Review: World Turned Upside Down by Elyse Springer

After three winters in Antarctica, Simon Bancroft is an old hand on the ice. The harsh weather and extreme isolation aren’t for everyone, but he enjoys the tight-knit community at McMurdo Station… and lately he’s enjoyed watching the hot new researcher, Asher Delaney, who’s recently arrived to study the aurora. But Simon’s just a janitor. Asher doesn’t even know he exists.

When Simon’s friends propose a wager, he gets a chance to introduce himself to Asher at last. But Asher defies all of Simon’s assumptions, and suddenly he finds himself reevaluating everything he thought he knew about Asher, himself, and falling in love at the bottom of the world.

I powered through World Upside Down in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down once I got started as I was hooked on the geography and the characters right from the start. “Power through” is probably a little dramatic as the book is 105 pages, but still.

This is my first book by this author and I’m a big fan of her writing style and the way she writes conversations between her characters. Simon is a treat, I felt like I got to know him pretty quickly and organically, I wanted to hang out with him and I loved being in his head when he was mooning/lusting over Asher.

And I think that led to my favorite aspect of the story. The author really nailed the getting-to-know-you phase between Simon and Asher. And from there, the reconciliation Simon went through as he got to know the Real Asher vs. his Fantasy Asher. It was actually very sweet, and very realistic, to read. Not everything is insta-lust and fireworks, reality is more about getting to know and more importantly, getting to appreciate the other person. I loved it.

The author also made Antarctica a character in and of itself. I wanted to know more and dive in deeper. That was obviously impossible for a novella, but it did pique my interest and it will make me seek out more about the locale.

My only issue, and it stressed me out to no end, was the bet. It was meant to be somewhat innocuous and wasn’t meant to be cruel in any way, but it was out there and I knew what was coming the whole time. It tainted the wonderful feels I was having a smidge, and mostly because I love Asher’s sweet, sweet heart so hard. It was the conflict that the story was plotted around, but again, Asher!!!

Anywho, the evolution of Simon made the ending work and his honesty went the whole way and back in making Asher feel all the things he deserved to feel. While I loved this as a novella, I would also love to read it as a full blown novel. The elements were high quality and plentiful enough to fill up hundreds of pages. I always figure that’s the sign of a great novella too, nothing was missing but I’m left wanting more just because I don’t want to let the characters or the setting go just yet.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Review: The Mage on the Hill (Web of Arcana #1) by Angel Martinez

The Web of Arcana: Book One

A young magic user who wants desperately to live. A jaded recluse who has forgotten what living means. They’re each other’s only chance.

Toby’s wild magic is killing him. The mage guilds have given up on him, and it’s only a matter of time before he dies in a spectacular, catastrophic bang. His only hope is an exiled wizard who lives in seclusion—and is rumored to have lost his mind.

The years alone on his hilltop estate have not been good for Darius Valstad. After the magical accident that disfigured him and nearly drowned Pittsburgh, he drifts through his days, a wraith trapped in memories and depression. Until a stricken young man collapses on his driveway, one who claims Darius is his last chance. For the first time in fifteen years, Darius must make a choice—leave this wild mage to his fate or take him in and try to teach him, which may kill them both. The old Darius, brash and commanding, wouldn’t have hesitated. Darius the exile isn’t sure he can find the energy to try.

Yes, this boooook!

I had such a good time reading The Mage on the Hill and it has a secure spot on my all time favorites shelf. The bulk of the credit for my love goes to (well, besides Angel Martinez, obvs) Toby. Oh, that sweet, sweet boy, I just loved him.

I’m getting ahead of myself a smidge as I owe you the reasons I swooned so hard at this book and its characters before I get to the actual swooning. There were really so many reasons and the fact that everything came together in such an easily cohesive way makes it hard to pinpoint a handful of things, hence my babbling.

