Mini Book Reviews: Highland Brides 1-2 by Lynsay Sands

August 10, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads3 Comments

An English Bride in Scotland (Highland Brides #1)
Pub Date: 25 June 2013
Genre: Historical Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

From New York Times bestselling author of The Husband Hunt , The Heiress , and other beloved historical romances, comes Lynsay Sands’s An English Bride in Scotland, the first book in a new series set in the wilds of the Highlands.

Annabel had planned to become a nun. But when her mother arrives at the Abbey to bring her home to marry a Scottish laird—her runaway sister’s intended husband—her life takes a decidedly different turn.

And though Annabel isn’t the wife he’d planned for, strong, sexy Ross McKay is taken with his shy, sweet bride.

Annabel knows nothing about being a wife, running a castle—or the marriage bed. But her handsome new husband makes her want to learn. When Annabel’s life is threatened, Ross vows to move the highlands itself to save her and preserve the passion that’s only beginning to bloom.

TL;DR: This book doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously and neither did I, so therefore, neither should you! It’s simply a good, silly, fun and sexy time. If you go into this expecting the plot to be serious and the characters to be anything more than one-dimensional, you’re bound to be disappointed and you might as well skip it. BUT if you want a quick and mostly painless (though not for the characters) romance to pass the time and aren’t averse to general ridiculousness, multiple concussions and orgasms, then why not give it a go?

ARC Review: How to Win a Breakup by Farah Heron

August 3, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads16 Comments

Special thanks to Skyscape for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

How to Win a Breakup
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: 21 March 2023
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

An “it” couple’s breakup becomes a sporting event in a deliciously charming novel about the games people play in the name of love.

First, math genius and gamer-nerd Samaya gets dumped by her boyfriend. Then he sabotages her job and hooks up with her frenemy. What could be worse? Clearly, her golden-boy ex is winning the breakup. The only way Samaya can get some rebound cred is to find someone new. Even if she has to fake it.

At a volunteer bake sale, Samaya meets a sweet opportunity. Daniel is a handsome hockey jock and a whiz when it comes to lemon squares and brownies. And he agrees to play along. Quid pro quo. He’ll pretend to be the boyfriend of her dreams if Samaya helps him pass calculus.

This may well be the recipe for the best revenge, but Samaya has no idea how complicated it will get. As they whip up an imitation romance, and a bumbleberry pie, resisting each other’s very real charms proves impossible. Samaya finds herself on an unexpected journey of secrets, self-discovery, and the true meaning of moving on.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Bullying/Cyberbullying, Racist slurs, Harrassment, Homelessness, Catfishing, Domestic Abuse (mentioned)

TL;DR: How to Win a Breakup is a fun and fairly angsty YA contemporary romance featuring the fake-dating trope, exes out to best each other, plenty of gaming geeks and an athlete himbo who loves to bake and has a heart of gold. Samaya had a lot of learning and growing to do and although it took a while for her to get there, she does make strides in the end. I loved the friendship she forms with Daniel, who is without a doubt my favourite character in this story! There were some parts that could’ve been stronger and less scattered but overall, this was enjoyable and a perfect summer beach read.

Blog Tour Review: Academy Arcanist by Shami Stovall

July 22, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Happy Saturday, friends! Today I’m excited to share my review for Academy Arcanist by Shami Stovall as part of the blog tour hosted by The Write Reads.

Special thanks to the tour organisers for having me on tour and to the author for providing a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

Academy Arcanist (Astra Academy #1)
Publisher: Capital Station Books
Publication Date: 23 August 2022
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

Hopes. Dreams. And literal nightmares out to kill a young boy.

Gray Lexly, son of a candlemaker, wants to escape his life of old-world technologies and study at the prestigious Astra Academy, a school for arcanists—those who can wield magic. But Gray has a major problem. Every night, as he sleeps, he’s visited by monsters. When they injure Gray in his dreams, he wakes with the same wounds in real life…

On the night Gray might finally die in his nightmares, he is saved by the kind and mysterious Professor Helmith, a powerful arcanist. She offers to protect Gray and invites him to attend Astra Academy.

Before that can happen, Gray must bond with a mystical creature to become an arcanist himself. Will he bond with a unicorn? A pegasus? A kitsune? Whatever he bonds with will determine his magical abilities, so he must choose wisely.

