Angel Reads

22 Sep

Books On My Spring 2020 TBR

Posted by angelreads Features, Top Ten Tuesday 12 Comments

This week I’m sharing on my spring tbr. Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and Bookish and is hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl.

While most of the world is going into Autumn/Fall, here in Australia we are going into spring. These are the books I would love to get to in the next few months. Some of these are new releases, some are older books that I hope to get to before December. It’s just a mix-match of books that I cannot wait to dig into. Like always these are no order.

Rifts and Refrains (Hush Note #2) by Devney Perry and Muses & Melodies (Hush Note #3) by Rebecca Yarros: These are next two books in the Hush Note series, the first book was written by Sarina Bowen and was released today! I enjoyed it quite a bit – my review is coming soon. And I can’t wait to read more of these characters and the world.

A Rogue of One’s Own (A League of Extraordinary Women #2) by Evie Dunmore: There is no surprise that this one is one my list. I loved Bringing Down the Duke and I’m so excited to read this one. I already have my copy and will be reading it next month for sure. Seeing where this story goes makes me intrigued. I think this is the perfect book for spring.

Blood & Honey (Serpent & Dove #2) by Shelby Mahurin: Again these should be no surprise that this one is one my list. I love Serpent & Dove last year. I’m hoping that it’s as good as the first book. But I have been reading mixed things.

The Midnight Lie (The Midnight Lie #1) by Marie Rutkoski: I have had this one since it was published, but have yet yo get to it. My plan is to read it soon – I hope. I’m really excited about it, I just haven’t’ been in the fantasy mood, but I feel that I’m getting there.

One by Sarah Crossan: This is one of the last books that I have left to read on my best friend picks my tbr. I’m really excited about this one but also really nervous. It’s going to be emotional for sure and I hope that I am ready for it.

Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep #1) by Mira Grant: I think this will be the perfect book for me to read in October. This isn’t my usual thing. However, it intrigues me want to try it out. Horror isn’t something that I like to watch or read. But that is why it has caught my eye.

Daring and the Duke (The Bareknuckle Bastards #3) by Sarah MacLean: I’ve loved the first two books in this series and I need to get to reading the third. I have heard nothing but good things about it. And I’m so excited that we have the ‘villain’ as the male protagonist.

The Governess Game (Girl Meets Duke #2) by Tessa Dare: I read the first book in this series a few weeks ago and fell in love and now I want to read the rest of the series. This one sounds like it’s going to be fantastic. Plus these covers are stunning!

A Lesson in Thorns (Thornchapel #1) by Sierra Simone: This has been on my tbr for a little while now. It has been popping up all over the place and that makes me even more interested. I have no idea if I’m going to like it or not, but I want to try and see how I feel about it. Even if I don’t like it I think it’s going to be an interesting read.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown (The Brown Sisters #1) by Talia Hibbert: This has been on my list for a while now. I’ve heard nothing but good things about it and I think it will be the perfect spring read. It looks like it’s going to be fun, full of romance.

That’s it for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday. What is on your tbr for the next couple of months? Are you in spring or fall? Let’s Chat!

21 Sep

Book Review: A King so Cold by Ella Fields

Posted by angelreads Book Reviews 1 Comment

A King so Cold by Ella Fields

Pages: 431
Publish date: May 6th 2020
Publisher: –
ASIN: B084LG4PH9
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

When marrying your enemy is only the beginning…

Once upon a time, there lived a princess so cruel that even her husband tried to destroy her.

The results left her without a father, her husband without a memory, and herself as queen to a kingdom on the cusp of war.

Even so, after learning of her treasonous husband’s upcoming nuptials, she set out to find him and locked him in her dungeon. There, and only there, would she unveil a time when she once allowed herself to be vulnerable. A past detailing how her heart was coaxed to beat outside her chest, only to have it crushed by the cold hands of betrayal.

But true vengeance will need to wait. War is coming, and with it, decisions and danger masked in treacherous beauty.