All the characterizations, from the MCs to the secondary and on down the line were so well constructed. There’s always a physical description of characters and good books will show the reader more depth, but this author always goes further and I always get a sense of her characters more deeply than I do with most stories. All the subtle movements and idiosyncrasies add up to create not just a sense of personalities but of their lives and motivations. It seems to all happen effortlessly which is why this authors books are so satisfying to read.

Toby is a firecracker with very little future to look forward to. Darius is a broken man after a seemingly failed attempt to teach control of wild magic to another mage ended tragically. Toby sees Darius as a last resort to save his life and for a guy with a likely apocalyptic future, he has the best sense of humor and attitude. It sounds a little weird considering, but he’s just that kind of guy and I absolutely loved him.

As much as Toby is an open book, Darius is a little tougher to get to know. He’s quite the enigma at first and I had the sense that he was much older than he actually was. It made sense given what happened and how his life has been. As an ostracized mage he’s been living like a hermit for years. At first it was a little off putting as I knew he wasn’t the man being portrayed so vividly, but as the story progressed and Toby gave Darius purpose (in a lot of ways) again, who I met at the beginning began to reconcile with who he became.

On the road to save Toby from the fate wished upon him by the mage guild, I got to meet three acquaintances of Darius and that was a treat. Arden, Elias and Zubayr are completely unique individuals and I can’t wait to read more about them in upcoming books. These guys are great and I loved the chemistry amongst all of them.

The premise of the story is fascinating and the worldbuilding had a great balance between focus on Toby and Darius and setting up for a full series. I’m anxiously awaiting the next one and I can’t decide which of the characters I want more of first. I mean, as long as I get them all (plus more of Toby and Darius), I’ll be a happy reader.

**a copy of this book was provided for an honest review**

Review: Gideon (Finding Home #3) by Lily Morton

Gideon Ramsay is so far in the closet he should be a talking faun.

A talented, mercurial, and often selfish man, Gideon has everything he should want in life. Fame, money, acting awards – he has it all. Everything but honesty. At the advice of his agent, Gideon has concealed his sexuality for years. But it’s starting to get harder to hide, and his increasingly wild behaviour is threatening to destroy his career.

Then he’s laid low by a serious illness and into his life comes Eli Jones. Eli is everything that Gideon can’t understand. He’s sunny tempered, friendly, and optimistic. Even worse, he’s unaffected by grumpiness and sarcasm, which forms ninety percent of Gideon’s body weight. And now Gideon is trapped with him without any recourse to the drugs and alcohol that have previously eased his way through awkward situations.

However, as Gideon gets to know the other man, he finds himself wildly attracted to his lazy smiles and warm, scruffy charm that seem to fill a hole inside Gideon that’s been empty for a long time. Will he give in to this incomprehensible attraction when it could mean the end of everything that he’s worked for?

From the bestselling author of the Mixed Messages series comes a story about a man who needs to realise that being true to yourself is really just a form of finding home.

This is the third book in the Finding Home series but it can be read as a standalone.

Soooo… in the previous book there was an element that was really off putting for me that centered around Gideon and I even mentioned it in my review for book #2. I was all wtf… grrrr…. Gideon sucks (even though the name is 🔥🔥).

Gideon starts off with a bang as he’s drinking, doing drugs, and all about sex with as many people as possible. All those vices at the same time with multiple partners is a bonus. He’s self destructing as rapidly as his declining health and he’s doing anything to remain in a state of numbness. This gets him in trouble and he ends up in the care of nurse Eli.

Eli is a giant ray of sunshine in Gideons stormy world. He’s kind, funny, bossy, sarcastic, and has zero issues calling Gideon out on his behavior while he ignores his bastard persona. Soon, Eli becomes one of the very few people in Gideon’s world that cares and looks out for him; not their paycheck.

I adore Eli and Gideon together. They have great banter, lots of chemistry and heat. There’s some dirty talk, a bossy top, and some entertaining attempts to top from the bottom. This is a hurt/comfort that left me with all the warm/fuzzy feels. Gideon had an incredible redemptive character arc that was fully fleshed out. I was rooting for him very early on and he didn’t let me down.

