude. As the lines of their friendship become dangerously blurred, Annie reconsiders her dream guy. Maybe her love life doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be real.]]> 335 Sarah Adams 0593500806 Paula 0 to-read 4.00 2023 Practice Makes Perfect (When in Rome, #2)
author: Sarah Adams
name: Paula
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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]]> Slaying the Vampire Conqueror 123368729 She was commanded to kill him with a single strike to the heart. She didn’t expect her own to betray her.

Sylina has sacrificed everything for her goddess–her soul, her freedom, her eyes. Life in service to the Arachessen, a cult of the Goddess of Fate, has turned Sylina from orphaned street-rat to disciplined killer, determined to overthrow Glaea’s tyrannical king. But when a brutal vampire conqueror arrives on their shores, Sylina faces an even deadlier adversary. She’s tasked with a crucial mission: infiltrate his army, earn his trust� and kill him.

Atrius is a terrifying warrior carving an unstoppable path through Glaea. Yet when Sylina becomes his seer, she glimpses a dark and shocking past–and a side of him that reminds her far too much of parts of herself she’d rather forget. Sylina’s orders are clear. The conqueror cannot live. But as the blood spilled by Glaea’s tyrant king runs thicker, her connection with Atrius only grows stronger. A connection forbidden by her vows. A connection that could cost her everything.

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a standalone fantasy romance set in the Crowns of Nyaxia world, full of heart-wrenching forbidden romance, dark curses, and epic battles � perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom and the From Blood and Ash series.]]> 369 Carissa Broadbent Paula 0 to-read 4.10 2023 Slaying the Vampire Conqueror
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: Paula
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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]]> <![CDATA[Throne of the Fallen (Prince of Sin, #1)]]> 73071451 Sinner. Villain. Wicked.

The Prince of Envy has never claimed to be a saint. But when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows it will take more than a hint of sin to win and save his falling demon court. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin like no other�

Virtuous. Darling. Liar.

The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven’t a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows Waverly Green’s most notorious rake to blackmail her. To avoid a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil’s bargain with Envy, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature...

Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the Underworld—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm and beyond—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.]]> 612 Kerri Maniscalco 031655751X Paula 0 to-read 3.99 2023 Throne of the Fallen (Prince of Sin, #1)
author: Kerri Maniscalco
name: Paula
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Hanging City 63127235 For a young woman who wields the power of fear, humanity’s greatest enemy is her only hope in a new fairy-tale adventure by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

Seven years on the run from her abusive father, and with no hope of sanctuary among the dwindling pockets of human civilization, Lark is out of options. Her only leverage is a cursed power: she can thrust fear onto others, leaving all threats fleeing in terror. It’s a means of survival as she searches for a place to call home. If the campfire myths of her childhood are true, Lark’s sole chance for refuge could lie in Cagmar, the city of trolls—a brutal species and the sworn enemies of humanity.

Valuing combat prowess, the troll high council is intrigued. Lark could be much more useful than the low-caste humans who merely labor in Cagmar. Her gift makes her invaluable as a monster slayer to fight off the unspeakable creatures that torment the trolls� hanging city, suspended from a bridge over an endless dark canyon.

Lark will do anything to make Cagmar her home, but her new role comes with a caveat: use her power against a troll, and she’ll be killed. Her loyalty is quickly put to the test when she draws the hatred of a powerful troll who loathes humankind. Still, she finds unexpected friendship in the city and, even more surprisingly, love. But if everything else doesn’t undo her, being caught in the arms of a troll surely will. Now in the fight of her life, Lark has a lot to learn—about her past, about trust and hope when all seems lost, and above all, about the extraordinary power of fear itself.]]> 344 Charlie N. Holmberg 1662508719 Paula 0 to-read 3.96 2023 The Hanging City
author: Charlie N. Holmberg
name: Paula
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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]]> Bride (Bride, #1) 181344829 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.]]> 410 Ali Hazelwood Paula 0 to-read 3.98 2024 Bride (Bride, #1)
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Paula
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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review:

]]> The Good Part 112976344 By the New York Times bestselling author of Just Haven't Met You Yet, a downtrodden twenty-six-year-old wakes up to the life she's always wanted, but is it really a dream come true?

