I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I think the best way that I can describe this book is… ‘you get what it says on the tin’.

Once you’ve read the synopsis, you pretty much know the plot inside out. If you’re going into this expecting a fun, fluffy, fast paced read with borderline too much cheese, then you won’t be disappointed. If you’re going into this expecting it to explore complex issues surrounding K-Pop idols, mental health and Korean culture then it probably isn’t the book for you.

Despite generally enjoying this book, I did have my issues with it. I didn’t always mesh with the very simple writing style and the plot twists are remarkably predictable from the very first page, both of which definitely knocked my overall rating down and I do think this book has a lot of squandered potential in terms of where the author could have taken it; she had prime opportunity to explore the dating ban surrounding K-Pop idols, for example. Kristen Burnham does touch on the brutal K-Pop industry and the effect it has on its idols, but only very briefly, glossed over and as a means to an end.

It isn’t groundbreaking reading material, it almost feels like the first draft of the book and if the author had gone back and explored this issue in more depth, hashed this plot point out or developed this relationship a little bit more, it could easily have been a 4/5 star read instead of a high 2/3. However, as a quick, fluffy, saccharine romance to appease the fangirl Gods…I did solidly enjoy it.

There are some incredibly scary things going on in the world right now. Here in England our Coronavirus lockdown is pretty much in full swing. We are only allowed to leave our houses for very limited reasons: One form of exercise a day, shopping for necessities only, to get medicine or to look after somebody vulnerable or to go to work if we are considered a 'key worker' (which I am not). We are not allowed to visit anybody outside of our immediate household. We are only allowed outside in groups of two. All pubs, clubs, restaurants, cinemas, gyms, hairdressers, salons, nonessential shops that sell anything other than food, parks and community centres etc have been shut down for the foreseeable future. I am currently on my 11th day of self isolation and since these new rules have been put in place for 3 weeks before they are even reviewed (we are officially on the 4th day) I have found myself with a lot of free time on my hands. I'm hoping to make the most of this, maximise my productivity and get some shit done but the last 11 days have been the exact opposite of this (a lot of time spent in my pyjamas, eating, watching Catfish and Hannah Montana).

Because I have no idea how long any of this apocalyptic stuff is going to last, I've made myself a relatively short 'Lockdown TBR' to help keep myself in order. On it is the next book in the series I am reading, a few of my most anticipated new(ish) releases and the first book in a series I want to reread this year.

I've found that while I'm stuck inside, making lists and keeping myself organised and motivated really goes a long way towards keeping my mental health in check.

If you have a similar sort of list, TBR or any recommendations of what I should read while I'm in quarantine let me know!



'Into the Fire' (Night Prince #4) - Jeaniene Frost:

In the wrong hands, love can be a deadly weapon.

For nearly six hundred years, Vlad Tepesh cared for nothing, so he had nothing to lose. His brutal reputation ensured that all but the most foolhardy stayed away. Now falling in love with Leila has put him at the mercy of his passions. And one adversary has found a devastating way to use Vlad’s new bride against him.

A powerful spell links Leila to the necromancer Mircea. If he suffers or dies, so does she. Magic is forbidden to vampires, so Vlad and Leila enlist an unlikely guide as they search for a way to break the spell. But an ancient enemy lies in wait, capable of turning Vlad and Leila’s closest friends against them…and finally tearing the lovers apart forever.In the wrong hands, love can be a deadly weapon.

For nearly six hundred years, Vlad Tepesh cared for nothing, so he had nothing to lose. His brutal reputation ensured that all but the most foolhardy stayed away. Now falling in love with Leila has put him at the mercy of his passions. And one adversary has found a devastating way to use Vlad’s new bride against him.

A powerful spell links Leila to the necromancer Mircea. If he suffers or dies, so does she. Magic is forbidden to vampires, so Vlad and Leila enlist an unlikely guide as they search for a way to break the spell. But an ancient enemy lies in wait, capable of turning Vlad and Leila’s closest friends against them…and finally tearing the lovers apart forever.In the wrong hands, love can be a deadly weapon.

For nearly six hundred years, Vlad Tepesh cared for nothing, so he had nothing to lose. His brutal reputation ensured that all but the most foolhardy stayed away. Now falling in love with Leila has put him at the mercy of his passions. And one adversary has found a devastating way to use Vlad’s new bride against him.

A powerful spell links Leila to the necromancer Mircea. If he suffers or dies, so does she. Magic is forbidden to vampires, so Vlad and Leila enlist an unlikely guide as they search for a way to break the spell. But an ancient enemy lies in wait, capable of turning Vlad and Leila’s closest friends against them…and finally tearing the lovers apart forever.


Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power:

1) Woo the Shadow King.
2) Marry him.
3) Kill him and take his kingdom for herself.

No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it.

But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king. As attempts on his life are made, she finds herself trying to keep him alive long enough for him to make her his queen—all while struggling not to lose her heart. After all, who better for a Shadow King than a cunning, villainous queen?

2019 was a magnificent year for us bookworms; it introduced a lot of us to some of our new all time favourite books and obsessions. For me personally, 'Sorcery of Thorns', 'A Curse So Dark and Lonely', 'Serpent & Dove', 'Capturing the Devil', 'Wicked King' and 'Queen of Nothing' were among my most memorable favourites. But, a new year is upon us, which means brand new reading material (that your bank account cannot afford, your bookshelves cannot hold, your TBR cries at, but you will buy anyway). Including a new Sarah J Maas release! We are in for some seriously wild rides this year and I for one cannot wait to hop on.

Without further ado, here is a small roundup of some of my most anticipated 2020 releases...



'A Heart So Fierce and Broken' (Cursebreakers #2) - Brigid Kemmerer.

Find the heir, win the crown. 

The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.
Win the crown, save the kingdom.

Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen--until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?

The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.

In the sequel to New York Times bestselling A Curse So Dark and Lonely, Brigid Kemmerer returns to the world of Emberfall in a lush fantasy where friends become foes and love blooms in the darkest of places.



'Chosen' (Slayer #2) - Kiersten White.

Nina continues to learn how to use her slayer powers against enemies old and new in this second novel in the New York Times bestselling series from Kiersten White, set in the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Now that Nina has turned the Watcher’s Castle into a utopia for hurt and lonely demons, she’s still waiting for the utopia part to kick in. With her sister Artemis gone and only a few people remaining at the castle—including her still-distant mother—Nina has her hands full. Plus, though she gained back her Slayer powers from Leo, they’re not feeling quite right after being held by the seriously evil succubus Eve, a.k.a. fake Watcher’s Council member and Leo’s mom.

And while Nina is dealing with the darkness inside, there’s also a new threat on the outside, portended by an odd triangle symbol that seems to be popping up everywhere, in connection with Sean’s demon drug ring as well as someone a bit closer to home. Because one near-apocalypse just isn’t enough, right?

The darkness always finds you. And once again, it’s coming for the Slayer.