Mini Book Review: The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy

October 30, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

The Duke Gets Desperate (Sirens in Silk #1)
Publisher: Avon
Pub Date: 26 September 2023
Genre: Historical Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

Diana Quincy returns with a steamy affair between an Arab-American woman who inherits a run-down castle in the English countryside and the duke who asserts the castle is his, in the first book in a brand-new Victorian historical romance series.

Anthony Cary, Duke of Strickland, inherits his spendthrift father’s title and can finally restore the family castle to its former glory. But at the reading of the will, Strick is stunned to learn that his father has secretly disentailed him, leaving the family manor–home to twelve generations of dukes–to Strick’s American stepmother. Everyone knows Strick detests the dowager duchess, and when she dies mysteriously, damning rumors start to surface.

When Raya Darwish unexpectedly inherits her glamorous late cousin’s castle in the English countryside, she clashes with the charismatic young duke who insists the castle is rightfully his. The estate is practically bankrupt, so she must find a way to work with the duke in order to save both of their futures.

The two cannot stand each other, but mutual disdain soon gives way to desire. When questions arise about how her cousin died, Raya cannot help wondering if Strick’s sudden unbridled passion for her is part of a scheme to get his castle back…

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Misogyny, racism, xenophobia, attempted murder

TL;DR: The Duke Gets Desperate was not what I expected in the best way! I have to admit that this got off to a bit of a rocky start for me but my feelings (thankfully) changed along the way. Raya and (eventually) Anthony were so easy to root for. I love it when an MMC falls first and this man falls hard and fast for Raya and not in an instalove way because they properly couldn’t stand each other to start. And the mouth on him was quite a surprise! 😂🥵 Overall, this was a feisty and sexy historical romance and I’m excited to read more by this author.

Book Review: The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon

October 26, 2023October 23, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

The Dating Playbook (The Boyfriend Project #2)
Publisher: Headline Eternal
Pub Date: 17 August 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

When a personal trainer agrees to fake date her client, all rules are out the window in this delightful romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of The Boyfriend Project!

When it comes to personal training, Taylor Powell kicks serious butt. Unfortunately, her bills are piling up, rent is due, and the money situation is dire. Taylor needs more than the support of her new best friends, Samiah and London. She needs a miracle.

And Jamar Dixon might just be it. The oh-so-fine former footballer wants back into the NFL, and he wants Taylor to train him. There’s just one catch — no one can know what they’re doing. But when they’re accidentally outed as a couple, Taylor’s game plan is turned completely upside down. Is Jamar just playing to win… or is he playing for keeps?/em>

TL;DR: The Dating Playbook was my first book by Farrah Rochon and it won’t be my last. It’s funny, sexy, and smart but it also tackles some big issues like learning disorders and mental health. I loved the rep, the romance was fantastic and the girl-boss friendships between Taylor, Samiah and London were fantastic! The banter was also incredible and I loved TayJar together—even though their ship name could do with a bit of work, lol! Overall, this was a fun and satisfying romance to read and I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series.

Book Review: The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

October 19, 2023October 11, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

The Neighbor Favor
Publisher: Penguin
Pub Date: 28 February 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

Sometimes love is closer than you think… Fall head over heels with this charming and heart-fluttering romantic comedy.

Lily Greene has already found her perfect man: her favourite fantasy author. But after months of correspondence, he ghosts her – and she’s left broken-hearted.

Nick Brown has just moved in next door. Charming and attractive, he’s the perfect date for Lily to take to her sister’s upcoming wedding.

Little does Lily know that Nick is the very author she’d been talking to. And Nick has no idea that Lily is the shy, bookish woman he slowly fell in love with…

But he refuses to complicate things even more.

And yet when he sets her up with someone else, he can’t seem to get her off his mind…

TL;DR: I ended up having quite mixed feelings about The Neighbor Favor. It started off strong—I was immediately reeled in by the set-up and their email exchanges. However, following that, I feel like the story slowed down too much and my interest kind of waned with it. Despite liking these two characters on their own and appreciating their journeys, I found their chemistry together lacking. No matter how much my serendipity-loving heart loved the idea of them finding each other in a city as big as New York, it wasn’t enough to sell me on their connection. For sure, there were sweet moments but I just wanted to feel more! That said, I’m looking forward to reading about Lily’s sisters and can’t wait for the next book.