At twenty-six, Lucy Young is tired. Tired of fetching coffees for senior TV producers, tired of going on disastrous dates, and definitely tired of living in a damp flat share with flatmates who never buy toilet roll. She could quit her job for a better living, but she's not ready to give up on her dreams. Not just yet. After another diabolical date lands her in a sudden storm and no money for bus fare, Lucy finds herself seeking shelter in a tiny shop, where she stumbles upon a curious wishing machine. Pushing her last coin into the slot, Lucy closes her eyes and wishes with everything she's got: Please, let me skip to the good part of my life.

When she wakes the next morning to a handsome man, a ring on her finger, a high-powered job, and storybook perfect little boy and baby girl, Lucy can't believe this is real--especially when she looks in the mirror, and staring back is her own forty-something face. Has she really skipped ahead to the future she's always wanted, or has she simply forgotten a huge chunk of her life? And as Lucy begins to embrace this new life and new relationships, she'll have to ask herself: Can she go back, and if so, does she want to?]]> 368 Sophie Cousens 0593539893 Paula 0 to-read 4.00 2023 The Good Part
author: Sophie Cousens
name: Paula
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/09
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]]> <![CDATA[Better than the Prom (Better than the Movies, #1.5)]]> 62053108
Not only is he not going with Liz, the girl he’s loved his entire life, but Liz is going with Michael, the guy she’s loved her entire life. Talk about a nightmare.

They manage to avoid each other at the event, but every glance he steals of her in that gown, smiling up at her date, feels like a punch to his solar plexus.

But when she’s waiting for him after he ditches the dance, he realizes that nothing about the prom even matters.

Because Liz Buxbaum, in Chuck Taylors and a sweatshirt under the streetlight that shines above their spot, is actually far better than the prom.]]> 30 Lynn Painter Paula 0 to-read 4.35 2022 Better than the Prom (Better than the Movies, #1.5)
author: Lynn Painter
name: Paula
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)]]> 26032825 Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.

And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.]]> 370 Holly Black 0316310271 Paula 5
Edit:
Re-read this for 2023 and it's still as good as I remembered it ]]> 4.01 2018 The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: Paula
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/09
date added: 2023/12/09
shelves:
review:
I NEED THE NEXT BOOK ASAP

Edit:
Re-read this for 2023 and it's still as good as I remembered it
]]> <![CDATA[Once You're Mine (Possessing Her, #1)]]> 199244880
Murder brought us together.
Only death can keep us apart.
The

Calista belongs to me... she just doesn’t know it.
The first time we met, I wanted her.
The next time, I was obsessed.
I watched her.
I followed her.
It only deepened my need to possess her.
Once she's mine, I'm never letting her go.

The
Hayden Bennett is a monster, in and out of the courtroom.
Unfortunately, I need his help.
What was supposed to be a simple transaction turns into something else.
Something intense.
He’s always there when I need him,
but I don't know if trusting him is a good idea...

Once You're Mine is Book 1 in the Possessing Her Duet that ends on a cliffhanger. It contains a morally gray hero that's OTT/JP, a stalker who falls first, has Touch Her & Die energy, and is willing to do whatever it takes to have her.
(A complete list of the TWs can be found on the author's website) ]]> 308 Morgan Bridges Paula 2 3.61 2023 Once You're Mine (Possessing Her, #1)
author: Morgan Bridges
name: Paula
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/09
date added: 2023/12/08
shelves:
review:

]]> My Mechanical Romance 58857822 Opposites attract in this nerdy YA romance from the NYT best-selling author of The Atlas Six!

A Mathical Book Prize Honor Book

"It’s rom-com perfection."—Adiba Jaigirdar, author of The Henna Wars

Bel doesn't want to think about the future. College apps? You’re funny. Extracurriculars? Not a chance. Joining a robotics club filled with boys who ignore her or--even worse--constantly ask if she needs help? Please, anything but that. But when she accidentally reveals a talent for engineering in class, she has no choice. Enter Mateo Luna, the handsome captain of the club.