And when trouble finds Professor Helmith, Gray must become powerful enough to help her and fend off the terrible nightmares, before it’s too late…

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Blood, gore, death

📚 BUY A COPY

AMAZON

TL;DR: Academy Arcanist is a fast-paced YA fantasy that’s a little bit dark and filled with a lot of magic! If you love magical creatures/companions in your fantasies then there’s no doubt that you will love this world and the magical system linked to forming a life-long unbreakable bond with a supernatural animal. The characters were intriguing, the plot was mysterious (if not a little predictable) and I adored the found family vibes that always come with starting a new life in a magical academy. Although I struggled with the main character and his perspective at times, there was never a moment I didn’t root for his success. This is a great start to a series and I can’t wait to see where this goes next!

Blog Tour Review: The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley

July 17, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads7 Comments

Hello, friends! I’m back and diving straight in with a blog tour review for The Third Daughter by Adrienne Tooley. Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it!

Thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 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!

The Third Daughter
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 18 July 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Rep: Lesbian, Queer, Bi, Gay

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

A sweeping YA fantasy about legacy, betrayal, sisterhood, and politicizing emotion in the quest for power—all balanced by a slow-burn LGBTQ romance.

For centuries, the citizens of Velle have waited for their New Maiden to return. The prophecy states she will appear as the third daughter of a third daughter. When the fabled child is finally born to Velle’s reigning queen all rejoice except for Elodie, the queen’s eldest child, who has lost her claim to the crown. The only way for Elodie to protect Velle is to retake the throne. To do so, she must debilitate the Third Daughter—her youngest sister, Brianne.

Desperate, Elodie purchases a sleeping potion from Sabine, who sells sadness. But the apothecary mistakenly sends the princess away with a vial of tears instead of a harmless sleeping brew. Sabine’s sadness is dangerously powerful, and Brianne slips into a slumber from which she will not wake. With the fates of their families and country hanging in the balance, Sabine and Elodie hurry to revive the Third Daughter while a slow-burning attraction between the two girls erupts in full force.

A must-read for fans of the BookTok sensations Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson, and These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong.

📚 BUY A COPY!

TL;DR: The Third Daughter is an interesting start to a new duology(?) that I think holds a lot of potential. Tooley’s prose is compelling and it’s easy to become absorbed in the world she has created. Elodie and Sabine are complex, morally grey and not always the easiest to like or even empathise with at times but it makes their arcs even more engaging to follow and their characters feel more realistic. The book takes on a surprisingly darker tone that I wasn’t really expecting, especially in regard to faith and politics and how often and easily those two are mixed to the detriment of society. While I think there were elements that could’ve been written better to make the story even stronger, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where it goes next.

Tour Spotlight: The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams by Victoria Williamson

June 10, 2023June 11, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads1 Comment

Happy Saturday, friends! Today I’m excited to shine a spotlight on The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams by Victoria Williamson. Special thanks to The Write Reads for having me on this massive tour!

Blog Tour Spotlight: The Alchemy of Moonlight by Dave Ferarro

June 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads3 Comments

Hi friends, as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours I’m shining a spotlight on The Alchemy of Moonlight by Dave Ferarro. The cover is definitely what caught my eye first—I love it!

Click the banner above or here to check out the other incredible bloggers on the blog tour!

The Alchemy of Moonlight
Publisher: Page Street Kids
Publication Date: 30 May 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Rep: LGBTQIA+, Black

📖 SYNOPSIS

When Emile’s aunt declares he must marry or be disowned for being gay—he runs away to hide as a servant in Count Montoni’s mansion. In their service, Emile tends to the family who all suffer a strange affliction on the full moon. And after overhearing suspicious family arguments, he finds a body on the estate, drawing the attention of a handsome doctor as well as the count’s charismatic nephew, Henri.

Before Emile can sort out his affections or unravel the growing Montoni family mystery, his identity is revealed and his aunt comes to collect him.

When she arrives, Count Montoni forces everyone to depart to the remote Udolpho Castle—where there are no witnesses and no chance for escape. There, Emile realizes that he will have to risk his life to find the love he deserves—and survive the Montoni family.

⚠️ CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS

Mentions of dead bodies, dismemberment, blood, homophobia

📚 BUY A COPY

David Ferraro grew up in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, where he was raised on a steady diet of comic books, horror movies and YA novels. He graduated with a B.A. in English and creative writing from St. Cloud State University, and currently resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with his boyfriend and a very spoiled tortoise. He is represented by Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary. His debut “The Alchemy of Moonlight” is set to be published from Page Street Kids in Spring 2023.

Author’s Socials
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Is The Alchemy of Moonlight on your TBR or does it sound like a book you want to read?