The secondary characters in Lily’s books are always on point. Constance is a dream and the patchwork family that continues to build throughout each book in this series is highly entertaining and fun of warmth.

I really enjoyed Gideon but I had one niggle… where are MY LETTERS? Ahhhhhh!! I’m a HUGE sucker for written communication between MCs (whether it’s texts, emails, or actual letters). When they start writing letters I gear up to read a bunch of correspondence with witty lines and heartfelt sentiments. But I only got two? Total? One from each? That's it? #sadface #GIVEMEMYLETTERS

I was able to turn my frown upside down with the amazeballs epilogue. It’s full y’all. You’ll walk away with so many answers about the future and their HEA. I adore this series and will continue to read any that come out. Recommended.

Trigger Warning for drug and alcohol usage.

An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Audiobook Review: Vanilla Clouds by Roe Horvat

“I could spend days listening to you talk about chocolate.” 

Sex and chocolate are the two pleasures Michał enjoys most in life.

His sex life has been nonexistent for some time, though. After a particularly bad hookup, he keeps mostly to himself. That leaves chocolate. Luckily, he works surrounded by the most delicious, extravagant produce in Gothenburg. Beside his job at the chocolaterie, his main source of excitement is his online friend, Magnus, whom he stubbornly refuses to meet in person.

A customer turns up at the chocolaterie one day—tall, shy, and charming. He could be just the right man. If Michał can step out of his overly safe shell, there might be not only chocolate, but sex, too. Maybe chocolate-flavored sex. And if he’s lucky, maybe even love.

Warning: This book contains explicit scenes, adult language, and obscene amounts of chocolate.

Listening Length: 3 hours and 45 minutes
Narrated by Vance Bastian

After I finished listening to the audio for Vanilla Clouds, I listened to it again and then bought a copy for a friend, and then I bought the book so I could pretend like it was all new again.

That’s a lot of things for a 3 hour, 45 minute audiobook/132 page book.

But. But. Oh. My. God. You guys. This is such a little nugget of a treat and I didn’t want it to end.

I loved the approach the author took to tell the story. Michal and Magnus are online buds who have never met in person, but have a real connection virtually. They want to meet, don’t want to meet, push, pull, push, pull. From the inside, they are both a little clueless in a sweet, vulnerable way, on the outside, from the readers view, it’s obvious from the beginning that these two are meant to be. Which makes for a wonderful setup, because I got to enjoy the ride while still sailing on the optimistic high of their relationship evolution.

The story moves along via messaging and then when Michal meets a tall, shy, mysterious stranger in his chocolaterie, path forks a little, but it’s the most adorable deception ever. It’s actually a necessary little bit of tension that allows the rest of the story to be its sweet self without apologies.

I loved the setting, the uniqueness in comparison to so many other things out there added a layer of interest that made me accidentally learn things (which is my favorite kind of learning) and the city of Gothenburg was a character itself. I even Googled stuff and the story made me want to travel.

If you haven’t ever listened to Vance Bastian narrate a book, you are missing out. I love his tone, his character voices and the emotional nuance he brings to every interaction. Everything is just enough without ever being too much. He’s both relatable and swoonworthy which makes him the perfect person to read this book to me. And you.

Vanilla Clouds is a low drama romance that is perfect when you need the fluff, but want thoughtfulness and authenticity. This book is forever and always on my reread, all-time-favorites shelf.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Tag Team Review: A Chance at Love by Silvia Violet

Can a confident younger man help Darren learn to let go?

On the flight back home to San Diego, Chance Emerson meets an intriguing older man. They flirt, and Chance hopes for more, but the man never calls. Months later, they meet again at a charity auction. Chance decides this time he isn’t walking away.

Darren Walsh can’t stop thinking about the gorgeous grad student who almost had him joining the mile-high club. When Chance suggests they hook up, Darren says the only thing he can—yes. 