Teo instantly recognizes Bel's talent. He needs her on the team. And not just because he can't stop thinking about the tiny dusting of freckles around her eyes, or how she got him hooked on Taylor Swift--it's because Bel sees him. She challenges him. But when they seriously start butting heads, Bel wonders: Is there really room for a girl like her in STEM?

In her YA debut, Alexene Farol Follmuth, author of The Atlas Six (under the penname Olivie Blake), explores both the challenges girls of color face in STEM and the vulnerability of first love with unfailing wit and honesty. Told from dual points of view, My Mechanical Romance is not only swoonworthy--it's downright empowering.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
A Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers Nominee
A Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award Nominee]]> 272 Alexene Farol Follmuth 0823450104 Paula 4 3.84 2022 My Mechanical Romance
author: Alexene Farol Follmuth
name: Paula
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/09
date added: 2023/12/08
shelves:
review:
Cute cute cute, super wholesome
]]> Twelfth Knight 198471299 Reese's Book Club Summer YA Pick '24

"YA is a feeling. It's a warm summer day reading in the sun, lots of nostalgia, gushing together over the characters in Twelfth Knight."—Reese Witherspoon

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six (under the penname Olivie Blake) comes Twelfth Knight, a YA romantic comedy and coming of age story about taking up space in the world and learning what it means to let others in.

Viola Reyes is annoyed.

Her painstakingly crafted tabletop game campaign was shot down, her best friend is suggesting she try being more “likable,� and her school's star running back Jack Orsino is the most lackadaisical Student Body President she’s ever seen, which makes her job as VP that much harder. Vi’s favorite escape from the world is the MMORPG Twelfth Knight, but online spaces aren’t exactly kind to girls like her—girls who are extremely competent and have the swagger to prove it. So Vi creates a masculine alter ego, choosing to play as a knight named Cesario to create a safe haven for herself.

But when a football injury leads Jack Orsino to the world of Twelfth Knight, Vi is alarmed to discover their online alter egos—Cesario and Duke Orsino—are surprisingly well-matched.

As the long nights of game-play turn into discussions about life and love, Vi and Jack soon realise they’ve become more than just weapon-wielding characters in an online game. But Vi has been concealing her true identity from Jack, and Jack might just be falling for her offline�

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.]]> 304 Alexene Farol Follmuth Paula 0 to-read 3.91 2024 Twelfth Knight
author: Alexene Farol Follmuth
name: Paula
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Check & Mate 60683957 done with chess. Every move counts nowadays. After the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory's focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious "Kingkiller" Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning bad boy of chess.

Nolan's loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone—especially Mallory. What's even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory's victory opens the door to sorely needed cash prizes and, despite everything, she can't help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist....

As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren't only on the board, the spotlight is hotter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce(-ly attractive. And intelligent...and infuriating...)]]> 347 Ali Hazelwood 0593619919 Paula 3 3.93 2023 Check & Mate
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Paula
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/06
date added: 2023/12/06
shelves:
review:
It was enjoyable but predictable
]]> Pride and Prejudice 84979 Another cover edition for this ISBN

Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work "her own darling child" and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print." The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen's radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England.]]> 334 Jane Austen 0553213105 Paula 5 4.36 1813 Pride and Prejudice
author: Jane Austen
name: Paula
average rating: 4.36
book published: 1813
rating: 5
read at: 2011/03/06
date added: 2023/12/04
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Crown of Oaths and Curses (The Mortal Fates #1)]]> 63119009
On the road to ultimate honor and glory, I lost everything.

Now, in a world ravaged by the whims of those who rule, I must turn my back on a lifetime of friendships and loyalties to face my own fate.

The Savage Prince.

Heir to the high-fae throne of the Southern Lands, he is known for his brutality and cold heart. But with the kingdom on the brink of ruin, I have no choice but to seek him out.