Book Review: A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating A Demon by Sarah Hawley

October 16, 2023October 12, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads9 Comments

A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating A Demon
Publisher: Gollancz
Pub Date: 9 March 2023
Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

Mariel Spark knows not to trust a demon, especially one that wants her soul, but what’s a witch to do when he won’t leave her side—and she kind of doesn’t want him to?

Mariel Spark is prophesied to be the most powerful witch seen in centuries of the famed Spark family, but to the displeasure of her mother, she prefers baking to brewing potions and gardening to casting hexes. When a spell to summon flour goes very wrong, Mariel finds herself staring down a demon—one she inadvertently summoned for a soul bargain.

Ozroth the Ruthless is a legend among demons. Powerful and merciless, he drives hard bargains to collect mortal souls. But his reputation has suffered ever since a bargain went awry—if he can strike a bargain with Mariel, he will earn back his deadly reputation. Ozroth can’t leave Mariel’s side until they complete a bargain, which she refuses to do (turns out some humans are attached to their souls).

But the witch is funny. And curvy. And disgustingly yet endearingly cheerful. Becoming awkward roommates quickly escalates when Mariel, terrified to confess the inadvertent summoning to her mother, blurts out that she’s dating Ozroth. As Ozroth and Mariel struggle with their opposing goals and maintaining a fake relationship, real attraction blooms between them. But Ozroth has a limited amount of time to strike the deal, and if Mariel gives up her soul, she’ll lose all her emotions—including love—which will only spell disaster for them both.

TL;DR: This has been one of my hotly anticipated paranormal romances and while it started out strong, the overall execution fell a bit flat for me. At first, I found the writing witty, the characters funny and their narration entertaining but somewhere along the way, I found myself connecting with it less and less until I was glad that it was finally over. Mariel and Oz have interesting arcs, the mystery of the sick forest was compelling and I was all for standing up against the environmental destruction of such a magical place and against toxic families. Ultimately though, I think there was too much stuffed into this to really do each part of it justice and I wanted more despite also thinking that this could have been shorter. Considering how well-loved this is though, this might just be an “it’s not you, it’s me” thing so take this review as you will! 🤷🏻‍♀️

Book Review: Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens

October 14, 2023October 8, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Spell Bound
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s UK
Pub Date: 13 April 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

Magic rivals. A deadly secret. An inconvenient crush. What could possibly go wrong? A perfect LGBT+ romantic fantasy for fans of Rainbow Rowell, Margaret Rogerson and Adam Silvera!

Edison Rooker is determined to gain access to the magical world. Problem is, he doesn’t have magic. But he does have a plan: get a job as apprentice to powerful sorceress Antonia Hex. He also has an illegal Spell Binder device, which he must keep hidden from the Magical Consortium, at all costs…

With his new job, Edison is given a new name – Rook – which he happily accepts. He’s less happy about working alongside Sun , the grumpy but annoyingly cute apprentice to Antonia’s big rival.

When the Consortium gets wind of Rook’s Spell Binder, they come for Antonia. Rook turns to the only other magical person he knows: Sun. The two must team up to save Antonia… or face losing their magic forever. Funny, subversive, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author F. T. Lukens. Look out for So This is Ever After and In Deeper Waters.

TL;DR: Spell Bound was an incredibly wholesome and magical urban fantasy. This has everything from moments of coming-of-age, self-acceptance and finding your place, to adorably cursed singing mice, cataloguing cursed items in extremely haunted houses, and being tried in court for “small acts of rebellion”. With a quirkily charming but no less loveable cast of characters that will have you giggling at their adorable awkwardness, laughing at their antics, and cheering for them to defeat the baddies, this book proves that the found family trope is superior. Obviously, I loved it!

Blog Tour Review: A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli

October 9, 2023October 5, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

Hello, friends. ✨ Today I’m excited to kick off the blog tour for A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli! Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it.

Thanks to Union Square & Co. for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!

