The Right Swipe

This book is a 3.75 for me.

I liked the premise taking on modern dating with an initial ghosting that sparks the interactions between the two main characters Rhi and Samson. In this instance, Samson actually did have a family emergency which made him forget a second date with Rhi, and in retaliation she blocked him, so no further contact could be had. Rhi also is a CEO of her own dating app. She wants to take her dating app Crush to the next level by buying its competitor Matchmaker. By chance, Samson’s aunt is the owner of Matchmaker. Rhi isn’t big on second chances though fate would have her cross paths with Samson once again.

This book was unexpected because I was anticipating a fluffy type of romance book. I go into most books blind and had no idea what to expect with this. I was pleasantly surprised with some serious real life issues that this book covered. Rhi’s narcissistic boyfriend and abuse from a person in a position of power was well written and allowed her to slowly open and face this issue throughout the book. Power to the women who have the strength to do this and find the support they need. It was hard for Rhi and she soon realised she was never alone.

Then Samson’s pursuit of CTE support in NFL. His narrative also strikes up a conversation of head trauma injury in sports. I had to google the acronym to research it myself. In Australia, with the sports I watch, they take concussions seriously and if players get knocked out, they don’t get forced to play without proper approval by the teams doctor. I can’t say I know much about it in the US or other countries and the seriousness each sports take. This story definitely opened my eyes where ongoing research in this area allows how sports can impact the brain. You definitely wouldn’t think that a romance book would have this plot, but it was a change from my normal reads and an impactful one!

The chemistry between Rhi and Samson was there from the start. It was unfortunate circumstances and lack of communication that led to them talking to one another. As they got to know one another better, Samson had so much patience even if Rhi didn’t always let him in. Sometimes we just have to listen, be there for someone and let them open up in their own time. Rhi definitely had her barriers up to protect herself from not being hurt.

I loved Aunt Belle. She was unconventional in how she operated her business which I liked reading. You didn’t really know what to expect from her. Thought Rhi’s friend Katrina was such a great support with some wise advice. And I wish I could have an assistant like Lakshmi who can literally foresee everything in my life and guide me through it!

Overall, I enjoyed this read and would love to check out this author’s other work. Read this as part of a tandem collective and collective voices readalong and it was definitely worth it!

A Kingdom of Gods and Ruin

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Can I just say, what a start to the story!

I went into this with no idea what the story was about and it was part of a book club read.

If you’re after a story with fae, magical powers and gods/goddesses, this may be for you.

When I was reading the main character Kyra, I thought to myself, she’s a bit wild, authentic, outgoing, but also has the biggest heart. Her relationship and love for her sister is beyond measure. The story follows her journey as she pleas to the gods/goddesses to help protect her sister from the king. Her sister Aalia has a rare beauty and power in which the king is enamoured by. Aalia is married, but that doesn’t stop the king from wanting what he wants. Kyra strikes different deals with the gods/goddesses, some unfortunate circumstances seals her sister’s fate as well as her own.

Honestly, the ending leaves you thinking WTF and is such a great entry into A Game of Malice and Greed. This one is a prequel and it really leaves you wanting more. Twisted sisters have done it again!

Pineapple Street

⭐️⭐️

I read this book as part of a readalong. It was hyped up and I was genuinely excited to get into it. Unfortunately it fell flat for me and as I got 100 pages in, I didn’t really know where the story was going. I honestly would have DNF, if it wasn’t for the readalong and then I was just sticking around to see if the characters would grow. To me, there was no real plot.

The story follows a super rich family - the Stocktons who come from generational wealth. The story is told from three perspectives. We have Georgiana and Darley who are the daughters, and then, Sasha who is their sister in law, marrying their brother Cord. Georgiana is the youngest sibling working at a nonprofit. Darley skipping her inheritance to give to her children rather than making her husband Malcolm sign a pre-nup. Sasha marrying into wealth and not wanting to sign a pre-nup (which seems like an issue for some Stockton family members).

Much of the story centres around class and privilege. Their social circles are that of other rich white people. The Stocktons lack communication on anything that matters. They sometimes come across as clueless and uncultured. When I was reading their challenges, I felt at the same time, they weren't really problems that weren't easily solved through their wealth and/or communication. A BIPOC character is added maybe to check off a box, but he could have been white, as it didn't really make much of a difference to the story, in my opinion.