The war between the fae and the witches rages, and there’s no end in sight. My destiny is clear—help the prince defeat his enemies before it’s too late.

One small problem.

I am Rookesbane Eveningstar.

The Favored Child returned, a Witch of the Woods.

The greatest enemy of my Fates-blessed mate.




*The Crown of Oaths and Curses is a full-length MF epic fantasy romance with material that may be difficult for some readers. This book will end on a cliffhanger. It's recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations. Book 1 of a 3-book series.]]> 663 J. Bree Paula 0 to-read 4.24 2023 The Crown of Oaths and Curses (The Mortal Fates #1)
author: J. Bree
name: Paula
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Throne of Broken Gods (Gods & Monsters, #2)]]> 141275671 619 Amber V. Nicole Paula 0 to-read 4.21 2023 The Throne of Broken Gods (Gods & Monsters, #2)
author: Amber V. Nicole
name: Paula
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters, #1)]]> 59986018
Um ihre sterbende Schwester zu retten, schließt die verzweifelte Dianna einen lebenslang bindenden als erste Offizierin des gefürchteten und gefährlichen Unterweltboss Kaden befehligt sie seine Armee aus grausamen Monstern, Gestaltwandlern, Vampiren und Hexen. Als Kaden die Herrschaft des gesamten Reiches an sich reißen will, muss Dianna für ihn eine uralte Reliquie beschaffen. Diese soll sich ausgerechnet im Besitz des Gottes Samkiel befinden, Diannas Erzfeind, der das Reich seit tausenden Jahren besetzt hält. Doch als sie Samkiel begegnet, muss sie eine Wahl treffen, die alles verändern wird ...

Die fesselnd-düstere, spicy Dark Fantasy mit Slow-Burn-Liebesgeschichte sowie den Tropes Enemies-to-Lovers und Forced Proximity endlich auf Deutsch!]]> 572 Amber V. Nicole Paula 0 to-read 4.07 2022 The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters, #1)
author: Amber V. Nicole
name: Paula
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Reckless (The Powerless Trilogy, #2)]]> 183086339
After surviving the Purging Trials, Ordinary-born Paedyn Gray has killed the King, and kickstarted a Resistance throughout the land. Now she’s running from the one person she had wanted to run to.

Kai Azer is now Ilya’s Enforcer, loyal to his brother Kitt, the new King. He has vowed to find Paedyn and bring her to justice.

Across the deadly Scorches, and deep into the hostile city of Dor, Kai pursues the one person he wishes he didn’t have to. But in a city without Elites, the balance between the hunter and hunted shifts � and the battle between duty and desire is deadly.

Be swept away by this kiss-or-kill romantasy trilogy taking the world by storm.]]> 396 Lauren Roberts Paula 0 to-read 4.07 2024 Reckless (The Powerless Trilogy, #2)
author: Lauren Roberts
name: Paula
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Study in Drowning (A Study in Drowning, #1)]]> 75302266 Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny.

But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.]]> 378 Ava Reid 0063211505 Paula 0 to-read 3.73 2023 A Study in Drowning (A Study in Drowning, #1)
author: Ava Reid
name: Paula
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Wildfire (Maple Hills, #2) 101145836
Maple Hills students Russ Callaghan and Aurora Roberts cross paths at a party celebrating the end of the academic year, where a drinking game results in them having a passionate one-night stand. Never one to overstay her welcome (or expect much from a man), Aurora slips away before Russ even has the chance to ask for her full name.

Imagine their surprise when they bump into each other on the first day of the summer camp where they are both counselors, hoping to escape their complicated home lives by spending the summer working. Russ hopes if he gets far enough away from Maple Hills, he can avoid dealing with the repercussions of his father’s gambling addiction, while Aurora is tired of craving attention from everyone around her, and wants to go back to the last place she truly felt at home.