A Bright Heart
Publisher: Union Square & Co.
Publication Date: 17 October 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Rep: Chinese Rep

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

What if you could avenge your own murder? A brilliant young woman gets a second chance at life in this debut YA tale of vengeance, court intrigue, and romance, inspired by classic Chinese tropes.

Mingshin outsmarted three princes to help the man she loved become king. But she doesn’t see Ren’s betrayal coming, not until she’s lying in a pool of her own blood on the palace steps.

As she’s dying, Mingshin makes a desperate plea to the gods to turn back time and give her a chance to make things right.

Mingshin wakes up two years earlier, her prayer granted, and swears two things: Ren will never become king, and she will never fall in love again.

But the timeline in this life has changed: a dignitary gifted with dark magic is threatening her kingdom’s peace, and Ren’s thirst for power runs deeper than Mingshin could have imagined.

She finds herself allying with Jieh, another contender for the throne. Mingshin knows better than anyone not to give her heart to a prince. But in the viper’s nest of the royal court, she and Jieh prove a phenomenal team. Can Mingshin avert the catastrophe of her past by once again learning to trust…and maybe even love?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Death, attempted murder, mentions of blood, drowning, violence, loss of limbs

📚 BUY A COPY!

TL;DR: A Bright Heart was an enjoyable YA fantasy debut with a lot of potential! Mingshin was a fierce, determined and easy to root for character and I loved her story of vengeance and justice. Even though I’m not very familiar with Wuxia stories, I appreciated how the author brought the popular second-chance revenge story trope to a wider audience and I think she delivered an intriguing story full of court intrigue, mystery, a bit of magic and mythology, as well as a sweet slow burn romance. This is a great introduction to Chinese fantasy and mythology and I’m already looking forward to the sequel!

Book Review: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

October 5, 2023October 8, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads14 Comments

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Pub Date: 23 August 2022
Genre: Cosy Paranormal Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

She found magic in the most unlikely of places.

Mika Moon follows three rules: hide your magic, keep your head down, and stay away from other witches. Mika is good at being alone, and she doesn’t mind it . . . mostly.

But when an unexpected invitation arrives to teach three young witches at the mysterious Nowhere House, Mika jumps at the chance for a different life. As she comes to care for its quirky inhabitants – and Jamie, the handsome but prickly librarian – finally belonging somewhere feels like a real possibility.

But magic isn’t the only danger in the world – is it worth risking everything to protect the found family Mika didn’t know she was looking for?

A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a new family – and a new love – changes the course of her life.

TL;DR: If you’re looking for a cosy, heartwarming, and touching story about discovering your place, finding a family, and creating a home, then this is absolutely the book for you. If you want your heart to burst with all the feel-goodness this has to offer and if you love to read about endearing characters with giant hearts, a couple of secrets, and their share of trauma to work through, this is it. It honestly felt like I was reading The House in the Cerulean Sea but make it more diverse, inclusive, whimsical, cheekily sexy and romantic! 😍 If you’re a fan of cosy witchy goodness then what are you waiting for? Read this ASAP!

Mini Book Review: Rare Danger by Beverly Jenkins

September 30, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

Rare Danger
Publisher: Montlake
Pub Date: 16 November 2021
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Novella

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

A librarian’s quiet life becomes a page-turner of adventure, romance, and murder in a thrilling novella by USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins. For Jasmine Ware, curating books for an exclusive clientele is her passion. Until an old friend, a dealer of rare books, goes missing and his partner is murdered. Linked to an artifact smuggled out of the ancient library at Timbuktu, the mystery draws Jasmine deeper into a plot that could cost her her life. Air force veteran and private security ace Torr Noble is accustomed to adrenaline-pumping stakes. He never expected a private librarian would be so intriguing, but Jasmine is full of surprises. As the connection between them burns hot, a powerful old enemy raises his head. Torr and Jasmine must work together to find the missing dealer. Will the search be the start of a happily ever after or a disastrous THE END?

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Child sexual abuse (recounted), depictions of blood & gore, car accident, gun violence, kidnapping

TL;DR: Rare Danger is a well-balanced blend of romance and suspense and I really enjoyed the writing and character development! This was my first Beverly Jenkins book and it definitely won’t be my last! If you’re looking for a quick sensual romance between sensible and mature characters mixed with an intriguing fast-paced mystery, I would recommend giving this a try (FYI: it’s on KU)!

