Andrea
I am obsessed. I listened to this audiobook in less than two days because I couldn't put it down.
Another cliffhanger and I want to scream!! A bittersweet ending but I am an optimist and will immediately start the next book right away.
I am sad, and happy for her and hopeful she will get to her men and they will be healthy and safe. But I also wouldn't put it past K.A. Knight to “game of thrones” one or more of the men out of the world just to tear our hearts out.
Ripped out my heart
My God, this book just ripped out my heart and soul and stomped all over it. I don't have kids, I'm not even a kid person, and I still cried more than once.
I don't want to give this 5 stars because it made me so sad and frustrated and sad again, but any book able to rip those emotions out of me deserves it.
So, thank you, CH, for ruining my entire day, hahahaha.
The tension in these books is unreal. These are more tension than release. she managed to get all four of these boys into a room at a sex club and nothing happened lol. But am I absolutely hooked? I sure am.
Oh, and the female main character isn't throwing up all the time in this book LOL. I love dance but I'm not trained in dance enough to be able to picture the dance moves as they are being described, but I'm still absolutely hooked for the storyline.
I also suddenly want to take up dance classes. But I'll save that until I finish the next book. This ends on a cliffhanger.
- Sofie breaks into Kavalla to rescue Emile; gets caught by the Hind, body not found.
- Bryce and Hunt are laying low, trying to take things slow.
- Bryce works at Fae Archives; Hunt is back with the 33rd.
- Cormac announces engagement to Bryce at a party.
- Engagement is fake—Cormac's a rebel, loved Sofie.
- Ithan returns, cut off from his pack.
- Tharion looks for Sofie's body—finds no trace.
- Group forms a rebel household (Bryce, Hunt, Ruhn, etc).
- Emile's powers are unclear; everyone wants him.
- Bryce learns Danika was tied to rebels and hiding secrets.
- Ruhn starts mind-talking with Agent Daybright (the Hind).
- Pippa wants to attack Vanir with stolen mech suits.
- Group steals suits first to stop her.
- Bryce and Hunt finally sleep together.
- Bryce reaches out to Under-King for answers.
- Asteri are draining firstlight to stay in power.
- Cormac dies helping the team escape.
- The Hind reveals she's Daybright, helps them.
- Bryce, Hunt, and Ruhn are captured by Asteri.
- Bryce escapes through portal meant for Hel...
- ...and lands in Prythian (ACOTAR world).
- Noir flees her abusive past and stumbles upon the Oddity Carnival.
- She joins the carnival, seeking refuge and a new beginning.
- Hellion, the enigmatic ringleader, becomes obsessed with Noir, referring to her as his “broken dolly.”
- Hellion attempts to break Noir through psychological and physical torment.
- Noir reveals her own dark past and resilience, challenging Hellion's control.
- Their relationship evolves into a complex dynamic of mutual obsession and twisted affection.
- The carnival's sinister nature is unveiled, with performers harboring dark secrets.
- Noir uncovers the truth about the carnival's purpose and Hellion's role in it.
- A climactic confrontation forces Noir to confront her past and make a pivotal choice.
- The story concludes with Noir embracing her darkness and solidifying her place within the carnival.
- Rose Evans is a circus performer who does tarot and rides a motorcycle in a cage.
- She secretly kills abusive men under the alias “Sparrow,” leaving tarot cards behind.
- After a hit goes wrong, she breaks her leg and can't get back to her RV.
- She's treated by Dr. Fionn Kane, who offers her a place to stay.
- Fionn knows who she is and protects her, revealing he's just as dangerous.
- Sloane is kidnapped by Declan, an Irish mafia leader, who believes she's responsible for starting a mob war.
- Declan holds Sloane captive.
- Sloane remains defiant and mouthy, frustrating and intriguing Declan.
- Sloane tries to escape but begins to trust Declan as he protects her.
- Declan becomes the mafia leader after his boss is killed.
- Declan kills Sloane's ex to protect her.
- Violet returns to Basgiath for her second year; Vice Commandant Varrish targets her with brutal interrogation training.
- She investigates the First Six's journals to learn how to activate wardstones, enlisting help from Jesinia and Aaric (Prince Cam).
- Violet and her squad steal the journals from the royal vault; Violet is later captured and tortured by Varrish for five days.
- Dain reads Violet's memories, learns the truth about the venin, and kills Varrish; Xaden rescues Violet.
- Violet and Xaden lead a group of cadets to Aretia to join the rebellion; they establish a new training base at Riorson House.
- Violet negotiates with Viscount Tecarus for a luminary to forge weapons; agrees to train gryphon riders in exchange.
- Andarna awakens from her dreamless sleep but is unable to fly; Violet feels guilty for affecting her growth.
- Violet discovers Xaden has a second signet—mind reading—which he kept secret; they reconcile after confronting this.
