Conform by Ariel Sullivan
Goodreads blurb: In the far future, one young woman finds herself torn between two loves—and two sides of a rebellion boiling under the surface—in the first novel of a sweeping dystopian romance trilogy.
Centuries after a catastrophic world war nearly decimated the human population, a city arose from the ashes, ruled by an elusive and technologically advanced group called the Illum.
At twenty-seven, Emeline lives in limbo, wasting away her days in a job sorting ancient human art for destruction and waiting to be selected as a Mate for a procreation contract. Where others look forward to being chosen, Emeline has never felt like she fit into a society where a person’s worth is determined by constantly monitored genes, health, and the ability to procreate. She’s struggled to keep her discomfort secret, but when she is finally chosen, her Mate is revealed to be a member of the Illum named Collin, a man who seems to be harboring secrets of his own.
It is the first time an Illum has taken a Mate in decades, leaving Emeline—and others—baffled as to why she was chosen. Soon, she is swept into the dangerous game of Courting, filled with ballgowns, lavish dinners, and watchful eyes, where one wrong move can mean elimination. While parts of this elite lifestyle are unexpectedly appealing, the more embroiled she becomes, the more she sees its dark underbelly—and a rebellion rising in secret. Collin is confusing, both cold and protective, and worse, she finds herself drawn to the very last person she should be falling for: Hal, one of the resistance leaders.
As she draws closer to both Collin and Hal, the Illum exercise their power in increasingly brutal ways, forcing Emeline to question everything—most of all whether she’ll have to give up her heart and even her life to stop them.
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher.
my take: 4.5 out of 5. I loved this book so much. I have no idea what genre it is but think handmaids tale meets romantasy with a distopian twist?. It also gave me all the ACOTAR vibes in the love triangle of it all. A whole book in and I don’t know who I would choose, the triangle is just so good and juicy. I also love that there is a great balance of politics and dire distopia with a little lightness. I also really appreciated all the imagery. The way everything was described was immaculate and i felt like I was in it. The only thing I didnt love was how much in suspense it left me. As most of the fantasy books nowadays it leaves us in an absolute cliffhanger. And to add insult to injury the author announced that the next book is not a continuation but a prequel so we are stuck in this no man’s land for at least maybe a year and a half or two years, i might have to reread it by the time it comes out.
The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown
Goodreads blurb: The thrilling and long-awaited new Robert Langdon novel from globally bestselling author Dan Brown.
Accompanying celebrated academic, Katherine Solomon, to a lecture she’s been invited to give in Prague, Robert Langdon’s world spirals out of control when she disappears without trace from their hotel room. Far from home and well out of his comfort zone, Langdon must pit his wits against forces unknown to recover the woman he loves.
But Prague is an old and dangerous city, steeped in folklore and mystery. For over two thousand years, the tides of history have washed back and forth over it, leaving behind echoes of everything that has gone before. Little can Langdon know that he is being stalked by a spectre from that dark past. He must use all of his arcane knowledge to decipher the world around him before he too is consumed by the rings of treachery and deception that have swallowed Katherine.
Against a backdrop of vast castles, towering churches, graveyards buried twelve deep and labyrinthine underground passages, Langdon must navigate a shadow city hiding in plain sight, a city which has successfully kept its secrets for centuries and will not readily deliver them. This is a battlefield unlike any he has previously experienced, one on which he must fight not for his only life, but for the future of humanity itself.
The Secret of Secrets is Dan Brown’s first novel for over eight years and sees the stunning return of Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, this time pitting his wits against a conspiracy which will test even his considerable brainpower and take him to the edge of losing all that he holds dear…
My take: 4 out of 5. It does feel formulaic but damn if Robert Langdon is still not highly engaging and entertaining. The only issue is you know Robert wont die so that takes some stakes from half of his antics but it is a totally enjoyable if not predictable ride.
An Academic Affair by Jodi McAlister
Goodreads blurb: The Love Hypothesis meets The Hating Game in a new standalone rom-com from New York Times acclaimed author and romance academic Jodi McAlister.