All too soon, the young queen will learn that time could be the most dangerous foe of all.
For it is time that would reveal all the ways a dead heart can beat anew.

A King So Cold:

I didn’t know too much about this book before I picked it up, but it sounded interesting and that cover is just stunning. It’s been a little since I finished reading A King So Cold by Ella Fields and I’m still not sure how I feel about it.

Content Warning: Dark Themes, Sexual Assult, Age Gap, Torture, Death.

A King So Cold by Ella Fields follows Princess turned Queen Audra as she tries to lead her kingdom to victory. But her past is not far behind her. And when she finds out that her husband King Raiden is about to marry another – it’s something that she cannot have. When Raiden betrayed Audra, she let her cold nature drive her to want more. And now she wants revenge. But doesn’t need love from him anymore. She has herself. And Lord Zad. But war is on the horizon and now it’s more than her heart that she has to think about.

I haven’t read much in the high fantasy romance genre. I’ve read a fair few supernatural and paranormal, but haven’t delved into the fantasy world yet. So I didn’t know what to expect when I jumped into this one. And while I still have thoughts about the book, overall I was splendidly surprised with A King So Cold and can’t wait to read more fantasy romance.

Photo by Cederic Vandenberghe on Unsplash

Audra is cold and calculated. She isn’t a character that you warm up to right away or even like. Audra is manipulative, complicated and broken. Audra hasn’t had the best life growing up. Her mother died when she was young and her father was a pretty horrible leader and father. She always knew that she would become Queen, but not the way she did. And then when Audra did let her walls down she was berayed. And that messed with her a lot. Audra is a compelling character but isn’t someone that I would want to meet.

Throughout A King So Cold, the reader can see Audra grow, change and make some hard decisions. Because in the end, she is a leader of her country in the middle of a war. And when she finds out the person that betrayed her is about to marry another – well she cannot have that. It was interesting to read a female protagonist who isn’t clean cut and nice. That can make a bad decision. That can make horrible decisions. And I found that fascinating.

Lord Zadicus was such an interesting character. I think Zad has to be one of my favourite characters in the book. And like Audra, he isn’t perfect. He makes mistakes. Some big mistakes. But he is also sweet in a way. And I felt for him.

Raiden is another complicated characters. You can’t like him or even feel for him. But I liked getting to know his story. Through flashbacks, the reader gets to see the soft side of Raiden. But he is just as callous as Audra. Raiden is wicked, smart, but also a dickhead.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

A lot is going on throughout A King So Cold. And a lot of my problems or issues with this book come from the plot. I felt that this was too long. When I thought that things were going to be over, something else happened. And everything began again. There was just so much going on that at times it took me a while to understand what was happening. But this also didn’t stop me from reading. There is major tension throughout this book and this drives the plot even more. And even though a lot is going on, plot-wise. I felt that A King So Cold is very character-driven. Which I love.

The romance in A King So Cold is sexy and forbidden. Audra and Lord Zad know that starting something more than what they have is going to cause trouble. But they can’t keep their hands off one another. The romance is angsty, complicated and sometimes very frustrating. But I also enjoyed it a lot. I’m not usually a fan of messy romance. I just get angry. But I think that it did work out fantastic here. There is a ton of chemistry between the two and it gets steamy at times. In saying this, there were times when things did get a little too complicated.

A King So Cold has such a good array of characters. From our leading protagonist and love interest to Ardra’s close court members. I loved the contrast of characters. From those that lead to those that follow or fight. I liked that the reader can get to know them all, even if it’s just a little bit.

Photo by photo-nic.co.uk nic on Unsplash

Overall, A King So Cold by Ella Fields is a dark, haunting and sexy adult romance. This isn’t an easy read. At times I needed to put the book down for a little bit. But it kept pulling me in. It’s magical and whimsy but also filled with vengeance and blood. There are unreliable characters and a protagonist that isn’t one for everybody. A King So Cold explores the notion of betrayal, revenge, but also love and lost. This book is not for everyone, but if you are looking for something that is dark, dangerous and a little different than this for you.