Russ knows breaking the camp’s strict “no staff fraternizing� rule will have him heading back to Maple Hills before the summer is over, but unfortunately for him, Aurora has never been very good at caring about the rules. Will the two learn to peacefully coexist? Or did their one night together start a fire they ’t put out?]]> 387 Hannah Grace 1668026279 Paula 0 to-read 3.82 2023 Wildfire (Maple Hills, #2)
author: Hannah Grace
name: Paula
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Tournament of Crowns (A Trial of Sorcerers, #3)]]> 60549509
Last night, Eira killed a man.

However justified her actions were, many now regard her as a cold-blooded murderer and a heretic who extinguished their hope. But there’s no time to explain herself. She barely has a chance to wash the blood off her hands before the Tournament of Five Kingdoms begins.

Sequestered with the other champions for the duration of the tournament, Eira must now navigate the games, her competition, the enemies who hunt her head, and � somehow worse than all the rest � being stuck in close quarters with the man who broke her heart.

All is fair in love and magical tournaments, and Eira is ready for the fight of her life.

Get ready for twists you never saw coming in A Tournament of Crowns. This series is perfect for readers who enjoy young adult, epic fantasy full of elemental magic, slow-burn romance, found family, and battles for the futures of kingdoms set in a world you’ll never want to leave.

Don’t miss a single book in the A Trial of Sorcerers series. Readers should start with A Trial of Sorcerers, and then A Hunt of Shadows, before reading A Tournament of Crowns.]]> 428 Elise Kova 1949694380 Paula 0 to-read 4.35 2023 A Tournament of Crowns (A Trial of Sorcerers, #3)
author: Elise Kova
name: Paula
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #1)]]> 196864520

The viral TikTok friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy full of murder, chaos, and spice—unlike anything you’ve read before—now available in all bookstores.


When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of like-minded, pitch-black souls. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country.


But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?

]]> 360 Brynne Weaver Paula 0 to-read 3.99 2023 Butcher & Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #1)
author: Brynne Weaver
name: Paula
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Funny Story 194802722 A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé, Peter, told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it... right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned-up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex... right?]]> 400 Emily Henry Paula 0 to-read 4.21 2024 Funny Story
author: Emily Henry
name: Paula
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1)]]> 123257687
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.]]> 342 Hannah Nicole Maehrer 1649375808 Paula 2 3.88 2023 Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1)
author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
name: Paula
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/02
date added: 2023/12/02
shelves:
review:
DNF-ing because what the hell was that
]]> <![CDATA[Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy, #1)]]> 75513900 She is the very thing he’s spent his whole life hunting.
He is the very thing she’s spent her whole life pretending to be.

Only the extraordinary belong in the kingdom of Ilya—the exceptional, the empowered, the Elites.

The powers these Elites have possessed for decades were graciously gifted to them by the Plague, though not all were fortunate enough to both survive the sickness and reap the reward. Those born Ordinary are just that—ordinary. And when the king decreed that all Ordinaries be banished in order to preserve his Elite society, lacking an ability suddenly became a crime—making Paedyn Gray a felon by fate and a thief by necessity.

Surviving in the slums as an Ordinary is no simple task, and Paedyn knows this better than most. Having been trained by her father to be overly observant since she was a child, Paedyn poses as a Psychic in the crowded city, blending in with the Elites as best she can in order to stay alive and out of trouble. Easier said than done.

When Paeydn unsuspectingly saves one of Ilyas princes, she finds herself thrown into the Purging Trials. The brutal competition exists to showcase the Elites� powers—the very thing Paedyn lacks. If the Trials and the opponents within them don’t kill her, the prince she’s fighting feelings for certainly will if he discovers what she is—completely Ordinary.]]> 523 Lauren Roberts Paula 0 to-read 4.17 2023 Powerless (The Powerless Trilogy, #1)
author: Lauren Roberts
name: Paula
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Soul of a Witch (Souls Trilogy, #3)]]> 171881689
I am the servant of a merciless God. I am the daughter of Its preacher. All my life, my power has been controlled by others. They raised me to be meek and stifled my magic.

But no more.

A brutal murder led me to discover a mysterious house full of magic - and the ancient, powerful demon within. He says my power can change the world, that I can kill the evil creature I once worshipped.

