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Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, published 2019

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          This was a great book. It opened my eyes to historical romance fantasy. The sarcastic crime-fighting trio made this book one of the most unique stories I’ve ever read. The emotional rollercoaster this book took me on was so captivating it held in my thoughts even when I wasn’t reading it.   I ended up reading this book well into the night and through to the morning.The character development, while not something you see right away, was amazing. You just have to take a moment to compare the characters to themselves from the beginning to the end of the book.  The characters, the plot, the writing was all great but the ending was by far the best.  The author did a beautiful job of wrapping up the story as well as all the loose ends she’d left hanging throughout the book until the dramatic climax.  The craftsmanship was amazing in all the scenes, truly making it one of the best books I’ve ever read. I passionately urge you to read this book and will personally be rereading it.

Royals by Rachel Hawkins, published 2018

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  This book was better than expected. I only picked it up because I wanted to read the second book in the series (Her Royal Highness), and I figured reading the first one first seemed like the reasonable thing to do. Expectations were low, I fully expected this book to get 2-3 stars. The blurb made Royals sound really bad but I read this book despite that. I’m so glad I did because this book was amazing; it not only exceeded my low expectations but made me want to reread it.  If I had to find a criticism, the writing style seemed to clash with the main character’s personality. I would like a book told from Miles’s point of view but I think that’s a bit much to ask of this author.  The final verdict is this is a genuinely cute, make-you-feel good romance that I 100% recommend. I’m going to be rereading this book, reading the next one, and I’m giving the full 5 stars.

The Selection by Kiera Cass, published 2012

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     This book was great and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The spin on the basic love triangle was interesting, especially when not a lot of romance books have a love triangle these days. The pace was quick enough that you weren’t falling asleep, but slow enough that you weren’t scrambling to keep up. I also appreciated that the author didn't go overboard with the dystopia setting.      I liked the characters a lot, however, I wish the author had dug a little deeper into their personalities, which is why I took off the star. Other than that though, I don't have a lot of criticisms regarding this book. I'd definitely recommend it and will be reading the next book.

Thriller and Horror Book Authors to Check out

I know I normally don't post stuff that isn't a review of a book, but I thought with Halloween coming up, you might appreciate if I, your favorite reviewer, named some authors to go read. Before I do that, I recommend the Mara Dyer series, some thriller novels that I loved. Peg Kehret: She's very mild, and I recommend her books for elementary school students. It's been a long time since I've been in elementary though, so I'm not quite up with her latest stuff. I mean, I did read a few of her books, and they weren't that scary.  Mary Downing Hahn: She's my favorite thriller author. I cannot even tell you how many of her books I've read. She got me through the late years of elementary and middle school. My favorite book of hers is Took.  Stephen King: The King. (See what I did there?) I haven't read many of his books, but I can identify him as a horror author. The King is also The Scariest. (I assume, I don't have much to judge him against.) I

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, published 2013

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     5 stars. I loved, loved, loved the characters. So much. The main character especially, I loved her. Her perseverance and spitefulness was so fun and relatable. I could keep rambling about how amazing the characters were, but I think you get it.     If I’m nitpicking, I didn't like how oblivious the main character was to the affections of the two men after her though. I feel like if she had acknowledged it a bit more, then this book would've been even more of a home run. The dystopian theme wasn’t overwhelming, and I loved how the author let the fantasy aspect of the story shine.     Anyway, great book, great characters. And I mean it, this is a very good book if you want something simple that you don't have to get really into and  it leaves you just satisfied enough. I won’t be reading the next one, but I would still 100% recommend this book.

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory, published 2018

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  This book had a great concept. The meet-cute was classic and I looked forward to how the author was going to play it out. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. It was badly edited and I was confused by the flip-flopping of perspectives. I also didn’t like the characters a ton. I liked what the characters stood for, the reasons that backed their actions, but in general, I just don’t think either of them were very likeable or realistic people.  The story followed the basic structure almost all romances follow, but I didn’t like how long it took them to go beyond the friends with benefits stage. There were other details about the structure, character narration, etc. that I could get into and nitpick at, but hating on this book has made me sad, especially with how optimistic I was at the beginning.  I definitely won’t be recommending or rereading this book.

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore, published 2019

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                 This was a great book; I thoroughly enjoyed every part of it. I would reread it in a heartbeat and the next books in the series are on my to-do list. I’ve always had a soft spot for historical-fiction romances, especially ones set in old England, and this one topped all. The attention to detail was amazing, and while I’m not sure how historically accurate it is, it certainly seemed like it was written straight from the 1880’s.  I loved how we got to dig further into the characters’ personalities as the book progressed. The characters were so deep and I loved how everything played out. Certain twists and turns in the plot were unexpected and it was fun to be surprised. I admit, I wish that the main character was a bit more vengeful and had gone back to wrong those who’d wronged her because that would’ve been satisfying, but alas, a life well lived will always be the best kind of revenge I suppose.  I also loved the cover, which is the perfect balance between old Engla