Blog Tour Review: Alex Wise vs. the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker

September 28, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Hello, friends! I’m back with a blog tour review + my favourite quotes for Alex Wise vs. the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker. Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it!

Thanks to Labyrinth Road for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!

Alex Wise vs. the End of the Road
Publisher: Labyrinth Road
Publication Date: 26 September 2023
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Rep: Queer, Black, Non-binary

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

Welcome to the summer of the apocalypse. One 12-year-old boy is up against the forces of evil as he tries to stop the Four Horsemen from taking over the world in the start to a wildly funny and addictive fantasy series about accepting yourself and finding your inner hero.

Alex Wise feels like his world is ending. His best friend Loren is leaving town for the summer, his former friend and maybe sort of crush Sky hasn’t spoken to him since he ditched Alex on first day of sixth grade, and now his mom is sending him and his annoying younger sister, Mags, on a cruise with the dad who abandoned them. And, as if things couldn’t get worse, a creepy shadow monster may or may not be stalking him.

But none of this could prepare Alex for the actual end of the world. Too bad that is exactly what’s coming, after the definitely-real Shadow Man kidnaps Mags and she is possessed by the ancient spirit of Death–one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Luckily (depending on who you ask), Alex is possessed as well by a powerful god who imbues Alex with their powers in an effort to stop the Horsemen…if he can figure out how to use them. So begins an epic battle between good and evil: Alex, Loren, a grumpy demi-god and Alex’s fourth grade teacher vs. Death, Pestilence, Famine, War, and the waves of chaos and destruction they bring to LA and soon the rest of the globe. Just your average summer vacation.

Alex is more used to being left behind than leading the way, but now he’s the only one who can save his sister–and the world. That is, if he can unlock his new powers and and see himself as the hero he is.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Divorce (recounted), abandonment (by parent and friend), queerphobia, bullying (off-page), trauma, death, mild violence

📚 BUY A COPY!

TL;DR: Alex Wise vs. the End of the World was an emotional, action-packed and engaging MG fantasy. From start to finish, I didn’t want to put it down. I loved the exploration of difficult family relationships, sibling bonds, and best friendships. The found family vibes were great and I also adored how the author explored identity and self-love. Alex’s journey toward loving and accepting himself made me feel sad at times but ultimately, so happy for him. For those kids who never saw themselves in books, especially being the heroes of said books, this one is definitely for you. A great read and recommendation for young readers but also readers of all ages!

ARC Review: Northranger by Rey Terciero

September 25, 2023September 23, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

Special thanks to SparkPoint Studio and HarperAlley for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Northranger
Publisher: HarperAlley
Publication Date: 04 July 2023
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Graphic Novel

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

In this swoony and spooky teen summer romance graphic novel set on a Texas ranch, sixteen-year-old Cade Muñoz finds himself falling for the ranch owner’s mysterious and handsome son, only to discover that he may be harboring a dangerous secret.

Cade has always loved to escape into the world of a good horror movie. After all, horror movies are scary–but to Cade, a closeted queer Latino teen growing up in rural Texas–real life can be way scarier.

When Cade is sent to spend the summer working as a ranch hand to help earn extra money for his family, he is horrified. Cade hates everything about the ranch, from the early mornings to the mountains of horse poop he has to clean up. The only silver lining is the company of the two teens who live there–in particular, the ruggedly handsome and enigmatic Henry.

But as unexpected sparks begin to fly between Cade and Henry, things get… complicated. Henry is reluctant to share the details of his mother’s death, and Cade begins to wonder what else he might be hiding. Inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom comes a modern love story so romantic it’s scary.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Homophobia, racism, homophobic and racist slurs, death of parent (breast cancer), misogyny, alcoholism, mention of attempted suicide (past)

TL;DR: Northranger was an unexpected surprise in the best way. This was spooky and gothic and delivered a very emotional coming-of-age story featuring compelling main characters, entertaining side characters and an important story about learning to be yourself in a place where you won’t be accepted for who you are.