From their first moments together, Chance and Darren know there’s more between them than lust, but their differences in age and income make a real relationship challenging. They decide to keep things secret, yet as they learn more about each other, Darren realizes he wants something real and open. To have that, he’ll need to convince Chance that he has a place in Darren’s world, and Darren will have to take some risks of his own.

Collective Heart Love Score!

Shee Reader - 5 Hearts

Oh my gosh, where do I start? I just loved this book!

Chance is living his best life, then he meets a stuffy but hot guy on the plane home to San Diego, and realised he wants this guy too. Darren finds Chance annoying and do very attractive but fights the attraction. On arrival, Chance gives Darren his number, but despite wanting to call, Darren doesn’t. When he meets Chance again at one of his foundation’s charity events, he can’t resist a second time.

This story is charming, sweet, sexy and real. The writing is terrific with believable, well rounded characters, smart dialogue and even an annoying best friend. There’s food, an adorable dog, a lonely older man and a young, spirited PhD student. This book has everything.

I loved that even though there was drama and angst, the characters mostly tried to talk things through, but after a little separation, Darren cals Chance when he needs a friend, and Chance comes running. The ending is perfectly sweet and satisfying and includes a giant Toblerone from the airport gift shop. There is nothing not to love about this book!

Highly recommended!

Ann - 4 1/4 Hearts

Well, wasn’t this just a delicious little nugget of May/December dirty talk wrapped up in mounds of perfectly sweet fluff.

I love May/December stories when the characters make sense together and complement one another beyond what I expect and A Chance at Love did that quite well. The meet - cute was in fact, quite cute and I believed the attraction between Chance and Darren. I also liked how Darren didn’t call right away and that chance brought them together again. It read realistically for where Darren was in his life and added some necessary tension to the story without resorting to too much angst. Not that some angst didn’t come later though . . .

Both guys were on the same page from the beginning with where the relationship was going, or not going. Thankfully the reader is on on their thoughts and knowing that they were both falling hard was such a treat. I loved that both characters spoke their minds and were openly affectionate and shared their feelings with one another when they were alone. When they were out together as “friends” they weren’t fooling anyone with their moony eyes at each other.

These two have chemistry that is off ALL the charts. All. The. Charts. Their complementary needs are so good and everytime they were together they’d learn a new little something and push another new button. They totally got off on one another and Chance opened so many doors for Darren. Darren’s most hidden fantasies are laid bare by Chance and Chance is a master at the dirty talk, which I am a big, Big, BIG fan of. When dirty talk is done right it can take a love story to another level for me, it can take a sweet relationship to extra spicy and give it a level of depth that can otherwise be lacking. This is me justifying my love of Chance and his deliciously filthy mouth.

The angst I mentioned before was reasonable and kind of necessary. Everything couldn’t be too perfect considering they did have some misgivings about the difference in their ages, but the issues that had weren’t only about age but about socioeconomics. That last bit was all external, but it was something they’d have to deal with and that would take a strong foundation in a relationship that they just hadn’t had time to build up yet. But, they had too many things going for them to not give it a go and the ending was perfect for them. I was worried the ending would be rushed considering I was getting up there in percentage count on the old Kindle and resolution still needed to be had, but I was pleasantly surprised with how it all worked out.

It’s also set in my hometown, America’s Finest City, thankyouverymuch, and that’s always fun. The author did a great job of representing San Diego.

The romance and steam in this story guarantees is a spot on my re-read shelf.

**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Audiobook Review: The Destiny of Dragons (Tales from Verania #2) by T.J. Klune

Once upon a time, the wizard’s apprentice Sam of Wilds got his happily ever after in the arms of his cornerstone, Knight Commander Ryan Foxheart. A year has passed, and while Sam’s been captured five or six more times since then, things are pretty great. His parents are happy, Gary and Tiggy still eat sass for breakfast, Randall is somehow alive despite being older than the gods, the King rules with a gentle hand, Kevin the dragon is as gross as ever, Morgan sighs a lot, Ryan continues to be dashing and immaculate, and Sam is close to convincing Prince Justin they will be best friends forever.

Life is good.

Until it’s not.