Blog signature that reads: Let's Chat! xoxo, Dini

BBNYA Tour Spotlight: The Goddess of Nothing at All by Cat Rector

May 25, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads6 Comments

Happy Thursday, friends! I’m super excited to be shining a spotlight on one of my favourite fantasy/mythology reads: The Goddess of Nothing at All by Cat Rector. I first discovered this book when I signed up to read it for a tour in 2021 and was immediately wrecked by the story—the characters, the emotion, the angst—it all got me so good in the feels and I remember sobbing by the end of it. I was so excited and happy to see it get more recognition when it placed second in the 2022 BBNYA!

About BBNYA

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website or Twitter. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

Book Review: Tempt by Melanie Harlow

May 22, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads6 Comments

Tempt (Cloverleigh Farms #9)
Pub Date: 21 November 2022
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

Yes, I’m a single dad who needs a nanny for the summer.

But hire the stranded runaway bride who shows up on my doorstep in a wedding gown with no references, no skills, and no experience?

No one is that desperate.

Except within twenty-four hours, down-on-her-luck Veronica Sutton manages to charm my kids, my family, and half the population of Cherry Tree Harbor into believing she’s perfect for the job.

And for me.

It’s not that I can’t see the appeal–those baby blue eyes? The endless legs? That mouth made for trouble? But I’ve got enough on my plate, raising two kids on my own and keeping the family business alive. I don’t have the time or the inclination to fall for an outspoken city girl.

So I should have kept my hands to myself.

Holding her in my arms was a big mistake. Even worse? Spending the night together. She ignites a possessive fire in me that I’m finding hard to snuff out.

But the most unforgivable? Growing attached to the sound of her laugh, the scent of her skin, and the way her body wraps around mine in the dark.

At the end of the summer, she’ll be gone.
And if I’m not careful, she might run away with my heart.

TL;DR: Tempt was a lot of fun and I picked it up on a whim the other day and devoured it in one sitting. This was my first book by MH but I really enjoyed her writing and I can see why people love her books and why she’s an often-recommended romance author. The characters were fun to read about, the supporting cast is everything I love in a small-town setting, the physical connection and sexual chemistry were undeniable, and I loved the bit of angst and tension that came with the “forbidden” aspect of the romance. While I do feel the sneaking around dragged a bit by the end, I still found this really enjoyable overall.

Mini Review: Runaway Love by Melanie Harlow

May 20, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads4 Comments

Runaway Love (Cherry Tree Harbor #1)
Pub Date: 4 May 2023
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

TL;DR: This book was the perfect “no think” read that delivered what I wanted when I picked it up. I really enjoy Melanie Harlow’s writing and this was an easy, relaxing and enjoyable read to breeze through. This single dad + nanny romance was admittedly a little too instalove for me and I wanted a bit more relationship development between Veronica and Austin before they jump into bed together but I did like their chemistry! Overall, this wasn’t my favourite but seeing as how I really enjoy Harlow’s writing, I’m definitely eager to pick up more books by her soon.

Book Review: Whiteout by Adriana Anders

May 15, 2023September 1, 2023 Dini @ dinipandareads8 Comments

Whiteout (Survival Instincts #1)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Pub Date: 28 January 2020
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Panda Rating:

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📖 SYNOPSIS

Angel Smith is finally ready to leave Antarctica for a second chance at life. But on what was meant to be her last day, the remote research station she’s been calling home is attacked. Hunted and scared, she and irritatingly gorgeous glaciologist Ford Cooper barely make it out with their lives…only to realize that in a place this remote, there’s nowhere left to run.

Isolated with no power, no way to contact the outside world, and a madman at their heels, Angel and Ford must fight to survive in the most inhospitable—and beautiful—place on earth. But what starts as a partnership born of necessity quickly turns into an urgent connection that burns bright and hot. They both know there is little chance of making it out alive, and yet they are determined to survive against the odds—and possibly, the world.

TL;DR: I’m glad I finally read Whiteout. I enjoyed Anders’ writing style and thought this delivered a well-balanced romantic suspense story set in a cruel and unforgiving frozen landscape. Anders did a great job of creating a sinister atmosphere and I had no clue how these two would make it out of this seemingly hopeless situation. You’d think a book that’s set in such a never-changing landscape with the characters going through the same thing daily for weeks would be boring but I loved how it gave time for the characters to grow together and for the romance to bloom. It was definitely a little instalove if you think about it too hard but I’m a sucker for the grumpy/sunshine dynamic and their chemistry was great, and the forced proximity made it even better! The ending sets things up nicely for the second book in this series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.