But at what cost?

Callum

For two thousand years, I've been alone. Slaughtering fallen Gods as I searched for the witch that haunted my dreams, begging for my help.

Now that I've found her, I will protect her with my life. But when the fate of Earth, Heaven, and Hell hangs in the balance, not even her soul is safe from destruction.

If a choice must be made, I'll let the world burn if it means having her as my own.

Soul of a Witch is book 3 in the Souls Trilogy . Each book within the Souls Trilogy is interconnected, following a different couple through a similar timeline in the fictional world of Abelaum.

Content Note
This book contains sexual scenes, kink/fetish content, horror elements, and drug use. Please see the book preview for complete CW.]]> 591 Harley Laroux Paula 0 to-read 4.32 2023 Soul of a Witch (Souls Trilogy, #3)
author: Harley Laroux
name: Paula
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King, #2)]]> 63910262 In the luscious, dark sequel to One Dark Window, Elspeth must face the consequences of what she's wrought - perfect for readers of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching.

Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last, and most important one remains to be found: The Twin Alders.

If they are going to find it before the Solstice and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it, they will need to journey beyond the dangerous mist-cloaked forest that surrounds their kingdom.

And the only one who can lead them there is the monster that shares Elspeth's head. The Nightmare. And he's not eager to share any longer.]]> 437 Rachel Gillig 0356519503 Paula 0 to-read 4.38 2023 Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King, #2)
author: Rachel Gillig
name: Paula
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3)]]> 62816044 Two villains, one girl, and a deadly battle for happily ever after.

Evangeline Fox ventured to the Magnificent North in search of her happy ending, and it seems as if she has it. She’s married to a handsome prince and lives in a legendary castle. But Evangeline has no idea of the devastating price she’s paid for this fairytale. She doesn’t know what she has lost, and her husband is determined to make sure she never finds out . . . but first he must kill Jacks, the Prince of Hearts.

Blood will be shed, hearts will be stolen, and true love will be put to the test in A Curse for True Love, the breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy.]]> 386 Stephanie Garber 1250851203 Paula 0 to-read 4.14 2023 A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3)
author: Stephanie Garber
name: Paula
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/12/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Prison Healer (The Prison Healer, #1)]]> 53968496
When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.

Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.� Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva ’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

From bestselling author Lynette Noni comes a dark, thrilling YA fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, and Sabaa Tahir.]]> 416 Lynette Noni 0358434556 Paula 0 to-read 4.15 2021 The Prison Healer (The Prison Healer, #1)
author: Lynette Noni
name: Paula
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Sixty/Forty Rule 76750283 six-ty for-ty rule (noun): a deal you make with your pain-in-the-butt client, when hating him starts to feel a little too good.

Jude Holland has slogged it for years at a chance to land a coveted job designing the city's most breathtaking restaurants and nightclubs. And when a spot opens up on her firm's design team, her boss makes her a deal: design Theo Jordan—the firm's biggest client—a new restaurant, convince him to renew his contract with the company, and the job is hers.

If only he'd play along.

Theo is infamous for three very specific things: he's a hot-shot young chef-turned-restaurateur, a thorn-in-your-side client, and the kind of attractive that makes you wonder which kind of psychedelics the great maker was taking, when he created him. Not that Jude notices. She's too busy sticking to the plan, and it helps that he's a total ass, anyway.

That is, until a steamy business trip leads to a very different deal between these enemies, who suddenly can't seem to keep their hands off each other. Sixty percent of the time, they’d indulge those funny, fluttering feelings that seem to manifest whenever they’re together. The rest of the time? They’d be nothing but professional.

It doesn’t take Theo long to realize that’s easier said than done. But with a restaurant launch and a dream promotion on the line—not to mention a workplace rival hell-bent on ruining her career—Theo only has a handful of weeks to convince Jude to make that sixty percent full-time.