Because Vadoma, the leader of the Gypsy clan and Sam’s grandmother, has come to the City of Lockes with a dire prophecy written in the stars: a man of shadows is rising and will consume the world unless Sam faces his destiny and gathers the five dragons of Verania at his side.

And she brings along her second-in-command, a man named Ruv.

Ruv, who Vadoma says is Sam’s true cornerstone.

The first book in the DESTINY FUCK YEAH! Trilogy (because sometimes, having a destiny is the stupidest thing ever).

Narrator: Michael Lesley
Listening Length:16 hrs 40 mins

I honestly had some trouble starting this review.

What can I possibly say that hasn’t already been said?

For some fangirling reference, check out our group review when the book was released.  I stand by it all and then some.

So, to at least keep this review from going stale, I’m going to focus on the sublime pairing of T.J. Klune’s words and Michael Lesley’s narration. Listening to A Destiny of Dragons is not a passive experience, it doesn’t run in the background while you’re driving, doing chores, blah, blah, blah. Listening to this book is an event that is all encompassing in the best possible way. Thank sweet baby jeebus for the 30 second rewind nubbin on the app; because I get to laughing at a Gary rant and miss a whole passage, or Sam will have an epiphany that is perfectly worded and then spoken in Sam’s “contemplative” tone that always gets my attention, or Ryan will just be Ryan and I want to hear him again.

I listen to a lot of audiobooks and am a huge fan of quite a few narrators. Some though, some can just make the words come alive and when the perfect match between book and narrator come together, the book gets elevated and as listeners we get to experience the story on a more intimate level. Michael Lesley is simply amazing. There are A LOT of characters and these aren’t just MC’s and secondary characters, these are KLUNE characters. They have completely unique personalities, rapid fire interactions and the entire gamut of emotions from start to finish. He nails every scene and every bit of banter and I’d love to sit down with him over beer and nachos just to listen to him tell me all his behind the scenes stories of creating a T.J. Klune audiobook.

I’ve gushed over the narration and now I just want to ramble a bit about the series as a whole and what it means to me. One of the best experiences in the world is loving something with your friends. It’s a quiet thing really, it doesn’t take a lot of expense or effort, but the sense of community it creates is priceless. It’s a strength in our little world that I know I take for granted too often and when I was thinking about what I could say about The Tales of Verania that wouldn’t be a repeat of what I’ve already said, words didn’t come to me, but feelings did.

I’m not a super mushy person by nature, but when I love something I’ll smother it hard with all my feelings and when I think of this series, outside of the specifics of the story, it just plain makes my happy. I love that the characters are not perfect, I love that they’re relatable and I love that I can respect them. I love that I can be a part of their epic adventures and that I’m not alone, my friends are with me for the ride. I’ve talked about this series with friends I’ve met in person and some whose real names I don’t even know. I bought the audiobook for another friend and he and I have listened together and texted back and forth throughout every chapter.

I know that this just one series that brings readers together, but this is the most meaningful one for me personally. It’s not just the words or the narration, it’s the sense of comaraderie with fellow readers and listeners both the author and the narrator created that I am truly thankful for. It’s a seemingly minor thing that is actually a pretty big deal.

I have to say a big thank you to both T.J. Klune and Michael Lesley for giving me something to love so hard with my fellow book (and audiobook) pals.

Thanks guys, see you in the next book!

**a copy of this audiobook was provided for an honest review**

Review: Where Death Meets the Devil by L.J. Hayward

Jack Reardon, former SAS soldier and current Australian Meta-State asset, has seen some messy battles. But “messy” takes on a whole new meaning when he finds himself tied to a chair in a torture shack, his cover blown wide open, all thanks to notorious killer-for-hire Ethan Blade.

Blade is everything Jack doesn’t believe in: remorseless, detached, lawless. Yet, Jack’s only chance to survive is to strike a bargain with the devil and join forces with Blade. As they trek across a hostile desert, Jack learns that Blade is much more than a dead-eyed killer—and harder to resist than he should be.