Georgiana, the youngest of the family, unbeknownst to her, starts having an affair with a man Brady from her office. Even after finding out, she tries to stop it from continuing, then doesn't. When Brady dies in a plane crash, she starts spiralling from grief, turning to pills and alcohol. We are meant to feel sorry for her, but I still think her continuing an affair was wrong. It was unfortunate that he died, but if he didn't, I don't know that she would have grown as a person at the end. It was definitely a wake up call when her drinking and pill consumption gets out of control. She then becomes inspired for change by someone else, starts her personal philanthropic journey, but would she have done that out of her own merit and mindset? Probably not. I'm glad she got the therapy she needed to handle her grief.

Darley - what a frustrating character. Wonderful that she "gave up" her inheritance for love, but Malcolm her husband had a good job, so was she really giving up anything? She was still living it up and when he lost his job, I couldn't help but think, so what? Darley not telling her parents, didn't really make sense. They're rich, they have connections. Her parents could have easily set them up with some other rich people, to help her or Malcolm gain a job. What made me mad about her, was that people would make inappropriate comments of her children. Malcolm being Korean, meant they had biracial children. Darley would just get mad if people called them "exotic" or made some other inappropriate Asian reference. We live in a world where educating others goes a long way. She could have stuck up for her children a bit better or changed the narrative. I’m of Asian descent, so reading this was frustrating. Seen it so many times when it’s happened to me personally.

Sasha was probably the only likeable character for me. I thought her connection with Cord was cute. Cord was annoying at times, as he came across as living in his own bubble and had poor communication skills, which is apparent with every family member. It was unfair for certain Stocktons to label her a gold digger, when she already had a life on her own without their money. She tried hard to fit in and they were sometimes very unwelcoming. I liked that she still did art with her friends, grew from her trauma and set boundaries with Cord at the end. She needed him to be on her side on things that mattered for her. Also really loved when she lost it at the Stocktons towards the end, so they could come to some realisations of their own.

Overall, I thought the writing was good and flowed really well. I just wanted more from it - more humour, more plot, more meaning, more character development, more of an ending... It was like the book was always teetering on becoming more but never quite going over that edge to wow us.

Don't understand how this is rated so highly, as it makes me wonder if I read something different to others.

Flowers for the Devil

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dark Victorian romances are not my go to and I randomly found this book on Amazon. I’m really glad I did! This was chosen as part of a book club read and not only does it have romance, it has mystery, intrigue, deception and much more.

I liked the idea of Harlan Krow - a vigilante standing up for the people in poorer neighbourhoods and protecting those that can’t protect themselves. The flashbacks, or recounting of his story when he was a soldier, allowed us to understand how his dark side developed. Ultimately, Harlan wanted justice in the world against those who did wrong. It’s up to you whether or not you agree with his methods, but if the system fails you, or others, sometimes you take matters in your own hands.

Alina was such a beautiful character. I liked how her mind worked and it was lovely reading that she was into medicine and science. Given the time period, she couldn’t exactly use her voice the way she wanted to, but it was important that the men around her believed in her. Her mother was overbearing and made me laugh. I enjoyed the Russian cultural references throughout the story. The reason why her family were forced to England was sad but also believable.

The spice! If you’re after some, it’s heavily written towards the end of the book. I honestly wasn’t expecting it given the premise of the story. Some chapters did feel repeated to me through these scenes.

How I interpret the book is that it’s ultimately about having someone understand you through your darker moments and being loved for it anyway. Sometimes it’s rare to have someone so understanding that you find the light because of them.

The Secret History

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t even know what my feelings are after finishing this book! It’s one of those books where I feel like if I read it again in the future, I’m going to appreciate it so much more than I already do.

When people say this is what started the dark academia genre, I can see why. It’s everything, from secretive, pretentious, charming, chaotic, mysterious, dark, atmospheric, awakening, gripping, surprising, egotistical, timeless… I could keep going with how many descriptive words this book actually is!

I wasn’t prepared for the extremely long chapters. Some being over 100 pages, but somehow for this story, it works and makes sense. This isn’t for anyone that can’t stand a slow unraveling because every aspect and relationship is described, as our main character Richard tells us his story at Hampden college. Ultimately he wanted to be part of something and being included sometimes isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.

To what lengths would you take to be part of a group, that has such intricacies, in which you wouldn’t ever truly understand? Would you ever protect people that you share a secret with, but never know who they are deep down as people? Does it seem worth putting your life into the hands of another when you don’t know them well enough? All questions, you’ll be thinking about when reading Richard’s actions and it also makes you question the morals people hold, versus their distorted view on the world.