The Sixty/Forty Rule is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers workplace romance between a sunshine commercial designer and her grumpy client. It has a healthy dose of spice and a happily ever after. It is the first book in the Sunset Landing series of standalone reads.]]> 363 Ellie K. Wilde Paula 0 to-read 3.83 The Sixty/Forty Rule
author: Ellie K. Wilde
name: Paula
average rating: 3.83
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Hideaway (Devil's Night, #2) 29082755 DEVIL'S NIGHT is returning! Hiding places, chases, and all the games are back...

BANKS

Buried in the shadows of the city, there’s a hotel called The Pope. Ailing, empty, and dark—it sits abandoned and surrounded by a forgotten mystery.

But you think it’s true, don’t you, Kai Mori? The story about the hidden twelfth floor. The mystery of the dark guest who never checked in and never checks out. You think I can help you find that secret hideaway and get to him, don’t you?

You and your friends can try to scare me. You can try to push me. Because even though I struggle to hide everything I feel when you look at me—and have ever since I was a girl—I think maybe what you seek is so much closer than you’ll ever realize.

I will never betray him.

So sit tight.

On Devil’s Night, the hunt will be coming to you.

KAI

You have no idea what I seek, Little One. You don’t know what I had to become to survive three years in prison for a crime I would gladly commit again.

No one can know what I’ve turned into.

I want that hotel, I want to find him, and I want this over.

I want my life back.

But the more I’m around you, the more I realize this new me is exactly who I was meant to be.

So come on, kid. Don’t chicken out. My house is on the hill. So many ways in, and good luck finding your way out.

I’ve seen your hideaway. Time to see mine.

*Hideaway is a romantic suspense suitable for ages 18+. While the romance is a stand-alone, the plot is a continuation of events that began in CORRUPT (Devil's Night, #1). It is strongly recommended that you have read Corrupt prior to reading this.]]> 466 Penelope Douglas Paula 0 to-read 3.98 2017 Hideaway (Devil's Night, #2)
author: Penelope Douglas
name: Paula
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2017
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/11/26
shelves: to-read
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]]> Scarred (Never After, #2) 59512586 She doesn't belong to him...she belongs to the crown.

Prince Tristan Faasa was never destined for the throne. That was always his brother, Michael. The same brother responsible for both Tristan's tormented childhood and the scar that mars his face. When their father dies, Michael is set to assume the throne, and Tristan is set to steal it. The leader of a secret rebellion, Tristan will stop at nothing to end his brother's reign. But when Michael's new betrothed, Lady Sara Beatreaux arrives, Tristan finds himself in the middle of a new kind of war. The kind that begs the question of what's more important, the crown or the woman about to wear it.

Sara has one plan. Marry the King and eradicate the Faasa line, even at the risk of her own peril. But she never expects the Scarred Prince. He's dangerous. Forbidden. And one of the men she's been sent to kill. But the line between hatred and passion has never seemed so thin, and as secrets come to light, Sara grows unsure of whom she can trust—torn between vengeance and the villain she was never supposed to love.

Scarred is a DARK Royal Romance and a complete standalone within The Never After Series (A series of fractured fairy tales inspired by our favorite villains). It is not a retelling or fantasy. It contains subject matter which may be triggering for some. Reader discretion is advised. ]]> 447 Emily McIntire Paula 0 to-read 3.87 2022 Scarred (Never After, #2)
author: Emily McIntire
name: Paula
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/11/26
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]]> Thank You for Listening 59314703
On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.

As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.

If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.

From the author of My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator—who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident—and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel.]]> 432 Julia Whelan 0063095564 Paula 0 to-read 3.99 2022 Thank You for Listening
author: Julia Whelan
name: Paula
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/10/23
shelves: to-read
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]]> The Dead Romantics 58885776 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780593336489.

Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead.

When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father.

For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she ’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it.

Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is.

Romance is most certainly dead... but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.

A disillusioned millennial ghostwriter who, quite literally, has some ghosts of her own, has to find her way back home in this sparkling adult debut from national bestselling author Ashley Poston.]]> 368 Ashley Poston Paula 0 to-read 3.90 2022 The Dead Romantics
author: Ashley Poston
name: Paula
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2022
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/10/23
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]]> Murder in the Family 63241097 A shocking thriller about a cold case, a fictional true crime series, and the family caught in the middle.