A year later, Jack is home and finally getting his life on track. Then Ethan Blade reappears and throws it all into chaos once more. It’s impossible to trust the assassin, especially when his presence casts doubts on Jack’s loyalty to his country, but Jack cannot ignore what Blade’s return means: the mess that brought them together is far from over, and Ethan might just bring back the piece of Jack’s soul he thought he’d lost forever.

Strap in, kids, cuz this one goes by fast!

I took a chance since Hayward was an unknown to me and I believe this is her first foray into MM, though I would never know it had I not snooped. I am beyond pleased that I clicked that request button because this is a Cupcake book! A blistering pace is set from the start that carries through to the finish.

Where Death Meets the Devil flip flops between events that took place a year ago and present day between Jack and Ethan. It's told entirely though Jack but I still got a great sense of Ethan, who is a strange brew of childlike exuberance, especially when it comes to his beloved cars, a dry sense of humor that oddly makes him seem very approachable and a cold lethality that makes him very dangerous indeed.

Jack works for a government agency called the Meta-State which is a collective and secret spy network between Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries who share intelligence in an effort to combat terrorism. He's ex-military and has some demons from his missions that crop up in organic ways. I like him. I don't know if I like him as much as a like Ethan but I'm a weirdo who digs assassins. *shrugs* Sue me.

One year ago Jack was undercover working for Valadian in an effort to gain intel on his involvement with terror groups when he wound up bound to a chair in a torture shack. In walks Ethan Blade, number 7 on the list of most notable assassins, and he figures his time is up. That would make for a short story and not nearly as interesting as the unholy alliance they form to get through the Australian outback relatively unscathed after Ethan helps him escape.

Skip forward a year and Mr. Ethan Blade strolls right into the super secret headquarters of the Sydney Meta-State offices and asks to speak to Jack.

This gif sums up my feels about this book around this time succinctly.

I'm not going to sum up the plot because it's best experienced firsthand but I will tell you some things to expect.

Expect lots of action-fight scenes, car chases, gun fights, dingoes... 
Expect sophisticated writing with gloriously fleshed out characters, complete with backstories.
Expect a fresh voice when it comes to MM romance.
Expect sex scenes that are sensual, lush and build intimacy.
Expect numerous acronyms.
Expect to be kept guessing by the players involved and the plot.
Expect a rude and somewhat needy camel.
Expect to be amused... 

"I miss food." Jack moaned. "Like the thick, juicy steak I had last night. So good."
"For the right price, I can make it your last meal."

This book is hard to classify. It's set in contemporary Australia but there are elements that are almost sci-fi or maybe cyberpunk? It's a little bit opposites attract with a sprinkling of enemies to lovers and heaping of slow burn or whatever you get when you stir those all together. Enemies attract burning? New category! I WIN! Whatever it is, I liked it and I want more of it.

Now for the question I know you're all waiting for, the romance. I would call this romantic suspense. There is a romance between these two, but it's non-traditional. They're not entirely enemies but they are at opposite ends of the legal and moral spectrum, so to speak. They do not trust each other. There are secrets and lies and omissions of truths galore between them and though they make great partners, I think it would've been disingenuous to these characters to bridge that divide and give them a big fluffy HEA. They have something and they both know it but will it stand the test of time? Who knows.

However, I'd be more than happy to take one for the team and read another of their stories to see them get a leeettttllllleeee bit closer to their own version of an HEA, because I'm a giver. 😬

My only quibble is something involving the case but I can't seem to muster up enough care to lower my rating over it.

Recommend to action, suspense, thriller and fans of gritty romance.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley.

Group Review: The Consumption of Magic (Tales From Verania #3) by T.J. Klune

Sequel to A Destiny of Dragons

Sam of Wilds faced the Dark wizard Myrin and lived to tell the tale. Granted, the battle left him scarred, but things could be a hell of a lot worse.

It’s not until he reunites with Morgan of Shadows and Randall that he realizes just how much worse things could be.