- Violet activates the Aretia wardstone, but it's faulty; venin attack Basgiath, revealing Jack Barlowe as a venin.
- Violet gathers seven dragons, including Andarna, to activate the wards; her mother sacrifices herself to save Violet.
- Xaden uses earth magic to save Violet, turning himself into a venin in the process.
- Violet Sorrengail, trained to be a scribe, is forced by her mother to join the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College.
- Despite her physical fragility, she survives early challenges and forms friendships with Rhiannon, Ridoc, and Sawyer.
- She bonds with two dragons: Tairn, a powerful black dragon, and Andarna, a rare golden feathertail.
- Violet develops a complex relationship with Xaden Riorson, a third-year cadet and son of a rebel leader executed by her mother.
- She discovers that Navarre's leadership is hiding the existence of venin, magical creatures threatening the kingdom.
- During a mission, Violet and her squad are ambushed by venin; Liam dies, and Violet is severely injured.
- Xaden takes her to Aretia, the rebel stronghold, where she learns her brother Brennan is alive and part of the rebellion.
- Bryce Quinlan, a half-Fae, half-human, works at Griffin Antiquities and parties with her best friend Danika, alpha of the Pack of Devils.
- Danika and her entire pack are brutally murdered in Bryce's apartment; Bryce is injured trying to confront the demon responsible.
- Two years later, similar murders occur; Bryce is paired with fallen angel Hunt Athalar to investigate.
- They discover the murders are linked to Luna's Horn, a stolen Fae relic, and a synthetic drug called Synth.
- Bryce and Hunt develop a romantic relationship while uncovering the city's hidden power structures.
- Micah, the Archangel of Crescent City, is revealed to be behind the murders, seeking to use the Horn to open a portal to Hel.
- Danika had the Horn's essence tattooed on Bryce's back, making her the key to activating it.
- Micah attacks Bryce; Lehabah, a fire sprite, sacrifices herself to help Bryce kill him.
- Bryce makes the Drop alone, with Danika's spirit anchoring her, unleashing her full Starborn power to close the portal to Hel.
- Hunt is freed from slavery after Queen Hypaxia dissolves his slave tattoo; he and Bryce begin a new chapter together.
- Ophelia Hart, an orphan and literature lover, receives a mysterious scholarship to Montridge University.
- At Montridge, she encounters the Ruby Dragon Society, led by three powerful vampires: Malachi, Xavier, and Axl.
- She also meets Professor Alexandros Drakos, their enigmatic sire, who becomes fixated on her.
- Ophelia discovers she is an Elementai, a mythical being capable of creating magic from nothing.
- Her emotions trigger elemental events—crying causes rain, orgasms cause earthquakes.
- The vampires are drawn to her power and vow to protect her from unknown threats.
- The story ends on a cliffhanger, with Ophelia's powers growing and dangers looming.
- Sloane, the “Orb Weaver,” kills serial killers and is trapped with her latest victim until Rowan, the “Boston Butcher,” rescues her.
- They agree to a five-part competition to kill targets, winner gets to eliminate the Forest Phantom.
- Their missions include a cannibal in California and a chainsaw killer in Texas.
- Rowan opens a restaurant called Butcher & Blackbird in Boston.
- Rowan proposes to Sloane.
- Aly, a trauma nurse, becomes obsessed with a masked man posting knife-wielding thirst traps on social media.
- She sends a drunken message to him, which he responds to by stalking her and breaking into her home.
- The masked man, Josh, is revealed to be her ex-hookup's roommate; he leaves a mask and a video filmed in her bedroom.
- Aly confronts Josh, and they engage in a consensual cat-and-mouse game that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality.
- Aly's estranged uncle, Nico, a mobster, becomes involved, adding external danger to her life.
- Josh protects Aly from a rapist at the hospital, deepening their bond.
- Aly and Josh's relationship evolves into a dark romance filled with obsession, trust, and unconventional love.
Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver cranks up the tension and the swoon factor in all the best ways. This second installment in the Ruinous Love Trilogy delivers a broody contract killer, a glittering indie songbird, and a marriage of convenience that somehow makes murder and mayhem feel romantic—and honestly, who knew that was even possible?
Lachlan Kane is a walking storm cloud, the human embodiment of “Do Not Disturb,” grumbling his way through life in his leather workshop. Enter Lark Montague, a human disco ball with enough sparkle and chaotic energy to power a small city. She doesn't just step into Lachlan's shadows—she kicks the door down, bedazzles the place, and plants a glitter bomb for good measure. Spoiler: Lachlan does not appreciate it. At least, not until he does. Their grumpy-sunshine dynamic is a thing of beauty, a delightful mix of fiery arguments, unbearable tension, and “I hate how much I don't hate you.”