SIX EPISODES. ONE KILLER.

It was a case that gripped the nation. In December 2003, Luke Ryder, the stepfather of acclaimed filmmaker Guy Howard (then aged 10), was found dead in the garden of their suburban family home.

Luke Ryder's murder has never been solved. Everyone present around the time of the murder swears they saw nothing. Despite a high-profile police investigation and endless media attention, no suspect was ever charged.

But some murder cases are simply too big to forget...

Now comes the sensational new Netflix series Infamous, dedicated to investigating--and perhaps cracking--this famous cold case. The production team will re-examine testimony, re-interview witnesses, and once again scour the evidence. The family will speak. The key players will be reunited--on camera. The truth will come out.

Are you ready to see it?]]> 466 Cara Hunter 0063272075 Paula 0 to-read 3.70 2023 Murder in the Family
author: Cara Hunter
name: Paula
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/10/23
shelves: to-read
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]]> You, Again 75665887 Can they stop hating each other long enough to fall in love?

A commitment-phobe and a hopeless romantic clash over and over again--until heartbreak and unexpected chemistry bring them together in this clever enemies-to-friends-to-lovers debut romance.

When Ari and Josh first meet, the wrong kind of sparks fly. They hate each other. Instantly.

A free-spirited, struggling comedian who likes to keep things casual, Ari sublets, takes gigs, and she never sleeps over after hooking up. Born-and-bred Manhattanite Josh has ambitious plans: Take the culinary world by storm, find The One, and make her breakfast in his spotless kitchen. They have absolutely nothing in common . . . except that they happen to be sleeping with the same woman.

Ari and Josh never expect their paths to cross again. But years later, as they're both reeling from ego-bruising breakups, a chance encounter leads to a surprising connection: friendship. Turns out, spending time with your former nemesis is fun when you're too sad to hate each other--and too sad for hate sex.

As friends-without-benefits, they find comfort in late-night Netflix binges, swiping through each other's online dating profiles, and bickering across boroughs. It's better than romance. Until one night, the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur. . . .

With sharp observations and sizzling chemistry, You, Again explores the dynamics of co-ed friendship in this sparkling romantic comedy of modern love in all its forms.]]> 448 Kate Goldbeck 059344812X Paula 0 to-read 3.55 2023 You, Again
author: Kate Goldbeck
name: Paula
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2023
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/09/17
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review:

]]> <![CDATA[Yours Truly (Part of Your World, #2)]]> 61918816 A novel of terrible first impressions, hilarious second chances, and the joy in finding your perfect match.

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin�-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass� scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,� and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she ’t refuse.]]> 416 Abby Jimenez 1538704390 Paula 4 PROTECT JACOB AT ALL COSTS 4.29 2023 Yours Truly (Part of Your World, #2)
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Paula
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/02
date added: 2023/09/01
shelves:
review:
PROTECT JACOB AT ALL COSTS
]]> Love, Theoretically 61326735
Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?]]> 389 Ali Hazelwood 1408725797 Paula 4 4.07 2023 Love, Theoretically
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Paula
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/09/02
date added: 2023/09/01
shelves:
review:

]]> The Flatshare 36478784 Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met�

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.

But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…]]> 394 Beth O'Leary 1787474402 Paula 0 to-read 3.97 2019 The Flatshare
author: Beth O'Leary
name: Paula
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2019
rating: 0
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date added: 2023/09/01
shelves: to-read
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]]> <![CDATA[Fireborne (The Aurelian Cycle, #1)]]> 36578543
Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn't be more different. Annie's lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee's aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.

But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.

With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he's come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.]]> 432 Rosaria Munda 0525518215 Paula 0 to-read 3.89 2019 Fireborne (The Aurelian Cycle, #1)
author: Rosaria Munda
name: Paula
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/28
shelves: to-read
review:

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