Because the scars have meaning and hint at Myrin’s true plans for Sam and the Kingdom of Verania.

With time running out, Sam and his band of merry misfits—the unicorn Gary, the half-giant Tiggy, Knight Commander Ryan Foxheart, and the dragon known as Kevin—must travel to the snowy mountains in the North and the heart of the Dark Woods to convince the remaining dragons to stand against Myrin. Along the way, Sam learns secrets of the past that will forever change the course of the future.

A reckoning is coming for Sam of Wilds, and there is nothing he can do to stop it.

Combined Gangbang Unicorning

Chelsea - 5 Hearts

Well fuck me sideways! This is the most epic series of epicness ever written!!! This series and especially this book had me feeling all the feels! Literally everything. I love and adore these characters, I laugh with them and definitely cry with them. I feel slightly nauseated by Gary and Kevin's sex and more than slightly aroused by Ryan and Sam's. I. Am. Invested! Just like everyone else who reads this series!

Now onto my deep dark confession....

I did it.

I did what everyone tells you not to do.

I maaayyy have sneaked a looksie at the last page.

Don't shoot don't shoot!

I know I know, but hear me out. I am not a heart-wrecking reader, it stresses me the fuck out, so much so that I can't rate a book highly if I'm too busy fighting of heart attacks.

So I sneaked, because I love this series and I didn't want to hate it. It was the right choice for me because I loved every word, was still wholeheartedly consumed (see what I did there) by it and still felt shocked, sad and suspended when I was reading the end but... I didn't need to take a bunch of valium to make it through. So, WIN.

Now if you are much hardier than me and can actually handle some serious emotion. Don't spoil this for yourselves. I can promise you'll hurt but not break. You will want to continue the series…. But maybe wait until the last book comes out.

Comedies without deeper feelings just don't make good romances or stories, having both is what makes this series and especially this book so wonderful!

An easy 5 hearts if ever there was one!

And just because this book deserves a picture in its review,

Jenni Lea - 5 Hearts

That… Fucking… Asshole!

That was my first thought upon finishing this book.  It was quickly followed by “Bastard!” and “He’s just a big ole meanie!” (all of which was said, of course, in the most loving way possible) My heart was shredded at the end of this story and I now have an unbridled need to read the next book as soon as possible. 

I’m finding it hard to write a proper review without spoiling anything so I’m just going to tell you how I felt while reading.  I went through the whole gamut of emotions and the notes I made pretty much speak for what I was feeling at the time.

It went something like this:

·         Only TJ has the ability to make me laugh out loud while simultaneously breaking my heart.

·         “Shit toast monkey fucker,” LOL!

·         OMG!

·         Stupid Knight Delicious Face and his stupid words making me cry.

·          I ♥ Justin 5eva

·        OMG Kevin!

·         Damn you, Kevin!  Making me cry

·         OMG

·         I hate everything right now

·         OMG!!!!!

·         AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

·         This is what made me wookie cry. Gah!

·         That… Fucking… Asshole!

Now, after seeing this, you might be thinking The Consumption of Magic was nothing more than a big angst fest filled with tears and sadness, but it really wasn’t.  For the most part, it was a light-hearted comedy that had me bursting into laughter at the most inappropriate moments.  That is, when I wasn’t swooning at the heart melting romance.  TJ pulled out all the stops with the romance in this one, my friends.  Ryan made some of the most romantic proclamations that were so heartfelt I couldn’t help but shed more than a few tears, which was unfortunate for me as I read most of this at work.

To quote Gary:

  “You great big bag of assholes,” […]  “How dare you say something romantic and sweet and wonderful like that!”

Sam did a lot of growing up in this book.  He’s still the adorable little asshole we’ve come to love, just maybe a tad more mature than in the previous installments. And his love for Ryan has grown even stronger than ever.

But even with all of that, even with the weight of everything resting upon my shoulders, I didn’t regret anything that had led me to this moment.  To this man standing in front of me.

HaveHeart for life, motherfuckers! 