Have you read any adult fantasy romances? What did you think of them? Have you picked up A King So Cold by Ella Fields? Let’s Chat!

20 Sep

Ride Or Die Book Tag

Posted by angelreads Book Tag No Comments

Today I’m doing the Ride Of Die Book Tag. This tag was originally created by LadetteM, don’t forget to check out the original video. I was tagged by the ever so lovely Ely from Earl Grey Books, aka my best friend.

1. The BFF: A book that not everyone likes, but has been with you since the start. You’ll always love them

hmm. This has to be the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. People either love or hate it. But this series has a soft place in my heart and I’m really enjoying the companion series quite a lit. It’s great being back in this world.

2. The Long Drive: A book you’d take on a journey, or if you know you’ll be spending a lot of time unable to move. Think Plane, Train or Automobile

I take a book that won’t make me cry – which is hard. I cry through a lot of books. But I would either take something that is long so it will last me a long time. Or take a few books on my kindle that I can just read. It’s a great time to binge-read a romance series.

A book that comes to mind is Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare – it’s long, action-packed and will keep me entertained.

3. The Newcomer: The most recent book you’ve read that you can’t stop talking about

This is an easy one for me. It’s The House in The Cerulean Sea by T.J Klune. I think you all might be sick of me talking about it now. But I adore this book so much. I’m not only recommending it to bloggers but customers as well. It’s a magical and profound novel that truly takes the reader on an experience. It explores family and the notion that sometimes you find them in unlikely ways. Check out my full review now.

4. The Quiet One: The book you reach for when you need some peace and quiet

Ohh. Historical romances for sure. It’s a sub-genre of romance that I just fall into and just be at peace. It’s the genre that I can love what I am reading no matter what. At the moment I’m loving the Girl Meets Duke series by Tessa Dare.

5. The Out-Going One: The book you love to read in public, or don’t mind keeping with you for anti-social-social occasions

Something that is easier to carry. I normally like using the kindle app on my phone or my kindle when I’m on the train. My line can get pretty busy and if I’m travelling during peak hours – I rarely get a seat. So it’s easier to read on the phone. Obviously, at the moment I can’t go to many places, but YA contemporaries like Alex, Approxently by Jenn Bennett.

6. The Guilty Pleasure: The book you don’t want to justify because it would be too embarrassing… but you love it none the less

I don’t really like this term. A few years ago – it would have been something I said for sure. But I’m always reading romances and don’t care. You read what you want – unless it’s harmful to others.

7. The Stranger: The book no one seems to have heard of, and you wish everyone had read it so you could talk about it

This is starting to get more traction now, Only When It’s Us (Bergman Brothers #1) and Always Only You (Bergman Brothers #2) by Chloe Liese. These two are some of my favourite romances at the moment and I want more people to read them. They are fantastic romances that are diverse and I need more. You can check out my review of Only When It’s Us now.

8. The Book Was Better: A book you loved, but the film adaptation was awful

So, so many. I rarely like a book to movie adaptions. But one that jumps out at me is the City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. In saying that I don’t like either the movie or tv series adaption. Just none of them worked for me. I can normally give a little leeway for changes, but both of these just had too much and didn’t work for me.

9. The Author: An author you’ll read everything they’ll ever produce, you trust them completely. Whether it’s a hardback series of 15 novels or a shopping list

At the moment it has to be Rebecca Yarros. I’ve got 2 more books to read from her that she has published – I have them. I just haven’t picked them up yet. I have adored all the books I have read that she has written. My favourite has to be The Last Letter.

10. The Tubers: Pick three Youtubers, tag them and let them know they’re your ride or die!

While I wish this said blogger or Booktuber – I tag anyone that wants to do the tag. Let me know if you do.

And that is it for today’s post! Do you agree with my answers? What would yours be? Have you done the ride or die book tag? Let’s Chat!