The plot is part murder mystery, part dark romance, and entirely bonkers in the best way. Lachlan's brooding attempts to maintain control while Lark's sunshine chaos barrels through every obstacle make for an absolutely wild ride. Their fake marriage is so convincing it might as well come with a registry, and the slow-burn romance? Let's just say it's worth the wait. Bonus points for every scene where Lachlan is forced to confront the pure glittering madness that is Lark—and loses. Repeatedly.
The audiobook narration is perfection. Lachlan's gravelly brood and Lark's effervescent charm are brought to life so vividly I caught myself cackling during scenes that, in theory, should not have been funny. But that's the magic of this book—it's dark, dramatic, and just self-aware enough to let you have a good laugh in between the murder and mayhem.
Is it realistic? Not even a little. Does it matter? Absolutely not. This is the kind of book where you throw logic out the window, settle in with a glass of wine, and enjoy the ride. If you loved Butcher & Blackbird, this sequel is everything you didn't know you needed. Lachlan and Lark are a perfect disaster, and I loved every minute of it.
Just don't be surprised if you catch yourself smiling like an idiot while Lachlan falls—grumpily and begrudgingly—for his disco ball of a fake wife.
Nothing happens. There is some character development and then what I guess you could call a cliffhanger. But really it's just the into to a book.
Also, the chapters are created in strange places, in the middle of scenes. Driving to school is a chapter, change to a new chapter for her to get out of her cat and walk to class, new chapter for her to walk into class. I usually don't notice chapter changes AT ALL so the fact I did means it's felt “off”
List of Characters:
Pepper: A 26-year-old woman recently divorced from Colton.
Colton: Pepper's ex-husband and best friend.
Tristan: The guy Pepper starts dating.
Finn: Colton's brother, a 30-year-old former military doctor who is adjusting to life outside the service.
Summary:
This story follows Pepper as she joins the dating world again after her divorce. It also touches on the start of Colton's dating life.
Pros:
Good character development.
Clean writing style and pacing.
Cons:
Ended on a cliffhanger (if you consider that a con).
Overall Thoughts:
This was a pretty good book. It was easy to read. Some sexual tension but not overly graphic. I liked the characters and their development. It ended on a cliffhanger.
List of Characters:
Wendy Michaels: Peter's twenty-year-old daughter, naive and longing for her father's approval, gets entangled in a dangerous relationship with James Barrie.
James Barrie (Hook): A vengeful, dark figure who seeks revenge on Peter Michaels. He leads a life of crime but finds himself drawn to Wendy.
Peter Michaels: Wendy's distant and wealthy father, and the target of James's revenge.
Tina-Belle: Peter's girlfriend, a minor character in the story.
Summary:
A dark, reimagined tale of Peter Pan focuses on Wendy, who unknowingly becomes part of a revenge plot orchestrated by James Barrie (Hook) against Wendy's father Peter.
Pros:
Good character development.
A dark twist on a classic tale.
SPICY!!
Cons:
Overall Thoughts:
I listened to this book on Audible and it was SPICY! I enjoyed the retelling of the classic tale from a modern perspective.
Meh, it was okay. The storyline was good but the dialogue was weird and cringy.
As I was reading I kept either thinking ‘No man talks like that' or ‘Literally no one talks like that'. And then the ending felt rushed and the whole plot was explained in a couple paragraphs like an old 80s movie where the villain is like ‘this was my plan all along and this is exactly how I did it!'
And we get it, he doesn't process emotions like other people, you can show us that through his actions without telling us that over and over and over.
Some parts of the book that upset me lol
“D-Devlin?” “Do you see anyone else here?” Even his voice is different. It's harsher, like the Devlin from the car that last day. “But you...” I stare at the cliff and then back at him. “I saw you fall. You fell off the cliff and they found your body...” “You saw the car fall while you were drugged out of your mind because you're so trusting, it's annoying. As for the news about the body, nothing some connections couldn't take care of, and I lied, I'm not an orphan. My family is pretty much alive, loaded, and associated with the mafia.”“Glyndon, Glyndon, dear fucking Glyndon. Boring, sweet, and absolutely forgettable Glyndon. You're missing the whole point here. It's not about whether or not I get away with it, it's about fucking war. See, when you go running back to Killian, he'll know we did it, since we've been getting on their nerves for a while now. If you go to Landon, the Elites will be after blood. It'll be even more fun if you get Eli and Creighton involved. Do you hear that?” He cups his ear mockingly. “That's the sound of a win-win.”Did you think I wouldn't find out about your stupid little games?” “I...I don't know what you're talking about.” “You know exactly what he's talking about,” Gareth snarls. “You used me to get to the club and get access to internal communication panels.” “Then you stole security footage and leaked it outside. Oh, and you invited Glyndon to the initiation through the internal panel with Gareth's access.”