TJ Klune is a Master Storyteller (capitalized so you know it’s true) who took my heart on the most amazing adventure.  Yeah, it got a few bumps and bruises along the way, but it was returned mostly intact… mostly.  I can’t wait to see what shenanigans he will think up next.  All I can say is… bring it.  I can take it.  My heart is strong!  I don’t need any hand-holding.  I am a strong, independent unicorn who don’t need no mens… er… wait.  *cough* Excuse me.  Got a little carried away there for a minute.  What was I saying?  Oh.  Yeah.  That’s right.

Read this book!

Ann - 5 Hearts

Godsdammit.

Only The Klune can make me run the gamut of SO many emotions in one book. I’m not even talking the series, just this one installment. When I read Lightning Struck Heart back in 2015 I had no idea the level of EVERYTHING this series would become. It’s so, so much. I mean that in the best possible way. In a scary commiserate way, I get Lady Tina (HaveHeart forever Motherfuckers! Don’t even with me Lady Tina) and that is never something I should say as a grown ass adult. But, I am invested here beyond just idle curiosity about what will come next. This is visceral now. My head and my heart are ecstatic and heartbroken in turn. I’m amused and despondent all in one page. I’m from SoCal, my people are not meant for this. By nature we give very few fux about things in general but when we feel passionately, it’s ridiculous. My car may not start, I may end up with a leak in my roof and my hot water heater may explode all in one day and my reaction will be “It’llbeallright” All One Word. But 30% in, 87% in for The Consumption of Magic? I’m ruined in the best fucking way.

I knew heartache was coming in The Consumption of Magic, but the tone of the story stayed so Sam, that the foreboding knowledge of what I was in store for was not overwhelming. The story is not here for the angst, it is balanced perfectly with the humor I love and the feels I crave, so I wasn’t just sitting on pins and needles (ouch and ewwww) waiting for Myrrin to fuck up all the things, I enjoyed every conversation and revelation from beginning to end.

What I love about this series, and this is a characteristic that makes a series a series for me, is that, yes there are secondary characters, but they are not secondary to the MC. Every story gives me more of someone and the dimension of the overall arc intensifies. Randall and Kevin have their “things”. Randall is an impatient grouch and Kevin is a horny hoarder with inappropriate familial ideals. But, in The Consumption of Magic, I learned so much more about both of them and their stories were just as important as Sam’s. Sam has his destiny that he loathes, but every characters destiny is intertwined and I can only shudder in awe of the spreadsheets the author must have for every detail for every character. Plus, when I get to know each player more, they don’t change, they just build and I love getting to know them on deeper levels. (Mind out of the gutter Kevin).

Now, on to the fuckery.

Firstly, how dare you? You know who you are and ohmygawd, how dare you? I wouldn’t say the story ends on a cliffhanger, I mean the overall arc does, but The Consumption of Magic does not, it ends as it should, but damn. I had (and I’m copying Jenni Lea here with the points):

Sorrow
Anger (again, how dare you)
Surprise/Shock
Hope
Love
Frustration
More Love
ANXIETY

Honestly, this needs to be about me now as I channel my inner Gary. How the actual fuck am I expected to wait until 2018 to get my next fix? I think we can all agree that 2017 has been a bit of a dumpster fire, so I am really looking forward to what comes next. I have theories, which are utter bullshit, but it’s what one does when one is Lady-Tina-Level consumed.

The series continues to be it’s amazing self, we all pretty much already knew that to be a thing. Just hop on for the ride and soak it up. TJ Klune is a master wordsmith. He has the ability to make me forget I’m even reading. I’m there, I’m in the thick of it all and he has a true gift that I appreciate beyond measure. So, now we can all discuss and wallow in our fandom together and overanalyze everything as we wait impatiently for 2018.

**a copy of this magic was provided for honest reviews**

Trivia Question: What series has a porn star falling in love with a man he rescues from a night club? 5 pts

Random winner will be chosen 11/21. I'll be traveling all week so I'll do my best to get the winner notified by 6 pm EST.