Sadie Shaw and Jonah Fisher have known each other for fifteen years – and they’ve disliked each other for every one of them. It started with a minor altercation in an undergrad literature class, but as their academic careers developed, so did the intensity of their arguments. By the time they graduate with their doctorates, they’re embroiled in a full-on rivalry.
So when a position comes up that Sadie and Jonah are both perfect for, their ongoing enmity explodes into a red-hot competition. But as Sadie fights to secure her future, she realises there might be a way for both of them to get their dream job. There’s just one catch –they’ll have to get married first.
When things get personal, though, Sadie will have to keep her eye on the prize. A fake marriage isn’t worth jeopardising her real career over, is it?
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher.
My take: 3.75 out of 5. This has all the tropes in one: fake relationships, enemies to lovers, one bed, so it might seem formulaic but it was not. I really enjoyed it and it was charming and adorable. Both characters were so well developed and i was falling in love with them as they were obviously falling in love with each other. A nerdy romance that is worth a read.
It’s Different This Time by Joss Richard
Goodreads blurb: In this sweeping, second-chance romance, a twist of fate forces two former roommates to move back into their beloved New York City brownstone and face the events that led to their estrangement—and confront their unresolved feelings for each other.
Subject 74 Perry Street
So begins the email that turns June Wood’s entire world on its head. Five years ago, she lived on Perry Street with her former best friend Adam Harper. But why is the management company reaching out to her about it now?
Still smarting from the news of her hit TV show being canceled, June has nothing else to lose. She boards a plane from Los Angeles to New York City to find out more about the mysterious email and the promised opportunity it alludes to. It turns out that, thanks to an unbelievable legal loophole, if she and Adam can live together in the stunning West Village brownstone for a month, it’s theirs. Any true New Yorker knows you don’t pass up prime city real estate, and that fall in the city is magical—so what’s there to think about?
And yet, though most things have changed in the time since they last spoke, one thing hasn’ June and Adam have unfinished business. They didn’t exactly end on good terms when they each went off to chase their dreams. Now, confronted with the consequences of their choices, they must navigate the minefield of their past the best way they know together.
Every day they move closer to owning Perry Street reveals misunderstandings, long-term resentments, and long-buried feelings . . . which are suddenly feeling very, very not so buried. But they’ve already lost their friendship once before, devastating them both. Can they risk losing it again for something a little different this time?
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher.
My take: 4 out of 5. There were some things I adored about this book and some tiny ones that were thoroughly irritating that got me out of it at parts. Whats good? Im a sucker for a second chance romance and this one was beautifully written especially because the timeline is woven very cleverly so you really do not know what went wrong or what they were, its very well structured. Also theater and food in a book, like what is not to love? What I didnt love was that a a theater lover, the really badly referenced theater comments were totally taking me out. Like no, there are no season passes in Broadway, that only happens in regional houses. Also opening night is not the first night. A little more research would have made me less irritated in small thingsa and maybe give this closer to 5 stars because the romance was adorable.
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow
Goodreads blurb: From Alix E. Harrow, the New York Times bestselling author of Starling House, comes a moving and genre-defying quest about the lady-knight whose legend built a nation, and the cowardly historian sent back through time to make sure she plays her part–even if it breaks his heart.
Sir Una Everlasting was Dominion’s greatest hero: the orphaned girl who became a knight, who died for queen and country. Her legend lives on in songs and stories, in children’s books and recruiting posters―but her life as it truly happened has been forgotten.
Centuries later, Owen Mallory―failed soldier, struggling scholar―falls in love with the tale of Una Everlasting. Her story takes him to war, to the archives―and then into the past itself. Una and Owen are tangled together in time, bound to retell the same story over and over again, no matter what it costs.
But that story always ends the same way. If they want to rewrite Una’s legend―if they want to tell a different story–they’ll have to rewrite history itself.
My take: 2 out of 5. this had so much potential but I was so bored. I almost stopped but i kept hoping it would get better. It does get better at the end but just not enough to justify the journey. I think my main thing was that the science/magic was confusing. The whole concept of what was happening was muddled and all the time jumps just did not make sense. Even when the whole magic was explained, I still had some plot holes and remained confused as to some things. It tried to acomplish so much i was overwhelmed and bored.
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